Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2021 Tesla Model 3
NHTSA data on file today
The 2021 Tesla Model 3 has 22 NHTSA recall campaigns and 674 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars, averaged across 4 NHTSA-tested trims.
Newest 20 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 #24V554000 Software May Fail to Detect Unlatched Hood NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24V376000 Seat Belt Warning System Malfunction/FMVSS 208 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24V153000 Muted Pedestrian Warning Sound/FMVSS 141 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 #22V317000 Fisheye and Narrow Camera Views Swapped NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V263000 Unit of Speed May Fail to Display/FMVSS 101 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V235000 Pedestrian Warning Sound May Be Obscured/FMVSS 141 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V063000 Pedestrian Warning Sound May Be Obscured/FMVSS 141 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V050000 Windshield May Not Defrost Properly/FMVSS 103 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 #21V846000 Unexpected Activation of Automatic Emergency Brake NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V835000 Front Suspension Lateral Link May Separate NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Forward Collision Avoidance 411 complaints
- Service Brakes 126 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 123 complaints
- Unknown or Other 95 complaints
- Electrical System 80 complaints
- Lane Departure 34 complaints
Of the 674 complaints on file, 46 report a crash and 5 a fire; across all 674 complaints, owners report 19 injuries and 8 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,000–$10,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2021 Tesla Model 3 has 672 owner complaints and 22 recalls. Key issues involve forward collision avoidance and braking, indicated by a high number of complaints. However, the data is somewhat sparse beyond these. Recall campaigns cover a variety of systems, suggesting a broad range of concerns but without overwhelming evidence of serious systemic problems. Thus, the overall reliability is considered average.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward collision system | 40,000–70,000 miles | $500–$1,500 | common |
| Service brakes | 50,000–80,000 miles | $400–$1,000 | common |
| Vehicle speed control | 60,000–90,000 miles | $700–$2,000 | 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.
- Battery health checks
- Brake system inspection
- Tire rotation and balance
- Software updates
- Cabin air filter replacement
- Coolant system check
- Suspension inspection
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Erratic braking behavior
- Unintended acceleration
- Unresponsive forward collision system
- Vibrations while driving
- Unusual tire wear pattern
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2021 Tesla Model 3 at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.