Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2017 Tesla Model 3
NHTSA data on file today
The 2017 Tesla Model 3 has 16 NHTSA recall campaigns and 27 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #26V507000 Low Beam Headlights May Be Too Bright/FMVSS 108 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #26V283000 Rearview Camera Image May Not Display/FMVSS 111 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24V935000 TPMS Light May Not Remain Illuminated/FMVSS 138 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24V376000 Seat Belt Warning System Malfunction/FMVSS 208 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24V051000 Incorrect Font Size on Warning Lights/FMVSS 105 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #23V838000 Autopilot Controls Insufficient to Prevent Misuse NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #23V085000 Full Self-Driving Software May Cause Crash NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V798000 Seat Belt Buckle, Anchor Incorrectly Reassembled NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V702000 Power Windows May Pinch/FMVSS 118 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V235000 Pedestrian Warning Sound May Be Obscured/FMVSS 141 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V169000 Initial Delay In Rearview Image Display/FMVSS 111 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V063000 Pedestrian Warning Sound May Be Obscured/FMVSS 141 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V045000 Seat Belt Chime May Not Activate/FMVSS 208 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V037000 Vehicle May Fail to Stop at Stop Sign NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V00D000 Rearview Camera Image May Not Display NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V846000 Unexpected Activation of Automatic Emergency Brake NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Forward Collision Avoidance 8 complaints
- Air Bags 7 complaints
- Seat Belts 6 complaints
- Seats 6 complaints
- Unknown or Other 5 complaints
- Lane Departure 4 complaints
Of the 27 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash; across all 27 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,500–$11,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2017 Tesla Model 3 has 27 owner complaints and 16 recall campaigns, indicating a moderate level of concern. Most issues relate to software and system compliance rather than mechanical failures. The complaint data is fragmented, offering limited evidence of widespread problems.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward collision avoidance | Unknown | $200–$600 | occasional |
| Air bags | Unknown | $300–$1,000 | occasional |
| Seats | Unknown | $150–$500 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Tire rotation and balancing
- Brake system inspection
- Battery coolant replacement
- Alignment check
- Cabin air filter replacement
- Drive unit fluid check
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Delayed rearview camera
- False collision alerts
- Seat belt warning malfunction
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2017 Tesla Model 3 at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.