2023 Tesla Model 3 Reliability & Recall Report
Based on 12 NHTSA recalls and 428 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.
F
27/100
Very High Reported Activity — 2023 Tesla Model 3
The 2023 Tesla Model 3 shows very high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Counts are raw and are higher for popular models, so see how we score this below. Review the issues and recalls carefully, and have the vehicle inspected before buying.
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12
NHTSA Recalls
12 recalls on record
428
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
73
Crash Reports
1 fire report
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NHTSA Recalls — 2023 Tesla Model 3 (12)
All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Tesla dealer at no charge to the owner.
🔧 Exterior Lighting: Tail Lights
A taillight that fails to illuminate may reduce the visibility of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for…
🔧 Air Bags: Side/Window: Curtain
A twisted side curtain air bag may improperly deploy, increasing the risk of injury or occupant ejection during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and realign the left and right side curtain air bag as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 23, 2021. Owners may contact…
🔧 Steering: Automated/Adaptive Steering
FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for…
🔧 Electrical System: Propulsion System: Traction Battery
A defective battery disconnect may not isolate the vehicle's high voltage battery after a crash or fault detection, increasing the risk of electrical shock and injury.
Remedy: Tesla Service will replace the pyrotechnic battery disconnect, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 18, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for…
🔧 Electrical System: Adas: Autonomous/Self Driving: Software
In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased…
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for…
🔧 Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel
Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
🔧 Seat Belts: Front: Warning Light/Devices
A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is…
🔧 Latches/Locks/Linkages: Hood: Latch
An unlatched hood can fully open, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for…
🔧 Tires: Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 15, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this…
🔧 Steering: Electric Power Assist System
A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for…
Showing 10 of 12 recalls. View all on NHTSA.gov →
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Most Common Problems — 2023 Tesla Model 3
Based on 428 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.
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Tesla Model 3 — Complaints by Year
A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2023 model year is highlighted.
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⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2018, 2022 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.
✅ Best model years: 2017, 2025, 2026 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.
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Frequently Asked Questions — 2023 Tesla Model 3
Is the 2023 Tesla Model 3 reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2023 Tesla Model 3 has 12 recall campaigns and 428 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2023 Tesla Model 3 have?
The 2023 Tesla Model 3 has 12 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2023 Tesla Model 3?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2023 Tesla Model 3 are: Steering, Forward Collision Avoidance, Vehicle Speed Control, Electrical System. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2023 Tesla Model 3 safe to buy?
The 2023 Tesla Model 3 has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 12 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Tesla Model 3 should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Tesla Model 3 are: 2017, 2025, 2026. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2018, 2022.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update.
For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit
NHTSA.gov/recalls.