Seats: critical fasteners
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The fasteners attaching the seat back to the seat bottom may have been improperly tightened.
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 17 owner complaints for the 2026 Tesla Model 3. Most complaints involve forward collision avoidance (6) and steering (4). The EPA rates it 111–139 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The fasteners attaching the seat back to the seat bottom may have been improperly tightened.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
“• forward collision warning and automatic emergency breaking failed to work and are still currently an ongoing problem and not functioning. They are and have always Been enabled and can be inspected upon request. • my safety and those in my car and around me put at risk, by the system and software not functioning as intended and providing extra alertness and reaction to avoid collision. •the earliest service date I could get from Tesla is Nov 11. I have requested they preserve all data from dates Oct 20-27 2026 •no, my car has not been inspected yet. I have taken, Videos and have saved in car camera footage to show the ongoing defect. •no warnings lights or alerts prior to the incident. The problem first became apparent and clear Oct 26, 2026. I had FSD subscription that ended Oct 24, 2026 and the system warnings worked just fine during that time even while driving manually.”
“The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the steering wheel independently turned to the left and the right. The brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle was shaking and uncontrollable. The contact depressed the brake pedal down, unbuckled, the seat belt and opened the door and the vehicle came to a stop. The Police was contacted and arrived on the scene. The Police removed the vehicle from the roadway onto the shoulder of the road. The contact was advised to tow the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but the diagnostic test report was not provided to the contact. The contact was informed that the information was reported to the engineers. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 450.”
“On August 26, 2026, at approximately 8:56 AM, I entered a public parking garage in Washington, DC. Full Self-Driving (Supervised) was engaged and controlling the vehicle during a reversing maneuver. I remained attentive to the vehicle's surroundings, including pedestrians and surrounding traffic. While reversing under FSD (Supervised), the vehicle's right rear corner collided with the corner of a stationary structural pillar in the parking garage. I did not command the vehicle to steer into the pillar. Upon becoming aware of the impact, I immediately applied the brake. There were no injuries. The collision resulted in damage to the right rear area of the vehicle. After the incident, I photographed and recorded the scene and vehicle damage and saved the available Tesla Dashcam footage. I also requested the vehicle data from Tesla. I am reporting this incident because the vehicle collided with a stationary structure while FSD (Supervised) was engaged and controlling the reversing maneuver. I do not know the specific technical cause of the incident. The vehicle and available recorded data can be made available for inspection upon request.”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model 3 Standard RWD Auto (A1) · Rear-Wheel Drive | 147 | 130 | 139 | $550 | — |
| Model 3 Premium RWD Auto (A1) · Rear-Wheel Drive | 145 | 128 | 137 | $550 | — |
| Model 3 Premium AWD Auto (A1) · All-Wheel Drive | 133 | 122 | 128 | $600 | — |
| Model 3 Performance Auto (A1) · All-Wheel Drive | 120 | 107 | 114 | $650 | — |
| Model 3 Performance AWD Auto (A1) · All-Wheel Drive | 117 | 106 | 111 | $700 | — |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tire rotation | 6,000–8,000 mi | 6–12 months | EVs wear tires faster (weight, torque) |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–4 years | Regen braking spares the pads, not the fluid |
| Battery coolant | Per manual | Per manual | Intervals vary widely by maker |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years |
1 safety recall as of Nov 7, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 17 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are forward collision avoidance (6), steering (4), back over prevention (3). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2026 Tesla Model 3 at 111–139 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (5 versions rated).
NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2026 Tesla Model 3 5 out of 5 stars overall.