2021 Tesla Model 3 problems: recalls, complaints and whether this is a year to avoid
The 2021 Tesla Model 3 has 666 owner complaints on record with NHTSA, which ranks it 2 of 5 Tesla Model 3 model years by complaint volume. The worst year is 2022 (765); the cleanest is 2024 (218). 22 recall entries cover this year.
Is 2021 a good year for the Tesla Model 3?
The spread across this nameplate is wide: the 2022 draws 4 times the complaints of the 2024. On a run like that the model year you buy matters more than the badge, and 2021 sits in the middle of it.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 218 | 5 |
| 2023 | 428 | 12 |
| 2022 | 765 | 18 |
| 2021 ← this page | 666 | 22 |
| 2020 | 451 | 21 |
Older years have been on the road longer and collect more complaints for that reason alone, and a year that sold in higher volume collects more while being no worse.
The 2021 accounts for 26% of every complaint filed against the Tesla Model 3 in this retrieval, which works out to 133.2 complaints per year on the road across the 5 years since it was sold new — the figure to compare against other years, because it removes the advantage a newer car gets simply from having had less time to accumulate reports.
Complaint volume is broadly flat against the 2020 (1.5×), so on this measure the two years are interchangeable and the choice between them comes down to condition and price rather than the model year.
Which recalls cover the 2021?
Electrical System
The "rolling stop" functionality available as part of the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software may allow the vehicle to travel through an all-way stop intersection without first…
Free remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that disables the "rolling stop" functionality, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022.
Air Bags
The left and/or right side curtain air bag may have been improperly secured to the roof rail, which could result in a twisted air bag.
Free remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and realign the left and right side curtain air bag as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 23, 2021.
Suspension
The front suspension lateral link fasteners may loosen, allowing the lateral link to separate from the sub-frame.
Free remedy: Tesla Service will tighten or replace the lateral link fasteners as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.
Take the campaign number to any franchised Tesla dealer. Recall repairs are free with no mileage or ownership limit, and they follow the car rather than the owner, so a used 2021 with an unrepaired campaign is a free repair you can claim. How recalls work.
Recall text is abridged from the NHTSA record. Search the campaign number at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the full notice and affected VIN ranges.
What do owners report on the Tesla Model 3?
Across every Tesla Model 3 year, not the 2021 alone — NHTSA does not split component totals by model year.
- Forward Collision Avoidance — 679 reports
- Vehicle Speed Control — 390 reports
- Unknown or Other — 292 reports
- Steering — 232 reports
Which other Tesla Model 3 years should you compare?
← 2020 Tesla Model 3 · 2022 Tesla Model 3 → · All Tesla Model 3 years
If you are deciding between years, the table above is the short answer and the Tesla Model 3 page carries the full run with the component breakdown. Before money changes hands, run the VIN for open recalls and read the inspection checklist — ten minutes in the seller’s driveway finds most of what matters.
Check a 2021 before you commit
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