MYRModel Year Report

2021 Tesla Model 3

◆ Worse than typical
2021 Tesla Model 3
BUILT 2026-10-10

This year had 30% to 100% more complaints than this model's typical year.

This verdict reflects complaint volume compared to this model's typical year. Recalls and safety issues below apply regardless of the verdict — always check them.

How is this computed?

Complaints
666
Recalls
21

Campaigns on file for 2021

Investigations
13

Opened by NHTSA

Top problem
Forward collision avoidance

89% of complaints

Complaints per year

2017: 26 complaints 2017 2018: 1,028 complaints 2019: 617 complaints 2019 2020: 450 complaints 2021: 666 complaints 2021 666 2022: 766 complaints 2023: 428 complaints 2023 2024: 219 complaints 2025: 117 complaints 2025 2026: 26 complaints
2017: 26 complaints 2017 2018: 1,028 complaints 2018 2019: 617 complaints 2019 2020: 450 complaints 2020 2021: 666 complaints 2021 666 2022: 766 complaints 2022 2023: 428 complaints 2023 2024: 219 complaints 2024 2025: 117 complaints 2025 2026: 26 complaints 2026
2017: 26 complaints 2017 2018: 1,028 complaints 2018 2019: 617 complaints 2019 2020: 450 complaints 2020 2021: 666 complaints 2021 666 2022: 766 complaints 2022 2023: 428 complaints 2023 2024: 219 complaints 2024 2025: 117 complaints 2025 2026: 26 complaints 2026

2021: 666 complaints

View as data table
YearComplaints
201726
20181,028
2019617
2020450
2021666
2022766
2023428
2024219
2025117
202626

Known problem areas

Percentages can add to more than 100% — a complaint can name more than one system.

Forward collision avoidance

89% · 594 reports

Most commonly citing adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking.

CRASHFIREINJURY
Show complaint excerpts

The adaptive cruise control on Tesla vehicles is dangerous. The model in question is a 2021 Model 3 but its an issue with many model years.

NHTSA ODI report, 2026-08-03

Service brakes

19% · 127 reports

Most commonly citing hydraulic.

CRASHFIREINJURY
Show complaint excerpts

On February 28, 2021 at 4:08 pm.. The approximate time of my arrival at workplace which is also displayed in my navigation.

NHTSA ODI report, 2021-03-04

Also filed under Vehicle speed control

Vehicle speed control

18% · 123 reports

Most commonly citing cruise control.

CRASHINJURYDEATH
Show complaint excerpts

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while attempting to park at 5 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed however the vehicle accelerated independently.

NHTSA ODI report, 2023-11-21

This accident involved a high speed collision on the 2nd floor of a parking garage at a hospital in a suburb of Houston, Tx. Both the driver and the passenger were killed.

NHTSA ODI report, 2023-09-11

Electrical system

12% · 79 reports

Most commonly citing autonomous/self driving and adas.

CRASHFIREINJURY

Lane departure

6% · 41 reports

Most commonly citing assist and warning.

CRASHINJURYDEATH
Show complaint excerpts

Component: Lane Support System — Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK) Part of standard Autopilot safety suite (not FSD) activated without valid lane detection data and pushed the vehicle into the oncoming lane of traffic on Ohio State Route [XXX].

NHTSA ODI report, 2026-07-15

Also filed under Seat belts

Safety timeline

21 recalls · 13 investigations · oldest first

To check one car, enter its VIN on the NHTSA recall page. Check a VIN →

  1. ▮
    2021Complaint volume 666 complaints filed for this model year.
  2. R
    2021-07-23Service brakes, hydraulic21V387000 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.

    Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and tighten, or replace the caliper bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 23, 2021.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  3. I
    2021-08-13Preliminary evaluationClosed 2022-06-08 Autopilot & First Responder Scenes
  4. R
    2021-10-25Forward collision avoidance21V846000 Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Model S, Model 3, Model X, and 2020-2021 Model Y vehicles operating software version 2021.36.5.2.

    Remedy: Tesla Service has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. The recall began October 25, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-00-004.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  5. R
    2021-12-20Suspension21V835000 Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Model Y and 2019-2021 Model 3 vehicles. The front suspension lateral link fasteners may loosen, allowing the lateral link to separate from the sub-frame.

    Remedy: Tesla Service will tighten or replace the lateral link fasteners as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  6. I
    2021-12-21Preliminary evaluationClosed 2023-05-26 Tesla Passenger Play
  7. R
    2021-12-23Air bags21V834000 Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2021, 2023 Model 3 vehicles. The left and/or right side curtain air bag may have been improperly secured to the roof rail, which could result in a twisted air bag.

    Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and realign the left and right side curtain air bag as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 23, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  8. R
    2022-01-27Electrical system, steering22V037000 Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles.

    Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that disables the "rolling stop" functionality, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  9. I
    2022-02-16Preliminary evaluationClosed 2026-06-29 Unexpected Brake Activation
  10. R
    2022-04-01Electrical system, visibility22V050000 Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles.

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  11. R
    2022-04-01Electrical system, seat belts22V045000 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.

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  12. R
    2022-04-12Electrical system, forward collision avoidance22V063000 Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model S, Model X, Model Y, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles.

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  13. R
    2022-06-06Electrical system, forward collision avoidance22V235000 Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model Y, Model X, Model S, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles.

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  14. I
    2022-06-08Engineering analysisClosed 2024-04-25 Autopilot System Driver Controls
  15. R
    2022-06-17Electrical system22V263000 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.

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  16. R
    2022-07-08Electrical system, forward collision avoidance, lane departure22V317000 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.

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  17. R
    2022-12-20Seat belts22V798000 Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. The second-row left seat belt buckle and second-row center seat belt anchor may have been incorrectly reassembled during vehicle service.

    Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and reassemble the seat belt anchors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  18. I
    2023-01-27Defect petitionClosed 2023-08-07 Pedestrian alert sounds
  19. R
    2023-03-31Visibility22V702000 Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Model 3, 2020-2022 Model Y, and 2021-2022 Model S and Model X vehicles. The window automatic reversal system may not react correctly after detecting an obstruction.

    Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update of the automatic window reversal system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2032. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  20. I
    2023-04-07Defect petitionClosed 2026-03-18 Defect Petition Interlock Request
  21. R
    2023-04-15Steering23V085000 Tesla, Inc.

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  22. I
    2023-06-29Defect petitionOpen Sudden Unintended Acceleration
  23. R
    2023-12-12Electrical system23V838000 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.

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  24. R
    2024-02-21Electrical system24V051000 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.

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  25. I
    2024-04-25Recall queryOpen Recall 23V838 Remedy Effectiveness
  26. R
    2024-04-27Electrical system, forward collision avoidance24V153000 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.

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  27. R
    2024-07-26Seat belts24V376000 Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended.

    Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  28. R
    2024-09-22Electrical system, latches/locks/linkages24V554000 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.

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  29. I
    2024-10-17Preliminary evaluationClosed 2026-03-18 FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions
  30. I
    2025-01-06Preliminary evaluationClosed 2026-04-03 Actually Smart Summon sessions resulting in low-speed impacts.
  31. R
    2025-02-15Tires24V935000 Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck, 2017-2025 Model 3, and 2020-2025 Model Y vehicles.

    Remedy: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 15, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-018.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  32. I
    2025-08-20Audit queryOpen Compliance with Standing General Order 2021-01 Reporting Requirements
  33. I
    2025-10-07Preliminary evaluationOpen Traffic safety violations while Full Self Driving ("FSD") is engaged
  34. I
    2026-03-18Engineering analysisOpen FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions
  35. R
    Date not on fileBack over prevention26V283000 Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017, 2021-2023 Model 3, 2020-2023 Model Y, 2021-2023 Model S, and Model X vehicles operating software version 2026.8.6. The rearview camera image may be delayed when the vehicle is placed in reverse.

    Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 3, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-26-00-001.

    Check if this car was fixed →

Buy-smart checklist

2021 Tesla Model 3 — pre-purchase inspection

Inspect

  • Forward collision avoidance: 594 reports on file for this year.
  • Service brakes: 127 reports on file for this year.
  • Vehicle speed control: 123 reports on file for this year.

Verify these recalls were completed

  • Recall 26V283000 · Back over prevention
  • Recall 21V387000 · Service brakes, hydraulic
  • Recall 21V846000 · Forward collision avoidance
  • Recall 21V835000 · Suspension
  • Recall 21V834000 · Air bags
  • Recall 22V037000 · Electrical system, steering
  • Recall 22V050000 · Electrical system, visibility
  • Recall 22V045000 · Electrical system, seat belts
  • Recall 22V063000 · Electrical system, forward collision avoidance
  • Recall 22V235000 · Electrical system, forward collision avoidance
  • Recall 22V263000 · Electrical system
  • Recall 22V317000 · Electrical system, forward collision avoidance, lane departure
  • Recall 22V798000 · Seat belts
  • Recall 22V702000 · Visibility
  • Recall 23V085000 · Steering
  • Recall 23V838000 · Electrical system
  • Recall 24V051000 · Electrical system
  • Recall 24V153000 · Electrical system, forward collision avoidance
  • Recall 24V376000 · Seat belts
  • Recall 24V554000 · Electrical system, latches/locks/linkages
  • Recall 24V935000 · Tires
Inspected by ______________ Date ______________

Other years of this model

See all years ranked →

Best years2 years

Worst years3 years

FAQ

Is the 2021 Tesla Model 3 reliable?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume compared to this model's typical year, the 2021 Tesla Model 3 is rated "worse than typical".
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Tesla Model 3?
The most-reported component is forward collision avoidance, accounting for 89% of complaints on file.
How many recalls does the 2021 Tesla Model 3 have?
21 recalls on file for this model year.

Data updated 2026-10-09 · Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA, not independently verified defects. Methodology.