2019 Tesla Model 3 Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 82 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 2019 Tesla Model 3, 13% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 10,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “control arm” (30% of reports).
- 82suspension complaints
- 10,000median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,600typical repair cost reported by owners
- 19%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 25 of 82 complaints (30%)
- Front suspension: mentioned in 22 of 82 complaints (27%)
- Https www: mentioned in 21 of 82 complaints (26%)
- Here junkyard: mentioned in 13 of 82 complaints (16%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical suspension repair on the 2019 Tesla Model 3 at $1,600, and half of them between $700 and $1,900.
Based on 10 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2023–2026), 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 28 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 82 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 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 (2)
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.
Suspension:front; suspension:critical fasteners
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Model Y and 2019-2021 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 December 20, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-31-003.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Noise came from front left wheel while driving around a turn. Later the same day another noise when turning the wheel when leaving a parking spot. Steering felt strange. It was late at night, so left the vehicle until the morning. In the morning, discovered a large bolt in front of the vehicle. The…
Over a period of several weeks, the front suspension increasingly made noise (squeaking and groaning) and felt loose when turning and going over bumps. The front control arms were replaced 10/31/24. The problem has begun recurring over the last few months, with the same noise occurring and…
The vehicle has quite a bit of noise coming from the suspension during normal driving. Creaks and groans.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2019 Tesla Model 3s have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 82 owner complaints about suspension for the 2019 Tesla Model 3 (13% of the 617 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 2019 Tesla Model 3 suspension?
Yes: 2 safety recalls 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 10,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix suspension problems on the 2019 Tesla Model 3?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,600 (half paid between $700 and $1,900), from 10 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 2019 Tesla Model 3?
The most frequent phrase is “control arm”, in 25 of 82 complaints, followed by “front suspension” (22).
Other 2019 Tesla Model 3 problems
See all 2019 Tesla Model 3 problems or suspension problems across all Model 3 years.