2023 Tesla Model 3 · symptom sheet
Adaptive cruise or lane keeping misbehaves
- 84owner reports
- 2,000median miles
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Aug 27, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
215 of the 427 complaints on this car are about collision avoidance. 84 of those describe driver assist. Only phantom braking is reported more often on this car.
Tick what matches of 84 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 (10 reports) and the camera (7 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on collision avoidance covers the 2023 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
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 1,000 and 4,000 miles, from the 9 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“While using standard cruise control (without autosteer), car sporadically & aggressively brakes for no reason with no obstruction or cars ahead and while at highway speeds. With cars close behind, a serious, life-threatening accident could've occurred. Can not determine how to recreate issue on demand. This is a known issue with Teslas that has not been addressed by Tesla. I have not reported this issue to Tesla.”
Filed Aug 19, 2024
“Vehicle was in cruise control, and cruise control did not deactivate causing the vehicle to propel into a building, causing airbag deployment. Safety sensors of car failed to recognize building, other vehicles, and obstructions as required.”
Filed Aug 6, 2024
“I was driving and the power steering stopped functioning. The car had just over 1000 miles and both the lane departure avoidance and steering assistance cut out. Restarting the start would bring it back on temporarily but it would cut out again after a minute or two.”
Filed Aug 20, 2023 · 1,000 miles
“We have experienced several episodes of the car suddenly breaking for no reason when using cruise control. The speed is very quickly reduced a good 15 mph without warning.this is not only very alarming as drivers/passengers but it is incredibly dangerous. If there was a car following closely behind us, they would have hit us.”
Filed Jul 8, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 84 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 Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) 92 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 56 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 38 reports
- Forward collision warning goes off or the camera drops out 31 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 25 reports