Seat Belt Problems of Tesla Model 3 - part 1

I was involved in a rear-end collision while stopped at an intersection. The impact was significant. During the crash, the front airbags did not deploy. More importantly, the seat belts in both front seats (driver and front passenger) failed to function as expected. Instead of tightening during impact, the seat belts appeared to loosen, allowing excessive forward movement of the occupants. As a result, I was thrown forward and struck the steering wheel. The lack of seat belt pretensioning raises serious concerns about a potential failure of the vehicle’s restraint system. This incident suggests that the seat belt pretensioners and/or related crash detection systems may not have activated properly under a significant collision event. I am concerned that this represents a safety defect that could increase the risk of injury in a crash. I request that this incident be investigated as a possible failure of the restraint system, including seat belt pretensioners and crash sensing mechanisms.

An error message appears every time my husband drives. Whenever he moves the driver seat backwards, “front left safety restraint system issue” message appears on the display screen.

See all problems of the 2019 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

- the rear middle seatbelt became locked and will not unwind or extend. The seatbelt remained stuck in the retracted position, making it unusable. The vehicle and seatbelt assembly are available for inspection upon request. However, Tesla has already fixed the issue, but I feel we were wrongly charged because I believe this should be a recall. I searched this issue online, and others have reported the same issue. Because we rarely have the need to use our rear seats, it wasn't until years later we discovered this issue. - because the rear middle seatbelt cannot be extended, that seating position cannot safely be used. Any passenger sitting in that position would not have a functioning restraint system in the event of a collision, creating a safety risk. - yes, Tesla service inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the rear middle seatbelt was locked and not functioning properly. - the vehicle has been inspected by Tesla service. It has not been inspected by police, insurance representatives, or other third parties. - no warning lights, alerts, or messages appeared prior to discovering the issue. The seatbelt was found to be locked when we attempted to use it, and it would not extend.

See all problems of the 2021 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

System error code rcm_a021 "front left safety restraint system issue" the wiring under the front seat may be damaged due to the "easy entry" function which raises, lowers and moves the seat backward and forwards for easier entry and exit of the car. Safety restraint system or airbags may be compromised in the event of a collision if wiring or controls are damaged. Warning code rcm_a021 appeared every time the easy entry function was automatically started.

On Jan 4th 2026 my car popped a waring rcm2_a700 front right safety restraint system issue - I took it in Jan 5th 2026 they said they could not replicate the warning and it was a glitch. On Jan 10th 2026 the warning popped up again.

See all problems of the 2024 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

Tesla refuses to fix recall NHTSA 22v798.

See all problems of the 2018 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

I received an error about the occupant classification system and a safety restraint fault. These are due to known manufacturing defects. Addressing these concerns was expensive and also required a replacement of the front passenger airbag.

See all problems of the 2017 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

The driver’s side belt makes a “click” sound when latch is inserted into the locking component but at times does not remain lock and the belt is released shortly after. The issue is sporadic. The belt is released with a low amount of force I. E. Adjusting the body in the seat or twisting body to look over the shoulder.

I purchased a new 2025 Tesla Model 3. During normal driving conditions, the rear bumper detached without any collision or impact. The bumper became loose while the vehicle was moving, creating a potential safety hazard. Tesla service inspected the vehicle but declined warranty coverage and refused to properly repair the issue. The bumper was only temporarily reattached and remains misaligned. Additionally, shortly after purchasing the vehicle, the seat belt assembly had a failure and had to be repaired by Tesla under warranty. While Tesla addressed that issue, it adds to my concern about the overall quality and reliability of a brand-new vehicle. Because the vehicle is new and the failure occurred during normal driving, I believe this may indicate a defect. I am requesting assistance in reviewing this situation. Vehicle: 2025 Tesla Model 3 VIN: [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2025 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

The car has message saying "safety restraint system issue" . There has been no event to cause this. No recent mva or any stress or damaging incident to the seat belt or seat in general. Reviewing this on the internet, this is a common defect on Tesla's. The company won't fix it unless you pay them to do so which is crazy considering it is a defect in their safety system. And a well known one to them from my communication with their Tesla service centers which have a monopoly on fixing Tesla's. He said there would have to be a recall. So that is exactly what needs to happen from the NHTSA.

See all problems of the 2020 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

On October 25, 2025, the vehicle suddenly displayed an alert stating that the front left safety restraint system required service. The failure involved the front left seat harness, where a broken wire connected to the lap pretensioner squib caused the restraint system to malfunction. As a result, the driver’s seat belt pretensioner may not deploy correctly, putting occupant safety at significant risk in a crash. ? there were no warning signs prior to the alert. The problem was inspected and confirmed by a service technician, who documented the broken harness wire and noted that the harness inspection failed before replacement. The defective component was removed and replaced, and the alert cleared after the repair. The part is available for inspection if needed. ? this failure affected a critical safety restraint component, occurred without prior symptoms, and created a situation where the primary seat belt system may not function as designed.

Nhtsa complaint narrative (copy & paste) critical safety defect: sale of vehicle with disabled airbags incident: 10/24/2025 | dealer: braman Cadillac (miami, FL) | VIN: [xxx] braman Cadillac sold me this 2024 Tesla Model 3 representing it as "clean/no accidents. " in reality, they released a vehicle with a disabled airbag system resulting from a crash that occurred in their inventory. 1. Disabled restraint system (rcm): Tesla service mode diagnostics confirm the restraint control module (rcm) is in "post replacement" state, displaying the prompt: "post replacement tasks - routine requires service mode plus authentication. " this proves the airbag computer was replaced following a crash/electrical trauma but never calibrated. Consequently, the srs is disabled and will not deploy. The vehicle explicitly warns: "the safety restraint system may not perform as designed. " the dealer released a non-roadworthy vehicle. 2. Evidence of dealer knowledge: internal logs show critical crash fault codes (vcfront_a059 & rcm2_a003) logged on oct 15, 2025. Dealer records confirm the car was in their exclusive inventory on this date (listed since sept 23). These faults were active 9 days before sale. The dealer ignored active safety warnings to facilitate the transaction. 3. Concealed damage: inspection by classic collision confirmed hidden structural damage requiring $9,676. 69 in repairs, consistent with the uncalibrated module. Conclusion: braman Cadillac knowingly sold a vehicle with a lethal safety defect. I demand an investigation into their release of vehicles with uncalibrated safety modules. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The "front passenger safety restraint system" is prone to errors because the wiring for it beneath the seat is prone to getting knocked loose and electrical interference.

Safety restraint defect.

I have been getting an alert: front passenger safety restraint system issue/service is required. It has come on when there is no one in the seat and goes away shortly after I start to drive. I contacted Tesla and they sent an estimate to repair it which includes a bunch of different bolts, passenger airbag, airbag harmiss retaining clip. Also replacing occupant classification system (OCS) of front passenger seat while servicing supcomponents. List of parts for that is first row seat harness assembly-right hand, first row - seat belt reminder sensor box clip, first row occupancy. All of this will cost over $700 . Aren't these items required safety equipment that they should responsible to maintain? I have seen that there are a lot of other people having the same issue, I think that there should be a recall on this that they shoud have to pay for.

Driving a 2018 Tesla Model 3, driver seat shows message "front left safety restraint system issue. Service is required". This occurs when the driver is in the seat with the seat belt fastened and the vehicle is in motion. This issue refers to the possible seat belt, seats and/or air bags failure. This is a threat for drivers as these are the front line of defence in case of any collisions or accidents. This issue has been reported by multiple Tesla car drivers and their posts are available on online forums. Message appears on the Tesla screen driven. Tesla does not cover this out of warranty. My appeal to nhsta is this is hazardous to drivers and cars should be recalled and repairs should be covered.

Safety restraint warning in car, unsure of actual issue but warning keeps popping up. Presumed that the seatbelts or airbags would not properly work in event of a crash. Dealer/company says it's a known issue, with other cars needing a fix too, however they aren't able to specify exactly the issue or issue a timeframe on repair. Issue first started appearing in late August of this year, and has become more frequent as of recent. Potentially this is a critical safety issue regarding airbag/seatbelt's potentially failing to work as designed for all similiar models.

Driver belt latch failed while driving.

Driving as normal when an alert for a front passenger safety restraint system fault appeared. It went away on its own. I thought it was a software glitch. It would periodically reappear, then go away after a driving session. Last week it persisted between sessions. I learned that if the seat was moved slightly forward or back, then the alert would go away. I scheduled a service with Tesla. Tesla advised that the entire car seat and airbag would have to be replaced for $1800. This is a ~50,000 mile car with no collision history. It's just out of warranty. Tesla refuses to tell me if the car will safety function in an accident or not. The alert is gone, but I have a service estimate that says the car has all of these problems. Major safety concern.

Getting a notification for "front left safety restraint system fault" which disengages the airbags. Seems like a very common fault with Teslas but no recall has been made.

A sensor for the driver side safety restraint system was displayed from the vehicles screen. Potentially loose wires under the seat when manufactured.

I am getting "safety restraint system fault" on my car. This puts my family at risk if the safety features are faulty. When I contacted Tesla, they want me to drive 41(!) miles away and charge me almost $500.

The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the front driver's seat belt warning chime had become inoperable and did not alert the driver that the front drivers seat belt was not secured while driving. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure and a service appointment was scheduled. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 35,400.

See all problems of the 2022 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

Passenger restraint system fault causing the system not to sense the presence of front passengers. This could possibly lead to safety systems for the passenger to not work in the event of a crash.

I received a proactive service alert from Tesla car stating: front passenger safety restraint system issue. Tesla wants to charge me to fix this and said there may be issues with the restraint system, such as seats belts or airbags if I don’t pay out of pocket to fix it. This seems ridiculous I have to pay to fix this safety concern. . Please issue a recall for this… seems a lot of people are getting this after researching on google and reddit. Thanks.

Correction: retrofit sbr in OCS equipped front passenger seat - remove and replace. First row - seat belt reminder sensor box clip (1130363-00-b), first row occupancy sensor(1099592-00-f) first row seat harness assembly - right hand (1489060- 03-g). This car has 69k miles and I'm informed this is out of warranty and has a cost of $696. 75 to repair on a car that is less than 4 years old. Saying the sensor failed is not accurate as the error does not exist unless there is someone in the passenger seat which tells me the sensor is working somewhat. Tesla will not inform me of what will and will not work in the event of a collision but that these items need to be replaced to ensure safety of occupant's. I am skeptical since safety is your number one concern and should be the concern of every auto manufacturer. Unless damage by the owner specifically, how and why is this not covered for the life of the vehicle?.

Seatbelt pre-tension system fault (rcm_a021). Can be cleared by adjusting seats sometimes, but remains constant at my current seat configuration.

Rcm2_a636 front passenger safety restraint system fault service is required passenger airbag turns off when a passenger is sitting in it. Error is intermittent and while occasionally turn off and on. Seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen should someone get in a car accident.

This is a large scale problem with Tesla due to their "easy entry" which automatically moves the front seats to fit the drivers saved positions. Due to Tesla not properly securing the wires under the seat, they get crimped over time causing an error of "safety restraint system issue. " there have been thousands of reported Teslas with a simple google search. The service center also stated to me this is a large scale issue but a recall has not been issued. This is very dangerous as this disables the airbags due to a seat belt or wire crimp under the seat issue. Please investigate and issue a mandatory recall for the safety issue as Tesla wants $1000 to rectify the issue. Many have reported this issue to be fixed by the service center multiple times only to come back months later.

On June 7, 2025, I was a passenger in a 2025 Tesla 3. Driver of Tesla made an unsafe lane change coming off an interstate and my side was struck almost t-bone style by an oncoming vehicle going between 45-55mph. Our seatbelts did not lock us in place causing the driver to hit his head on steering wheel and then on driver side window causing lacerations and possible concussion. My side tool the impact and no side curtain airbags deployed and neither did the dash airbags. I am concerned that the location and speed with which we were hit could have been much worse up to and including death as the airbags did not deploy nor seatbelts firmly lock us in place. The car was deemed a total loss and all 4 panels on passengers side were impacted in the collision. I have pictures, Tesla video, police report I can provide. I want this looked into for defect of the Tesla sensors. All public data indicates that at a minimum the side curtain airbags should have deployed as there isnt much of a wrinkle zone and the speed of impact should have deployed them. I was unable to get out passenger side door and had to crawl across driver seat to get to ems assistance. I was then transported along w Tesla driver to local hospital.

Front driver seatbelt will not latch or lock. Car less than 3 years old.

See all problems of the 2023 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

Vehicle is displaying an error message "front passenger safety restraint system fault" and "front passenger safety restraint system fault. Service is required. " this has the result of "the restraint system may not function as designed. " according to an internet search, this is a very common fault, caused by "interference" and necessitates an occupancy sensor, wiring harness and airbag module exchange.

Started getting intermittent rcm_a056 faults stating "front passenger safety restraint system fault". Apparently this can be a safety issue as the airbag may not deploy and seems to be a common issue reported by owners. Tesla is charging owners to fix this safety issue, which in some cases is completely replacing the full seat and airbags. Instead, this should be covered under recall or bulletin fix.

Passenger safety restraint failure message came on so I made an appointment and took it to pleasanton Tesla for repair 3/19/25; was under the 60,000 safety warranty. Then on 5/6/25, 6 weeks later, the passenger safety restraint failure message appeared again. I contacted pleasanton Tesla and they told me I was now responsible for a different piece to be replaced, which was quoted over $1,000 to repair, as the 60,000 mile safety warranty was up and it is a different piece that needed to be replaced. I said it’s the same message, passenger safety restraint failure!.

When seat is moved up for my [xxx] daughter, who is learning to drive, it now triggers an error an indicates the air bags will not work. The error code is rcm_a021. It seems the vehicle has a defect that over time the connections for the front seat harnesses will fail. This is a known issue with a service bulletin - sb-21-17-005 on your website from December 8, 2021. [xxx] manufacturer has confirmed the issue, but refuses to replace it unless they are paid more than $800 (although, online people report that when they were under warranty the cost for parts and labor was in the $300 range). Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).