2020 Tesla Model 3 Brakes Problems
- Complaints
- 48about this part
- Share
- 11%of 452 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 1,495miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 48 complaints about the brakes of the 2020 Tesla Model 3, 11% of the 452 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 1,495 miles. 9 of these say a crash was involved and 1 a fire, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“So regarding the car brakes they are very hard to fully depress and I believe its because of the regenerative braking. For example when going eat highway speed and you need to press the break pedal hard it literally feels like the car is refusing to let you use the full capacity of the breaks. Its very scary it happened to me and I could not press the break pedal completely down. …”
NHTSA complaint #11300192, filed 2020-01, 5 miles“I was driving straight on a highway using traffic aware cruise control when the car suddenly braked hard. If someone had been driving behind me too closely I would have been rear ended at a high speed. I've seen online that people refer to this as phantom braking, and it seems to be a common issue with Tesla cars.”
NHTSA complaint #11354761, filed 2020-09, 220 miles“When I slowed down on a city street, and turned into a parking lot, the car speeded up by itself. And the brake didn't respond when I stepped on it. The car glided into a power post.”
NHTSA complaint #11302127, filed 2020-01, 1,250 miles“Slowed down to make a left turn and the car suddenly speed forward when I put my foot on the brake. I let go my foot and slammed the brake once more. It took a second to respond”
NHTSA complaint #11351690, filed 2020-08, 1,740 miles“See attached for details. We have experienced at least two unexpected hard braking incidents in our 2020 Tesla MODEL 3 equipped with autopilot. In one incident, just as autopilot was engaged, the Tesla braked suddenly from 65 MPH to 50 MPH. Other drivers were forced to brake hard to avoid collision. On the same day, while in adaptive cruise control, the Tesla suddenly braked hard at a speed of 78 MPH, down to 60 MPH. Tesla has been notified by others who have had similar experiences, so they are aware of this hazardous problem. …”
NHTSA complaint #11324811, filed 2020-05, 2,300 milesRelated recalls
- 21V387000May 25, 2021Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Model 3 and 2020-2021 Model Y vehicles. The brake caliper bolts may be loose, allowing the brake caliper to…Covers: Tesla Model 3 2019–2021, Model Y 2020–2021
Related service bulletins
- 11033173May 8, 2026On certain Model 3 vehicles, brake lines may be corroded beyond acceptable limits, which may result in loss of brake fluid. Loss of brake fluid will result in a customer facing…
- 11029583Feb 11, 2026On certain Model 3 vehicles, brake lines may be corroded beyond acceptable limits, which may result in loss of brake fluid. Loss of brake fluid will result in a customer facing…
- 10174929Apr 24, 2020On some Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, the brake caliper bolts may not have been torqued to internal specifications.
- 10174928Apr 21, 2020On some Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, the brake caliper bolts may not have been torqued to internal specifications.
Brakes: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 3% |
| 2025 | 13 | 11% |
| 2024 | 5 | 2% |
| 2023 | 56 | 13% |
| 2022 | 169 | 22% |
| 2021 | 126 | 19% |
| 2020 | 48 | 11% |
| 2019 | 63 | 10% |
| 2018 | 89 | 9% |
| 2017 | 3 | 11% |
Other parts of the 2020 Tesla Model 3
157 complaintsOther or unknown
81 complaintsVehicle speed control
69 complaintsSteering
47 complaintsSuspension
46 complaintsElectrical system
42 complaintsLane departure
35 complaintsAir bags
30 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
28 complaintsSeats
23 complaintsSeat belts
19 complaintsBody and structure
19 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2020 Tesla Model 3
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology