2020 Tesla Model 3 Vehicle speed control Problems
- Complaints
- 69about this part
- Share
- 15%of 453 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 1,470miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 69 complaints about the vehicle speed control of the 2020 Tesla Model 3, 15% of the 453 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 1,470 miles. 18 of these say a crash was involved and 2 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“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 shift the car into drive and use the accelerator pedal to move the car forward and it works fine. When I release the accelerator pedal, the car accelerate and requires me to brake. This occurs at low speed. I have taken the car into Tesla and they said user error. The cruise control engages when I shift into drive. This has occurred several times since I have purchased the car”
NHTSA complaint #11306855, filed 2020-02, 1,000 miles“I made a right hand turn from a full stop out of the parking lot into the farthest left lane intending to turn left. There were a line of cars ahead of me. As I was turning into the lane and let my foot of the accelerator pedal the car accelerated rapidly into the back of the vehicle ahead of me. It happened very quickly. It felt as though the vehicle took over on it's own. The car hit the vehicle once and then continued moving and it the vehicle again - so twice in all.”
NHTSA complaint #11324541, filed 2020-05, 1,200 miles“I was parking at a trader joe's when the car suddenly accelerated by itself without giving me any chance to break to avoid colliding with the curb. My car got scratched underneath.”
NHTSA complaint #11416389, filed 2021-05, 4,050 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 milesVehicle speed control: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 7% |
| 2025 | 14 | 11% |
| 2024 | 21 | 9% |
| 2023 | 69 | 16% |
| 2022 | 171 | 22% |
| 2021 | 123 | 18% |
| 2020 | 69 | 15% |
| 2019 | 71 | 11% |
| 2018 | 91 | 9% |
| 2017 | 4 | 15% |
Other parts of the 2020 Tesla Model 3
157 complaintsOther or unknown
82 complaintsBrakes
48 complaintsSteering
47 complaintsSuspension
46 complaintsElectrical system
42 complaintsLane departure
36 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 30, 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