2022 Tesla Model 3 problems
Owners have filed 1,518 complaints with NHTSA about the 2022 Tesla Model 3. Forward collision avoidance is the most reported problem area, at 52% of complaints. After that come cruise control (11%) and brakes (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,518 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Forward collision avoidance 52% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 109 and 6
- Injuries and deaths
- 76 and 1
- Typical mileage
- 5,000 miles 86 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 58 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 19 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 4 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 0 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 2 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 3 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Among the 86 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 5,000 miles. For forward collision avoidance specifically, the median reported mileage is about 4,000 miles (36 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 109 complaints mention a crash; 6 complaints mention a fire; 76 injuries reported; 1 death reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2022 ranks 1st most-complained-about out of 10 model years of the Tesla Model 3 with enough data (1,518 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 18 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
I am reporting this incident on behalf of our daughter who lost her husband in this Tesla 3 single-car accident. Photographs of what I believe is a failed left front wheel are attached. Sample pieces of the wheel are not in my possession. The accident occurred on a clear day in the late afternoon on a dry stretch of narrow, unlined road that was in a degree of disrepair.
During a head-on collision on [XXX] in Georgia, the electrical system in my 2022 Tesla Model 3 lost power and the electric door releases stopped functioning. The vehicle interior caught fire and I was trapped inside. I was unaware of the location of the hidden mechanical emergency door release because it is not visibly labeled, not explained upon delivery, and not intuitive in an emergency.
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware of an excessive amount of fluid underneath the vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle started to overheat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the HVAC system had caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while operating the vehicle in "Self-Driving" mode, the error message "Camera Malfunction" was displayed. During the failure the vehicle drove through red lights and erroneously steered the vehicle off the road and into the wrong lane. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the main computer was faulty and needed to be replaced. The computer was replaced but the failure persisted. No further information was available.