2023 Tesla Model 3 automatic emergency braking problems
243 of the 427 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Tesla Model 3 name the automatic emergency braking (NHTSA’s “Forward Collision Avoidance” heading — forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, including phantom braking). Filed under the same heading: 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the automatic emergency braking
Source: NHTSA complaint database34 of the 243 reports a crash · 1 a fire · 17 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2022: 10 · 2023: 149 · 2024: 42 · 2025: 22 · 2026: 20
Too few of these complaints carry an odometer reading to say when the problem shows up.
427 complaints in all about the 2023 Tesla Model 3, 20 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Forward Collision Avoidance” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Tesla Model 3 automatic emergency braking problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the automatic emergency braking. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
While traveling with cruise control enabled and not using autopilot, about every 50 miles or so I will encounter a situation where there is no one in front of me and the car with begin rapidly decelerating. I have had several drivers behind me hit their horns in a panic while trying not to hit my car.
I experienced unnecessary emergency braking while driving from Chicago to Madison on I-90. I was driving at 75 mph on adaptive cruise control with auto steer on. I suddendly I experience hard braking for no reason. I observed my set speed limit changed to 45 mph. However, I instantaneously took over and pressed accelarator.
Driving on interstate using Tesla model 3 autopilot about 75 mph. Road narrowing from 3 to 2 lanes and I was in the merging lane approaching entry to 2 lane road. Cars were to my right, visible, but safely distant.
Multiple times on the highway the car would slam the brakes for no reason in autopilot mode reducing the speed significantly. In all cases it reduced the speed from around 70 mph to 40 mph. The road was clear with no vehicles in front
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle experienced phantom braking and the vehicle stopped abruptly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to accelerate to avoid getting rear ended.
What is on file about the automatic emergency braking
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsNHTSA investigation
- PE22002 Unexpected Brake Activationopened Feb 16, 2022 · closed Jun 29, 2026
- On February 16, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE22002) to investigate reports of unexpected deceleration while driving with the adaptive cruise control system engaged in Model Year (MY) 2021 – 2022 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles manufactured by Tesla. The subject systems include Autopilot (all versions), Full Self-Driving (FSD) and Traffic Aware Cru…
Other systems with a record on the 2023 Tesla Model 3
Source: the same files- steering problems 87 complaints
- cruise control problems 69 complaints
- electrical problems 51 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre automatic emergency braking problems common on the 2023 Tesla Model 3?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 243 owner complaints naming the automatic emergency braking on this model year (57% of everything owners filed about it), and 1 NHTSA investigation is filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the automatic emergency braking on the 2023 Tesla Model 3?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 12 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do automatic emergency braking problems show up on the 2023 Tesla Model 3?
Too few of the complaints carry an odometer reading to say. The model year's page shows the mileage curve across every system where it can.
What does NHTSA's "Forward Collision Avoidance" heading cover?
Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, including phantom braking. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.