249 of the 4,327 complaints about the Tesla Model 3 (5.8%) concern Body & structure, making it the model's #8 problem area. That share is 0.6× the Body & structure share across all tracked vehicles.
249Complaints · Body & structure
5.8%Share of complaints
0.63×vs. all vehicles
41Last 12 months
6.4%Share involving a crash or fire
3Related recalls
Analysis
41 Body & structure complaints were filed in the last 12 months versus 33 in the 12 months before — up 24%.
16 of these reports (6.4%) describe a crash or fire, with 18 injuries and 0 deaths mentioned.
3 recall campaigns relate to this area, most recently campaign 26V445000 (2026-07-07, model year 2024).
The exterior door handles are made of a thin metal top cover over a plastic door handle. The exterior door handle metal begins to peel, and does so in a manner that isn't clear to see. This has resulted in me cutting my hand on the door handle.
Body & structure · 2026-09-09 · ODI 11763160
Vehicle: Tesla Model 3 Issue: Power trunk failed to detect obstruction Date of incident: July 5, 2026 Location: Surprise, AZ During normal use of the vehicle, my child pressed the “close trunk” button while I was leaning into the trunk area.
Body & structure · 2026-07-07 · ODI 11748682
The power liftgate strut failed in normal use and bent the trunk liftgate, which now strikes the rear glass every time the trunk opens or closes. The vehicle has not been in a crash and the trunk was not obstructed or misused.
Body & structure · 2026-10-08 · ODI 11769953
As of an OTA update to the Telsa early this summer, a prompt stating "Why did you intervene" appears over critical display information on the infotainment console. FSD v14.3.2 and onward.
Body & structure · 2026-09-23 · ODI 11766472
The front windshield camera for FSD gets hazed and obstructs the front camera. Tesla say it’s from the gases that come from the interior from the vehicle being hot temperatures.
Body & structure · 2026-09-18 · ODI 11765379
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while reversing approximately 5 MPH, there was a loud screeching sound coming from the vehicle without warning.
Body & structure · 2026-09-16 · ODI 11764800
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Related recalls
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS Campaign 26V445000 · 2026-07-07 · Model years: 2024
Summary: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model Y and 2024 Model 3 vehicles. The vehicles were originally built for a foreign market and do not have knee air bags, may not be equipped with certain interior safety countermeasures, and may not have been tested for bumper impact resistance procedures. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers, 208, "Occupant Crash Protection," 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact," and Part 581, "Bumper Standards."
Remedy: Tesla will repurchase noncompliant vehicles currently registered in the United States, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 5, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752 or resolutions@tesla.com. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-26-00-004.
Summary: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2024 Model Y vehicles. The hood latch assembly may fail to detect an unlatched hood condition after the hood has been opened.
Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-012.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS Campaign 22V702000 · 2022-09-19 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Summary: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Model 3, 2020-2022 Model Y, and 2021-2022 Model S and Model X vehicles. The window automatic reversal system may not react correctly after detecting an obstruction. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update of the automatic window reversal system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2032. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-013.
