2018 Tesla Model 3 reliability record
NHTSA consumer complaints and recall campaigns for the 2018 Tesla Model 3 from the dataset labeled 2026. The source file does not provide an exact snapshot date. Use the reported issues to guide further checks; these counts do not establish failure rates or repair costs.
- NHTSA complaints
- 1,649
- Dataset year: 2026; snapshot day not provided
- Top problem area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- 169 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 18
- see below
- Reported harm
- 202 reported crashes · 69 injuries · 7 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesCounts are not adjusted for vehicles sold, time in service or reporting frequency. A larger count does not establish a higher chance of failure, and these comparisons do not set the maintenance budget in our calculator.
Complaint rank
#133
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Tesla median
+1,166
median 483 across 33 Tesla records
Vs 2016-2020
+1,362
median 288 complaints in 538 records
Top component share
10%
Unknown Or Other: 169 complaints
What owners report fails — 2018 Tesla Model 3
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 169
- SUSPENSION 164
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 157
- FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL 129
- AIR BAGS 128
18 recalls on record for the 2018 Tesla Model 3
- NHTSA 24V935000 · 2025 · TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash.
- NHTSA 23V838000 · 2024 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:DRIVER MONITORING In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operatio
- NHTSA 24V376000 · 2024 · SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during
- NHTSA 24V153000 · 2024 · FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS:EX Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.
- NHTSA 24V051000 · 2024 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PA Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read,
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2018 Tesla Model 3
Build a separate budget with your purchase price, insurance quote, mileage and maintenance estimate. Complaint counts do not enter that calculation. Unknown local taxes and fees stay listed as costs to confirm.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2018 Tesla Model 3 units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Dataset year: 2026; exact snapshot day not supplied. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Tesla Model 3 reliable?
NHTSA has 1,649 consumer complaints on record for the 2018 Tesla Model 3 and 18 recalls. The most-reported problem area is unknown or other (169 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2018 Tesla Model 3 units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Tesla Model 3?
Owners most often report problems with: unknown or other (169), suspension (164), electrical system (157), forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control (129). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2018 Tesla Model 3?
This complaint dataset does not measure repair prices or predict a maintenance budget for the 2018 Tesla Model 3. Use your purchase price, insurance quotes, fuel use and a maintenance estimate in the separate five-year cost calculator. It does not convert complaint counts into repair costs, and any unknown taxes remain excluded and clearly listed.