Tesla
Tesla Model 3 years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2022. Best years: 2017.
The 2022 Tesla Model 3 draws the most owner complaints for its age: 765, or 153 for each year on the road, against a median of 92 a year across the 8 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2022 is driver assist (349 reports).
- 4,308complaints
- 36recall campaigns
- 9model years with a page
Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2022
Most reported: driver assist (349 reports, median 3,000 miles) and phantom braking (341 reports, median 4,300 miles).
Best years
2017
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid. Too new to judge: 2025 and 2026.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2018 has the most complaints of any Tesla Model 3 year here: 1,026 of 4,308 (24%).
- Problem across the years
- The top problem moves around from year to year. Phantom braking leads in 2 of the 9 model years and has the most reports overall, 969. Pooled across the years, half of the 93 owners who gave a mileage for phantom braking were under about 8,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 12% of Tesla Model 3 complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2025, 26 of its 117 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- 5 of the 8 model years where owners report phantom braking have a recall on the same system. The 2023, 2024 and 2025 have none. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2022 at 1,297 and have dropped every year since, to 505 in 2025. So far in 2026, 402 more have come in.
Photo: Vauxford, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
First generation
| Year | Complaints | A year | Recalls | Most reported | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1,026 | 114 | 19 | Suspension noise, struts or alignment (186) | 28,980 |
| 2019 | 615 | 77 | 22 | Airbag warning light or recall (85) | 15,720 |
| 2020 | 451 | 64 | 21 | Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) (95) | 12,000 |
| 2021 | 664 | 111 | 22 | Adaptive cruise or lane keeping misbehaves (262) | 13,000 |
| 2022 avoid | 765 | 153 | 18 | Adaptive cruise or lane keeping misbehaves (349) | 7,000 |
| 2023 | 427 | 107 | 12 | Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) (92) | 5,000 |
Photo: HJUdall, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Model years with too few complaints for a page of their own: 2017 (26).
Year by year
2026 Tesla Model 3
25 owner complaints so far; too new to call. Most reported: FSD problems (11 reports). 9 reports involved a crash and 3 people were hurt. 1 recall: 25V-410 on the seats.
2025 Tesla Model 3
117 owner complaints so far; too new to call. Most reported: FSD problems (16 reports), infotainment (12 reports) and brake wear (12 reports). 25 reports involved a crash and 9 people were hurt. 3 recalls, including 25V-690 on the electrical system and 25V-002 on the backup camera.
2024 Tesla Model 3
218 owner complaints, 73 for each year on the road (0.8 times the model median). Most reported: driver assist (22 reports), FSD problems (21 reports) and infotainment (20 reports). 26 reports involved a crash and 19 people were hurt. 5 recalls, including 26V-445 on the structure and 25V-002 on the backup camera.
2023 Tesla Model 3
427 owner complaints, 107 for each year on the road (1.2 times the model median). Most reported: phantom braking (92 reports, median 5,000 miles), driver assist (84 reports, median 2,000 miles) and brake wear (56 reports, median 11,000 miles). 72 reports involved a crash and 50 people were hurt. 12 recalls, including 26V-507 on the exterior lighting and 26V-283 on the backup camera.
2022 Tesla Model 3 avoid
765 owner complaints, 153 for each year on the road (1.7 times the model median). Most reported: driver assist (349 reports, median 3,000 miles), phantom braking (341 reports, median 4,300 miles) and brake wear (167 reports, median 5,224 miles). 53 reports involved a crash and 45 people were hurt. 18 recalls, including 24V-153 on collision avoidance and 26V-507 on the exterior lighting.
2021 Tesla Model 3
664 owner complaints, 111 for each year on the road (1.2 times the model median). Most reported: driver assist (262 reports, median 7,000 miles), phantom braking (239 reports, median 7,500 miles) and brake wear (125 reports). 46 reports involved a crash and 19 people were hurt. 22 recalls, including 24V-153 on collision avoidance and 22V-317 on collision avoidance.
2020 Tesla Model 3
451 owner complaints, 64 for each year on the road (0.7 times the model median). Most reported: phantom braking (95 reports), driver assist (91 reports, median 5,665 miles) and infotainment (50 reports). 54 reports involved a crash and 33 people were hurt. 21 recalls, including 24V-153 on collision avoidance and 21V-846 on collision avoidance.
2019 Tesla Model 3
615 owner complaints, 77 for each year on the road (0.8 times the model median). Most reported: airbag (85 reports, median 39,140 miles), suspension (82 reports, median 16,000 miles) and phantom braking (77 reports, median 21,100 miles). 60 reports involved a crash and 30 people were hurt. 22 recalls, including 26V-507 on the exterior lighting and 24V-935 on the tires.
2018 Tesla Model 3
1,026 owner complaints, 114 for each year on the road (1.2 times the model median). Most reported: suspension (186 reports, median 33,000 miles), seat belt (152 reports, median 57,000 miles) and airbag (142 reports, median 47,000 miles). 102 reports involved a crash and 44 people were hurt. 19 recalls, including 23V-235 on the suspension system and 26V-507 on the exterior lighting.
Recalls that cover several model years
The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not remain illuminated between drive cycles, failing to warn the driver of low tire pressure.
The headlight low beams may be too bright and exceed the maximum light output.
An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights.
In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended.
The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution.
In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.
Compare the Model 3 with its rivals
Side by side over the model years both have on file: what owners complain about, the mileage problems start at, recalls, investigations and crash reports.
- Model 3 vs Tesla Model Y2020 to 2026
- Model 3 vs Tesla Model S2018 to 2023
- Model 3 vs Hyundai Ioniq 52022 to 2026
Questions
What Tesla Model 3 years should you avoid?
The 2022 Tesla Model 3 draws the most owner complaints for its age: 765, or 153 for each year on the road, against a median of 92 a year across the 8 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2022 is driver assist (349 reports).
What are the best years for the Tesla Model 3?
The 2017 draws the fewest complaints for its age: 26, or 3 for each year on the road.
What is the most common problem on the Tesla Model 3?
Phantom braking, with 969 reports across the 9 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2020 and 2023.
How many recalls does the Tesla Model 3 have?
36 recall campaigns cover the Tesla Model 3 model years 2018 to 2026 on this site. The widest, 24V-935 on the tires, covers 8 model years.
How many Tesla Model 3 complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
12% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2025 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for phantom braking on the Tesla Model 3?
On 5 of the 8 model years where owners report it: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.