2020 Tesla Model 3: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 725 complaints
725
Total Complaints
2,425mi
Median Mileage
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Top Issue
94
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

812 25th Percentile
2,425 Median Mileage
10,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
103
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
80
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
77
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
65
SERVICE BRAKES
45
STEERING
43
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
35
SUSPENSION
34
AIR BAGS
29
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
24

Severity Assessment

94
Crashes
5
Fires
48
Injuries
5
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"HERE IS A 2020 MODEL 3 TESLA IN THE SALVAGE YARD. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS?ITEMID=34632816&ROWNUMBER=4&SIMILARVEHICLEITEMID=&ISNEXT=&LOADRECENT=TRUE THE FRONT WHEEL HAS GONE TOTALLY WHOMPY BECAUSE MOST OF THE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS HAVE SNAPPED. THERE IS HARDLY ANY DAMAGE TO THE CAR E..."
"THIS CAR FORCES THE DRIVER TO LOOK AWAY FROM THE ROAD FOR A FEW SECONDS(AT LEAST 10 SECONDS OR MORE) TO ADJUST COMMON THINGS LIKE ADJUSTING MIRRORS, CHANGING AC FUNCTIONS,SETTING WIPER SPEED. AS WEATHER CONDITIONS CHANGE FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION ON A LONG DRIVE, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE , CONVENIENT OR S..."
"DRIVING IN FREEWAY FAST LANE IN LIGHT TRAFFIC AT 10:30 AM ON OVERCAST MORNING WITH TESLA ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL SET FOR 70 MPH AND 4-CAR FOLLOWING DISTANCE. THE CAR IN FRONT MOVED 1 LANE TO THE RIGHT LEAVING NO CARS AHEAD. MY CAR ACCELERATED GENTLY TO 70 AND THEN AS I APPROACHED AN OVERPASS THE CA..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28