TESLA MODEL 3 · model year

2026 TESLA MODEL 3

2 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2026TESLAMODEL 3 carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2026 MODEL 3 is structure:body with 1 filings, followed by forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 5 investigation files overlapping the 2026 MODEL 3, and 3 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

2
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

2 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
STRUCTURE:BODY1
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING1

Recalls (1)

25V41000018/06/2025

SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The fasteners attaching the seat back to the seat bottom may have been improperly tightened.

Recent Complaints

20260116CrashSTRUCTURE:BODY

The vehicle's FSD system malfunctioned and initiated an unintended reverse toward a closing garage door. To prevent a total-loss event (the door crushing the glass roof and trunk), I was forced to perform an emergency manual takeover. Due to the vehicle's position caused by the malfunction, I had to maneuver through a confined space, resulting in the side-scrape. I am filing this as a malfunction claim because the damage was a direct consequence of the car's autonomous failure

20260116CrashFORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

The vehicle's FSD system malfunctioned and initiated an unintended reverse toward a closing garage door. To prevent a total-loss event (the door crushing the glass roof and trunk), I was forced to perform an emergency manual takeover. Due to the vehicle's position caused by the malfunction, I had to maneuver through a confined space, resulting in the side-scrape. I am filing this as a malfunction claim because the damage was a direct consequence of the car's autonomous failure

Compare 2026TESLAMODEL 3 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 3 Open

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2026 TESLA MODEL 3 have?
The 2026 TESLA MODEL 3 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2026 TESLA MODEL 3?
Yes, the 2026 TESLA MODEL 3 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2026 TESLA MODEL 3?
The most-complained component for the 2026 TESLA MODEL 3 is STRUCTURE:BODY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING.
Is the 2026 TESLA MODEL 3 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.