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2022 Tesla Model 3

The Verdict

11 Total Klunk

The 2022 Tesla Model 3 has 762 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (515 complaints) and brakes (160 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 11/100, it earns a "Total Klunk" rating. If you're shopping for a Tesla Model 3, consider the 2017 model year which has 96% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2017 has 96% fewer complaints

View the 2017 Tesla Model 3 dashboard →

11

Klunk Score: Total Klunk

Among the most complained-about vehicle years on record. Strongly consider alternatives.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

Recalls 1

Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.

22V296000 BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model S, Model X, and 2022 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles operating certain firmware releases. The infotainment central processing unit (CPU) may o...

Risk

A lagging or restarting CPU may prevent the center screen from displaying the rearview camera image, gear selection, windshield visibility control settings, and warning lights, increasing the risk ...

Remedy

Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will improve CPU temperature management, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 1, 2022. Owners may contact Tesl...

Reported Mar 5, 2022

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
2017143810
2018609852623022
201937863151106
2020316467384
2021433122721515
202251516061179
20232875255167
202413846562

By Category

Body
515
Brakes
160
Electrical
61
Engine
17
Transmission
9

By Severity

1
359
2
344
3
4
4
54
5
1

Worst Problems

Compare Against

See how the 2022 Tesla Model 3 stacks up against rivals.

Complaints

Electrical 2

My 2022 Tesla Model 3 Long Range has developed a failure of the Autopilot/ADAS computer. The AP computer remains installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection. The vehicle operated normally before software update 2026.26.6. Following the update, Driving Visualization and Autopilot began going offline, along with automatic headlights, automatic turn signals, emergency braking, collision and traffic warnings. The failures have continued despite software/firmware reinstall, DAS reset, camera calibration, and hard reset. Tesla Service inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the AP computer is defective and recommended replacement at approximately $2,600. I paid $120 for Tesla's diagnostic assessment. Service Mode has recorded repeated AP watchdog/kernel-panic events, including APS_w169_TurboA_SCS_LKUP, APS_w134_appMIA, APS_w135_appCritical, and PM_a041_dasMIA. The vehicle has also recorded simultaneous exits of multiple camera streams, sometimes causing camera feeds to go black while driving. Service Mode has shown the AP ECU in Coreboot/INIT, intermittent loss of communication between the AP ECU and infotainment ECU, missing GNSS Ethernet communication, and unavailable AP temperature telemetry. This creates a safety concern because multiple safety-related driver-assistance and camera-dependent systems can unexpectedly become unavailable while driving. The vehicle remains manually drivable, but the driver must unexpectedly operate without previously available functions. The failure can also affect automatic headlights and turn signals, requiring manual operation. I am reporting this as a potential safety defect because multiple ADAS/camera systems fail simultaneously and the AP computer repeatedly crashes/reboots. The failure began after a software update, although Tesla has stated that some alerts predated the update. Due to the GPS board contacting the autopilot first before the infotainment, precise location is off and navigation is unavailable.

11d ago
Body 1

With its latest upgrade, 2026.20.6.11 with full self-driving V14 Light, Tesla no longer allows users to set a max speed. This is very dangerous, especially in school zones where the vehicle, with Full Self-Driving, consistently misreads the speed limit. There is no way to revert this "upgrade." Many people have posted about this concern, but Tesla is ignoring it.

12d ago
Body 2

The Tesla service center in San Antonio Texas installed new tires and a new wheel on my vehicle and one of the tires was installed inside out based on the manufacturer’s specifications. I’ve been driving this vehicle for about 4 months /5k miles with the risk of this tire malfunctioning and causing an accident.

16d ago
Body 1

To Whom It May Concern, I am reporting what I believe is a foreseeable child-safety risk involving Tesla’s Toybox feature. Tesla allows parents to PIN-restrict Arcade, Theater, and the web browser, but Toybox remains accessible. Recently, I briefly went inside my home to use the bathroom, and my child slipped outside and climbed into my parked Tesla specifically to use the touchscreen and Toybox. Fortunately, I discovered him quickly. In hot weather, however, a child remaining unnoticed inside a parked vehicle could face serious injury or death, particularly if climate control were disabled, changed, or failed. Tesla already has the software infrastructure to restrict entertainment features. Adding Toybox to Parental Controls appears to be a straightforward safety improvement. I believe this omission creates an unnecessary and foreseeable risk to children and warrants review as a potential vehicle safety concern. Sincerely, [XXX] Tesla Model 3 Owner INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

17d ago
Body 1

My 2022 Tesla Model 3 has experienced recurring intermittent loss/reduction of power steering assistance. The vehicle displays “Steering assist reduced – Steering may require increased effort.” The problem has occurred multiple times over a period of months and may disappear after the vehicle is power cycled or the alert clears. Tesla previously evaluated the vehicle for this condition. On July 8, 2026, Tesla documented the steering-assist-reduced complaint and recommended replacement of the RWD steering rack/steering gear, with an estimated repair cost of approximately $3,018. On August 20, 2026, the warning occurred again. Tesla Service Mode recorded fault EPAS3S_a005_sent2Mia, described as “Torque Sensor 2 signal not received,” with the potential impact listed as “Steering assist reduced.” The vehicle simultaneously generated UI_a020_SteeringReduced. The warning subsequently cleared again, but this is a recurring intermittent failure involving the vehicle’s electronic power-assisted steering system. I am concerned that the steering assistance could become reduced or unavailable while driving. Tesla has already determined that replacement of the steering rack is required, but the repair is customer-pay. I am reporting this because this appears to be a recurring safety-related steering defect and I am concerned that other vehicles may experience the same failure.

22d ago
Body 1

the suspension lower lateral links bushings are wearing down without much usage. my car had 31k miles and the bushings already need to be replaced. this is very dangerous.

28d ago
Body 1

I am the owner of a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The front control arms on this vehicle are defective as manufactured. From the factory, these components have demonstrated premature failure, abnormal noise, loosening, and/or separation risk that is not consistent with normal wear on a low-mileage vehicle of this age. Symptoms experienced include [describe your exact symptoms clearly and factually — examples: progressive clicking, clunking, popping, or creaking from the front suspension/wheel area; especially noticeable during low-speed turns, reverse, or over bumps; any feeling of looseness, pull, or change in handling; any actual detachment or near-detachment]. These symptoms began at approximately 75000 miles on July 27th 2026. This is not isolated wear. Front control-arm and related suspension-link failures (including lower lateral links that can detach from the subframe) have been the subject of multiple owner complaints, prior Tesla recalls (including NHTSA campaign 21V-835 for improperly torqued lateral-link fasteners on certain Model 3/Y vehicles and the later 23V-235 expansion), technical service bulletins addressing water intrusion and noise in upper control arms, and a current NHTSA preliminary evaluation (opened 2026) into front lower lateral-link detachment on a large population of Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. Owners report that failures can occur with little or no prior dashboard warning, only possible audible cues, and can render the vehicle undrivable or cause sudden changes in alignment and directional control. A sudden separation or failure of a front control arm/lateral link while the vehicle is in motion creates an unreasonable risk of loss of vehicle control, crash, or injury to the driver, passengers, and other road users. Because the condition appears to originate from factory assembly, design, or component durability issues rather than owner abuse or ordinary high-mileage wear, and because similar failures are widely reported across Tesla owners.

29d ago
Electrical 4

The contact owned a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was unoccupied, the vehicle independently started while parked in the driveway and caught on fire. No warning lights were illuminated prior to the failure. The contact stated that the fire spread to the residence and the residence burned down. The contact's daughter and her significant other were able to exit the residence safely. The local Fire Department arrived on the scene to extinguish the fire. The contact stated that the fire had started near the charging port. A Police Report was not filed. In addition, the contact stated that his daughter and her significant other suffered severe mental distress. Medical attention was not sought. A Fire Report was filed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.

1mo ago
Electrical 2

The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced a loss of camera and safety feature functionality for eight hours daily. The message "Adaptive Headlights Feature Unavailable" was displayed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a complaint was filed. The contact was referred to a service center that was over an hour away. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

1mo ago
Body 2

The horn on the steering wheel rarely works UNLESS it is pressed directly in the middle. I have tried to honk the horn when there is a safety event but it rarely works. This is definitely a safety issue. This has been going on since I bought the car June 2022. Full self drive is also unsafe and it will make sudden turns, accelerate too quickly, or have phantom braking. This can be unsafe for other drivers. I heard that this is improved with newer models, but if it is unsafe for older models like my 2022, it should not be available.

1mo ago
Body 2

My car randomly gave me alerts that my steering alignment fault then came the following two days later Automatic Emergency Braking is unavailable Feature may be restored on next drive 20:55 | DI_a246 Automatic vehicle hold disabled Use brake pedal when stopping 20:55 | DI_a223 Traction control disabled Drive with caution 20:55 | APP_W264 Lane Departure Avoidance features unavailable Features may be restored on next drive 20:55 | DI_a222 Stability control disabled. I take my car to a mechanic and they show me that my lower control arms are damaged. Tesla is more than 2 weeks out for something that has caused my car to act completely unsafe and not normal.

1mo ago
Electrical 1

I own a 2022 Tesla Model 3 that is just past the 5-year/60,000-mile warranty. I bought it used from Tesla inventory and picked up my vehicle on June 1st, 2026 with ~32,000 miles on the odometer. The front passenger safety restraint system alert (RCM2_a636) first appeared on June 5, 2026. On June 15 at 64,008 miles, Tesla Service confirmed the airbag alert and front passenger OCS issue. They found the occupant classification system module damaged and exposed, replaced it, and noted the passenger-side module shorting was also causing a driver-side error. Both cleared after the repair and test drive. Cost: $363.23. The same alert came back. On July 30 at 66,475 miles they found an open in the passenger seat cushion self-capacitance trace wire and the driver occupancy sensor voltage out of range. They replaced the front passenger seat cushion trim and the driver seat occupancy sensor. Alerts cleared and the self-driving button now worked from park again which never did prior showing the issue was never fixed the first time. Cost: $930.36. No crash or injury, but this is a real safety risk. The restraint system may not work as designed and airbags could fail to deploy properly. This exact RCM2_a636/OCS fault keeps happening to other Model 3 owners both before and after warranty on forums, and Tesla has service bulletins on the same parts, yet people still end up paying for the repairs who are out of warranty and also have their safety and life at risk. Please investigate this as this is a severe safety defect.

1mo ago
Body 4

U.S. registered Tesla operating in [XXX]. Full Self-Driving engaged. Dark, nighttime conditions. Vehicle was traveling toward low traffic zones near the edge of [XXX] when the system made a severe mistake. The car went off the main road. Driver was forced to take control off-road after the system lost control. Damage to the rims occurred. At the time of this incident, manual speed control was still available. The driver could cap the speed. That capability has since been removed by a software update. The current version is more dangerous. If the same incident happened today, the driver would have no way to limit speed or prevent the system from repeating the error. The defect is the progressive removal of driver control from the Full Self-Driving system. Earlier versions allowed manual speed caps. Current software does not. This vehicle is U.S. registered and runs U.S. software on American roads. The same defect that caused this off-road incident in Mexico now exists without the safety net of manual speed control. The software is dangerous. The removal of driver overrides makes it worse. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

1mo ago
Body 1

Tesla software update 2026.20.6.11 v14 Lite NA-2025.44 removed manual speed control for Full Self-Driving. The driver can no longer set a maximum speed. The vehicle chooses its own speed and it is frequently wrong and dangerous. Curves are the worst failure. The car enters curves too fast. It accelerates through curves. It does not slow to a safe speed before the curve begins. The driver has no way to cap the speed. The scroll wheel is dead. There is no override. Posted speed limits are ignored. The vehicle uses bad map data instead of reading visible signs. It will do 65 in a 55. It will not slow down when the sign says 55. The driver cannot force it to obey the posted limit. Speed control is gone. The driver is a passenger watching the car make bad decisions. This is not safe. This is not driver assistance. This is loss of control. NHTSA must require Tesla to return manual speed control immediately. A human driver must be able to cap the speed at all times. The current software removes that ability and creates a clear safety hazard.

1mo ago
Body 2

On XXX, while Full Self-Driving (Supervised) was engaged, my 2022 Tesla Model 3 RWD abruptly decelerated without any visible vehicle, pedestrian, debris, or other obstacle requiring braking. Based on my best recollection, this occurred on approximately five separate occasions in clear daylight with clean cameras. On XXX, the first event occurred near XXX while traveling from [XXX] toward the [XXX]/[XXX] area. I took manual control for about 30 minutes. After I re-engaged FSD, a second event occurred and included approximately three rapid braking pulses. The occupants lunged forward during both episodes. On XXX, the drive from [XXX] to the Ukiah Costco was normal. On the return toward [XXX], FSD suddenly braked hard at approximately 63 mph and reduced the vehicle's speed by about 25 mph, to approximately 38 mph. Family members and friends in the vehicle were startled and moved forward. Later that day, there were two additional unexpected braking episodes while traveling from XXX toward XXX. I used accelerator input to override the unwanted braking. The unexpected highway-speed deceleration created a risk of being struck from behind and made the system unpredictable to supervise. No crash, fire, injury, or property damage occurred. I do not recall a warning message before the braking. The vehicle has not been inspected or diagnosed for this issue and is available for inspection upon request. As of XXX, the vehicle reports Tesla software 2026.20.3 and FSD (Supervised) v12.6.4; it has Hardware 3. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

1mo ago
Electrical 2

The center touchscreen/camera display system in my 2021 Tesla Model 3 is malfunctioning. The vehicle’s camera views do not work properly on the center display, including camera visibility needed for reversing and safe operation. The failed system is available for inspection upon request. This creates a safety risk because the vehicle relies heavily on the center screen to display camera views and vehicle information. When the camera display does not work properly, rear and surrounding visibility is reduced, especially while reversing, parking, changing lanes, or maneuvering around pedestrians, vehicles, curbs, and other obstacles. Tesla has refused to repair or cover the repair. The problem has been reported to Tesla. Tesla has not provided a satisfactory safety-related repair solution. It is unknown whether Tesla has fully inspected the failed component or confirmed the exact cause. There were no known warning lamps before the failure. The symptom is that the camera display/center screen camera views do not function properly when needed. The issue appears to involve the center display, camera display system, camera hardware, wiring/harness, vehicle computer, or related software. The exact cause is unknown. I am reporting this as a potential safety defect involving loss or malfunction of the camera display system in a 2021 Tesla Model 3.

2mo ago
Electrical 1

The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, abnormal crackling and bubbling sounds were heard coming from underneath the rear seat. While driving later, an electrical arcing sound emanated from the same area. While at a local charging station, the contact discovered that the battery failed to charge when connected to a high-voltage charger; however, the battery could still be charged at the contact's residence using a 110-volt charger. The vehicle was driven to a local dealer, who was unable to identify the problem, and no service was performed. The vehicle was driven back to the charging station, but the high-voltage charging failure persisted. The vehicle was then towed to a local service center, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the high-voltage battery required replacement. The high-voltage battery was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 38,200.

2mo ago
Body 4

My wife had a collission on June 25th at 2 30PM CST while she was parking her vehicle in her office parking spot. The car suddenty sped and hit a tree. We suspect it be a misfire in Tesla.

2mo ago
Body 1

On [XXX], at approximately [XXX], I was traveling northbound at the intersection of [XXX] and [XXX], with the vehicle’s self-driving feature engaged. As I approached the intersection, the vehicle unexpectedly proceeded into a left turn despite the traffic signal displaying a red left-turn arrow. I immediately recognized that the vehicle was not stopping and had to take control by forcefully jerking the steering wheel and slamming on the brakes to prevent the vehicle from running the red light and potentially causing a serious collision. There were no actions on my part that would have caused the vehicle to continue through the red left-turn signal. The weather was clear, the roads were dry, and there was no rain or any adverse weather conditions that would have affected visibility or vehicle operation. This incident raises serious concerns about the reliability and safety of the self-driving system under normal driving conditions INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2mo ago
Body 1

Vehicle was operating under Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised) on [XXX], on [XXX]. While FSD was engaged, the vehicle struck a large object/debris that was present in the travel lane. The system did not appear to detect or avoid the obstacle. The impact caused severe damage to two wheels and two tires, and the vehicle required towing. Tesla Service later confirmed that the damage was caused by road debris and replaced the damaged wheels and tires. I am submitting this report because I am concerned that the FSD system failed to identify or respond to a significant roadway hazard. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2mo ago

762 total

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