Tesla Model 3 2020
The 2020 Tesla Model 3 has 449 hp. 16 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 | 2,876 mm (113.2 in) |
| Curb weight | 1,870 kg (4,123 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 4 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 certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the pedestrian warning system not to work. As a result, the vehicle may not produce enough sound to be detected by other road users. New Canadian regulations require electric vehicles to make a minimum sound level when operating at low speeds. Safety Risk: A pedestrian warning system that doesn't work could create an increased risk of injury for other road users. 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 2023.44.30.14 or a software deployed after 2023.44.30.14.
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: 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 bolts that attach the front suspension lateral links to the sub-frame may not be properly tightened. Over time, the bolts could loosen 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. 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: On certain vehicles, the bolts that attach the brake calipers to the wheel knuckles may not be properly tightened. As a result, the bolts could loosen over time and the caliper could contact the wheel rim. If this happens, damage to the wheel rim could cause a sudden loss of tire pressure. Safety Risk: A sudden loss of tire pressure could cause a loss of control and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Tesla will notify owners and arrange for an inspection of the brake caliper bolts. They will be tightened, if necessary. If damage from a loose or missing bolt is found during the inspection, Tesla Service will arrange for a tow to the nearest service center for repair.
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, the cover for the child seat tether anchorage for the second-row middle seat and/or a third-row seat is not marked with the required symbol. Canadian regulations require a specific symbol to mark the top tether anchorage location. Safety Risk: This small error is unlikely to affect safety, as information about the location of the child seat top tether anchorages can be found in the owner's manual. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. Tesla has made changes to ensure that the top tether anchorage is properly marked on all new vehicles.
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.
Details
Issue: Certain vehicles do not have the correct warning indicator to show when the passenger airbag is turned off. Recent changes to Canadian regulations require all companies to use a symbol to show when the passenger airbag is turned off instead of text. This change can help to avoid confusion. Safety Risk: This small error does not affect the function of the airbag system or the accuracy of the information displayed to the occupant. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. Tesla has made changes to ensure that all new vehicles display the correct symbol when the passenger airbag is turned off. In addition, this change was sent to all vehicles in firmware update 2020.36.
On the road
Cars of this model first registered in 2020, from official registers. Each figure belongs to its country.
🇳🇱 Vehicle register, Netherlands
4,426 still registered
6% with an open recall
Average list price when new: 55,849 € (Dutch taxes included) · RDW, CC0
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.
The steering assist reduced alert popped up on the tesla screen. While attempting to turn into a parking garage, a "steering assist reduced" alert suddenly appeared on the tesla screen, and the steering wheel locked up/became extremely heavy and unable to steer left or right. Because the steering assist failed in ac…
Lower Lateral Link Fronts and front lower compliance link assembly for both right and left. There have apparently been on going issues for the Tesla Model 3 suspension links. I first started hearing noises from the suspension last month, I was booked for a weekend service and then rescheduled for today. I stopped by f…
I own a 2020 Tesla Model 3. Over approximately the past 2–3 weeks, the vehicle has developed a noticeable rattle/creaking noise coming from the left-front suspension area. The noise was not previously present and appears to be getting my attention as a potential suspension-related safety issue. I am concerned because…
The contact owned a 2020 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH in traffic on a sunny day, the vehicle drove over a pothole, and the traction control and ABS warning lights illuminated. The brake pedal was checked; however, fifteen minutes later the vehicle crashed into a 26-foot box truck. The co…
The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the safety features independently deactivated. The contact purchased and replaced the battery. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with ECU failure. The contact was informed that the ECU needed…
The front passenger door intermittently becomes “unclosed.” When this occurs, the vehicle displays “door open” and the passenger door window rolls down and up repeatedly. The window cycling continues until the door is slammed firmly shut. Once the door is securely shut, the window cycling stops and the door-open warni…
I was told my car is unsafe to drive after taking it to the mechanic for a routine tire balance and rotation. I currently need both rear control arms replaced. I had them replaced in the past. In addition, I have had the front control arms replaced more than once, the lower lateral links replaced, numerous hubs repai…
I was operating my Tesla with Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged when the incident occurred. I was turning right onto [XXX] from [XXX] and was positioned in the left right-turn lane approaching a railroad crossing. The railroad crossing gates were already fully lowered, indicating an approaching train. Despite the lowere…
All Teslas vehicles running HW3 / AI3 Autopilot self driving computers have been known for years to have a defective design problem with the cooling system without its own dedicated cooling and which puts the self driving computer last in the cooling looping at the top of the cooling stack. When the computer fails and…
I own a Tesla Model 3 and have been experiencing concerning front suspension and steering issues that appear to be worsening over time. While driving and especially during low speed turns, parking and maneuvering, the front suspension produces loud screeching, squeaking, and rubbing noises. The steering has also becom…
The front upper control arms. Causing poor steering and unbearable loud creaks when turning wheel. Mobile tesla tech confirmed upper control arm
Component that failed was the lower lateral link. There was no loss of control but there was a sound going over any uneven surface. Upon bringing the vehicle to the Tesla dealership they recommended a replacement of the upper and lower control arm on both the driver and passenger side. This greatly increased the cost …
Questions
- What engine does the 2020 Tesla Model 3 have?
- The 2020 Tesla Model 3 has 449 hp.
- Does the 2020 Tesla Model 3 have recalls?
- 16 recall campaigns are on record. The latest concerns Lights And Instruments (2026-08-19).
- What are the common problems of the 2020 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
Do you own one?
Post it for free and reach buyers who are already looking at this exact car.