general problems of the 2018 Tesla Model 3 - part 2

I was involved in a rear-end collision where I was completely stopped at a green light due to traffic congestion and the person driving behind me hit my car from behind that caused me to hit the car in front of me. The impact was hard that the Tesla Model 3 immediately turned on the hazard lights and called 911. The screen of my Tesla Model 3 stated "airbag deployed;" however, no airbags deployed. The Tesla immediately became inoperable and did not let me drive the car to the side of the road out of traffic. Also, the Tesla did not let me change to towing mode (since the screen eventually went black); which made it more difficult to tow the vehicle out of the way of traffic.

For the fifth time since the car was purchased new, it is displaying a warning that there is a passenger airbag fault. This has been repaired previously four times by Tesla, on 8/04/20 (28980 miles, replace OCS filter module), 2/10/21 (35831 miles, replace front passenger seat), 1/06/22, and 5/08/23 (52891 and 82293 miles, both replace OCS filter module). It is now showing this warning again (106507 miles, 8/22/24) for the fifth failure. This is extremely concerning that an airbag may not deploy properly or even might deploy when not warranted. Since the car has been repaired so many times for the same recurring problem it suggests there is a systemic issue with this component which should be addressed properly.

My Tesla has been displayed a warning error message "front passenger restraint system fault". This is a safety issue, I searched online and it looks like this is a common problem for the 2017-2019 Tesla Model 3. Many of the owners were fortunate if the issue happened before the expiration of the warranty which Tesla fixed it for free. However, this issue happened after warranty expired. I took the car to service center, they estimated the fix would cost over $3200 (see attached). Tesla claimed that the fraudulent module cannot be replaced as it's no longer support the older version of the airbag system. To fix the problem, it will have to replace the airbag, seat cushion and harness system. This is clearly a defect with the original equipment where manufacture does not support or provide replace with original parts.

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "front driver’s side safety restraint fault" remained displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000.

I randomly received an alert indicating “front passenger safety restraint system fault” on my Tesla’s display. When I look this up, it indicates that the airbag may not deploy correctly in the event of an accident due to a seat sensor malfunction. When I contacted the service center, they quoted me at $1500 to repair this critical safety issue (involves replacing the seat sensor and reconfiguring airbags so that they will properly deploy). I believe this should be a recall and not something customers have to pay out of pocket to drive their car safely.

Occupant classification system (OCS) for front passenger seat kept alerting while driving both with and without any person or object in the seat. I contacted Tesla service center and they stated that the occupant classification system (OCS) and the front passenger airbag require replacement, otherwise the front passenger airbags will not function properly in a collision. I asked if this was a recall or covered by warranty, and they said no.

I started getting this alert on my screen a few weeks ago: rcm_a056 "front passenger safety restraint system fault" service required. Tesla says the warranty only covered this issue up to 60,000 miles and I'm at 61,000. They are quoting like $2,000 to fix. They say they have to change something in the seat (sensor) and change the air bag since new sensor is not compatible with old airbag. Looked up issue and it seems to be common happening at before and after warranty for a lot of people. I see different quotes from $500 to $2000 (mine was the highest). This should be a safety recall. I do not suspect too many people getting this fixed on their own their due to the expense.

Car reports rcm a056 error related to occupant control sensors. This is apparently a common problem for this year and model (related car forums and social media report > 100 such incidents that I can find), but is not covered ($1700 repair). This should be a safety recall.

Seat occupancy system failure received. June 27, 2022 mobile service inspected for wiring damage, as common cause. Recommended appt at service center. Sep 2, 2022, could not fix issue, had to replace entire passenger seat. July 23, 2024 took car to service center for seat occupancy system failure received. Tesla stated I needed to pay for lumbar seat occupancy system sensor as it was failing. This was the same part (seat that was replaced in Sep of 2022). This part was 22 months old. Parts and labor for this part was $955. In addition, they stated this new part is not compatible with the existing seat occupancy system sensor in the seat portion of the seat and also not compatible with the passenger air bag. These parts including labor were an additional $1,500. These parts were not defective. Tesla has developed a new part of the safety system which is not backward compatible with other parts of the safety airbag system. This is improper practice and the cost for upgrading their defective manufacturing practices of safety systems should not be passed on to the customer.

My 2018 Tesla Model 3 is experiencing an intermittent "front left safety restraint system fault". This error message, appearing on the main display, suggests an issue with the driver-side airbag, seatbelt pretensioner, or related components. The fault seems unrelated to seat occupancy or weight, as it occurs both with and without a passenger. While the error message eventually disappears after restarting the vehicle, its recurring nature is concerning and raises safety concerns about the airbag deploying unnecessarily or failing to deploy in an actual collision. This problem appears similar to those reported by other Tesla Model 3 owners, suggesting a potential systemic defect in the safety restraint system that warrants further investigation by the NHTSA. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Error message in passenger airbag restraint system. There is a known issue where the cable bundle in the seat wears with movement of the seat, causing a short. Tesla has redesigned the bundle and it’s using a new airbag, but will only replace the faulty bundle if it fails while under warranty. It is a >$1900 repair for the customer. Upon my research, this happens frequently even in the first year of the car. My car has 39,000 miles on it is faulty already. They can’t replace the bundle because the new improved bundle requires a different airbag, increasing the cost of the consumer.

Front passenger safety restraint system fault error. They tried fixing and it started the next day again. Now they want to replace this along with my airbag. This seems to be a consistent issue reading forums online. This is a manufacturing defect and major safety issue.

Received an alert about front seat safety restraint system fault. Decided to see what was needed for the fix and address my other trunk harness recall. Received invoice stating the airbag needed to be replaced along with $1900 quote. Knowing this info, if this doesn’t get fix the safety of my passengers are at risk so now I definitely can’t have any passengers. Not sure how I should be responsible for a safety seat airbag sensor defect.

Starting Jun 15 2024 an error came up saying "left restraint system fault" after a remote software update for Model 3 2018 Tesla the alert comes up intermittently & Tesla requires $359. 50 to change first row seat harness assembly - left.

Started receiving error rcm_a056 front passenger safety restraint system fault. The vehicle shows that the passenger airbags are disabled after the alert is issued. I am working under the assumption that all passenger airbags (front, side, overhead) are currently disabled at all times. This puts my family at risk if there were to be a collision. Tesla seems to know exactly what the problem is because the estimate came back shortly with a list of fixes required at a cost of $1,768. 35 to 1) correction: install an occupant classification system (OCS) filter module, 2) correction: retrofit sbr in OCS equipped front passenger seat - remove and replace, and 3) correction: replace front passenger airbag and update vehicle configuration - remove and replace. Quick internet search shows this is a systemic problem with a bad part (Tesla forums and search your own databases for the past year or so. . . These are the people who know to report this to you, there are probably a lot of others). I'm 6 months out of warranty for a sensor that should not have wear and tear. Furthermore a retrofit demonstrates that they are replacing a known problem part. Additionally, there is no rational reason to replace a perfectly good airbag. Replacing the airbag because it is incompatible with a retrofit sensor should be free. Retrofitting a sensor that has a known problem should not be a cost to the consumer for a part that is not subject to wear and tear. Adding a filter to a sensor line shows that the sensor is not an appropriate part or the filter should have been added to start with in original manufacturing. Note Tesla has a procedure already out to address the problem sb-23-20-002 which shows they already know it is a problem that needs to be addressed when the sensor failure shows up. Recommend and request an investigation into whether there is a lower cost fix for what seems like a known problem or require a recall to repair to a safe state.

My 2018 Model 3 started giving me the error "rcm_a056_passengerfrontocs" today. This is caused by a faulty passenger occupancy weight sensor. This has been an ongoing issue in these models evidenced by sb-23-20-002 being revised 6 times. Tesla has resisted fixing this safety issue because the air bag also needs to be replaced to maintain compatibility with the redesigned occupant classification system (OCS) weight sensor evidenced in Tesla sb-23-20-001. Tesla has redesigned the known bad sensor part no. Part 1121234-70-b with an updated part no. 099592-00-f which is only compatible with an updated airbag. The OCS weight sensor was defective from the point of manufacture. The rcm_a056 error only appeared after applying the latest firmware update that addresses NHTSA recall 24v-376. The firmware update made the firmware more sensitive to analog sensor readings which revealed the originally defective OCS weight sensor triggering the error message. Nearly half of the recent NHTSA complaints for this model involve this exact issue. This OCS hardware sensor was always defective and poses an ongoing safety concern. The defective system never should have been approved as it did not function as intended originally. The NHTSA must issue a new recall that covers the defective hardware instead of just the software as in NHTSA recall 24v-376. Without corrected hardware the OCS system will not work as intended which is allowing the airbags to prevent injury and death in the event of collision. Https://static. Nhtsa. Gov/odi/rcl/2024/rclrpt-24v376-9242. . Read more...

The car issued me a "front left safety restraint system fault" saying service is required. The code it flashed was rcm_a021. I am able to get the code to go away by adjusting the seat, however, if I shift my weight or I hit a bump in the road, the warning will appear once again. This leads me to believe that there is a component in the seat that is defective. I took vehicle to the Tesla service center where they found a "broken wire in the pretensioner connector" and they replaced the wiring harness. Upon doing investigation it appears that there are multiple components that are used to determine the firing intensity of the airbags should they go off. If either are damaged the airbags will not fire correctly. Some of these components can be easily damaged due to the seats constant back/forth motion if the easy entry mode is enabled on the car. As the car was outside the warranty period, Tesla refused to cover the costs for repair even though there was a TSB (technical service bulletin) already out on this same issue (reference sb-21-17-005). Total cost for repair including parts, labor and tax was $631. 10.

I'm receiving an error "front passenger restraint system fault". According to online forums, this issue is prevalent amongst many Tesla vehicles. This seems like a serious defect that Tesla should be responsible for fixing.

My car started giving me an alert for a "front passenger safety restraint system fault". There has been no accident to cause an issue. I'm being told by the service center that it is a known occurrence and certain models/years, require a new safety vent type front passenger airbag to maintain compatibility between the front passenger seat and the front passenger airbag.

Passenger airbag and seat are faulty. Received error message on my car “front passenger safety restraint system faulty”. Tesla is wanting to replace the airbag and passenger seat and seat belt and it will cost few thousands dollars.

The vehicle showed an alert "front passenger safety restraint system fault/service is required". The vehicle never had an accident, nor abnormal usage, which may have caused this system fault. The manufacturer's service department gave a repair plan including an air-bag replacement at the owner's cost. It is not fair to force vehicle owners to be responsible for the cost to repair the manufacturer's safety system problem. The repair should be done under a safety recall.

A defect in manufacturing causes the seat sensor (in this case: passenger) connection to fail. The connection has no retaining clip and falls out. This disables the airbag deployment calculations. Error code: rcm_a056 telsa wants to replace seat and calibrate airbag at consumer's cost, quoted ~$1500 I've pushed the connector back in several times over the past few years, one day it's going to hurt someone.

Front passenger seat restraint safety system fault. My car only has 40,000 miles is out of warranty. $2200+ estimate from Tesla. This safety issue happens often according to Tesla owner sites.

My car has 98,000 miles and out of warranty. When driving 10 days ago I saw a message on the screen "front passenger restraint system fault" I took the car to the Tesla garage and was advised that it might be the air bag. They said it could cost as much as $$1,826. 66. They kept the vehicle and sent a message asking me to authorise my credit card pay this amount when done. First of all I note on the Tesla motors club that I am not alone. Second I have to rely on Tesla being honest about this. They have their own propriety testing system so I could not take it to another mechanic. Last of all I have never experienced a failed air bag in my vehicles before and it seems that Tesla has problems and this should have been paid by them as a recall item.

Experienced safety restraint system failure on all four seats. Had them all fixed for ~$2,000. Front passenger restraint failed again next month. Know. Issue among the message boards online. Investigation into number of these repairs is likely merited.

Safety restraint system fault warning, passenger airbag off on display. 1) 4/10/24 dealer replaced occupant classification system components for front passenger seat for $184. 26. Dealer assured issue being resolved. 2) 5/5/24 same fault warning, passenger airbag off on display reappeared for 2nd time and dealer replaced front passenger airbag for $1089. 18. Dealer assured issue being resolved. 3) 5/10/24 same fault warning, passenger airbag off on display again reappeared for 3rd time and dealer is now proposing to replaced front passenger seat back and seat cushions for $1248. 07.

Car displayed safety restraint system fault rcm_a094. Tesla diagnosed as rear seat buckle sensor failure. Additionally, car displays an intermittent fault rcm_a056. Tesla diagnosed this as a front passenger occupant classification system (OCS) sensor fault. Tesla stated the front passenger airbag would need to be replaced as the new sensor is not compatible with the older airbag. This renders the entire airbag system inoperable due to this component failure. The critical safety issue is extremely expensive as the incompatible sensor requires expensive airbag replacement. Furthermore, the safety system is prone to failure with 2 safety system faults occurring at <80k miles. Service rep stated that the 2018 model year has had issues with the airbag system that is why they updated the module. I asked for recall or replacement at Tesla cost but was denied. Facebook group discussions and search indicate others have intermittent OCS sensor failure and this is likely a defective part for that year.

While driving normally, an error warning was received that stated "front left safety restraint system error" and the icon for an airbag fault would come in simultaneously. This error would disappear and reappear, sometimes up to 10 times per minute, creating a driver distraction due to the loud error chime. The error code identified for the fault when checked on the Tesla service screen corresponded to pretensioner wire harness. The pretensioner harness connects the seat sensors for driver weight and positioning to the car's airbag control system, which then classifies passengers and ensures that the airbags fire correctly in the event of a collision. For example, if a smaller female driver was operating the car but was incorrectly classified as male, the airbag could fire with excessive force and cause injury. The set of symptoms occurs commonly in Tesla Model 3s and are caused by the wear over time of a poorly designed wiring harness, which chafes as the seat is moved forward and backward until it breaks. This is a known problem by Tesla and they have a specific service bulletin designed to address it, which I have attached below. When taken in to address the issue, Tesla performed the procedure in the attached bulletin and identified a damaged harness, which was subsequently replaced. I retained the damaged harness for inspection. The invoice for this service is attached. No other defects were identified that could have caused the issue. This is a safety related issue occurring due to a manufacturing related defect and should be a mandatory recall with complimentary repair.

Front passenger OCS errors - Tesla work quote (via Tesla service bulletin, not recall) is to replace the OCS system & front airbag - totaling $1,200 for the repair. This is extremely common error code for Tesla's "front passenger safety restraint system fault".

I purchased the car new in 2018. About two years into owning there would be a random notification about an "rcm_a036 : passenger safety restraint system fault". I reported and was told that the seat occupancy sensor was responding to noise from my cell phone. I stopped putting the cell phone on the seat, it kept happening with increasing frequency in 2021 and 2022 and I reported it two more times and was told to keep charging cables away from the seat, and then in 2021, they added a noise filter. I was told repeatedly that the fault was caused by noise and was not a real issue. The alert occurred with increasing occurrence and today I took it in and Tesla charged $1533. 16 to replace the airbag and the occupancy sensor. I thought it was unsafe for Tesla to tell me the issue is a noise-related issue when it was related to the airbag and to tell me that the issue was not actually a real fault when both the OCS sensor and the airbag needed to be replaced. I think it's absurd to have a car 6 years old with 66,530 miles have to have an airbag replaced. I thought Tesla's comments about noise were disingenuous attempts to put off the repair until after the car was out of warranty.

Two recent incidents/repairs related to both driver and passenger curtain airbag, replacement of occupant classification system, replacement of first row seat cushions, first row harness assembly, first row occupancy sensor, first row seat belt reminder sensor box. Total out of pocket cost of approximately $2,075!.

I'm getting an error for "safety restraint system fault" on my Tesla Model 3. When I booked a service appointment it turns out they are wanting to charge $1,955. 11 for replacing the occupant classification system (OCS) of the front passenger, updating the front passenger airbag, and installing a OCS filter module. This seems to be safety related and should be part of a recall. I have seen similar reports from other drivers on reddit.

Apparently faulty sensor that then needs to replace airgbag and now it’s costing $1833!.

Front passenger airbag and seat sensor issues. The safety of front seat passenger was at risk due to faulty airbag or sensor. Tesla did confirmed that an alert was trigger on the car an they proceeded to replaced the airbag and sensor. Tesla verified the equipment after the repairs were done and everything since to be fine. We did get a warning on or around Feb 5th, 2024 and that when we proceeded to contact Tesla service and make an appointment. The reason for this complain is that we ended up paying for airbag and seat sensor repairs which should have been covered by Tesla since these parts are obviously defective. Please see uploaded documents for more details.

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the message "front passenger safety restraint system fault" was displayed. The local Tesla service center was notified of the failure and informed the contact the front passenger's side seat and air bag needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.