While Tesla may be a hot topic for everyone interested in technology, their cars have not had the same appeal for people wanting to simply use a car for everyday purposes. The truth is that these cars have not had the greatest build quality or reliability ratings ever and this worries a lot of owners considering the price they have to pay. The 2022 Tesla Model 3 is the most budget-friendly car from the Tesla line-up but it still promises a lot of exciting features and technology. Many owners have reported problems with overall build quality as well as Tesla paint problems - things we will get into as we progress further with the article. Prices start at an MSRP of $46,440 and will go all the way up to $60,440 for the higher trims. Its competition includes equally capable cars such as the Polestar Polestar 2, the Kia EV6, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Let us see how Tesla Model 3 reliability has affected its customers below.
2022 Tesla Model 3 User Complaints and Problems
Unlike all of its competitors, Tesla is not a company that has been around for a long while. This inexperience shows in several areas and quality control is one of them. Every year, the Tesla Model 3 reports a lot of problems despite it being part of the same generation since 2017. Organizations like Consumer Reports and J.D. Power have not ranked it especially well and neither will its owners shower it with high praise. Tesla Model 3 complaints such as suspension noises seem to affect a lot of owners as well. Since enough data is available, we shall take a look at the model year 2022 itself to find out more about the reliability of this vehicle. Take a look at the complaints reported by owners below.
Mechanical problems:
- Owners reported that the car lost all driving power and had to be stopped by the side of the road. The same issue reoccurred after 10 minutes. There have been many owners resonating the same complaint in previous model years as well.
Electrical system problems:
- One owner states that forward collision avoidance brakes the car without any obstacle in front. Since this is sudden, the driver is unable to react and could be the reason for a rear-end collision. This sort of incident occurs quite often.
Exterior problems:
- One owner reported that one headlight did not function properly. The car was taken to a dealer who diagnosed the issue through remote diagnostics. The problem was that the service center did not respond to follow-up calls from the owner regarding a solution. Another owner has also reported that the front headlight starts flashing and the turn signal does not work.
Interior problems:
- One owner had to take a road trip so they set the car in the garage for charging and scheduled the car cabin to be heated. The battery was also preconditioned to extend the range. However, when the owner was about to go on the trip, they discovered that there was a message on the display screen which stated that the cabin heater was not functioning properly. Because the weather did not allow it, they could not set off without the cabin heater.
Safety problems:
- One owner reported that the car failed to deploy airbags during a collision. The impact was quite severe and could have resulted in a life-threatening situation. The car, still, protected the occupants well.
- The most common problem with the Tesla Model 3 seems to be about this identified as phantom braking. This is when the car automatically applies the brakes even when nothing is present as an obstacle upfront. This has caused several rear-end collisions and other life-threatening situations for owners of this car.
|
Category |
Number of complaints |
|---|---|
|
Mechanical |
3 |
|
Electrical System |
19 |
|
Exterior |
2 |
|
Interior |
1 |
|
Safety |
6 |
|
Miscellaneous |
0 |
One will be surprised to know that every single complaint that we have reported has been from the 2022 model year of the Tesla Model 3 which has just been released. Most of them have been about the Tesla Model 3 phantom braking issue. The 2021 model also has no shortage of complaints with a total of 86. The car requires a deeper dive into its reliability before any owners decide to make a purchase.
2022 Tesla Model 3 Recalls
The manufacturer has not yet issued a single recall for the 2022 model year but the 2021 model has had four recalls. Nearly all the owners agree that the forward collision avoidance system in this car is completely undependable. Considering this is one of the technologies that Tesla pioneers, it beats the point of the car. If you take a look at the history of this car year-by-year, then the number of complaints is very worrying. The 2020 model has had 75 complaints and the 2019 model has had a whopping 137 complaints. Take a look at some of the Tesla Model 3 recalls below to have a rough idea about how the manufacturer has responded to the owners..
|
S. No. |
Date |
NHTSA Campaign Number |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
October 29, 2021 |
21V846000 |
Unexpected activation of automatic emergency brake |
A communication error can cause the forward collision warning to unexpectedly activate the automatic emergency brake |
|
2 |
October 25, 2021 |
21V835000 |
Front suspension lateral link may separate |
A separated suspension link can shift the wheel alignment, causing instability and will increase the risk of a crash |
|
3 |
October 25, 2021 |
21V834000 |
Side-curtain airbag may be twisted |
A twisted side curtain airbag will fail to deploy and increase the risk of injury during a crash |
|
4 |
May 25, 2021 |
21V387000 |
Loose brake caliper bolts |
The brake caliper bolt being loose can contact the rim and cause a loss of tire pressure |
While this car is unreliable, we have to give it up to Tesla for responding well. The manufacturer has released over-the-air updates regarding the communication software responsible for the problem and has slightly fixed it without the owners ever having to go to a dealer. It still has a lot of quality control issues but there have been some fixes here and there.
Which model year of the Tesla Model 3 should you avoid?
The current generation of the Tesla Model 3 has been on sale since 2017 and that makes it in production for a while. The worrying fact is that it is always supported a large number of complaints and the manufacturer has not been successful in making the car reliable. While it has debuted a lot of new technology, it is only understandable that these complaints have taken place. Hence, if you had to avoid any model year, it would be the 2018 car because it reported about 240 complaints. We still wouldn’t classify the car as reliable but if it is a risk you are willing to take, then place your bet on one of the later models.
Should you buy the 2022 Tesla Model 3?
The 2022 Tesla Model 3 is widely regarded as the Tesla to buy because of its low price. However, several issues with the car make life hell for owners. As a result, this car feels more like an experiment and one that risks the safety of several of its customers. It may have the technology and the powertrain to keep you happy but in terms of dependability, it is a disappointment. It is not a car we would recommend to you since some of the issues are life-threatening.
