2018 Tesla Model 3 Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 189 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 2018 Tesla Model 3, 18% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 20,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “control arm” (27% of reports).
- 189suspension complaints
- 20,000median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $2,000typical repair cost reported by owners
- 20%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.
- Control arm: mentioned in 51 of 189 complaints (27%)
- Front suspension: mentioned in 49 of 189 complaints (26%)
- Lateral link: mentioned in 41 of 189 complaints (22%)
- Https www: mentioned in 25 of 189 complaints (13%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical suspension repair on the 2018 Tesla Model 3 at $2,000, and half of them between $1,400 and $2,450.
Based on 19 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 suspension problems happen?
Based on 57 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 189 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury.
Tesla Model 3 suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Model 3 | 2 | 7% | — |
| 2025 Model 3 | 5 | 4% | 8,434 |
| 2024 Model 3 | 7 | 3% | — |
| 2023 Model 3 | 19 | 4% | — |
| 2022 Model 3 | 10 | 1% | — |
| 2021 Model 3 | 15 | 2% | 51,543 |
| 2020 Model 3 | 46 | 10% | 2,000 |
| 2019 Model 3 | 82 | 13% | 10,000 |
| 2018 Model 3 | 189 | 18% | 20,000 |
| 2017 Model 3 | 1 | 4% | 50,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Suspension:critical fasteners; suspension:front
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Model 3 vehicles. The front suspension lateral link fasteners may loosen, allowing the lateral link to separate from the sub-frame.
Risk: A lateral link separation could shift the wheel alignment, causing instability and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service will tighten or replace the lateral link fasteners as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 30, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-31-001. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-835.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Component Affected: SUSPENSION: FRONT: LOWER ARM: LATERAL LINK / COMPLIANCE LINK Description of Defect and Incident: I am reporting an issue regarding my Tesla Model 3's front lower suspension components, specifically the front lower lateral link and the compliance link. The vehicle experienced an…
There was a clicking noise that was heard as my wife (along with our [XXX] son) was driving on the freeway. She reached her destination and once she parked and tried to move out of the parking lot, she could not turn the wheel. The suspension control arm (specifically, the inner mounting eyelet and…
My suspension is the issue that was under recall 23V-235. Suspension could completely fail at any time. Currently I hear creaking when turning. Tesla has confirmed the problem but said my car is out of recall which is very narrow and should include my car
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 Tesla Model 3s have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 189 owner complaints about suspension for the 2018 Tesla Model 3 (18% 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 suspension?
Yes: 1 safety recall list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 20,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix suspension problems on the 2018 Tesla Model 3?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,000 (half paid between $1,400 and $2,450), from 19 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 2018 Tesla Model 3?
The most frequent phrase is “control arm”, in 51 of 189 complaints, followed by “front suspension” (49).
Other 2018 Tesla Model 3 problems
See all 2018 Tesla Model 3 problems or suspension problems across all Model 3 years.