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EnginePart report

2023 Tesla Model 3 Engine Problems

Complaints
8about this part
Share
2%of 428 total for the year
Median mileage
19,943miles
Trend
Too newThis model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.

NHTSA recorded 8 complaints about the engine of the 2023 Tesla Model 3, 2% of the 428 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 19,943 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Documenting a sudden unintended acceleration experience. Today while driving and trying to stop for a red light, I lightly applied pressure on my brake pedal to brake for the red light. Midway through the braking, my car lunged forward for about half a second. Went through the dash cam footage, and I noticed that the footage skipped half a second as well. Seems like something electrical that caused the car to lunge. This is a huge safety issue.”

NHTSA complaint #11664745, filed 2025-06

“Within one day of taking ownership of a new 2023 tesla model 3, the car suddenly stopped running, slowing rapidly to a crawl on the highway, causing a potential hazardous situation. Error code DI_a137 appeared onscreen, and a message that the vehicle was not drivable. After several minutes on the shoulder, the car behaved normally. I cancelled my trip and attempted to return home. The fault recurred, forcing me to pull off the road again. After several minutes the car allowed me to return home. There was never any prior warning. …”

NHTSA complaint #11529369, filed 2023-06

“What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Car stopped working in middle of road How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Luckly there were no traffic or car behind , I am not moving the lane. Personal safety and passenger safety Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Tesla service center at spring field NJ , told me, Front module was at fault and replaced Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? …”

NHTSA complaint #11605855, filed 2024-08

“Picked up car from the dealership same day and had only 40 miles total on odometer. The car was running smooth. I was driving with my daughter in the passenger seat (12 yrs old) and got 2 error codes and my car went limp in the carpool lane. Basically went into neutral. Deceleration from 75mph .I had to avoid cars next to me to get to the shoulder and was driving at most 30-40 mph hoping a car would not slam into my rear. By the grace of God I made it to the shoulder safely. “Acceleration and Top Speed Reduced” and “Automatic Emergency Braking is Disabled” were the two errors. …”

NHTSA complaint #11493392, filed 2022-11

“The contact's son owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 386.”

NHTSA complaint #11527936, filed 2023-06, 386 miles

Engine: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202543%
202442%
202382%
202271%
202151%
202020%
201920%
2018111%

Other parts of the 2023 Tesla Model 3

Forward collision avoidance
179 complaints
Steering
88 complaints
Vehicle speed control
69 complaints
Other or unknown
59 complaints
Brakes
56 complaints
Electrical system
51 complaints
Lane departure
28 complaints
Body and structure
22 complaints
Suspension
19 complaints
Air bags
18 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
13 complaints
Seat belts
10 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2023 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