2018 Tesla Model 3 · symptom sheet
Adaptive cruise or lane keeping misbehaves
- 82owner reports
- 13,350median miles
- 5involved a crash
Newest report Aug 20, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
279 of the 1,026 complaints on this car are about collision avoidance. 82 of those describe driver assist.
Tick what matches of 82 reports
Driver assist on other Model 3 years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
These reports come from drivers whose assistance systems did something they didn't ask for. Adaptive cruise switches itself off, or brakes for a car that isn't there. Lane keeping tugs the wheel toward the line, or a "sensor blocked" message appears on a clear day. Because both systems can brake or steer, owners tend to file them as safety complaints, and NHTSA files them under speed control, lane departure or forward collision.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the software (17 reports), the camera (16 reports) and the radar (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
2 recalls on collision avoidance cover the 2018 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
A factory reset muted the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds.
A communication error may cause false forward-collision warning (FCW) or unexpected activation of the automatic emergency brake (AEB) system.
All 19 recalls on the 2018 Tesla Model 3, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into collision avoidance on the Model 3
Sudden unintended acceleration. Open.
Unexpected brake activation. Closed jun 29, 2026.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 7,076 and 27,000 miles, from the 13 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“No warning messages at all, all cameras/sensors stopped working all at once while driving, full self drive stopped working, lane assist, safety features of full self drive was degraded by this. Car software v12 (2024.44.25.2 288ce84bb43e), according to the dealership the computer fried randomly.”
Filed Oct 7, 2025
“Going down an undivided single lane each way roadway at 55 MPH car suddenly hard braked and car behind me almost hit me. Most of these I don't report since it's normal for Tesla FSD or adaptive cruise to be incapable of maintaining reasonable speed for a day trip - this was worse than usual and almost resulted in an accident.”
Filed Jun 20, 2022
“Multiple episodes of phantom breaking with the car on cruise control on the highway. The car was not on autopilot during the episodes. The car abruptly drops from highway speed with full braking until you can override it with the accelerator. This will cause accidents of someone is close behind you. As a result, I do not use cruise control.”
Filed Jun 3, 2022
“Multiple instances of phantom braking and slow down while driving on Traffic Aware Cruise Control (TACC) and/or Autosteer mode of the Autopilot feature. In addition, the lane keeping assistance feature gives phantom warnings even though the car stays in the lane.”
Filed Jun 3, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 5 of 82 reports involved a crash and 3 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Suspension noise, struts or alignment 186 reports
- Seat belt or seat problems 152 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 142 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 131 reports
- Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) 100 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 88 reports
- Forward collision warning goes off or the camera drops out 38 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 32 reports
- Full Self-Driving (FSD) does something unsafe 29 reports
- Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 26 reports