Tesla Model 3 overheating problems

Filed Oct 24, 2026 · Driver assistance · KY

There are hundreds of reports regarding Tesla HW3 computers overheating following the software update to Full Self-Driving (FSD) Lite V14. On 19 SEP 2026, I was required to replace the HW3 computer on my 2022 Model 3 Performance; the total price was approximately ($2,700.00). As the computer was perpetually stuck in a reboot status, the car's safety and security systems weren't functioning properly (e.g. forward collision assist, lane-keeping assist, cameras, Sentry Mode, etc.). Additionally, while parked overnight, the car drained 2-3 times more power as the computer remained stuck in the reboot loop. The computer clearly failed following a software update that increased the performance outside of the design tolerances. However, because my vehicle was out off warranty (both years and mileage), Tesla required me to pay out of pocket for the repair as it was deemed to be normal wear & tear. Of note, we bought the vehicle brand new in June 2022 and it had 62,652 miles at the time that the computer was replaced; Tesla's New Vehicle Limited Warranty is 4 years / 50K miles. I, like many other owners across multiple forums, believe that Tesla needs to take accountability for this failure and reimburse the owners who lost critical safety capabilities as a result of a poorly designed software update that was rushed through production. Additionally, leading up to the failure, I had not used FSD for more than a one month trial period, but I did regularly use Autopilot. Also, Tesla replaced the failed HW3 computer with another HW3 computer, which has me stressed that this issue is likely to happen again in the near future.

Filed Sep 6, 2026 · Acceleration, Electrical · AL

While my wife was driving, the high-voltage battery failed and the car went into reduced power/limp mode. Tesla later determined that coolant had gotten into the high-voltage battery and caused it to fail. My main concern is that we had no warning that there was a coolant leak or that coolant was getting into the battery. There was no low-coolant warning or anything telling my wife that there was a serious problem developing. By the time the car started giving high-voltage and reduced-power warnings, the damage had already occurred and Tesla said the battery needed to be replaced. What concerns me even more was what happened after Tesla received the car. Tesla removed the battery and quarantined it in the parking lot. They told us in writing that it was removed because of coolant ingress as a safety precaution and that a specialized technician had to determine whether the battery was safe to discharge. During a phone call, a Tesla employee also told me they quarantined it because there was a possibility the battery could explode and they did not want anyone injured or anything damaged if that happened. That was alarming because my wife had just been driving this car, and afterward it sat in our driveway while we waited for it to be taken to Tesla. At no point were we told that the battery could be dangerous or that the vehicle should be kept away from people or property. We had no idea Tesla would consider the condition serious enough to quarantine the battery once they received it. Tesla later confirmed in writing that coolant ingress was the root cause of the battery failure. I would like the federal safety agency to look into why this condition was able to get this far without warning the driver and whether other vehicles could have the same issue.

Filed Aug 5, 2026 · Driver assistance · CA

All Teslas vehicles running HW3 / AI3 Autopilot self driving computers have been known for years to have a defective design problem with the cooling system without its own dedicated cooling and which puts the self driving computer last in the cooling looping at the top of the cooling stack. When the computer fails and they will Tesla requires the owner to replace the computer. This does not result in a redesigned improvement to the computer or cooling system that reduces the thermal stress being applied to the new computer. Tesla is now pushing a new version of the self driving FSD software with the “v14 Lite” release over the last two weeks. This software release uses large complex software models which Tesla design to use every part of the HW4 / AI3 compute power which stressed the computer by pushing it to it compute limiting. All this compute is causing the computer to overheat and fail. Tesla then require owners who are all out of warranty now to pay thousands to replace the computer. This replacemen uses the same flawed cooling system and the same computer incapable of dealing passive compute requests on it by the latest v14 Lite software to eventually cause the computer to just require the replacement computer to eventually need yet another replacement of the same flawed design at owners cost. There is also supposed to systems which monitor the thermal stress on the computer and shut it off abruptly until it cools down which is not ideal at freeway speeds which is not happening. Recall to address and resolve the issue with improved cooling, more powerful computer that doesn’t reach maximum capacity and it’s each use, and less taxing software needs to be issue. This is a major safety design problem which Tesla has not addressed. There only solution is to just replace design constrained components with the exact same parts at owners cost. These multiple design issues can and often result is sudden shutdown of the computer, or worse case sudden complete failure.

Filed Apr 21, 2026 · Driver assistance · TX · crash · 2 injuries

While driving at highway speed under normal operating conditions with the accelerator engaged and no braking input, the vehicle suddenly experienced a sustained 6-minute-12-second ADAS/EDR degradation cascade. This included OVERHEAT_PROTECT_FANONLY activation, repeated AEB_CAN_STATE_UNAVAILABLE toggling, FAULT 14.0 brake-signal mismatch, impossible negative brake pressures, and 27+ ABS/EBD/ESP fault-lamp cycles. No warning lamps, messages, or alerts appeared prior to the cascade. The degradation resulted in loss of braking assist and stability control functions, causing two collision events (right-side T-bone impact followed by curb strike) despite no driver error or input. This failure mode matches the exact ADAS/EDR degradation pattern under active the federal safety agency Engineering Analysis EA26002. Full technical details, timestamps, fault logs, sampling gaps, and EDR data are provided in the attached narrative PDF and supporting CSV files.

Filed Jun 15, 2025 · Brakes, Electrical · AL

My brake lines began to leak. When I took the car to the Tesla Service center they repaired the brake lines, but in the process they found that the brake fluid had leaked in/on the battery compartment. Furthermore, they found a coolant leak that also leaked on/in the battery compartment. This cause a hole to develop into the battery compartment. Having the coolant and brake lines in a place that could affect the batteries is a significant design flaw of the Model 3. According to the technician from Tesla, my car/batteries, were a ticking time bomb and could have ignited at any point. I am very fortunate that a fire was not started with myself or my family in the car. I believe Tesla needs to make all Model 3 owners aware of this possibility and come up with a way to remedy this flaw before someone looses a life. If the brake lines on my car hadn't sprung a leak, I'm not sure I would have know about the coolant leak until it was too late.

Filed Mar 27, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · CA

On March 21, 2025, my Tesla Model 3 Long Range entered "Power Reduction Mode" — a safety feature that limits power to protect the high-voltage battery from overheating or failure. Tesla later diagnosed a coolant leak near the battery area. Their own service advisor stated in writing that the failure was “most likely related” to the battery’s thermal management system — the very system responsible for regulating battery temperature and preventing damage. Despite the connection to the battery protection system and the vehicle being under the 8-year/120,000-mile battery warranty, Tesla has refused to cover the repair. The issue remains unresolved, and I have not picked up or approved any repairs on the vehicle. My concern is that driving the vehicle in this state — or leaving this failure unaddressed — could lead to further battery damage or pose a safety risk. I am requesting that the federal safety agency evaluate this issue as a potential safety concern, especially as the manufacturer is refusing to repair a system directly linked to high-voltage battery safety.

Filed Apr 19, 2024 · Fuel system · AZ

Design defect that caused the cooling system to fail and potentially not cooling the battery system. Per Tesla service center, leaves and debris which are common in everyday use got on top of the radiator, the fan on the back of the radiator sucked the debris and caused the damage to the radiator to leak. the radiator’s design may be inadequate, leading to the issue and caused potential damage to the battery pack or computer as a result of overheating which might leads to fatal accidents.

Filed Mar 25, 2024 · Electrical · MD

Since Summer/Fall 2023, 2019 Tesla Model 3 software appears to have been compromised. The vehicle shows entirely incorrect directions, at times having taken me 24 miles out of the way; shows a Subdivision in Baltimore, MD named "[XXX] Heights" and a business in Woodbridge, VA named "David's [XXX] Pole Waxing"; has removed all charging stops at certain times and then showed all charging locations in a Metropolitan area as "busy", has rolled down windows at random in 17⁰ weather to the point of having to hold the window toggle up with one hand while driving, is operating windows in reverse; shows an overlay on the screen where the white speed limit sign sometimes changes the size of the square; shows an overlay on the app, and has at times locked me out of the car entirely (seemingly remotely). The heated seats had overheated at other times and had left burns on my back. Tesla denies that the software and/or app have been compromised and claims that the currently-installed software is the original factory software without having inspected the car. Tesla twice now has declined to inspect it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Feb 22, 2024 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · CA

Have reported multiple times the safety hazard with the unnacuracy of the mileage given per charge. Vehicle will drain through battery leaving motorist standard. When using self drive option vehicle will not stay in appropriate lanes. Vehicle will overheat on battery and start making concerning sounds while driving. When reported to Tesla they acknowledged the issue but have failed to fix the issues on the vehicle.

Filed Feb 12, 2024 · Airbags, Electrical · FL

The car is showing a system failure of the passenger restraining system, including the airbag. Car is only five years old with 67,000 miles. This condition should be repaired by Tesla at no cost to the consumer for this early failure. Also, the air conditioning compressor has failed, it is part of the battery cooling system which may create hazard of overheating The battery. This repair should also be covered by Tesla since it is a safety feature. These two failures seem to be very common among Tesla owners as evidence by the multiple social media post on these failures, a safety recall should be implemented to provide these repairs, and no cost to the consumer. Thank you so much.