2018 Tesla Model 3 Seat Belts Problems
Owners have filed 105 complaints with NHTSA about seat belts problems on the 2018 Tesla Model 3, 10% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 60,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “safety restraint” (64% of reports).
- 105seat belts complaints
- 60,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- $480typical repair cost reported by owners
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Safety restraint: mentioned in 67 of 105 complaints (64%)
- Front passenger: mentioned in 25 of 105 complaints (24%)
- Service required: mentioned in 17 of 105 complaints (16%)
- Rcm A021: mentioned in 11 of 105 complaints (10%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical seat belts repair on the 2018 Tesla Model 3 at $480, and half of them between $440 and $680.
Based on 11 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2022–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do seat belts problems happen?
Based on 11 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 105 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
Tesla Model 3 seat belts complaints by model year
| Model year | Seat Belts complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Model 3 | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2025 Model 3 | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2024 Model 3 | 3 | 1% | — |
| 2023 Model 3 | 10 | 2% | — |
| 2022 Model 3 | 12 | 2% | 35,400 |
| 2021 Model 3 | 15 | 2% | 65,000 |
| 2020 Model 3 | 19 | 4% | — |
| 2019 Model 3 | 55 | 9% | 8,500 |
| 2018 Model 3 | 105 | 10% | 60,000 |
| 2017 Model 3 | 6 | 23% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Seat belts:front:warning light/devices
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: 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 SB-24-00-008.
Seat belts:rear/other:anchorage
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. The second-row left seat belt buckle and second-row center seat belt anchor may have been incorrectly reassembled during vehicle service.
Risk: An incorrectly reassembled seat belt anchor can impair the performance of the seat belt during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Tesla Service will inspect and reassemble the seat belt anchors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-20-004.
Seat belts:front; electrical system:software
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The audible chime may not activate when the vehicle starts and the driver has not buckled their seat belt. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: The driver may be unaware that their seat belt is not fastened, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 1, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-002.
Seat belts:critical fasteners
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Model 3 and 2019-2021 Model Y vehicles. One or both fasteners that secure the front seat shoulder belt to the b-pillar may not be properly attached.
Risk: An improperly attached fastener may prevent the seat belt system from performing as designed, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Tesla Service will inspect and repair both fasteners if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 23, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service online by visiting www.tesla.com/support/contact or by calling 1-877-79-TESLA (or 1-877-798-3752). Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-20-001.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
- When I start my car, I see the following error message appear: Front Left Safety Restraint System Fault. Also, the air bag disabled alert is displayed. Since the air bag is disabled, it puts me at grave risk if I were to get into an accident. - Many other Tesla owners have reported the same exact…
Vehicle Information: Year/Make/Model:Â 2018 Tesla Model 3 Mileage at Incident:Â 45,000 miles Description of Safety Defect: A sudden and persistent "Safety Restraint System Fault" / "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault" warning illuminated on the vehicle's primary touchscreen interface…
Driving tghe 2018 Model 3 with around 75K miles, the warning "FRONT LEFT SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM ISSUE" keeps popping up and staying on the center console. Tesla said car is out of warranty and have to pay upto $2000 to fix it.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 Tesla Model 3s have seat belts problems?
No. NHTSA has 105 owner complaints about seat belts for the 2018 Tesla Model 3 (10% of the 1,031 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Tesla Model 3 seat belts?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list seat belts. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do seat belts problems start?
The median reported mileage is 60,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix seat belts problems on the 2018 Tesla Model 3?
Owners report a typical cost of $480 (half paid between $440 and $680), from 11 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about seat belts problems on the 2018 Tesla Model 3?
The most frequent phrase is “safety restraint”, in 67 of 105 complaints, followed by “front passenger” (25).
Other 2018 Tesla Model 3 problems
See all 2018 Tesla Model 3 problems or seat belts problems across all Model 3 years.