How many electrical system complaints does the 2018 Tesla Model 3 have?

NHTSA lists 182 Electrical System complaints for the 2018 Tesla Model 3, which is 18% of the 1,024 total complaints filed for that model year.

At what mileage do electrical problems typically show up on the 2018 Model 3?

The median mileage at failure for Electrical System complaints on the 2018 Tesla Model 3 is 24,250 miles.

Is there a recall related to electrical issues on the 2018 Tesla Model 3?

Yes. NHTSA recall campaigns 26V507000 (headlight brightness), 24V051000 (instrument panel font size), 23V838000 (Autosteer), and 22V263000 (speedometer display in Track Mode) cover electrical components on Model 3 vehicles including the 2018 model year.

Did the electrical issues lead to crashes or fires?

NHTSA data tied to this problem area for the 2018 Tesla Model 3 includes 16 crashes, 1 fire, and 4 injuries.

How does the 2018 Model 3 compare to other years for electrical complaints?

The 2018 model year's 18% share of complaints tied to the Electrical System is higher than 2019 (16%), 2020 (12%), 2021 (13%), 2022 (8%), and 2023 (12%), but lower than 2024 (30%).

2018 Tesla Model 3 Electrical System Problems

NHTSA lists 182 Electrical System complaints for the 2018 Tesla Model 3, 18% of all 1,024 complaints that year, with 16 crashes, 1 fire, and 4 injuries reported. Median mileage at failure was 24,250 miles. Several related recalls cover electrical components, though none targets this exact failure pattern as do-not-drive.

Electrical System complaints: 182; 18% of 1,024
Crashes reported: 16
Fires reported: 1
Injuries reported: 4
Median mileage: 24,250 mi
Related recalls: 4

Typical electrical symptoms owners report

Touch screen goes blank or freezes, sometimes disabling charging until it is restarted.
Autopilot or Autosteer fails to deactivate or slow the vehicle when approaching stopped traffic or a barrier, leading to a rear-end collision.
Automatic parking or summon feature moves the car unexpectedly into another vehicle, a curb, or a building.
Backup camera feed goes blank at the moment of a low-speed collision, leaving the driver without a rear view.
Multiple electrical subsystems fail together, including stability control, regenerative braking, and automatic emergency braking, alongside repeated touch screen blackouts.

When 2018 Tesla Model 3 electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Aug 3, 2018, latest Sep 6, 2026.

182 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2018 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2024 Q1 (18).

Electrical System recalls for the 2018 Tesla Model 3

NHTSA 26V507000Aug 4, 2026Electrical System20,349 vehicles
Exterior lighting:headlights
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Model 3 and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. The headlight low beams may be too bright and exceed the maximum light output. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Headlight low beams that are too bright can reduce visibility for oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The remedy is currently under development. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 3, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-17-003.
NHTSA 24V051000Jan 30, 2024Electrical System2,193,869 vehiclesOver-the-air fix
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk: Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
NHTSA 23V838000Dec 12, 2023Electrical System2,031,220 vehiclesOver-the-air fix
Electrical system:adas:driver monitoring:software
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.
Risk: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
NHTSA 22V263000Apr 18, 2022Electrical System48,184 vehiclesOver-the-air fix
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Model 3 Performance vehicles. The unit of speed (mph or km/h) may fail to display on the speedometer while in Track Mode. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."
Risk: The driver may not know how fast the vehicle is traveling without the mph or km/h unit display, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 17, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-008.

Electrical System complaints by Model 3 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

20172 (8%)
2018182 (18%)
201997 (16%)
202055 (12%)
202184 (13%)
202265 (8%)
202352 (12%)
202465 (30%)
202526 (22%)

Frequently asked questions

How many electrical system complaints does the 2018 Tesla Model 3 have?: NHTSA lists 182 Electrical System complaints for the 2018 Tesla Model 3, which is 18% of the 1,024 total complaints filed for that model year.
At what mileage do electrical problems typically show up on the 2018 Model 3?: The median mileage at failure for Electrical System complaints on the 2018 Tesla Model 3 is 24,250 miles.
Is there a recall related to electrical issues on the 2018 Tesla Model 3?: Yes. NHTSA recall campaigns 26V507000 (headlight brightness), 24V051000 (instrument panel font size), 23V838000 (Autosteer), and 22V263000 (speedometer display in Track Mode) cover electrical components on Model 3 vehicles including the 2018 model year.
Did the electrical issues lead to crashes or fires?: NHTSA data tied to this problem area for the 2018 Tesla Model 3 includes 16 crashes, 1 fire, and 4 injuries.
How does the 2018 Model 3 compare to other years for electrical complaints?: The 2018 model year's 18% share of complaints tied to the Electrical System is higher than 2019 (16%), 2020 (12%), 2021 (13%), 2022 (8%), and 2023 (12%), but lower than 2024 (30%).