Tesla Model 3 Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 562 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the Tesla Model 3 across 10 model years. The 2018 model year has the most (168). The words owners use most often: “service center” (11% of reports).
- 562electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 61mention a crash
- 29mention an injury
- 14related recalls
- $2,000typical repair cost reported by owners
- 49%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 62 of 562 complaints (11%)
- Safety restraint: mentioned in 35 of 562 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the Tesla Model 3 at $2,000, and half of them between $1,250 and $2,200.
Based on 16 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 electrical system problems happen?
Based on 131 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 562 complaints, 61 mention a crash, 9 a fire, 29 an injury.
Tesla Model 3 electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Model 3 | 2 | 7% | 9,999 |
| 2025 Model 3 | 22 | 18% | 12,300 |
| 2024 Model 3 | 45 | 20% | 9,611 |
| 2023 Model 3 | 51 | 12% | 5,300 |
| 2022 Model 3 | 60 | 8% | 31,945 |
| 2021 Model 3 | 79 | 12% | 7,000 |
| 2020 Model 3 | 42 | 9% | 14,000 |
| 2019 Model 3 | 91 | 15% | 14,419 |
| 2018 Model 3 | 168 | 16% | 26,250 |
| 2017 Model 3 | 2 | 8% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (14)
Electrical system:propulsion system:fuses, relays, contacts, and shunts
Model years: 2025
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2025 Model 3 and 2026 Model Y vehicles. The battery pack contactors may fail, causing a loss of drive power.
Risk: A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service will replace the battery pack contactors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 9, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-16-005.
Back over prevention:software; electrical system
Model years: 2024, 2025
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Model 3, Model S, 2023-2025 Model X, and Model Y vehicles. The computer circuit board may short, resulting in the loss of the rearview camera image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Tesla will also identify any vehicles that experienced a circuit board failure, or stress that may lead to a circuit board failure, and replace the affected computers, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 7, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-00-001.
Electrical system:software; latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Model years: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2024 Model Y vehicles. The hood latch assembly may fail to detect an unlatched hood condition after the hood has been opened.
Risk: An unlatched hood can fully open, obstructing the driver's view and 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 September 24, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-012.
Forward collision avoidance: warnings:external/pedestrian alert; electrical system:software
Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2013, 2018-2021 Model S, 2020-2021 Model X, 2018-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. A factory reset muted the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."
Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, release 2023.44.30.14, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 27, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-006.
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Model years: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk: Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
Electrical system:adas:driver monitoring:software
Model years: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.
Risk: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
Electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery
Model years: 2023
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The pyrotechnic battery disconnect may be defective.
Risk: A defective battery disconnect may not isolate the vehicle's high voltage battery after a crash or fault detection, increasing the risk of electrical shock and injury.
Fix: Tesla Service will replace the pyrotechnic battery disconnect, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 18, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-16-005.
Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking; electrical system:adas:driver monitoring:camera/sensor; lane departure: lane keep: automatic steering
Model years: 2021
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Model 3 and 2021 Model Y vehicles. The fisheye and narrow camera cable terminals were incorrectly installed in the cable harness connector, resulting in swapped camera views.
Risk: Swapped camera views can prevent the vehicle's cameras from detecting crossing objects and high-curvature lane lines, impairing the Autosteer and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) performance, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service will correct the swapped terminals and recalibrate the cameras, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-17-007.
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Model 3 Performance vehicles. The unit of speed (mph or km/h) may fail to display on the speedometer while in Track Mode. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."
Risk: The driver may not know how fast the vehicle is traveling without the mph or km/h unit display, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 17, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-008.
Electrical system:software; forward collision avoidance: warnings:external/pedestrian alert
Model years: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model Y, Model X, Model S, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. The Boombox function allows sounds to be played through an external speaker while the vehicle is in motion, which may obscure the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."
Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will disable the Boombox functionality when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral and Reverse modes, including Summon and Smart Summon, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-003. Note: This recall supersedes recall 22V-063. Vehicles configured with Summon or Smart Summon and already remedied under 22V-063 will need to have the new remedy software installed.
Forward collision avoidance: warnings:external/pedestrian alert; electrical system:software
Model years: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model S, Model X, Model Y, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. The Boombox function allows sounds to be played through an external speaker while the vehicle is in motion, which may obscure the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."
Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will disable the Boombox functionality when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral and Reverse modes, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 5, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-003. Note: This recall has been superseded by Recall 22V-235. Tesla's number for the new recall is SB-22-00-003.
Electrical system:software; visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:air handler/chamber, ducts, and valves
Model years: 2021, 2022
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. A software error may cause a valve in the heat pump to open unintentionally and trap the refrigerant inside the evaporator, resulting in decreased defrosting performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."
Risk: Decreased defrosting performance may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 1, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-18-002.
Seat belts:front; electrical system:software
Model years: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The audible chime may not activate when the vehicle starts and the driver has not buckled their seat belt. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: The driver may be unaware that their seat belt is not fastened, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 1, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-002.
Electrical system:wiring: rear compartment/trunk; visibility:rearview mirrors/devices:interior; back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Model years: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling all 2017-2020 Model 3 vehicles. The rearview camera cable harness may be damaged by the opening and closing of the trunk lid, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
Risk: A rearview camera that does not function reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service will inspect and install a guide protector and new cable harness as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-17-008.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Rodents are attracted to the wiring and eat it. The new soy product controls turn signals.... Tesla employees see this everyday. in 2 weeks my car has gone into the shop twice. I have never had this issue until now and owned many teslas
The contact owns a 2025 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving with Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode engaged and approaching a closing gate, the vehicle failed to come to a complete stop. The failure required manual driver intervention to prevent a crash. The…
High Voltage battery BMS error.
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds during peak sunlight, FSD failed to operate as intended, causing the contact to drive manually in daily traffic. The message "Full Self-Driving Not Available" was display with an audible chime. In…
Tesla FSD rear ended vehicle stopped at red light.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Tesla Model 3s have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 562 owner complaints about electrical system for the Tesla Model 3. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Tesla Model 3 electrical system?
Yes: 14 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the Tesla Model 3?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,000 (half paid between $1,250 and $2,200), from 16 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the Tesla Model 3?
The most frequent phrase is “service center”, in 62 of 562 complaints, followed by “safety restraint” (35).
Other Tesla Model 3 problems
- Forward Collision Avoidance problems (1,741)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (633)
- Service Brakes problems (561)
- Steering problems (402)
- Suspension problems (376)
- Air Bags problems (316)
- Lane Departure problems (303)
- Seat Belts problems (228)
See all Tesla Model 3 problems.