2023 Tesla Model 3 Steering Problems
Owners have filed 88 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2023 Tesla Model 3, 21% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 2,430 miles. The words owners use most often: “service center” (17% of reports).
- 88steering complaints
- 2,430median miles at failure
- 15mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 30%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 15 of 88 complaints (17%)
- Steering assist reduced: mentioned in 14 of 88 complaints (16%)
- Increased effort: mentioned in 6 of 88 complaints (7%)
- Turn wheel: mentioned in 6 of 88 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 10 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 88 complaints, 15 mention a crash, 5 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:electric power assist system
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles operating software prior to 2023.38.4. The printed circuit board for the electronic power steering assist may experience an overstress condition, causing a loss of power steering assist when the vehicle reaches a stop and then accelerates again.
Risk: A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-00-004.
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Vehicle: 2023 Tesla Model 3 RWD, VIN [redacted]. Since the FSD software update from V12 to V14.1 (Supervised v14.1 Lite) in early August 2026, the vehicle repeatedly issues false 'apply steering wheel force' warnings while my hands are on the wheel, followed by sudden disengagement of Full…
Steering becomes very stiff or notchy where you have to pull it out of position or correct it constantly. Doesn't want to return to center! When you stop it returns to normal feeling then as soon as you get up to speed it becomes stiff again.
OKC Tesla Service Center replaced the steering wheel due to delamination over the weekend. The car was dropped off on Friday the 4th of September 2026. I picked the car up on Monday the 7th. On Wednesday the 9th after getting on the highway and getting up to speed the steering wheel came out of the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2023 Tesla Model 3s have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 88 owner complaints about steering for the 2023 Tesla Model 3 (21% of the 428 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 2023 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 2,430 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2023 Tesla Model 3?
The most frequent phrase is “service center”, in 15 of 88 complaints, followed by “steering assist reduced” (14).
Other 2023 Tesla Model 3 problems
See all 2023 Tesla Model 3 problems or steering problems across all Model 3 years.