YearToAvoid

2019 Tesla Model 3 Airbags Problems

NHTSA lists 84 airbag-related complaints for the 2019 Tesla Model 3, 14% of all complaints filed for the year, tied to 10 crashes and 7 injuries. No related recall covers this issue. Median mileage at failure was 8,571.5.

Airbags complaints
84
14% of 614
Crashes reported
10
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
7
Median mileage
8,572 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical airbag symptoms owners report

  • Airbags fail to deploy during crashes, including frontal impacts, side impacts, and collisions caused by reported unintended acceleration.
  • Some owners report airbags deploying with no impact at all, with no cause found by the dealer or manufacturer.
  • Owners describe a 'Faulty Restraint System' or 'Front Passenger Restraint System Fault' warning appearing on the dashboard, sometimes requiring seat or wiring harness replacement.
  • Several complaints describe crashes involving sudden unexpected acceleration or loss of control while parking or driving at low speed, followed by non-deploying airbags.
  • One owner reported false collision-warning beeping tied to blind-spot sensor errors unrelated to an actual airbag deployment.

When 2019 Tesla Model 3 airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Aug 1, 2019, latest Sep 21, 2026.

2019 Tesla Model 3 airbags complaints: complaints filed per month6Aug 2019Feb 2022Jul 2023Feb 2024Sep 2024Apr 2025Oct 2025Aug 2026
84 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2019 to Sep 2026; peak May 2024 (6).

Airbags recalls for the 2019 Tesla Model 3

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Airbags complaints by Model 3 model year

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

  1. 20177 (27%)
  2. 2018142 (14%)
  3. 201984 (14%)
  4. 202030 (7%)
  5. 20218 (1%)
  6. 202212 (2%)
  7. 202318 (4%)
  8. 20248 (4%)
  9. 20252 (2%)

Frequently asked questions

How many airbag complaints does the 2019 Tesla Model 3 have?
NHTSA lists 84 airbag-related complaints for the 2019 Model 3, which is 14% of the 614 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for airbag problems on the 2019 Tesla Model 3?
No. NHTSA data shows no related recalls listed for this airbag complaint category on the 2019 Model 3.
Did the 2019 Tesla Model 3 airbag issues cause crashes or injuries?
Yes. NHTSA complaints tied to this area report 10 crashes and 7 injuries, though no fires were reported.
At what mileage do airbag problems tend to occur on the 2019 Model 3?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this issue is 8,571.5 miles.
How does the 2019 Model 3 compare to other years for airbag complaints?
The 2018 Model 3 had 142 airbag complaints (14% share) and the 2017 had 7 complaints (27% share), while later years like 2021 dropped to 8 complaints (1% share), suggesting the issue was more common in earlier model years.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.