2022 Tesla Model 3 · symptom sheet

Adaptive cruise or lane keeping misbehaves

349owner reports
3,000median miles
2involved a crash

Newest report Aug 7, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

585 of the 764 complaints on this car are about collision avoidance. 349 of those describe driver assist, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2022 Model 3.

Tick what matches of 349 reports

cruise control shut off on its own

it steered me toward the line

a sensor blocked warning in clear weather

it slowed for nothing

309

a software update did not fix it

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the software (37 reports), the camera (22 reports) and the radar (5 reports).

Recalls and investigations

One recall on collision avoidance covers the 2022 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.

24V-153Feb 27, 2024

Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings:External/Pedestrian Alert

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2013, 2018-2021 Model S, 2020-2021 Model X, 2018-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. A factory reset muted the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."

Risk and remedy

Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, release 2023.44.30.14, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 27, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-006.

NHTSA investigations into collision avoidance on the Model 3

DP23-002opened Jun 29, 2023

Speed control · model years 2017 to 2023

Sudden unintended acceleration. Open.

NHTSA summary

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition requesting that ODI reevaluate its decision to deny DP20-001 on the basis that intermittent high electrical current demands on the vehicles' 12VDC systems may have caused some or all of the incidents examined by ODI in DP20-001. The petitioner bases this information on a review of open-source research and the DP20-001 denial. The petition and related materials can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under the following ODI number: 11528471.

PE22-002opened Feb 16, 2022

Collision avoidance · model years 2018 to 2024

Unexpected brake activation. Closed jun 29, 2026.

NHTSA summary

On February 16, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE22002) to investigate reports of unexpected deceleration while driving with the adaptive cruise control system engaged in Model Year (MY) 2021 â 2022 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles manufactured by Tesla. The subject systems include Autopilot (all versions), Full Self-Driving (FSD) and Traffic Aware Cruise Control (TACC). These complaints have been colloquially referred to as âphantom brakingâ. ODI opened PE22002 to determine the scope and severity of the potential problem and to assess any resulting safety issues in the subject vehicles. The alleged defect is an unexpected and unrequested vehicle deceleration triggered by the subject system during subject system engagement. The alleged defect does not occur when the subject system is not in use and is separate and distinct from Automated Emergency Braking (AEB). During vehicle operation, AEB is actively monitoring in the subject vehicles regardless of subject system and its intervention is accompanied by audible and visual collision warnings. A Vehicle Owners Questionnaire (VOQ) trend originating in November 2021 prompted ODI to open PE22002. VOQ narratives reported unexpected brake activation while using TACC, Autopilot or FSD. The trend grew from 99 by the end of 2021 to 314 by February 16, 2022, when PE22002 was opened. ODI sent Information Request (IR) Letters to Tesla on May 4, 2022, and July 11, 2024, to request salien

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 1,900 and 6,000 miles, from the 32 reports that gave a mileage.

821

27222

5023

1524

225

226

What owners wrote

“I have approximately 3300 miles on the car since new. I cannot safely use the adaptive cruise control feature because the car randomly applies significant braking. This has happened about 10 times in a variety of conditions including completely clear with the car recently cleaned.”
Filed Feb 17, 2022 · 3,300 miles

“Random "phantom braking" while on cruise control. Unexpected and significant braking. On icy or wet roads, this could cause a departure from the vehicle path and road. It happens often enough that I'm rarely using it anymore. And fora feature that is supposed to be a safety feature (reducing driver fatigue, backup to emergency braking, safe following etc.) this is very bad.”
Filed Feb 4, 2022

“Driving on a two lane rural road with a 55mph speed limit, I had traffic aware cruise control engaged with the speed set to 55 mph. A truck crested a hill coming the opposite direction, fully within their lane, and the car engaged the emergency breaking system. Fortunately, no one was behind me at the time as this could have resulted in me being rear-ended.”
Filed Feb 4, 2022

“When driving with cruise control on the car will suddenly apply brakes if it detects a car coming at me from the opposite lane. This is a safety hazard as the cars behind me would have no idea I would be stopping and poses a serious rear end threat.”
Filed Feb 2, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 2 of 349 reports involved a crash and 2 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.