The Power Conversion System is failing, this makes charging the car difficult. The charge rate is reduced and charging fails without warning. There is no warning from the vehicle that the part is failing but instead says the power grid is the issue. The issue started while the car was still under warranty, but falsely claimed the problem was with the evse or the wiring to the evse. Had the failure been properly reported rather than being misleading, the vehicle could have been repaired under warranty,
2018 Tesla Model 3 electrical complaints
Page 5 of 7: complaints 101 to 130 of 168, newest first, as owners wrote them.
This is regarding the federal safety agency Recall Number21V-00D. This recall is from December 21, 2021 -- i.e., over a year ago. I scheduled an appointment with Tesla in August 2022 to get this taken care of, but at the time Tesla canceled the appointment. They told me that the parts aren't available yet, but they would reach out via email or the Tesla app "soon". It has now been 4+ months, yet they still have not reached out to me. On my Tesla app, when I click "Rear Harness Recall" button, it says "You will receive a notification in your Tesla App when parts are available for your vehicle." It is difficult to understand that it takes over a year to put in a simple cable harness.
Cabin heating unit failure during winter with temperatures in the 10-20F range, loss of front window defrosting/defogging leading to poor visibility. Problem was confirmed by dealer and heating unit replaced at dealer service center, dealer now has possession of the broken heating unit. There were no indications that the unit was about to fail, until it stopped making hot air and reported a "climate system fault" when trying to select heat/defrost, it stopped working while the car was in use. The heating system stopped working around 12:30 on Friday and did not work all day, tried rebooting the head-end computer to no effect. Started working at 9am the next morning for a few hours, but stopped working while driving around 12:30 again and didn't work for rest of day, worked for an hour or so the next day and again an hour or so the day after that. The vendor was able to get an appointment on Monday to replace the unit and had the part in stock so this was failed from Friday mid-day to Monday afternoon, the new unit is installed and is now working so far. As far as I know, the heating in this model is a simple electric resistive heating element, so it is not clear to me how it could fail without a manufacturing or design defect, the car is only 3y old.
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V702000 (Visibility) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the front driver's side and passenger's side windows failed to operate as needed intermittently. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Tesla Service Center where it was diagnosed that the failure was related to the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Additionally, the contact stated that he had been receiving notifications on the center display indicating that the visual ability of the camera on the front driver's side of the vehicle was faulty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.
While slowly backing out of a parking space, I tapped the bumper of another vehicle in the space directly behind mine, causing some damage to the bumpers of both cars. The backup camera on my vehicle was not functioning at the time, making it difficult to see. I have attached a screen shot of the Tesla's display immediately after the accident. You can see the blank feed from the backup camera (there is a reflection of the vehicle next to mine). I have had intermittent problems with the backup camera showing as black on the screen (except for the two lines indicating the direction of the vehicle). Tesla initiated a recall in December 2021. see https://www.tesla.com/support/model-3-trunk-lid-harness-retrofit for details. Every time on my Tesla phone app about this recall, it says, "you do not need to request an appointment at this time. You will receive a notification in your Tesla App when parts are available for your vehicle." It's almost a year and the company has still not offered a fix. Tesla claims at the above link that "We are not aware of any crashes or injuries relating to this condition." I am reporting this incident to the federal safety agency to inform you of a crash relating to the malfunctioning of this important piece of equipment.
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V00D000 (Electrical System, Visibility, Back Over Prevention) however, the parts to do the recall repair were not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
One lovely frigid winter day, my son woke up really ill. We had to take him to the hospital, which is roughly 30 min from our house. In our rush, we didn't grab hardly anything to bring with us. Just a small blanket for him so that we could get out the door. Once we got in the car, we got the lovely "Climate control unavailable due to system fault" error. We have not had heat since. Our son who is only 10 months old had to be driven back and forth in our car. It was only 30 degrees outside, and basically the exact same temp in the car. We had seat heaters, he did not. It was bad. Fast forward, we put in a service request. I started researching the issue and realized this is a widespread issue.We couldn't use our defroster at all either which is a huge issue here in Idaho. We brought the car into the service center the day after Thanksgiving. We mentioned to them that we thought this was a widespread issue and wanted to know what they would do to remedy it. They didn't entertain that at all and seemed to think this was just an isolated event. Our loaner is a 2018 Model S 100D. Super cool!! We haven't driven a Model S before, and we are enjoying it. We picked up the loaner around 5pm the day we dropped off our car at the service center. When I get in the loaner car, I see that it needs an update. I hit the "schedule update" button. I stuck with the recommended 2:30 am update suggestion since I will be asleep anyway. Now it is Saturday. We drove the car to a couple of places that day, and it is doing just fine. Sunday rolls around, and we need to run to the store. Upon getting in the car, it throws the EXACT same error as our model 3. Climate control is unavailable due to system fault. Now not only is our Model 3 in the shop, but our loaner car is having the exact same issue right after it received an update. We are hoping for help. This seems like a huge widespread issue for Tesla owners and Tesla is not taking any accountability.
Front wiring harness corrodes causing steering control to corrode. This also affects lane keep, braking, and speed control. At least 6 warnings associated with the short circuit
Our heater stopped working in very low temperatures . Upon researching, this is a huge problem in cold climates which could be extremely dangerous. Tesla has recalled Tesla cars with heat pumps. This is not just an issue for new models and is an issue in older models as well. It appears this issue may have occurred because of a software update pushed out to fix newer cars Tesla’s with a heat pump. This update is potentially causing the heater in the older Tesla’s without heat pumps to break. Therefore, when the older cars are breaking, in order to stay warm in cold temps Tesla owners are paying $1200+ to fix their heaters due to a pure Tesla issue. We had no warning. Our heat went out. My son was ill with RSV and in fact we were bringing him to the hospital. It was 30 degrees in our car. This is an issue for so many people in even colder climates. Some owners are reporting they are having to drive their Tesla in severely cold weather and survive off of seat heaters. This is incredibly dangerous and I cannot transport my son in my vehicle at the moment. We do have scheduled service, but to our understanding Tesla is taking zero accountability. There are a massive amount of people complaining of this issue on the Tesla forums and local groups. I hope they report as well.
Water/liquid entering cabin from behind glovebox. Potentially affecting computer and other electronics. Also could affect the AC system and its intake air filtering. Possibly adding mold growth due to the excess moisture entering from the outside. When it rains, the water will gush through into the front passenger’s feet on occasion. This is possibly from pooling water in the intake within the front trunk. When activating the air conditioning in the car after sitting in the rain, it will spill over into the front passenger’s mat. This issue could additionally damage the floor with rust over time if a weather proof mat is not in place. Tesla Service will charge the customer when out of warranty, even though this is an issue that should not occur in any vehicle. Thank you. P.S. photos of puddling water taken from a video made during the occurrence of the issue
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, a Service Warning message was displayed. The contact stated that the driver’s side front restraint system fault warning light was illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of failure through the Tesla app and instructed the contact to take the vehicle to the nearest Tesla Service Center for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
The AC compressor failed which can be caused by over delivery of electrical power to the compressor causing premature failure. I’m concerned this could also lead to a fire.
I reported charging problems over the last several months to Tesla. You can only report problems via the App. They do not provide a phone number. They tried to fix my charging issue three times and each time said it was fixed. It was not and today I almost ran out of battery on the interstate because it would not charge. Today, after waiting an hour for their roadside service to respond they came and towed it. This is the fourth attempt to fix it.
At 70000 the front right bar that connect to wheel went bad 350 dollars. At around 90000 miles the AC went bad and they said is because I used it too much 4700 dollars at 110000 the lid for the charger kept opening up and closing by itself at 127000 the battery range reduced signed went on 129000 maximum charge could be charded 47 percent. And could not be charged more than whatever is in there already
The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the Back Over Prevention camera intermittently failed to operate as needed. The contact then received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V00D000 (Electrical System, Visibility, Back Over Prevention). The vehicle was taken to the service center where the back-up camera cable was reinforced as stated in the recall. Upon return of the vehicle, the contact stated that the back-up camera failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that the dealer had not tested the cable and that the recall repair did not fix the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that since the failure was intermittent prior to the failure, they were not responsible for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000. The contact stated that the manufacturer had made a mistake and refunded the cost to the contact. The complaint has been resolved.
-PCS (Power Conversion System) failure. - No warning light, message or symptoms, failed overnight. - Car is not drivable, HV completely isolated and drain 12V battery overnight. Can’t open any door, screen dead and had to tow. - Repair cost $1884, 53k miles / 4 yrs and 2 months.
Originally received notification of DTC "BMS_a035 - Vehicle may not restart." Vehicle was serviced and the rear motor drive unit was replaced. Was not given the oppertunity to inspect the serviced components upon request. Within 48 hours of service, "BMS_a027: Power limited, OK to drive," & BMS_a170 - (de)acceleration warning & top speed warning." My concern is related to a potential cascading problem, which cannot be diagnosed, and which will lead to failure of the propulsion system or an unexpected discharge issue / thermal event from an electrical issue while the vehicle is in use and/or parked.
A portion of the Power Conversion System "PCS" has failed in my 2018 Tesla Model 3 extended range with 34,000 miles, resulting in the inability to charge the vehicle but at 32 of 48 capable amps. Reports from other Tesla owners indicate that remaining portions of the PCS can fail resulting in charge amperage reduction to 16 amps or inability to AC charge completely if all portions of the PCS fail. This issue is apparently not an isolated incident. The PCS in this vehicle appears to be flawed due to reports of early failure and the number of reported failures. The issue goes beyond the previously released service bulletin of 2018 Tesla Model 3s manufactured between June and July 2018. Tesla will not cover the cost for the repair, either in good faith or under the battery and drive unit warranty. The repair is costly, but left unrepaired the car may not be capable to charging using level 1 or 2 charging if the PCS fails completely. The error for this issue is seemingly difficult to find. It is not indicated on the Tesla app. It is only discoverable when in the car, while the car is charging and when trying to charge at or above 33 amps. Unlike a traditional check engine light, the error goes away and because the car still charges, it is difficult to realize an issue exists. I'm unaware of when the error first occurred because of this. It is likely the error existed before the general warranty for the car had expired. It doesn't appear Tesla does a diagnostics scan for this error during service appointments which I would think would be routine. The description and troubleshooting steps for this error are also heavily weighted towards possible power grid issues and only suggest a possibility of there being an issue with the car upon further investigation. I'm sure power grid issues exist and often result in the error, but it seems the PCS failure is more often the cause and should be equally stressed.
The car charging is not functioning at certain Amp rating ( 48Amps). Car displays " Power Grid or Vehicle issue limiting the AC charging" and goes to a lower 32Amps charging mode. This could lead to Battery damage and I see that there is a service bulletin asking Tesla to replace "Power Conversion System" but that is limited to a limited time period. But I see several cars manufactured outside of those dates having the issue and this part should be replaced on all cars without a charge to the customers
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while reversing, the Back Over Prevention camera became inoperable nearly causing the vehicle to crash into the garage. The dealer and the manufacturer were contacted and stated that the contact had to pay for the diagnostic test even if the VIN was included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V00D000 (Electrical System, Visibility, Back Over Prevention. The failure mileage was 90,000.
The horn has failed. It started failing around 40,000 miles, and has completely died now at 147000. I am aware of many other horns that have died on MY 2018 vehicles, and apparently they don't consider it a big deal. They're replacing it (which I have to pay for), and apparently they charge everyone for it. If these really are failing like crazy, these should be a safety recall.
I have the issue recorded on video. The computer display totally froze for several minutes while driving on the highway. The turn signals would not work while the computer was frozen and the system needed to reboot after several minutes before the turn signals would start working again. I was in autopilot at the time of this happening. Video documentation can be provided. Here is a link to the video of the safety issue on Google Photos: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMUiX6JR5ppOGGqTCRlWxH1Hiv7hLr2Gm9G5wjjIfYFKz4-Lg7D-_nfAzTTalFX3Q?key=anRJQWo3TGNiM0F1cEJOczZOZ3RTRnRQMm1WOFpB
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V00D000 (Electrical System, Visibility, Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the warning message "Front Left Safety Restraint System Fault. Service Required." The contact continued to drive. The contact stated that the next day, the air bag warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a field mechanic would be sent to his residence to repair the vehicle however, the repair appointment was rescheduled several times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Additionally, the contact became aware that the VIN was included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V00D000 (Electrical System, Visibility, Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000. Parts distribution disconnect. Defective airbag warning sign in red is also active. After repeated requests to Tesla they refuse to fix the issue and keep postponing the repair dates.
Power conversion system failure. Vehicle would not charge from a home wall charger. Issue was confirmed/reproduced by Tesla and the part was replaced outside of warranty coverage at 96,000 miles on the odometer. Failure was sudden with no error messages.
For a growing number of Model 3 owners, components in the HV Battery Service Panel are breaking down, yet Tesla refuses to cover the repair under its Battery and Drive Unit Warranty. Specifically, the "power conversion system" (PCS) in that panel is failing, and reducing an AC charge from 48A to 32A to 16A to… zero. If an owner drives to a location to charge from a Level 1 or Level 2 charger, and the PCS has failed, that owner will be stranded, unable to operate the vehicle. I have submitted a request for mediation to the American Arbitration Association (case no. 01-22-0001-9026), but I deem it important to not only address the problem in my vehicle, but all the others experiencing this same breakdown. I am thus reporting it to the federal safety agency, as I purport that a recall is in order. I will attach a more detailed description of my dispute with Tesla, as well as my original Purchase Agreement with an Agreement to Arbitrate, and a copy of Tesla's most recent warranties.
The enhanced autopilot failed to recognize a divider/Jersey barrier or alert the driver of the obstacle, as the software is advertised and was relied on to do, at an exit ramp and ran into the barrier without any type of maneuver or breaking to avoid the collision causing substantial injury to the driver. This exit is a very busy exit on I-95 with many commuters going to work at this time. It was by sheer luck that no other vehicles were involved. The driver endured an immediate stop from above 50mph to 0 in about a second. As far as I know, no inspection was performed. There were no warning messages, symptoms or problems related prior to the incident.
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact received a notification for the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V00D000 (Electrical System, Visibility, Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was notified of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Stopped in left turn lane. On green light car in front and I began our left turn. I was some distance behind the car when suddenly my brakes applied automatically and I came to complete stop. Luckily car behind did not rear end me. Also, my car started beeping and a warning said something to effect: automatic emergency brake activated.
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V00D000 (Electrical System, Visibility, Back Over Prevention). The contact then attempted to ship the vehicle to Hawaii and was informed that all recalls must be serviced before shipment. The dealer was notified about the recall and informed her that parts were not available. The manufacturer had been notified of the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
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