The fasteners attaching the seat back to the seat bottom may have been improperly tightened.
Risk: The seat may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Tesla Service Centers will inspect and tighten or replace the seat assembly fasteners as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 16, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-13-003.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.
NHTSA listing: MODEL 3. Tesla campaign SB-25-13-003.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
The areas named in the 24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2026 Model 3. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Forward collision avoidance7 · 29%
Most named: adaptive cruise control (4); automatic emergency braking (4)
Steering5 · 21%
Backover prevention and rearview camera4 · 17%
Most named: warnings (4)
Lane departure systems4 · 17%
Body structure2 · 8%
Speed control2 · 8%
Suspension2 · 8%
Unknown or other8 · 33%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Tesla Model 3 recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2026 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2022 Model 3 drew the most (666).
Owner complaints
2026: 24 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Tesla Model 3
Model year
Complaints
2017
26
2018
1,024
2019
614
2020
451
2021
663
2022
765
2023
425
2024
217
2025
117
2026
24
Safety recalls
2026: 1 recallTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Tesla Model 3
Model year
Recalls
2017
16
2018
19
2019
22
2020
21
2021
22
2022
18
2023
12
2024
5
2025
3
2026
1
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
TESLA MODEL 3 4 DR BEV AWD
Rollover risk 6.8%
TESLA MODEL 3 4 DR BEV AWD EARLY RELEASE
Rollover risk 6.8%
TESLA MODEL 3 4 DR BEV RWD
Rollover risk 6.8%
TESLA MODEL 3 4 DR BEV RWD EARLY RELEASE
Rollover risk 6.8%
Questions
What are the most common 2026 Model 3 problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: forward collision avoidance (7), steering (5), backover prevention and rearview camera (4). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2026 Tesla Model 3 safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2026 Tesla Model 3 earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
How do I check if my Model 3 has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Tesla fixes safety recalls for free, often with an over-the-air software update.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: MODEL 3.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.