2021 Tesla Model 3 Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 126 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the 2021 Tesla Model 3, 19% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 18,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “cruise control” (52% of reports).
- 126service brakes complaints
- 18,000median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 82%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.
- Cruise control: mentioned in 66 of 126 complaints (52%)
- Phantom braking: mentioned in 30 of 126 complaints (24%)
- Rear ended: mentioned in 14 of 126 complaints (11%)
- Auto pilot: mentioned in 8 of 126 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 3 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 126 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 4 an injury.
Tesla Model 3 service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Model 3 | 1 | 3% | 450 |
| 2025 Model 3 | 12 | 10% | — |
| 2024 Model 3 | 4 | 2% | 13,816 |
| 2023 Model 3 | 54 | 13% | 9,683 |
| 2022 Model 3 | 167 | 22% | 3,500 |
| 2021 Model 3 | 126 | 19% | 18,000 |
| 2020 Model 3 | 46 | 10% | 850 |
| 2019 Model 3 | 60 | 10% | 5,000 |
| 2018 Model 3 | 88 | 9% | 4,750 |
| 2017 Model 3 | 3 | 12% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic:critical fasteners; service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Model 3 and 2020-2021 Model Y vehicles. The brake caliper bolts may be loose, allowing the brake caliper to separate and contact the wheel rim.
Risk: Contact with the rim may cause a loss of tire pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service will inspect and tighten, or replace the caliper bolts as 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-21-33-002.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Urgent Safety Concern â Uncommanded Braking During Manual Driving. On October 2, 2026, while driving my 2021 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range manually at approximately 45 mph and slowing to make a turn at an intersection, my vehicle unexpectedly applied very strong braking for approximately 1â2…
As we were normally driving, the car lost power immediately with no warning sign. After the power is lost, brake does not function, electrical door button doesn't function, hazard light doesn't function. Car was able to scroll to a complete stop to the side of the road. The steering wheel is…
The forward-facing camera and Autopilot computer system on my 2021 Tesla Model 3 has failed. The dashboard first showed intermittent warnings that "Automatic Emergency Braking is currently unavailable" and "Adaptive headlight features are unavailable." Over several weeks the problem worsened from…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2021 Tesla Model 3s have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 126 owner complaints about service brakes for the 2021 Tesla Model 3 (19% of the 669 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 2021 Tesla Model 3 service brakes?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes problems start?
The median reported mileage is 18,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the 2021 Tesla Model 3?
The most frequent phrase is “cruise control”, in 66 of 126 complaints, followed by “phantom braking” (30).
Other 2021 Tesla Model 3 problems
See all 2021 Tesla Model 3 problems or service brakes problems across all Model 3 years.