Tesla Model 3 2018
The 2018 Tesla Model 3 has 480 hp. 12 recall campaigns and 40 owner complaints are on record.
Specs
| Transmission | Single-speed |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Rear-wheel (RWD) |
| Dimensions (L × W × H) | 4,690 × 1,850 × 1,440 mm (184.6 × 72.8 × 56.7 in) |
| Wheelbase | 2,880 mm (113.4 in) |
| Curb weight | 1,670 kg (3,682 lb) |
| Body style | Midsize Cars |
Power: lowest to highest version, from Natural Resources Canada. Electric range and energy use: Natural Resources Canada.
Dimensions and weight: median of the 2 versions in Canada's official specifications (NHTSA vPIC). Each version differs slightly.
For sale in United States
Recalls
It may not apply to vehicles sold in your country. Check with your VIN at the source.
Details
Issue: On certain vehicles, the low beam headlights may be too bright. Canadian regulations specify a maximum brightness for low beam headlights. Safety Risk: Low beam headlights that are too bright could cause reduced visibility for the driver and/or glare for oncoming drivers and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Tesla will notify owners by email and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the headlights.
Details
Issue: On certain vehicles, the seat belt reminder chime and visual warning may not work when you start the vehicle and your seat belt is not buckled. Canadian regulations require both a seat belt reminder sound and visual telltale when a driver is not wearing their seat belt. Safety Risk: A seat belt warning that doesn't work correctly may not remind you to buckle your seat belt. Not wearing your seat belt can increase the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: Tesla will notify owners by email and supply an over-the-air software update to activate the seat belt reminder chime and visual warning.
Details
Issue: A previous over-the-air (OTA) software update could cause the vehicle not to display the correct visual warning indicators when there are problems with the brake system or when the parking brake is applied. As a result, the BRAKE, PARK, and antilock brake system (ABS) visual indicators would display as text instead of symbols. Safety Risk: While there is a low risk to safety, Canadian regulations require visual warnings to use common symbols, instead of words, to avoid driver confusion. Corrective Actions: Tesla will notify affected owners by email. Tesla has released an over-the-air software update to fix this problem. There is no further action required if your vehicle has software release 2024.3.25, 2024.14.5, or a release later than 2024.14.5.
Details
Issue: On vehicles equipped with the Autosteer advanced driver-assistance feature, when using the feature, the vehicle may not provide strong enough warnings or monitor the driver closely enough to prevent misuse of the feature. Safety Risk: A driver that doesn't pay close attention while using the Autosteer feature or who doesn't react quickly when Autosteer is canceled could have an increased risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Tesla will notify owners by email and supply an over-the-air software update to improve driver monitoring and alerts while using the Autosteer feature. Tesla advises that you must always pay attention and be ready to take control of the vehicle at any time while using the Autosteer advanced driver-assistance feature.
Details
Issue: On certain vehicles, the bolts that attach the front suspension lateral links to the sub-frame could loosen over time and the lateral links could separate from the sub-frame. If this happens, there could be sudden changes in wheel alignment and a loss of vehicle stability. Note: This is an expansion of Transport Canada recall 2021-649. Safety Risk: A loss of vehicle stability could cause a loss of control and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Tesla will notify owners by e-mail and arrange for an inspection the front lateral link bolts. Tesla Service will tighten or replace the bolts, as necessary.
Details
Issue: In certain traffic situations, when the FSD Beta advanced driver assistance feature is engaged, the vehicle may perform maneuvers that break certain traffic laws, if the driver doesn't intervene and take control. Note: This recall only affects vehicles equipped with the FSD Beta feature. Safety Risk: Certain maneuvers performed by the FSD Beta advanced driver assistance feature may break traffic laws. This could increase the risk of a crash if the driver doesn't intervene. Corrective Actions: Tesla will notify owners by email and supply an over-the-air software update to improve how the FSD Beta feature maneuvers the vehicle in certain traffic situations. Tesla reminds that FSD Beta is only an advanced driver assistance feature, and the driver must pay attention and be ready to take control at all times when the feature is engaged.
Details
Issue: On certain vehicles, the bolt attaching the left-rear seat belt buckle and center-rear seat belt anchorage may not have been reassembled correctly after previous service repair. As a result, the seat belts may not work properly in a crash. Safety Risk: A seat belt that moves or detaches in a crash could create an increased risk of injury. Corrective Actions: Tesla will notify owners by email and advise you to contact Tesla Service to arrange for an inspection of the left-rear seat belt buckle and center-rear seat belt anchorage bolt. The bolt will be re-tightened, if necessary.
Details
Issue: The window automatic reversal system may not react correctly after detecting an obstruction. This could cause the window to close with too much force before it stops and retracts. Also, the window may not retract enough after detecting an obstruction. As a result, the power windows do not pass certain tests under Canadian safety regulations. Safety Risk: A window that closes with excessive force could pinch a person and create a risk of injury. Corrective Actions: Tesla will email a notice to owners and provide an over-the-air firmware update to fix this condition.
Details
Issue: Under certain conditions, the seat belt reminder chime may not sound when you start the vehicle and your seat belt is not buckled. Canadian regulations require both a seat belt reminder sound and visual telltale when a driver is not wearing their seat belt. Safety Risk: A seat belt warning that does not work correctly may not remind you to buckle your seat belt. Not wearing your seat belt can increase the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: Tesla will email a notice to owners and provide an over-the-air firmware update in early February 2022 to fix this problem. There is no further action required if your vehicle has firmware release 2021.43.101.1 or 2022.4.5, or a later release.
Details
Issue: On certain vehicles, a cable in the trunk harness could become damaged over time. If this happens, the rearview camera image may not appear on the center display when backing-up. Safety Risk: A rearview camera image that does not display could reduce a driver's ability to see behind the vehicle while backing up. This could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Tesla will notify owners by e-mail and arrange for an inspection of the trunk harness. Tesla Service will install a harness protector to prevent further wear and will replace the harness, as required.
Details
Issue: On certain vehicles, the bolt that attaches the D-ring on the driver and front passenger seat belts may not be properly tightened. As a result, the seat belt may not work as designed in a crash. Also, the seat belt height adjustment may not work properly. Safety Risk: A seat belt that does not work properly could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: Tesla will notify owners by e-mail and arrange for an inspection of the bolts that attach the driver and front passenger seat belt D-rings. Tesla Service will replace the bolts and repair any damaged threads, as necessary.
Details
Issue: On certain vehicles, when switching the distance display setting from kilometers to miles, the speedometer displays the vehicle speed in miles per hour (mph) only. Canadian regulations require that speed be displayed in either kilometers per hour (km/h) or in both km/h and mph. Safety Risk: This small error does not affect vehicle safety. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. Tesla has made changes to ensure that all new vehicle speedometers display mph and km/h when the display distance is set to miles. In addition, this change was sent to all vehicles in firmware update 2020.36.11.
Common problems
40 reports🇺🇸 Local dataReported by owners to the source below. It is not a verdict on this car: it is what people wrote.
Component Affected: SUSPENSION: FRONT: LOWER ARM: LATERAL LINK / COMPLIANCE LINK Description of Defect and Incident: I am reporting an issue regarding my Tesla Model 3's front lower suspension components, specifically the front lower lateral link and the compliance link. The vehicle experienced an out-of-warranty fa…
There was a clicking noise that was heard as my wife (along with our [XXX] son) was driving on the freeway. She reached her destination and once she parked and tried to move out of the parking lot, she could not turn the wheel. The suspension control arm (specifically, the inner mounting eyelet and bushing of a front …
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated and the engine seized. The contact stated that the failure had occurred in heavy traffic. The Police arrived and assisted with traffic control. The contact stated that while attempting to sta…
My suspension is the issue that was under recall 23V-235. Suspension could completely fail at any time. Currently I hear creaking when turning. Tesla has confirmed the problem but said my car is out of recall which is very narrow and should include my car
The passenger seat back Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor (Part #1920673-01-A) failed 3 times in under 22 months (Dec 2024, Dec 2025, Sep 2026), disabling the front passenger safety restraint system and airbag deployment logic
While operating 2018 Tesla Model 3(Odometer: ~174,489 miles)the vehicle experienced a catastrophic mechanical failure when the front suspension lateral link detached/separated from the subframe. The collapse of the right upper/lower suspension immediately rendered the vehicle non-drivable and non-rolling, Tesla quoted…
Possible ineffective recall remedy – NHTSA Recall 21V-00D / Tesla SB-21-17-008. My Model 3 received the trunk harness recall remedy in 2023. Tesla inspected the original harness, determined it was within specification, left it installed, and added the guide protector. Tesla’s recall documentation states the guide is …
- When I start my car, I see the following error message appear: Front Left Safety Restraint System Fault. Also, the air bag disabled alert is displayed. Since the air bag is disabled, it puts me at grave risk if I were to get into an accident. - Many other Tesla owners have reported the same exact issue (RCM_a021 Fr…
Clunking noise when in reverse and turning.
AMENDMENT / SUPPLEMENT TO VOQ #11763975 regarding PE26006. Following my initial report of a catastrophic lower lateral link detachment, Tesla Service Center Santa Rosa has provided a highly sanitized and misleading repair report. The official invoice completely omits the physical structural detachment and missing s…
On August 6, 2026, my spouse was driving our 2018 Model 3 at low speed while making a U-turn out of The Village at Pacific Highlands Ranch when she heard a clunk from the front of the car and the car felt as though it had dropped down. Steering was not affected. The car began to slow, and she drove it at low speed int…
Vehicle Information: Year/Make/Model: 2018 Tesla Model 3 Mileage at Incident: 45,000 miles Description of Safety Defect: A sudden and persistent "Safety Restraint System Fault" / "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault" warning illuminated on the vehicle's primary touchscreen interface, indicating a complete c…
Questions
- What engine does the 2018 Tesla Model 3 have?
- The 2018 Tesla Model 3 has 480 hp.
- Does the 2018 Tesla Model 3 have recalls?
- 12 recall campaigns are on record. The latest concerns Lights And Instruments (2026-08-19).
- What are the common problems of the 2018 Tesla Model 3?
- 40 owners have filed complaints, most often about Suspension.
Other years
Which Tesla Model 3 year to buy? Recalls and complaints by yearOther models by Tesla
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