Suspension Problems of Tesla Model 3 - part 2

The vehicle’s front suspension began making loud squeaking noises and felt unstable while driving, especially when turning or going over uneven surfaces. At times, the vehicle does not make a proper turn and almost feels like it loses grip, which is extremely unsafe. I brought the vehicle to a Tesla service center. After inspection, Tesla provided a service estimate and documentation confirming the failure of the front lower lateral links — the exact part and condition described in NHTSA safety recalls 21v835000 and 23v235000, which cover defective front suspension lateral link fasteners on this vehicle make, model, and year. Despite the clear match, Tesla did not recognize the repair as recall-related and categorized it as a customer-pay service. This raises concern that some affected vehicles are being excluded from proper recall coverage, despite experiencing the same safety defects. There were no warning lights or alerts prior to the failure. The issue was confirmed by Tesla and the part is available for inspection upon request.

See all problems of the 2019 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

I have experienced multiple tire failures on my 2022 Tesla Model 3, with at least 7 tires needing replacement due to air bubbles. These issues have occurred on both front and rear tires, and currently I have 3 more tires with visible bubbles and one tire is actually leaking air. Most of these tires failed within 2,000-6,000 miles of use, which is far below normal tire lifespan of 25,000-40,000 miles. Despite repeated service visits, no alignment or suspension inspection has ever been performed by Tesla to determine why this keeps happening. The tires are just replaced at my cost, with the problem recurring again and again. Despite the pattern, Tesla service advisors continue to blame road conditions or driving habits. I want to be clear: I actively avoid potholes, drive cautiously, and have never experienced anything like this with any previous vehicle. Something is clearly abnormal here. In addition, I have noticed strange clicking and popping noises while driving, which seem to come from the chassis or steering area. It worries me that there may be a deeper mechanical or build quality issue. The vehicle often feels unstable, and I am genuinely concerned that a failure of a suspension component, battery mounting, or other structure could lead to a fire or loss of control. No warning lights have appeared, but the pattern of repeated air bubbles showing in my tire after just driving not even 1,000 miles and abnormal noises makes the vehicle feel unsafe to operate.

See all problems of the 2022 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at slow speeds, after completing a right turn, there was an abnormal sound coming from the front passenger’s side suspension. The contact stated that increased effort was required to maneuver the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the passenger’s side control arm had disconnected. The contact was informed that two bolts that secured the control arm to the frame were missing. The contact also stated that the bolts were found by the tow truck driver while loading the vehicle for towing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 95,000.

See all problems of the 2018 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that a creaking noise was emitted from the area where the front suspension would be. The noise would be louder when turning the vehicle either left or right. The passenger air bag light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the seat sensor had failed. The seat was replaced with a new modular seat. After the repair was completed, the air bag warning illuminated. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, who performed the same repairs. The warning light persisted. The dealer was contacted and then informed of the creaking noise and the air bag warning light remaining illuminated. An appointment was made with the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

My car started having loud noises and suspension on both side of my car started making noises and both control arms along with sway barrings and struts are gone bad.

Car is disengaging full self driving because of steering becoming difficult at slow speeds in a turn. Fsd disengages and the car drive straight instead of staying in the turn, crash could be likely.

See all problems of the 2023 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

The bolt/fastner holding the control arms almost backed all the way out. I was driving and heard metal sound it got worse on the drive home. I also noticed the alignment to get worse and when I got home I looked and the bolt/ fastner almost came out. There is a Tesla recall for only a small percent for my year with that issue. Tesla wants 4k to replace it. It is a huge safety issue. I have a family and it could have been serious if it detached not only to me and my family but other vehicles other pedestrians.

Front suspension creaking & rattling going over bumps Tesla took days & days & never called me w/ problem I kept calling in!! finally decide it is a known recall problem w/ suspension bolts & sub frame! they told me they torqued them & would test drive for noise & I never heard from them! I had to call in. Suddenly I had a $4200 estimate for repairs including $322 1. 24 hours of diagnosis??? a known problem other 2018 Tesla’s have been recalled for ??? very suspicious?? how do I know they didn’t torque it too far & strip bolt themselves??.

Front upper control arms replaced. Vehicle only has 24,000 miles.

Front lower and upper control arms started generating noise around 100,000 miles. This was confirmed by an independent service center. So far, have spent $1400 on the lower control arms, only to find out that the noise is still there and the upper control arms need to be replaced as well.

See all problems of the 2020 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

The first time the lower lateral links on the front right side just broke and luckily it didn't happen on the highway with passengers right now I hear the same noises again coming from the driver's left side from the lower lateral links I am afraid that it will happen again and that’s really scary I drove many cars before and never felt so unsecured I don't understand how such a safety problem is not being addressed. I hear and read that other Tesla owners are also reporting the same problem.

The front upper control arms on my 2018 Tesla Model 3 have failed multiple times, producing loud clunking, popping, and binding noises during steering. The issue has worsened and poses a serious risk of loss of control while driving. Tesla replaced these parts under goodwill in the past, but the failures have returned. The most recent incident occurred around 03/05/2025 at approximately 106,867 miles. The failure has been confirmed and documented by Tesla service centers, and I have multiple invoices showing repeated replacements of the same components. The problem directly affects steering and suspension safety.

Needs whole suspensions system fixed and is only 4 years old. Was told by the service center employee that other customers with the same year and model have had the same issue. Suspension has been noticeably affected for the past year (uneven tire wear so I had to get new tires and a bumpier ride), but just took it in today and had it officially diagnosed.

See all problems of the 2021 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

The front suspension is failing. I have already replaced the upper control arms. Now I need to replace the bushings on compliance and lateral linksare tearing. There have been recalls for this model and year, for this issue. My VIN, is not included in the recall. I was notified of the aditional needed repairs when I had the upper control arms replaced.

Front suspension is making very weird and loud noises. Issue is associated with the front suspension links becoming loose.

Right front upper control arm began making noise and was replaced under warranty at 42k miles in sept 2019. Left front upper control arm failed around 50k miles and caused a wreck resulting in $8,365 in damages in April 2021. When fixing one side it is standard to replace the other and Tesla was negligent. Upon fixing the left side suspension at blue ash auto body in 2021, the brake caliper came loose while driving on the highway while on a vacation. This caused an additional $1500 or so in charges. Both of these incidents put my life and my son's life in danger. About a week or two after the caliper problem, Tesla issued a recall for that part stating that it is now single use only.

Complaint: I took delivery of my new Tesla Model 3 on [xxx], and noticed it pulls hard to the right from day one. The steering shakes constantly, feels unstable, and loses traction—sliding sideways and lurching above 40 mph. It’s dangerous on highways; I’ve nearly lost control multiple times. Service wait times delayed my first visit over a month. Service history: Tesla service, dedham, MA, three visits: [xxx]: techs confirmed pulling, performed alignment—issue unchanged. [xxx]: pulling replicated, alignment redone—no fix. [xxx]: supervisor test-drove, claimed no issues, said “normal operation,” and refused further action. Third-party input: on [xxx], electrified garage (amesbury, MA), a Tesla/ev specialist, replicated the pulling, shaking, and instability. They suspect a suspension or steering defect (e. G. , rack/control arm) and urged Tesla review, citing warranty coverage and parts limits. They called it a safety risk. Current state: the car’s unusable—shaking intensifies above 40 mph, slides unpredictably, and steering resists. I’ve stopped highway driving after near-misses. Tesla’s “normal” ignores this danger. Available for inspection on request. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2024 Tesla Model 3 🔎.

While regularly driving I experienced a gradual squeaking sounds from the front suspension. A few moments later I noticed that my steering wheel was acting as if it didn’t have power steering. I’m lead to believe that due to the poor design of my Model 3, that the outside elements were easily able to make its way to my universal power steering shaft leading Tesla to remove and replace my steering shaft and my upper control arms as well. The rust on the u shaft was incredible, I’ve only driven in the snow one time and immediately the noises starting happening. I paid everything out of my own pocket due to the undeliverable conditions my steering wheels was in.

Some 2019 Tesla Model 3’s recalled due to lateral and control link issues. Problem seems to be more wide spread. Exactly same problem is apparently happening with my car - also a 2019 Tesla Model 3, but not covered for some reason.

The front suspension lateral link on our Model 3 came detached from the subframe as the bolts someone loosened. This is a known issue and Tesla has issued a recall (NHTSA recall 23v-235) on this year Model 3, but our VIN is not included in the recall. It seems that this issue is wider than the cars the original recall has included. Upon detachment, the wheel steering did not work, and if it highway speeds, could have cause a fatal accident.

The car started making a strange high pitched creak sound whenever I would turn the steering wheel, or go over bumps in the road. I brought the car to Tesla and they informed me that the following parts needed to be replaced. 1. Front lower compliance links (left and right) 2. Front lower lateral link (left and right) I was notified that the failure of those components was a potentially serious safety issue, and that the parts needed to be replaced as soon as possible. I had Tesla replace the parts, so the issue cannot be inspected. The problem was verified by the Tesla service center, and was not seen by any other professionals. There were no real warnings, other than the annoying squeak sound whenever the sterring wheel was turned. The sound first appeared in November of 2024.

Front and rear suspension bushings wear and rip at very low mileage.

Sep 2022 Tesla Model 3 brought in for noise when steering wheel is turned. Was told it was the control arm. Left and right arms both replaced. Mileage - 53247 Jan 2025 Tesla Model 3 brought in for heating issue and for similar noise when steering wheel is turned. Service rep said lateral links needed replacing. Mileage - 85321 control arms and lateral link replacement at 53k and 85k, respectively, seems highly irregular. I have checked several online forums and found many other Tesla Model 3 owners having similar complaints. I have now replaced a significant portion of this vehicle's front suspension. We have owned 7 other vehicles, all purchased new, over the last 20 years. We have kept those cars between 150k - 200k miles and only 1 of those cars required this type of work, which was performed on a 2011 Jaguar xf at 160k+ miles.

I am experiencing persistent front suspension issues with my Tesla Model 3 performance. The vehicle has been taken to a Tesla service center three times, yet the problem has not been resolved. The issue includes: unusual noises (clunking, knocking, or creaking) from the front suspension. Instability or poor handling at various speeds. Repeated failures of suspension components despite repairs. Each time, Tesla service has attempted repairs, but the issue continues to persist, raising serious concerns about the safety and durability of the suspension system. The vehicle is currently at Tesla service center as of March 4th 2025 and they are working on the same problem for the 3rd time.

Control arm issue and linkage cable.

The suspension on this car developed a persistent noise that worsened over time, prompting me to schedule a service appointment at the Tesla dealership. Although my car has less than 40,000 miles and has been driven primarily on well-paved city roads, both front suspensions were found to require extensive repairs, a final bill of approximately $2,100. Safety concerns: frequent suspension issues in Teslas: online research and data from the NHTSA indicate a disproportionately high number of suspension and steering complaints for Tesla vehicles. In 2023, Tesla owners filed over 260 complaints, significantly higher proportionally than Toyota, despite Tesla's much smaller sales volume. Such trends suggest potential systemic quality issues in Tesla’s manufacturing process. Simultaneous suspension failure: the need to replace multiple components in both front suspensions at just 30,000+ miles raises serious questions about the reliability and safety. A single suspension failure could be a bad luck, but simultaneous failures point to broader design or manufacturing problems. Risk of accidents: suspension failure compromises vehicle control, increasing the risk of accidents that endanger drivers, passengers, and others on the road. Transparency issues in the repair process: the initial repair estimate of $200 excluded labor costs and was revised to $400 without prior clarity. After inspection, the cost escalated to $2,100, leaving me no option but to approve the repairs without the ability to verify their necessity. Lack of transparency in repair recommendations, coupled with Tesla’s track record of suspension complaints, undermines customer trust and raises concerns about the integrity of the repair process. In conclusion, my experience highlights potential safety risks and quality control issues with Tesla vehicles. Suspension defects not only burden customers with significant costs but also pose a serious hazard on the road.

Control arm of the left front suspension system detached with no warning other than an occasional noise that started about 2 weeks before the incident, usually when turning the front wheels at slow speed. This was a potentially dangerous situation for the driver, passengers, and any other vehicles on the road as the tire could have come off at any time. Fortunately the car was being parked (0-1 mph) in a non-congested area when the control arm detached. The vehicle (total mileage approximately 42k) was towed to a Tesla service center 2 days later where the problem--first diagnosed by the tow truck driver--was confirmed by a Tesla service representative. There was no warning of any problem other than the occasional noise mentioned previously. If this parts failure had occurred at high speed on an interstate highway, it would likely have been deadly!.

My car experienced a problem with the control arms and based on my research this is a known problem with Tesla Model 3 yet a recall hasn’t been issued.

Two major safety issues need to be reported: 1) the left front lower control arm falling off in the middle of driving, caused car wheel stuck on a traffic street (luckily it was off the freeway 5 minutes ago). The long bolts connected the lower control arms were loss due to the defective design (the bolts are screwed upward vertically, falling off is definitely just a matter of time). I found there was a class action against Tesla due to this problem (it is referred to model x and s) 2) the other major safety issue I encountered as I turned on the “advanced autopilot “ feature, the car could break suddenly without warning on the freeway. There were no cars or obstacles in the front. I researched online and found many Tesla owners have experienced this so called “phantom breaking” problem as I had (I had experienced this unsafe auto breaking randomly since I have driven this car).

Front suspension lateral link fasteners loosened, allowing the lateral link to separate from the sub-frame. I have a 2018 Model 3 and this seems to be the exact same issue that led to a recent recall with the help of the NHTSA. Recall no. 23v235000 sb-23-31-001 an expansion of previous recall number 21v-835. I noticed for months something was slightly off in the front right area of the car. I brought it into the Tesla service center, they drove it and didn't notice anything. About a month later the lateral link separated from the subframe rendering the car undriveable. I had it towed immediately.

At low/no speed, turning the steering wheel to the extreme left or right produces a low-end creaking noise as if something is rubbing.

Under-torqued lateral link bolt these bolts are known to fall out or cause damage to bushings from being installed improperly failure of the suspension would result in the suspension collapsing and the car becoming uncontrollable, with serious risks at higher speeds out of pocket repair has been made by Tesla component has been inspected and tightened to spec no warning sings, other than loud, clunking noises at 40k miles on smooth roads, this is not a driver issue, but a manufacturer assembly issue. They already have a recall for other vins in other years, but I believe this should be expanded to more vins and years, as this appears to be a common issue.

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while making a right turn he observed a loud bang and the vehicle came to a stop. The contact stated that he observed bolt left lateral link of the suspension was hanging with boldt detached an the second bolt completely missing. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the left lateral link suspension subframe, steering rack, and left finder needed to be replaced. The vehicle wa not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 23v235000 (suspension). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 81,976.

Upper control arm unit is defective on most Model 3's. This has been reported by thousands of Tesla owners. After 50,000 miles the upper control arm will fail due to being assembled incorrectly, which causes a hard time driving the car and causing a strange sound in the suspension which can cause a risk in driving and increase the likelihood of an accident.

Incident summary: on [xxx], I was in an accident and dropped my Tesla Model 3 at Tesla’s north phoenix collision center in Nov 2024. I received the car back in Dec/Jan. Immediately, I noticed dangerous swaying, bouncing, and veering when hitting dips—especially on the freeway. The car was unstable and unsafe to drive at high speeds. In Feb/Mar, tanner (assistant manager at the collision center) drove the vehicle with me in the passenger seat. After hitting a dip on the freeway, he panicked, exited, and agreed something was wrong. I was later told they did a wheel alignment, but the issue remained. This was the second time they returned the vehicle in an unsafe condition. I nearly crashed due to how unstable it felt. In may 2025, I brought the car back again. Tanner suspected the steering column but said no diagnosis was done. He gave me a loaner vehicle, which had a flat tire. I had to drive my own unsafe car for nearly a month while waiting for another loaner and parts—no resolution during that time. On 6/13/2025, I contacted the Tesla glendale service center. The advisor expressed frustration, saying this collision center often offloads unresolved issues. I also contacted Tesla support (877-798-3752), who advised me to file this NHTSA complaint. As of June 2025, the issue is still unresolved. My car continues to sway and veer dangerously on the freeway, and Tesla north phoenix collision has failed to properly diagnose or fix it despite multiple returns. This vehicle is unsafe to drive, and I’ve been given excuses for over 7 months. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).