Model Year Problem Record
The complete public record for the 2021 Tesla Model 3: what owners reported, which systems drew recalls, and where complaints exist that no recall has ever covered.
Distinct complaints naming each system, most reported first. Select a system for its own page.
The join between complaints and recalls for this model year, system by system. A gap does not prove a defect - it means owners reported the problem and no recall campaign covers that system on this model year.
652 complaints; 6 recall campaigns cover this system. Campaigns: 21V846000, 22V063000, 22V235000, 22V317000, 24V153000, 26V283000.
127 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system. Campaigns: 21V387000.
123 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.
96 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.
80 complaints; 5 recall campaigns cover this system. Campaigns: 22V050000, 22V263000, 23V838000, 24V051000, 24V554000.
34 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system. Campaigns: 22V702000.
28 complaints; 2 recall campaigns cover this system. Campaigns: 22V037000, 23V085000.
17 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.
17 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.
16 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system. Campaigns: 21V835000.
15 complaints; 3 recall campaigns cover this system. Campaigns: 22V045000, 22V798000, 24V376000.
10 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.
8 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system. Campaigns: 26V507000.
8 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system. Campaigns: 21V834000.
8 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.
6 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.
6 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.
6 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.
3 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system. Campaigns: 24V935000.
1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.
Every campaign covering this model year, in our own words. The campaign number is the official reference.
Brakes. Recall covering the brakes system, reported to NHTSA on May 25, 2021. The campaign covers an estimated 5,974 vehicles across all affected models.
Air Bags. Recall covering the air bags system, reported to NHTSA on October 25, 2021. The campaign covers an estimated 3 vehicles across all affected models.
Suspension. Recall covering the suspension system, reported to NHTSA on October 25, 2021. The campaign covers an estimated 2,791 vehicles across all affected models.
Driver Assistance and Stability Systems. Recall covering the driver assistance and stability systems system, reported to NHTSA on October 29, 2021. The campaign covers an estimated 11,728 vehicles across all affected models.
Steering. Recall covering the steering system, reported to NHTSA on January 27, 2022. The campaign covers an estimated 53,822 vehicles across all affected models.
Seat Belts. Recall covering the seat belts system, reported to NHTSA on February 1, 2022. The campaign covers an estimated 817,143 vehicles across all affected models.
Electrical System. Recall covering the electrical system system, reported to NHTSA on February 2, 2022. The campaign covers an estimated 26,681 vehicles across all affected models.
Driver Assistance and Stability Systems. Recall covering the driver assistance and stability systems system, reported to NHTSA on February 4, 2022. The campaign covers an estimated 578,607 vehicles across all affected models.
Driver Assistance and Stability Systems. Recall covering the driver assistance and stability systems system, reported to NHTSA on April 12, 2022. The campaign covers an estimated 594,894 vehicles across all affected models.
Electrical System. Recall covering the electrical system system, reported to NHTSA on April 18, 2022. The campaign covers an estimated 48,184 vehicles across all affected models.
Driver Assistance and Stability Systems. Recall covering the driver assistance and stability systems system, reported to NHTSA on May 9, 2022. The campaign covers an estimated 7 vehicles across all affected models.
Visibility. Recall covering the visibility system, reported to NHTSA on September 19, 2022. The campaign covers an estimated 1,096,762 vehicles across all affected models.
Seat Belts. Recall covering the seat belts system, reported to NHTSA on October 21, 2022. The campaign covers an estimated 24,064 vehicles across all affected models.
Steering. Recall covering the steering system, reported to NHTSA on February 15, 2023. The campaign covers an estimated 362,758 vehicles across all affected models.
Electrical System. Recall covering the electrical system system, reported to NHTSA on December 12, 2023. The campaign covers an estimated 2,031,220 vehicles across all affected models.
Electrical System. Recall covering the electrical system system, reported to NHTSA on January 30, 2024. The campaign covers an estimated 2,193,869 vehicles across all affected models.
Driver Assistance and Stability Systems. Recall covering the driver assistance and stability systems system, reported to NHTSA on February 27, 2024. The campaign covers an estimated 6,557 vehicles across all affected models.
Seat Belts. Recall covering the seat belts system, reported to NHTSA on May 28, 2024. The campaign covers an estimated 125,233 vehicles across all affected models.
Electrical System. Recall covering the electrical system system, reported to NHTSA on July 24, 2024. The campaign covers an estimated 1,849,638 vehicles across all affected models.
Tires. Recall covering the tires system, reported to NHTSA on December 17, 2024. The campaign covers an estimated 696,281 vehicles across all affected models.
Driver Assistance and Stability Systems. Recall covering the driver assistance and stability systems system, reported to NHTSA on May 4, 2026. The campaign covers an estimated 218,868 vehicles across all affected models.
Lighting. Recall covering the lighting system, reported to NHTSA on August 4, 2026. The campaign covers an estimated 20,349 vehicles across all affected models.
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened these investigations touching this model year.
Compliance with Standing General Order 2021-01 Reporting Requirements. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Pedestrian alert sounds. Resulted in recall campaign 22V063000.
Defect Petition Interlock Request. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Sudden Unintended Acceleration. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Autopilot System Driver Controls. Resulted in recall campaign 23V085.
FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Autopilot & First Responder Scenes. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Tesla Passenger Play. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Unexpected Brake Activation. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Actually Smart Summon sessions resulting in low-speed impacts.. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Traffic safety violations while Full Self Driving ("FSD") is engaged. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
Recall 23V838 Remedy Effectiveness. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.
When this model year's complaints reached NHTSA - whether its problems surfaced early or late in its life.
Data as of October 30, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.