Steering Problems of Tesla Model 3 - part 1

On August 26, 2026, at approximately 8:56 am, I entered a public parking garage in washington, DC. Full self-driving (supervised) was engaged and controlling the vehicle during a reversing maneuver. I remained attentive to the vehicle's surroundings, including pedestrians and surrounding traffic. While reversing under fsd (supervised), the vehicle's right rear corner collided with the corner of a stationary structural pillar in the parking garage. I did not command the vehicle to steer into the pillar. Upon becoming aware of the impact, I immediately applied the brake. There were no injuries. The collision resulted in damage to the right rear area of the vehicle. After the incident, I photographed and recorded the scene and vehicle damage and saved the available Tesla dashcam footage. I also requested the vehicle data from Tesla. I am reporting this incident because the vehicle collided with a stationary structure while fsd (supervised) was engaged and controlling the reversing maneuver. I do not know the specific technical cause of the incident. The vehicle and available recorded data can be made available for inspection upon request.

My 2022 Tesla Model 3 has experienced recurring intermittent loss/reduction of power steering assistance. The vehicle displays “steering assist reduced – steering may require increased effort. ” the problem has occurred multiple times over a period of months and may disappear after the vehicle is power cycled or the alert clears. Tesla previously evaluated the vehicle for this condition. On July 8, 2026, Tesla documented the steering-assist-reduced complaint and recommended replacement of the rwd steering rack/steering gear, with an estimated repair cost of approximately $3,018. On August 20, 2026, the warning occurred again. Tesla service mode recorded fault epas3s_a005_sent2mia, described as “torque sensor 2 signal not received,” with the potential impact listed as “steering assist reduced. ” the vehicle simultaneously generated ui_a020_steeringreduced. The warning subsequently cleared again, but this is a recurring intermittent failure involving the vehicle’s electronic power-assisted steering system. I am concerned that the steering assistance could become reduced or unavailable while driving. Tesla has already determined that replacement of the steering rack is required, but the repair is customer-pay. I am reporting this because this appears to be a recurring safety-related steering defect and I am concerned that other vehicles may experience the same failure.

See all problems of the 2022 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

Tesla recently introduced auto parking as part of its fsd technology (software 2026. 20. 6. 11). Whenever we set the car destination to “home”, the auto parking has been able to gradually maneuver the car and self park in our garage. On 8/11, around 8:30pm, the car made a mistake during the auto parking. During the auto reverse into garage, the car came too close to the side of the garage and the driver side mirror hit the wall and partially broke. The driver was monitoring the car. If the car has kept its angle, it would have made it through correctly. But looks like it miscalculated and in a fraction of a second, the car’s side mirror hit the garage wall. Given the “ park” feature is new, looks like it hasn’t been tested well. It should be recalled until it is fixed and impacted drivers should be compensated for their repairs.

See all problems of the 2019 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

My car randomly gave me alerts that my steering alignment fault then came the following two days later automatic emergency braking is unavailable feature may be restored on next drive 20:55 | di_a246 automatic vehicle hold disabled use brake pedal when stopping 20:55 | di_a223 traction control disabled drive with caution 20:55 | app_w264 lane departure avoidance features unavailable features may be restored on next drive 20:55 | di_a222 stability control disabled. I take my car to a mechanic and they show me that my lower control arms are damaged. Tesla is more than 2 weeks out for something that has caused my car to act completely unsafe and not normal.

While operating the vehicle at low speed (~35 mph reducing to a stop) on August 1, 2026, at approximately 10:38 am under normal road and weather conditions, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic and simultaneous loss of primary braking capability and steering responsiveness. > detailed description of failure: > * brake failure: upon pressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to decelerate or stop adequately despite continuous application, nearly causing a collision. > * steering loss / disconnection: concurrently, while the steering wheel could physically be turned, it offered no directional control—turning the wheel had no effect on the vehicle's path, feeling as if the steering linkage or assist was entirely disconnected or disengaged. > vehicle warnings / diagnostic codes: > the vehicle's onboard display immediately registered critical active safety and chassis failures, specifically displaying: > * "abs (anti-lock braking system) disabled - drive with caution" > * "automatic emergency braking is unavailable - feature may be restored on next drive" > dashcam video and system screen captures documenting the exact speed, timestamp, and error messages have been saved and are available upon request. No crash occurred, but the sudden, simultaneous failure of core braking and electronic steering systems presents an extreme safety hazard. >.

See all problems of the 2025 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

I am the owner of a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The front control arms on this vehicle are defective as manufactured. From the factory, these components have demonstrated premature failure, abnormal noise, loosening, and/or separation risk that is not consistent with normal wear on a low-mileage vehicle of this age. Symptoms experienced include [describe your exact symptoms clearly and factually — examples: progressive clicking, clunking, popping, or creaking from the front suspension/wheel area; especially noticeable during low-speed turns, reverse, or over bumps; any feeling of looseness, pull, or change in handling; any actual detachment or near-detachment]. These symptoms began at approximately 75000 miles on July 27th 2026. This is not isolated wear. Front control-arm and related suspension-link failures (including lower lateral links that can detach from the subframe) have been the subject of multiple owner complaints, prior Tesla recalls (including NHTSA campaign 21v-835 for improperly torqued lateral-link fasteners on certain Model 3/y vehicles and the later 23v-235 expansion), technical service bulletins addressing water intrusion and noise in upper control arms, and a current NHTSA preliminary evaluation (opened 2026) into front lower lateral-link detachment on a large population of Model 3 and model y vehicles. Owners report that failures can occur with little or no prior dashboard warning, only possible audible cues, and can render the vehicle undrivable or cause sudden changes in alignment and directional control. A sudden separation or failure of a front control arm/lateral link while the vehicle is in motion creates an unreasonable risk of loss of vehicle control, crash, or injury to the driver, passengers, and other road users. Because the condition appears to originate from factory assembly, design, or component durability issues rather than owner abuse or ordinary high-mileage wear, and because similar failures are widely reported across Tesla owners.

On July 18, 2026, at approximately 10:00 am est, my son was manually driving a 2024 Tesla Model 3 at approximately 26 mph when the steering suddenly became extremely stiff and difficult to turn. He attempted to steer away from a roadside barrier but was unable to turn the steering wheel sufficiently, resulting in a collision. There was no warning or indication observed on the dashboard before the steering suddenly became extremely stiff. Autopilot, cruise control, and full self-driving were not activated; the vehicle was being driven manually. Fortunately, my son did not sustain any physical injuries. However, a sudden loss of normal steering control is a serious safety concern and could potentially cause severe injuries to the driver, passengers, pedestrians, or occupants of other vehicles. After the accident, the vehicle was towed to the insurance-designated facility and is currently being examined by the insurance adjuster. Within a few minutes of the accident, the vehicle also became completely locked, preventing us from retrieving personal belongings. I previously reported this incident to NHTSA under complaint number 11751698, but all required documentation was not available at that time. I am therefore submitting the complaint again with the additional information and documentation now available. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this incident and determine the root cause of the sudden steering stiffness and whether there is a safety-related defect or condition that could affect other vehicles.

See all problems of the 2024 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

While out on vacation in [xxx] on xxx at around 11 am I had just finished charging the Tesla at a supercharging station. I was headed to go eat breakfast at the intersection of [xxx] and xxx on the right lane. I stopped briefly prior to making a right onto [xxx]. Upon making the right turn the vehicle kept turning all the way right and making a sharp right turn instead of a soft right. When I noticed the sharp right turn I tried to turn the steering wheel towards the left but the steering wheel was locked and it wouldn't respond. The car drove me into a concrete barricade and caused a collision. My children were in the car and thankfully no one in my vehicle was seriously injured nor were there any pedestrians on the sidewalk near the barricade. I contacted Tesla for the repair and investigation into why the steering wheel locked. Tesla has not provided a loaner vehicle in the meantime despite my frequent requests. This incident is a serious and critical safety issue that may have caused deaths had I been traveling at a higher rate of speed or been on the highway heading back to [xxx]. The strange thing is that this vehicle is still under warranty with Tesla and had been working just fine without any issues since I got the vehicle in xxx. No warning messages, or symptoms to indicate any malfunction. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

On July 11 at approximately 6:47 a. M. , I was operating my Tesla Model 3 on interstate 65 in hart county, kentucky, with full self-driving (fsd) engaged during normal highway travel. Approximately one hour earlier, I had departed a highway rest area after sleeping from the previous day’s travel. Rain developed during the trip, but I observed adequate visibility, apparent roadway traction, and I was not impaired. I was traveling in the far-right lane of a three-lane interstate. The posted speed limit was approximately 70 mph; however, fsd limited the vehicle to approximately 65 mph and displayed warnings indicating that the higher speed was unavailable. While fsd remained engaged, the system initiated a lane change from the far-right lane into the center lane. After entering the center lane, the vehicle began displaying repeated warning messages and fsd disengaged multiple times. I attempted to locate settings related to the warnings on the touchscreen but could not identify an available adjustment. During the third disengagement, I perceived that the vehicle continued braking without releasing while steering resistance increased significantly. The steering wheel then rotated abruptly, and I was unable to regain normal directional control before the vehicle departed its intended travel path and struck a concrete median. The collision caused personal injuries and substantial vehicle damage. I have not been able to reproduce the condition. The incident was investigated by the kentucky state police. Based on the sequence of repeated fsd warnings, disengagements, continued braking, and abrupt steering behavior, I believe this event warrants investigation. I request that NHTSA review the vehicle’s full self-driving logs, telemetry, event data recorder (edr) data, steering and braking commands, diagnostic records, and software history to determine whether a vehicle or software malfunction contributed to the collision. Almost like someone had control, into the wall -km.

See all problems of the 2020 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

My steering suddenly got extremely stiff on the highway while driving. There was a warning that assist will be reduced but no assist was present. I had to use all my strength to turn the steering and pulled into a parking lot with great difficulty. Then I reset the main computer and the power steering was functional again. I was lucky since the traffic was moving slower than usual but it could have been very dangerous and was a major safety concern.

See all problems of the 2021 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

My wife had a collission on June 25th at 2 30pm cst while she was parking her vehicle in her office parking spot. The car suddenty sped and hit a tree. We suspect it be a misfire in Tesla.

On xxx at approximately 5:00 pm, I was driving my 2020 Tesla Model 3 on [xxx] from [xxx] toward [xxx], with Tesla fsd engaged. Near the area where the center divider begins/ends, the vehicle crossed the double yellow/divider area and entered the opposing traffic lane. There was no oncoming traffic at that moment, so there was no crash, but this created a serious potential head-on collision risk. The car also did several hard jerks that aggravated my neck and back that it has been consistently doing for a long time which cause worse ongoing headaches. The system/component that malfunctioned was Tesla fsd/advanced driver assistance, including lane keeping/steering behavior. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others were put at risk because the vehicle moved into the lane for oncoming traffic. I had to intervene and no longer feel safe using fsd. I have reported unsafe fsd behavior to Tesla multiple times before, but the issue has not been resolved. Tesla service has previously listed the concern as “fsd not working properly/test drive required” and/or general diagnosis, but I have not received a clear written resolution explaining why the vehicle crossed into the opposing lane or how Tesla will prevent this from happening again. There were no warning lamps or messages that I recall before the vehicle crossed into the opposing lane. If Tesla has vehicle logs or telemetry for the incident, I request that they be reviewed. I am reporting this because the vehicle may repeat this unsafe behavior and create a head-on collision risk. The car continues to behave unsafely and erratically. I have a log of some of the incidents. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While making a right turn from a near-stopped position, the steering wheel became stuck or extremely difficult to turn. The vehicle initially turned right normally, but when I attempted to steer back left/counterclockwise to complete the turn and straighten the vehicle, the steering wheel did not respond as expected. This caused the vehicle to continue in the wrong direction and resulted in a collision. I believe the electronic power steering assist system malfunctioned or failed. My concern is that the power steering assist experienced an overstress condition, causing a loss of power steering assist after the vehicle almost reached a stop and then accelerated again. This put my safety and the safety of others at risk because I was unable to steer the vehicle as intended during a low-speed turning maneuver.

See all problems of the 2023 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

After an over the air software update this past week 2026. 14. 6 my Tesla Model 3 power steering has failed. Epas shows actice in service mode, calibration was successfully completed and there are no active epas/rack faults. Power steering assists at higher speeds but fails below 20mph. Tesla has a history of steering related software problems and needs to take ownership of the problem.

See all problems of the 2018 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

Within the last 7 days, my 2018 Tesla Model 3 long range awd began displaying active alerts for two separate safety system failures: (1) alert code ui_a020 / gtw_w075 — steering assist reduced, stating steering may require increased effort, and (2) alert code rcm_a056 — front passenger safety restraint system issue, requiring service. The steering alert appeared intermittently, firing at consistent times of day suggesting a possible electrical or sensor fault rather than mechanical failure. On one occasion during startup, the steering system briefly locked up before resuming normal function. No noticeable change in ongoing steering feel has been observed while driving. The passenger restraint system alert indicates the front passenger airbag and occupant classification system (OCS) may not function properly in the event of a collision, directly endangering any front passenger. Both issues have been confirmed by the manufacturer via remote diagnostic review, and two separate service estimates totaling approximately $4,784 have been issued recommending replacement of the steering rack, front passenger airbag, occupant classification sensor, seat harness assembly, and seat cushion assembly. Notably, the manufacturer has not physically inspected the vehicle — both estimates were generated solely based on alert codes read remotely and "ai" according to a representative. The manufacturer's own customer support system indicated these repairs may qualify for goodwill coverage, yet no formal commitment has been made. The passenger airbag and restraint system failure is of particular concern as it represents a potential inability of a primary safety system to deploy correctly in a crash event. The component is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. Warning alerts remain active and ongoing.

2022 Tesla Model 3 with approximately 19,373 miles. Third-party tire shop inspection on April 25, 2026 identified visible tearing of front lower control arm bushings on both sides (bilateral failure). Rubber bushing material has separated from inner metal sleeve on both left and right front lower control arms in identical pattern. No impact event or curb strike. Symmetric bilateral failure indicates manufacturing/material defect, not impact damage. Failure occurred at mileage well below the 40,000-70,000 mile range commonly cited for this known Tesla Model 3 lower control arm bushing wear pattern. Suggests accelerated failure mode that warrants investigation. Photos from third-party inspection attached. Vehicle scheduled for Tesla service center evaluation under remaining factory warranty.

The steering wheel turn signal buttons on my Tesla Model 3 intermittently becoming unresponsive or getting stuck signaling left or right. This prevents me from reliably signaling lane changes or turns. This is a safety risk because I may be unable to properly signal maneuvers as required under maryland vehicle law §21-604, potentially confusing nearby drivers and increasing the risk of an accident. As this is a moving violation, I can be fined and or points on my driving record the issue has occurred multiple times during normal driving but has not yet been formally confirmed by a service center.

Firstly, we were driving in the center lane on I-84w (three lanes), with full self driving (fsd) at 55 mph. The car veered left on it owns (under fsd) into the center median with the front driver side of the vehicle struck the metal beam guardrail causing both air bags to deploy on the driver and left rear passenger sides. The car continued to move forward in the next 4-6 seconds under fsd (approximately 10-20 feet range) and then came to a complete stop with flashing warning screen asking driver to take over the steering wheel immediately.

I purchased my car on 3/23/26. Since delivery I have noticed that the car bounces at low speeds 20-30mph and the steering wheel vibrates at highway speeds 65 - 80mph. I have had the car to Tesla service center 6 times since March. They have replaced all 4 tires, found and replaced a bent wheel (rim) on the passenger side. Then this last visit they replaced the passenger right wheel hub. They claim that when comparing it to the 1 other car available to road test my car was the same even though it still has the wheel vibration at highway speeds. They claim it falls within specs and is safe. I do not feel this is acceptable because they dont know what else to do. Now if I want them to check the car they say I must pay for any diagnosis and repairs if needed because they say they fixed the car. I do not feel safe driving at highway speeds as I am not sure what may happen which could endanger myself or passengers.

Tesla full self-driving (supervised) repeatedly ignored the “avoid toll roads” navigation setting and attempted last-second lane changes into express toll lanes at freeway speeds. This has occurred approximately 10 times. I was repeatedly forced to take over steering immediately to avoid entering the toll lane, creating a serious safety risk due to sudden maneuvers in heavy traffic. On several occasions, I could not safely intervene before the lane change was completed. Tesla service center inspected the vehicle, found no hardware or camera faults, and stated the behavior appears to be software-related.

On March 14, 2026, at 20:54:21 utc, while the autopilot system was engaged, the vehicle malfunctioned by initiating a sudden, unprompted right-hand steering command within 0. 3 seconds, resulting in a collision with another vehicle traveling in the adjacent right lane. Telemetry data from the event confirms the system failed to maintain the lane despite the primary steering torque sensor measuring 0. 00 nm, proving no driver input caused the maneuver. This unintended steering event at cruising speed created an immediate safety risk to myself and the occupants of the other vehicle. To date, the manufacturer (Tesla) has declined to perform a technical or remote diagnostic review, redirecting the case to a collision center instead. No warning lamps, audio chimes, or system messages occurred prior to the failure; the vehicle is currently available for inspection and raw csv telemetry logs can be provided to investigators upon request.

The front lower lateral link (rearward lower control arm) fastener/bolt completely backed out and fell off the vehicle while in motion, causing the lateral link to separate entirely from the subframe. This is the exact mechanical failure described in Tesla recall campaign 23v-235 (service bulletin sb-23-31-001), however, my specific VIN was not included in that recall. The vehicle and components are currently at an independent ev repair facility and are available for inspection upon request. Photographic evidence of the missing bolt and separated control arm has been retained. The separation of the lower lateral link caused an immediate and violent collapse of the front passenger-side suspension geometry. The affected wheel was no longer anchored to the vehicle frame, causing it to fold backward and grind heavily against the wheel well. To keep the vehicle moving straight, the steering wheel had to be turned to an extreme 45-degree angle. This resulted in a near-total loss of steering control. Had this fastener failed while traveling at highway speeds instead of low speeds, it would have resulted in an uncontrollable, catastrophic collision. Yes. The problem was physically confirmed and documented by an independent, ev-certified repair facility (evfixme/shocker motors in costa mesa, CA) once the vehicle was placed on a lift. The vehicle was physically inspected by an independent service center. The manufacturer (Tesla) was contacted via the Tesla app; however, they refused to perform a physical diagnosis without pre-authorization of a $2,600+ comprehensive suspension replacement estimate and stated the vehicle was out of warranty with no open recalls. There were no dashboard warning lamps, digital alerts, or error messages from the vehicle's computer system prior to the failure. The failure presented suddenly as a loud, painful metal-on-metal grinding noise accompanied by immediate, severe steering misalignment. Currently waiting on invoice from indy shop.

While using Tesla's full self-driving (supervised) software on the pacific coast highway (pch) and other highways, the vehicle’s automated steering system repeatedly malfunctions by failing to maintain lane centering. Specifically, the car drifts or actively steers across double yellow lines into the lane of oncoming traffic. This issue is a persistent failure of the advanced driver assistance system (adas) and lane keeping assistance. The vehicle has attempted this maneuver multiple times at [approximate speed, e. G. , 40-60 mph], requiring immediate and forceful manual steering intervention to avoid head-on collisions with oncoming vehicles. The system provides no warning chimes, error messages, or "take over immediately" alerts prior to crossing the lines; it appears to perceive the oncoming lane as a valid path or fails to recognize the double yellow boundary entirely. This has occurred during [mention conditions: e. G. , bright daylight with high glare / night time]. The vehicle is equipped with hardware 3. 0 (hw3). I believe the 1. 2-megapixel camera suite or the processing power of the hw3 computer is insufficient to safely navigate the geometry of the pch or any roads within mountains/hills. I have attempted to "clear calibration" and performed system resets, but the life-threatening behavior persists. The vehicle and its internal data logs are available for inspection. I have also sent "bug reports" via voice command to the manufacturer immediately following these near-miss events.

On February 5, 2026, at 12:21 pm pst, my 2026 Tesla Model 3 (hardware 4) collided with a 5-inch wooden pillar while using the autopark feature. The system failed to provide any audio chimes or visual warnings prior to the impact. I officially requested the driving logs from Tesla to investigate the cause of this failure, but Tesla refused to provide any logs or data. Furthermore, Tesla service center technicians insisted there were no hardware defects, effectively confirming that the collision was caused by a software/algorithmic failure of the Tesla vision system to detect a stationary vertical object. Despite Tesla’s claim that the vehicle is "operating as designed," the system's inability to recognize common infrastructure and its failure to warn the driver constitutes a severe safety risk. This defect must be investigated to ensure the safety of the hardware 4 autonomous platform, as the lack of proximity alerts could lead to far more serious accidents involving pedestrians or other obstacles.

Sunday [xxx] downtown sacramento, driving about 25 mph. Heard a loud bang—bolt sheared off front subframe. Steering felt lagging upon making a right turn vehicle proceeded in a very wide turn, pulled into parking lot. Wheel locked right as I exited [xxx] parking spot; steering went slack, brakes scraped rotor. Two witnesses saw hardware hit pavement. Aaa tech removed tire: lower control arm bolt missing, no loctite, subframe raw. Second bolt loose—single point of failure. Tesla missed this on six different service visits and during their one-twenty inspection before delivery. Recall 21v835 should’ve flagged it but service personnel assured me all clear on every visit . Vehicle towed to Tesla service center at 1104 tinker rd, rocklin, CA. Tesla shop manager sal confirmed this failure as manufacturers defect, and poor assembly. Safety was seconds from total loss. Need probe. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The control arms on all make and models of Tesla have a horrible design that all water off of the car flows down the sides of the front hood and down onto the control arm bushing. This could be a simple fix for Tesla to out a boot on it to cover the bushing. The control arms start to fail at any given time. This is costing owners thousands of dollars. I have had to had them replace once under warranty and now they want me to pay 2000 since I am out of warranty. Owners with newer vehicles sometimes start to have problems within the first year. This part design needs to be recalled and all persons have free repairs. According to sources, driving with severely worn control arm bushings can lead to a fatal accident. While bushings often start as a minor nuisance, complete failure compromises the structural integrity of your vehicle's suspension. Don't wait till deaths start happening. Protect the customer and others and send a recall on this. Yiu can google Tesla control arm issues and and see over and over in videos and forums that this is a major issue.

U. S. Registered Tesla operating in tijuana, mexico. Full self-driving engaged. Dark, nighttime conditions. Vehicle was traveling toward low traffic zones near the edge of tijuana when the system made a severe mistake. The car went off the main road. Driver was forced to take control off-road after the system lost control. Damage to the rims occurred. At the time of this incident, manual speed control was still available. The driver could cap the speed. That capability has since been removed by a software update. The current version is more dangerous. If the same incident happened today, the driver would have no way to limit speed or prevent the system from repeating the error. The defect is the progressive removal of driver control from the full self-driving system. Earlier versions allowed manual speed caps. Current software does not. This vehicle is u. S. Registered and runs u. S. Software on american roads. The same defect that caused this off-road incident in mexico now exists without the safety net of manual speed control. The software is dangerous. The removal of driver overrides makes it worse.

The front lateral links, compliance links, and stabilizer bar link on my 2018 Tesla Model 3 long range failed and required replacement in January 2026. Prior to failure, abnormal creaking and clunking noise from the front suspension began appearing weeks before the repair — no warning lights illuminated at any point. The failed components were replaced by a Tesla-certified service center and are no longer available for inspection. The failure was confirmed and repaired solely by the Tesla service center; no police, insurance representatives, or other parties inspected the vehicle. I was charged out of pocket for this repair. The lateral link separation risk directly endangers vehicle safety — if a fastener loosens sufficiently, the lateral link can detach from the subframe, causing sudden wheel misalignment and loss of steering control, which could result in a crash at any speed. Tesla issued recall 23v-235 (NHTSA campaign 23v235000) in March 2023 for this exact condition on 2018-2019 Model 3 vehicles. My vehicle's VIN was not included in the recall population, yet experienced the identical failure mode. I am requesting this complaint be considered for recall expansion under 23v-235 and seeking reimbursement for out-of-pocket repair costs for a defect Tesla has already acknowledged in identical vehicles.

This is a follow-up to a previously submitted complaint regarding the same issue. I am submitting this update to reference NHTSA's recently opened investigation into 2018-2019 Tesla Model 3 suspension failures. Previous complaint id is 11732882.

Please review attachment.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the steering system failed due to corrosion and water ingress affecting both the steering rack and the associated steering wiring harness. These components were replaced by Tesla and are no longer available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the steering system is a safety-critical component. Corrosion and water intrusion created a risk of reduced or sudden loss of steering assist while driving, which could lead to loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of a crash. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes. Tesla service confirmed water ingress and corrosion affecting the steering rack and wiring harness and performed a full replacement of both components. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? yes. The vehicle and steering components were inspected by Tesla at a Tesla service center, which identified water ingress and corrosion as the cause of failure. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? yes. The vehicle displayed steering-related warning messages prior to repair, including reduced steering assist alerts, which prompted inspection by Tesla service. The warnings appeared shortly before the repair was performed.

There's a problem with the airbags, and the steering wheel is hard to turn.

Lately I keep getting the following concerning message on the dashboard of almost brand new 2025 Tesla 3 car, even after reset the screen : steering assist reduced steering may require increased effort see the attached picture of this message, I took this photo on Dec 25, 2025 at 12:56 pm with parked car. I am pretty concerned with potential safety issue with the important steering-function while driving on highway and other roads. The car has only 804 miles as of Dec 26, 2025. The new car was picked up on may 31, 2025 with 15 miles. I have the fsd on monthly subscription. I have sent a message to Tesla. It has provided me with a service appointment at its west bloomfield township center in michigan on Jan 26, 2026 at 10:30 am. At the time of setting the appointment an estimate of about $450 was provided. It is concerning since the new car is under warranty. I am submitting this concerning safety related issue to NHTSA - to please investigate.

The front suspension control arm was completely detached due to unfastened bolts. While this happened on the parking lot at low speed, such detachment at highway speed would certainly lead to major damage, loss of control and injuries or death to the driver. Pictures attached show that the bolts did not have any thread lock applied and simply unscrewed themselves due to vibration. The vehicle was brought to Tesla service, where the owner was charged $3700 for repairs. The customer's complaints that this is a structural/manufacturing problem were ignored by Tesla representatives.

After 3 prior repairs 2 of which were recalls of the front suspension, control arms. I was driving when me and my 3 children’s life’s were almost taken. While driving on the expressway immediate loss of control of the car shaking while driving to work, I stopped immediately thank god no cars around next to me to crash into. We called for a ride and walked off the expressway. Immediately car was taken to Tesla where they told me they couldn’t help and come back in a few days. The car was later inspected by Tesla where instantly knew the issue and later the report came back where the lateral links on both sides of the front where completely out of socket, the compliance links bushing completely torn. This is critical failure and breakdown of critical safety components that almost took our life. We had moments before this happened and thank god we made it out before imminent life changing things happened. No warning no alerts in the car at any time.