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Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)Part report

2021 Tesla Model 3 Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) Problems

Complaints
34about this part
Share
5%of 673 total for the year
Median mileage
1,900miles
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 34 complaints about the visibility of the 2021 Tesla Model 3, 5% of the 673 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 1,900 miles. 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.

“I'm getting a notification that says cabin climate control system requires service cabin heating/cooling limited or unavailable . As a result of this failure the defroster is not working properly. The windshield defroster will only blow cold air very slowly. This causes the windshield to fog up very quickly in cold temperatures. I cannot see out of the windshield properly.”

NHTSA complaint #11495717, filed 2022-12

“The heat pump failed in 12/2022. The defroster would not work and heating was an issue. I encountered 2 dangerous situations in snowstorms where I could not see out the window and the heating was inconsistent and difficult to control.This was fixed by Tesla. The heat pump failed again (less than a month later). I was told today that there was an ice buildup in the coils possibly due to car wash (?). This problem, I am afraid, is going to continue.”

NHTSA complaint #11503948, filed 2023-01

“The heat stops working at cold conditions. Many other users have reported this problem, after going into service I was told there is a sensor that is out in the open behind the bumper that when exposed to snow and rain can freeze and causes heat to stop working. I have experienced this myself when going on a trip back home from upstate NY to NC , I had no heat with temps outside being at 3 degrees F , not only was the car extremely cold causing me and my wife to get sick , but you can not use the defrost because there is no heat. …”

NHTSA complaint #11447214, filed 2022-01

“The defrost function on the computer went crazy and cracked the windshield in the morning, covered in snow. - It’s hard to see out of, and Tesla said it’s not covered even though it’s only 6 months old and to just drive it. - No, they want $1600 to look at it. I can’t get them to agree to look at it, but don’t give up. - no the defrost was slow and low, as winter is with no issues. So it snowed a lot in KC, MO. I keep my heat at 60 degrees and the fan on low. I unlocked my car with my phone to get some stuff out, but I started clearing off the back door stairs first to make a path. …”

NHTSA complaint #11645788, filed 2025-03

“While driving from Austin to Nashville, during the last, dark part of our drive, we hit rain. The Auto windshield wiper setting did not work, so I had my passenger help with selecting wiper speeds as the wiper speed control is difficult and distracting to use while driving. We tried the Auto setting a couple more times to see if there was any change, and noticed that the wipers would turn on when we drove under a light, then off again when the there was no light. We tested this a few more times and it appears that the Auto wiper setting only works in well-lit settings (i.e. …”

NHTSA complaint #11452832, filed 2022-02

Related recalls

Related service bulletins

Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202613%
202532%
202463%
2023133%
2022233%
2021345%
2020286%
2019345%
2018616%
2017415%

Other parts of the 2021 Tesla Model 3

Forward collision avoidance
411 complaints
Brakes
126 complaints
Vehicle speed control
123 complaints
Other or unknown
95 complaints
Electrical system
80 complaints
Lane departure
34 complaints
Steering
28 complaints
Body and structure
17 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
17 complaints
Suspension
16 complaints
Seat belts
15 complaints
Fuel system
10 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2021 Tesla Model 3

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 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