2019 Tesla Model 3 · symptom sheet
Adaptive cruise or lane keeping misbehaves
- 64owner reports
- 27,019median miles
- 4involved a crash
Newest report Sep 28, 2025 · checked Oct 2, 2026
238 of the 615 complaints on this car are about collision avoidance. 64 of those describe driver assist.
Tick what matches of 64 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 camera (6 reports) and the software (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
2 recalls on collision avoidance cover the 2019 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 22 recalls on the 2019 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 13,000 and 41,000 miles, from the 15 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“The car will not allow me to use the cruise control, or put the car into auto-steer. Tesla says it do to a coax cable that is damaged or gone bad. Additionally the day a camera repeater also needs to be replace. The car has only 62,000 miles and is 4 year old. Which is out of Warranty.”
Filed May 6, 2023 · 62,000 miles
“Sudden braking / deceleration while on adaptive cruise control. Has been happening frequently on I66 east between Haymarket and Rte 28, often at same locations. No visible hazards and often no other cars immediately in front of vehicle. Vehicle has "Autopilot," not full-self-driving. Has been happening for more than two years.”
Filed Jun 5, 2022
“While the vehicleâs âautopilotâ is engaged with the screen showing the blue lane border lines on the screen, the lane keeping assistance will suddenly and sharply veer out of a straight and clearly painted lane without any warning creating a dangerous reaction from the driver to attempt to correct (and possibly over correct) the abrupt and unexpected departure from the lane.?”
Filed Mar 25, 2022
“While driving on I 70 in Kansas with cruise control on, the car violently decelerated several times during a trip. This happened with no reason, with no object in the vehicle path and was like someone jamming the breaks and tire nearly skidding. If someone was behind me they surely would have rear-ended my car.”
Filed Mar 18, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 4 of 64 reports involved a crash and 1 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
- Airbag warning light or recall 85 reports
- Suspension noise, struts or alignment 82 reports
- Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) 77 reports
- Seat belt or seat problems 77 reports
- Full Self-Driving (FSD) does something unsafe 73 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 63 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 60 reports