2018 Tesla Model 3 Steering Problems
Owners have filed 80 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2018 Tesla Model 3, 8% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 11,687 miles. The words owners use most often: “service center” (16% of reports).
- 80steering complaints
- 11,687median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 40%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Service center: mentioned in 13 of 80 complaints (16%)
- Control arms: mentioned in 10 of 80 complaints (13%)
- Front suspension: mentioned in 8 of 80 complaints (10%)
- Lateral link: mentioned in 6 of 80 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 18 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 80 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
Tesla Model 3 steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Model 3 | 7 | 25% | 450 |
| 2025 Model 3 | 25 | 21% | 9,137 |
| 2024 Model 3 | 37 | 17% | 13,816 |
| 2023 Model 3 | 88 | 21% | 2,430 |
| 2022 Model 3 | 37 | 5% | 16,150 |
| 2021 Model 3 | 27 | 4% | 14,649 |
| 2020 Model 3 | 46 | 10% | 2,500 |
| 2019 Model 3 | 53 | 9% | 10,000 |
| 2018 Model 3 | 80 | 8% | 11,687 |
| 2017 Model 3 | 1 | 4% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Steering:automated/adaptive steering
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software or pending installation. The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution. In addition, the system may respond insufficiently to changes in posted speed limits or not adequately account for the driver's adjustment of the vehicle's speed to exceed posted speed limits.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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 this recall is SB-23-00-001.
Steering:automated/adaptive steering
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The "rolling stop" functionality available as part of the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software may allow the vehicle to travel through an all-way stop intersection without first coming to a stop.
Risk: Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that disables the "rolling stop" functionality, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-001.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving 4 MPH, the front sway bar detached from the vehicle, and the contact lost steering control. The vehicle was towed, and a service center was contacted but informed the contact that the repair was not covered because the VIN…
This is a follow-up to a previously submitted complaint regarding the same issue. I am submitting this update to reference NHTSA's recently opened investigation into 2018-2019 Tesla Model 3 suspension failures. Previous complaint ID is 11732882.
Concern: Suspension Noise - What location is the noise coming from? Front. Suspension or Steering. What best describes the issue? Noise from suspension when driving on uneven roads. Repair Notes: Inspected Front Suspension for Activity 01 (Front suspension noise). Found torn bushings on Front…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 Tesla Model 3s have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 80 owner complaints about steering for the 2018 Tesla Model 3 (8% 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 steering?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 11,687 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2018 Tesla Model 3?
The most frequent phrase is “service center”, in 13 of 80 complaints, followed by “control arms” (10).
Other 2018 Tesla Model 3 problems
See all 2018 Tesla Model 3 problems or steering problems across all Model 3 years.