2019 Tesla Model 3 Complaints

AIR BAGS — Filed 06/11/2025

Front passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) failed on its own, without accident, misuse, or modification, at low mileage. The fault disables proper airbag deployment logic for the front passenger seat. Tesla has issued multiple service bulletins acknowledging this as a known condition. **Vehicle Identification Number (VIN):** [XXX] **Model Year:** 2019 **Make:** Tesla **Model:** Model 3 **Mileage at time of failure:** Approximately 27,800 miles **Date of incident/failure:** XXX (date alert was first detected, per invoice) **Component:** Air Bags / Occupant Classification System (Front Passenger) **Crash involved:** No **Fire involved:** No **Injuries:** None **Number of injuries/fatalities:** 0 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SEATS — Filed 07/06/2026

I am getting an electrical fault which has disabled my front passenger seat airbags. They need to replace the wiring, which means they also now need to replace the passenger airbag itself because wiring has changed and the old airbag is not compatible with the new wiring. Replace Occupant Classification System (OCS) of Front Passenger Seat while Servicing Subcomponents Update Front Passenger Airbag to Maintain Compatibility with Front Passenger Seat I had this same error 4 months ago and it ended up shorting out the entire electrical system, which disabled autosteer and eventually completely disabled power steering which made the car unusable. Tesla service center called it a water intrusion problem and had to replace the entire front electrical harness system and steering rack costing $4500. Now the problem has resurfaced and I'm afraid I might lose power steering again which is extremely dangerous and could happen any time, in addition to my airbags potentially not deploying.

SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE — Filed 12/22/2025

Summary of the Problem Rear subframe assembly and multiple rear suspension links required full replacement due to failure/wear at approximately 51,890 miles, on a vehicle with no history of collision or accident damage. Tesla diagnosed the issue as an interior rattle/squeak reproducible over bumpy roads and speed bumps, which led to replacement of the rear subframe and nearly the entire rear suspension link set. Total repair cost was approximately $7,667.65, entirely out of pocket, as Tesla stated no recall applies to this VIN. Full Description (detailed narrative field) In December 2025, I began noticing a rattling/squeaking noise from the rear of my 2019 Tesla Model 3, reproducible on bumpy roads, speed bumps, and rail tracks. The vehicle has never been in an accident and has no history of collision damage. I brought the vehicle to Tesla Service (Fremont, CA) on 07-Jan-2026 at 51,890 miles. Tesla's diagnosis found it necessary to replace: The rear subframe assembly Rear toe link assemblies (left and right) Rear upper fore link assemblies (left and right) Rear lower fore link assemblies (left and right) Rear upper aft link assemblies (left and right) Front lower compliance links (left and right) Front lower lateral links (pair) A four-wheel alignment This amounted to nearly a full rear (and partial front) suspension rebuild, at a cost of $6,843.34 for this job alone, and $7,667.65 total, entirely at my expense. Tesla confirmed there is no open recall covering this VIN or this failure. I am concerned this represents a premature structural/suspension component failure unrelated to accident damage or normal wear, at a mileage (51,890) that suggests a potential defect in the subframe or suspension hardware/corrosion resistance for this model year, rather than an isolated wear item. I am filing this complaint so NHTSA can evaluate whether this is part of a broader pattern for 2019 Model 3 vehicles.

AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,SEATS — Filed 06/14/2026

It was raining and my passenger got in the car (slightly damp). When he sat down, I reveived an error message on the screen saying "Front passenger safety restraint system issue". The airbag light is red indicating that it won't work for my passenger. You should be able to get into a car wet without your airbag no longer working. My understanding is that this is a common problem. Tesla wants > $1000 to replace the seat sensor + requires me to pay to have my airbag replaced so the part matches the sensor. According to Tesla Service Bulletin SB-23-20-002, the new style of seat sensor is strictly incompatible with the older style of airbag (known as a "Full Suppression" airbag). $182 (Diagnostic Fee) $475 (OCS Replacement) $318 (Airbag Update) + Labor + Tax The internet is full of reports of this issue. Just google "Front passenger safety restraint system issue". I do not have an invoice for the repair yet. Tesla's service center's first available appt is in 25 days. This means I have to go 25 days without a passenger in my front seat.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 06/04/2026

I was using Full self driving (FSD), but I notice the autopilot gets "impatient" when (correctly) stopped for a "long" period of time (~2 minutes), but will then try to proceed in dangerous conditions. 1. I had FSD engaged while waiting to make an uncontrolled left turn. The street I'm turning onto is busy, so both lanes are going at a steady pace. After about 2 minutes of waiting, the autopilot decided to make the left turn while BOTH directions had cars approaching. It turned towards a motorcyclist (which might be why it thought the lane was "empty"), and cut off a rather large car behind the motorcycle which almost caused a collision. I was honked from both sides (rightfully so) and put in a very dangerous position as my car was now stopped in the middle of the row of both lanes. 2. I was at a red light intersection with no traffic coming from either side with FSD engaged. After about 2 minutes of waiting, the car tried to go on its own while the light was still red. After manually stopping the autopilot, the light naturally turned green a few seconds later.

AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS — Filed 03/27/2026

Our seatbelts and airbags required replacement as Tesla stated safety equipment on a Tesla is only guaranteed until 60,000 miles and after that they often need repairs. It was quite expensive. The seatbelts and airbags total cost was $1296.40 and already the Tesla says the front passenger airbag needs to be replaced again.

SUSPENSION — Filed 05/19/2026

these cars have a defective control arm system and they are prone to messing up over and over, they have replacement revisions but try to charge you for labor and parts if youre out of warranty even though they know the parts were a problem and revised them. Tesla does nothing to help you and will even try to charge you $200 just to diagnose the issue.

STRUCTURE — Filed 05/12/2026

Component: Exterior Door Handle (Front Passenger) Incident Description: A latent manufacturing defect resulted in the structural delamination of the interior chrome plating on the front passenger door handle. This failure occurred after the last use of the handle, creating a razor-sharp metallic edge that was not visible during a normal approach to the vehicle. Upon contacting the handle to open the door, a passenger sustained a deep laceration from this jagged metallic blade. Safety Hazard: The defect transforms a primary vehicle touchpoint into a concealed cutting hazard. The chrome skin peels and curls into a sharp edge without warning or visible signs of wear, posing an ongoing risk of serious physical injury to any occupant. Manufacturer Response: Tesla Service (Los Gatos) was provided with photographic evidence of the razor edge and the resulting injury. While acknowledging the injury, Tesla refused a safety-based "goodwill" repair, citing the vehicle’s age (2019) and the absence of a formal recall. Tesla further attempted to attribute this structural material failure to cleaning products, despite the vehicle being garage-kept and maintained only with pH-neutral enthusiast-grade soaps. Tesla has since refused further discussion. Request: This defect poses an ongoing risk of serious physical injury to any occupant using the handles. I am reporting this to assist in identifying a trend of material failure in 2017–2020 Model 3 chrome door handles.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE — Filed 04/17/2026

Tesla FSD on HW3 vehicles has become very unstable. Users complain the car ping pongs within the lane and occasionally will steer onto the left or opposite lane. This seems to have happened after a recent update between Feb/March 2026. Growing reports of the same issue reported on Reddit. Ping pong tesla fsd Sources: r/TeslaFSD, r/TeslaLounge, r/TeslaSupport Tesla FSD Ping Pong Effect Software Updates Recent Updates: Many users have reported that the ping-pong effect started after recent software updates, particularly 2026.8.6 and 2026.14.3. "Yes, this started for me after the update to 2026.8.6 and continued on 2026.8.6.1" HW3 Issues: Some users with Hardware 3 (HW3) have noted that FSD has become unusable due to this effect. "I'm HW3 Software 2026.14.3 FSD Software V12.6.4 Driving on the highway is completely unusable and would result in a crash if I kept it on." Troubleshooting Steps Camera Calibration: Several users have suggested recalibrating the cameras, which can sometimes help. "Try a camera housing cleaning and a camera calibration" DAS Reset: Performing a Driver-Assist System (DAS) reset has also been recommended. "Also reset the DAS" Cleaning Cameras: Ensuring the cameras are clean can improve performance. "Ask SC or mobile service to check camera alignment AND clean the front cameras, and recalibrate cameras." Hardware Issues IMU/Gyroscope: A few users have been told by Tesla service that the issue might be due to a failing gyroscope/IMU in the HW3 Autopilot computer. "The tech told me it might be a failing gyroscope/IMU inside the HW3 Autopilot computer." HW3 Replacement: Replacing the HW3 computer can be costly, and some users are considering waiting for a HW4 retrofit. "Their solution is to replace the entire HW3 computer — quoted around $2,500–$3,000." User Experiences Ping-Ponging on Highways: Many users have reported the ping-pong effect specifically on highways. "While using FSD on higher speed interstates (multiple) my car acts like a

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 05/01/2026

The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while the rear seat warmer was active, a hole had burned through the seat due to the heat coming from the seat warmer. The contact stated that a blanket was placed over the seat which caused the blanket to melt and fuse into the seat. As a result of the failure, the contact had to tear apart the back of the seat where the failure occurred. The contact spoke to a Tesla service technician who gave the contact an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.