2018 TESLA MODEL 3 Steering Problems

The front control arms are creaking and I’ve read that many of models built in 2018 have this problem as well. It is unknown if it is a safety concern or not.

Please review attachment.

The front suspension control arm was completely detached due to unfastened bolts. While this happened on the parking lot at low speed, such detachment at highway speed would certainly lead to major damage, loss of control and injuries or death to the driver. Pictures attached show that the bolts did not have any thread lock applied and simply unscrewed themselves due to vibration. The vehicle was brought to Tesla service, where the owner was charged $3700 for repairs. The customer's complaints that this is a structural/manufacturing problem were ignored by Tesla representatives.

I am reporting a major safety defect that began immediately after Tesla installed the Full Self-Driving (FSD) hardware upgrade on my vehicle. After paying $2,000 for FSD and receiving the hardware retrofit, the car now instantly veers left toward oncoming traffic whenever FSD is engaged. This began immediately after Tesla’s installation. Before this service, my vehicle operated safely. I have contacted Tesla Cherry Hill Service Center in New Jersey multiple times. The advisors there repeatedly told me to “just recalibrate the cameras from the touchscreen.” I’ve done this numerous times, following every instruction carefully, but the issue persists. When I called the Service Center, I was told that “everything looks fine remotely,” even though the problem continues and is clearly dangerous. I was also told they could take it for a test drive, but that if they couldn’t find anything, I would have to “wait for a future update” to...

I own a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of steering assist while driving, and the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn, eventually locking up to the point where the vehicle could no longer be safely controlled. There were dashboard warnings related to steering and low-voltage system faults. The vehicle had to be towed because it was unsafe and not steerable. This is the second time within a few months that the vehicle has become inoperable and required a tow. The first failure involved a low-voltage electrical fault that prevented the car from charging or driving. The most recent failure involved the steering rack and a front-end controller component. Tesla diagnosed the issue as requiring replacement of the steering rack and a front controller assembly. The repair cost was quoted at approximately $4,200 out of pocket, and Tesla stated the failure was not covered under...

We noticed that one of our tires was leaning inwards and the alignment was completely shot. There was no event that caused this but just noticed it one day driving. After having to replace two new tires, we took it into the Tesla dealership and they found that the control arm and suspension as well as the frame underneath is broken. The car has a clean tittle and this problem use to be covered by Tesla but for some reason now is not and this is a big steering and safety issue! We should not be responsible for the cost to fix the car if this has happened so often in the past!

The front upper control arms on my 2018 Tesla Model 3 have failed multiple times, producing loud clunking, popping, and binding noises during steering. The issue has worsened and poses a serious risk of loss of control while driving. Tesla replaced these parts under goodwill in the past, but the failures have returned. The most recent incident occurred around 03/05/2025 at approximately 106,867 miles. The failure has been confirmed and documented by Tesla Service Centers, and I have multiple invoices showing repeated replacements of the same components. The problem directly affects steering and suspension safety.

The bolt/fastner holding the control arms almost backed all the way out. I was driving and heard metal sound it got worse on the drive home. I also noticed the alignment to get worse and when I got home I looked and the bolt/ fastner almost came out. There is a tesla recall for only a small percent for my year with that issue. Tesla wants 4k to replace it. It is a huge safety issue. I have a family and it could have been serious if it detached not only to me and my family but other vehicles other pedestrians.

Upon entering my vehicle, which was in my garage, I put it into reverse. I found the steering wheel extremely difficult to turn and upon viewing the screen I saw a message stating "Steering assist reduced. Steering may require increased effort". I backed up about 10 feet and still was unable to turn the steering wheel. I noticed another message advising "Lane Departure Avoidance features unavailable. Features may be restored on next drive". I pulled back into the garage and rebooted the car to no avail. I let the car sit for several hours before trying again. This time the steering was fine. I am scheduled to have the manufacturer inspect the car on Tuesday April 29, 2025.

While regularly driving I experienced a gradual squeaking sounds from the front suspension. A few moments later I noticed that my steering wheel was acting as if it didn’t have power steering. I’m lead to believe that due to the poor design of my Model 3, that the outside elements were easily able to make its way to my Universal power steering shaft leading Tesla to remove and replace my steering shaft and my Upper control arms as well. The rust on the U shaft was incredible, I’ve only driven in the snow one time and immediately the noises starting happening. I paid everything out of my own pocket due to the undeliverable conditions my steering wheels was in.

Right front upper control arm began making noise and was replaced under warranty at 42k miles in Sept 2019. Left front upper control arm failed around 50k miles and caused a wreck resulting in $8,365 in damages in April 2021. When fixing one side it is standard to replace the other and Tesla was negligent. Upon fixing the left side suspension at Blue Ash Auto Body in 2021, the brake caliper came loose while driving on the highway while on a vacation. This caused an additional $1500 or so in charges. Both of these incidents put my life and my son's life in danger. About a week or two after the caliper problem, Tesla issued a recall for that part stating that it is now single use only.

- component or system failed or malfunctioned - Front Subframe Structure (Part Number 1044521-00-J) - the part failed with my car at approximately 55,000 miles. When it failed, the car didn't alert any problem and continue to drive the full-self-driving mode. I only noticed that it was very dangerous the next day when I tried to take my car out of the garage. - the problem was diagnosed by Tesla Service center which I had to toll my car to them because it was unsafe to drive. - The vehicle or component was not inspected by police or insurance, because there was no accident. - There was no warning lamps or indication other than noise.

Horn button does not active horns

On [XXX], I started driving to work when I heard an click from my front wheel. The car was driving without any problem. After a while when making a U-turn, the car front wheel got completely locked with a "grinding sound" and I lost control of the car. Fortunately, it was at low speed and I just stopped driving, If it was at high speed, it could've been a horrible situation. I had to park my car, call Tesla and tow the car to them as it was not drivable. After initial evaluation, they said the bolts of the right suspension lateral arm were not only loose, but detached and fell off, so there was physical locking between the wheel and the lateral arm. Also the bolt attachment site at the subframe was completely worn out so they needed to change the whole subframe and both lateral arms. Beside a...

I recently took my car in for a recall for the trunk wiring harness and have never had any major issues since I purchased it in 2018. Since replacing the recalled harness, I’m starting to receive several alerts from my driver assistance system (emergency brakes, camera failure). I called a service tech who mentioned there’s either a failed camera or a failed wiring harness. Looking online, I was shocked to see hundreds of other owners with a 2018 model 3 also experiencing the same issue in 2024 (assuming after they replaced the recently recalled harness). I strongly believe that these two issues are related and that the camera should be replaced alongside the wiring harness. Several people on this forum have been quoted hundreds or thousands from tesla to replace the harness (including myself) and are taking matters into their own hands by replacing with after market parts. This is...

Without warning, it became extremely difficult to turn the wheel while I was driving. An alert simultaneously appeared stating that steering assist was reduced. I was able to park the car, with difficulty, and then updated the software. The warning disappeared and the steering seemed to work again. Tesla recommended a remote visit only since the car didn’t appear to have any current warnings, however I requested an in-person evaluation. It was determined that the car had a faulty steering rack. They stated that this did not appear to be from damage, and instead an internal fault.

My car began making a loud creaking noise that was palpable in the gas pedal on turns, especially when turning into an incline. I requested service from tesla who gave me an appointment approximately a month after my request. The noise grew louder and more frequent so I messaged service again to make sure the car was safe to drive and see if an earlier time was available. They replied that yes it was safe and no there was no earlier time. Soon thereafter I pulled into a parking spot and heard a very loud noise from the front left and got out to find the left front wheel bent inward and support components hanging from the bottom of the car in contact with the pavement. Per Tesla service's report, "front suspension damage and driver side front finder damage...left front strut damage, front sub-frame assembly damage, lower lateral links damage,...

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal grinding sound emanating from the front driver's side of the vehicle, after which he became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring that the steering wheel be manually returned to center. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 43,000.

Power Steering stopped working suddenly while driving. This was a OEM part replaced on 2021 Aug 30. The car was unable to be controlled and luckily I was driving at slow speed when I realized this issue. This issue happened without any warning and there should be monitoring if this fails and warn the customer to take necessary precautions. Also wondering if the warranty of 1 year for a part like this is sufficient and customer to bear 2750$ cost to replace is a big burden to an average consumer especially if not his fault.

My 2017 Tesla Model 3 was unable to be successfully updated with the OTA firmware update remedy in compliance with NHTSA Recall No. 23V-838. The Tesla Service Advisor claims the computer is the cause of the failure and needs to be replaced at an estimated cost of $2,740.28 because it is no longer covered under warranty. Tesla replaced the original computer with Autopilot Hardware 3.0 at its discretion and expense in 2020, presumably to enable full FSD functionality as the FSD option was part of the original purchase. The computer controls all driving functions of the vehicle without fault and successfully communicates with the Tesla server so the diagnosis that it is defective and the cause of the OTA update failure, as opposed to a "buggy" software update, is highly suspect. Independently verifying the validity of Tesla's diagnosis is not possible given the proprietary nature of such work. In response...

My steering wheel on my 2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range, began to groan louder and vibrate periodically when the steering wheel was turned, especially at lower speeds. At speeds roughly under 50 MPH, the front wheel fender area would vibrate frequently, and more often when I encountered speed bumps or dips in the pavement surface. I contacted Tesla early 2024 through my Tesla app, explained what I was experiencing. Tesla determined I may set a mechanical appointment for 01/14/2024 with a "repair estimate" that was approximately $175.00. Upon preview by the service-intake representative (I do not remember name), he pushed down on my front fender area, heard the "groan" and informed me that my vehicle's issue was "very common and easily correctable, that should not cost me more than $200” in his estimation. A couple hours after dropping off my car, I got a call from another representative from...

Tesla Model 3 autopilot engaged. The car steered itself off the road and into a tree as it was accelerating on a residential street from 8 mph to approx. 30 mph.

I have a 2018 Tesla Mode 3. It is one of the early Model 3 on roads. I have had around 10 issues in the car over the past 6 years of ownership; and most of them were fixed during warranty. My car has no accidents, no water damages (only hand washed), single driver driven and well maintained. Around a month ago, I got an alert in the car “Condition Detected with Controller”. Tesla Service did remote check and stated that VCFRONT (Front Body Controller) needs to be replaced for $900. I took the car for this fix and then heard that VCFRONT Controller is fine, but I need a replacement of Harness and Steering Rack for $4200, as they see corrosion. I told them that I have no issues with driving or anything else, as $4200 is around 25% of the value of the car. I was advised, pay...

The front right lower control arm, sub frame, and bolt(s) failed causing unsafe driving conditions while myself and my kids were in the car. There is a recall on this part for many of the exact same year, make, and model as my car: NHTSA campaign ID: 23V235000. Tesla recall SB-23-31-001 (info pulled from NTSB site). My VIN wasn’t on the recall, but there is clearly an issue, so I was forced to pay for this. Please add my VIN so I can be reimbursed and also get the other side repaired for safety reasons.

The steering of my model 3 became more difficult and clunky like I had to apply extreme amounts of force to turn. When I turned the wheel I could feel the wheel stop in each gear or grove of the steering mechanism. It got so bad at freeway speeds of 75 mph that it became extremely difficult to keep the car going in a straight line. As described before I would apply very heavy force to the wheel to turn it, when it did turn I would feel it clunk into the next stoping point and I would have to clunk back and forth this way to keep it going in a somewhat of a straight line. There was on time while using Full self driving on the freeway at 75 mph on a turn the full self driving was not able to turn the wheel and almost ran into...

This vehicle has had steering squeaks for a really long time. I've had ball joints sealed, control arms replaced and now lateral links replaced for damaged bushings. This has cost me a significant amount of money and the bushings show tears that could have resulted in loss of control.

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the steering disengaged. The vehicle was difficult to steer. The driver was able to veer off the road. The driver steering assist disengaged message was displayed. The local dealer was contacted and scheduled an appointment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 23,505. The contact stated Tesla accepted no responsibility for the failure and charged close to $3000 to replace the unit.

Lost power steering. It started working again, but the dealership recommended a replacement due to corrosion which amounted to around 4k. Comprehensive insurance would not cover since the damage was gradual and not immediate.

Power steering went out in August 2023. It would go back on temporarily intermittently after turning the vehicle off and then on, but ultimately went out for good.

I AM WRITING TO REPORT URGENT SAFETY CONCERNS WITH MY 2018 TESLA MODEL 3, SOFTWARE VERSION 2023.44.30.5.1, AFTER THE NHTSA RECALL ON AUTOPILOT FUNCTIONALITY. I HAVE OWNED MY VEHICLE FOR OVER 4 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD CONCERNS WITH THE ADAS / AUTO-PILOT / AUTO-STEERING FUNCTIONALITY UNTIL THE NHTSA REQUIRED CHANGES IN DECEMBER 2024. WHILE DRIVING ON I-405 IN GARDEN GROVE, CA, MY VEHICLE WHILE IN ADAS / AUTO-STEERING / AUTOPILOT MADE REPEATED AND UNUSUALLY PERSISTENT ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE FROM LANE 4 TO LANE 3. I HAD TO MANUALLY CANCEL EACH ATTEMPT, DESPITE MY SPEED BEING SET TO MATCH TRAFFIC FLOW. THIS ISSUE NEVER AROSE BEFORE THE SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE NHTSA RECALL. MOREOVER, THE VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY SIGNALED FOR DRIVER ATTENTION, DESPITE MY FULL ATTENTION TO THE ROAD, A CONCERNING NEW BEHAVIOR POST-UPDATE. THE NEED TO FREQUENTLY OVERRIDE THESE UNDESIRED MANEUVERS FORCED ME TO DISABLE THE ADAS AUTOPILOT/AUTO-STEERING. THIS PUTS...

During the middle of a low speed turn i heard a loud thump and a metallic sound like a coin hitting the pavement. After completing the turn another strange noise followed by a dramatic change to steering of the vehicle - i would steel center but the car wanted to go left into oncoming traffic. I was able to steer hard right into the shoulder before any cars caused a collision and stop the vehicle. Upon inspection it was clear there was a major failure - the lower control arm for the left front wheel was on the asphalt and one of the bolts was missing, the other completely detached from the vehicle but still in the arm. The wheel had shifted considerably from its normal spot. If this had been at any higher speed or on a freeway this could have been a critical issue causing a life threatening...

The front suspension lateral link fasteners on the driver side wheel came loose and fell off the car in my driveway when I was backing up the car. There is an active recall for this issue - 23V235000, but my VIN wasn't included in that recall.

First Occurrence (5 Oct 2023): On 5 Oct 2023, as I was backing my 2018 Tesla Model 3 into a parking spot, I heard a loud metallic sound as I turned the wheels. I stopped the car to investigate and found a large bolt (about four inches long) under the front end of the car. Further inspection revealed that a similar bolt was partially backed out of the steering linkage. I also noticed the left front wheel was no longer aligned with the right front wheel. I determined the car was not drivable and I had it flat-bedded to the nearest Tesla Service Center. The service center diagnosed that the bolt had fallen out of the left lateral link and the other bolt had partially backed out. Inspection of the bolt that was recovered under the car showed no sign of wear and tear with the threads being in good...

"Self-Driving System" turned into a one-way road, going the wrong way when the road was well labeled. I have had similar problems every time I have activated self-driving over the past 6 years. It is easy to reproduce the issue at any time.

The steering wheel assistance reduced. Couldn’t turn steering wheel while driving. Happened two times. Last time happened today 11/18/2023 at about 1:30pm

I lose all steering assist while driving, have no power assist

I was turning into a parking spot when I heard a loud clanging sound, and I was unable to complete the turn. When I came out to look, the front driver's side wheel was slanted, as if in a turn, the passenger side wheel was straight. I had returned the steering wheel to center before I came out. I found a bolt behind the car, and through visual inspection saw that the front driver's side wheel was no longer attached to the steering shaft. The tow truck driver found another bolt under the car. Neither nut was recovered despite searching. Tesla support told me to tow it to their service center, where they repaired it for me for free, despite the fact that I was no longer under warranty. 1) Component that failed: Front Driver's Side control assembly 2) Safety at risk: the car was unsteerable at that point, at...

When driving couple of days back an alert "UI_a020 stating steering assist disabled" appeared on screen and the steering became stiff. Luckily I was on local road; so I slowed down and pulled over. This could cause a big safety issue if I am on a highway and unable to steer easily at high speed. I contacted Tesla; they suggested getting the steering rack replaced for ~$3000. This is a basic safety issue; fixing it should be covered by Tesla.

Power steering assist failed. I drove to work just fine but after briefly putting the car in park and then back into drive, an error message appeared on the screen (UI_a020 Steering assist reduced) and I could no longer steer the vehicle. I was fortunately able to drive straight ahead into a parking spot and turn it off. I tried waiting a few minutes but was unable to regain any ability to steer the car. He error message only showed after the condition occurred. There were no other warning signals ahead of the failure. Had this happened at speed the outcome could have been catastrophic. This just happened and I have not yet had the car inspected.

Steering well locked up after parking . Unable to turn wheel. Error code power steering failure . UI a020. Forced reset and then had to power down car. Waited 10 minutes. Then steering resumed. Drove to repair shop.

On 9/25/23 I was driving the Tesla Model 3 and had entered a parking garage when the steering suddenly locked and would not work while I was in drive mode. The Tesla screen gave a warning that additional force may be required to manouver. It was with a lot of difficulty that I was able to safely park the car in the garage and called Tesla support. I was instructed to power off the car and reboot. It was a situation that could have potentially put my life in danger and led to an accident had there been other vehicles nearby. I have owned the Tesla since April 2018 and have 39,000 miles.

The front suspension started making a lot of loud noises, the service center acknowledged that it's a control arm issue potentially however my VIN is not listed in a recall that was conducted for this manufacturer and they're doing more recalls on it but the manufacturer says that I have to pay for the repair despite it being a safety issue for the control arm not being tightened to the frame and suspension and potentially dislodge.

Steering column locked up in a left hand turn, braking system is the only thing that kept the car from going off a cliff. Steering column was just replaced, but I was told this wasn't a manufacturing default and was asked to pay. I was told the part is available if requested. Under 40K miles on the car. No accident occurred, no police or insurance companies have inspected anything because of this. I did not ask for the part and just picked up the car today, please let me know if I should request it.

I hit a medium sized pothole on a freeway in 2019 and cracked 2 rims. After replacing the rims and tires, I still had vibration. Now, over about 100-1000 miles, my alignment goes out and my suspension and steering begins to loosen (or feel that way), leading to steering instability, bounciness and vibration through the steering wheel. There are no warnings to identify this, but the car's own "applied offset diagnosis" will show this problem. I've been to Tesla over 10 times to attempt to repair this and they say the car is working as designed after redoing the alignment and torqueing suspension. On about 3-4 of these visits, Tesla has reproduced the problem on a test drive. In 8 of 10 of the visits, the alignment printout afterward shows the front left toe is out. Because they say this is how it is designed, I believe this is a...

Only when driving on HWY speeds 65 mph and above the steering pulls, while correcting to drive safely the car jerks and is very unsafe during hwy speeds as if i'm fighting to keep straight on the road. Tesla confirmed it was the lower lateral links which was replaced but did not fix the issue. the vehicle continues to have the same issue and now Telsa is saying the steering rack may need to be replaced. seems this is a common issue with this car!

THIS IS ON RECAL SB-20-31-006 R3. THE BALL JOINT OF MY TESLA MODEL 3. SQUEAKS/CREAKING, WHEN I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, WHEN I DRIVE SLOW, DRIVE FAST, HIT ANY BUMP, TURN. THE NOISE HAS GOTTEN LOUDER. I WAS TOLD BY TESLA TAHT MY CAR DOES NOT QUALIFY UNDER THE RECAL DUE TO MY VIN#. REQUESTING ASSISTANCE TO GET THIS FIXED.

I received a message on the cars screen Steering alignment service recommended On the drivers side 2 bolts fell out at low speed which we picked up behind the vehicle. Using a jack one of the bolts was reinstalled to allow it to be driven onto a tow truck. I researched and found you had a recall on 2018 model 3 for bolts coming loose. It appears my vin was not part of this recall . I feel it should have been obviously as they must have worked themselves loose to fall out. I discussed this with Tesla service and they are quoting me $2500 for repairs because my vin was not included in the recall.

I purchased this car used 12/05/2022. The seatbelt /driverside, doesn't catch on sudden stops, lurching me forward. I've almost hit the steering wheel with my face and head. Tesla says they are not responsible for replacing seatbelt. I have to pay for it. I don't know previous owners knew about this issue prior to selling it , but according to tesla, this issue doesn't fall with in their purview. Also the sealed control arm bushings on steering are squealing & after squeaking 10,000 miles of my driving this car and purchase. That too isn't covered.

I drive a 2018 Tesla, Model 3 mid range rear wheel drive vehicle. On Saturday, April 22, at approximately 5:10 pm, while driving on east bound on interstate 264 in Norfolk, Virginia, my car suddendly began swerving wildly from left to right. It nearly missed the median on the left and then swerved into the lane next to me on the right. It repeated this about 6 times before it allowed me to regain control of my car. I attempted with my best efforts to counter turn the steering wheel to no avail. During this time, I tried to control the vehicle, although the car's software was in control. It was frightening. If I had been on a two lane road, this could have resulted in a fatal head on collision. If there had been a pedestrian / bicyclist on the road the car that decided to drive itself could...

I was driving the car about 35-40 MPH when I heard a popping sound. The steering immediately locked up and the car was undrivable and unsteerable. I looked around car and the body of the car was resting on top of the front right passenger side tire. A bolt was found underneath the car. There were no vehicle system warnings, I did not hit anything, nor has the car been in any accidents. The car could not even be put into neutral or moved out of the 4 lane road. I contacted police and tow truck who said swing arm had failed. I had four children in the car who could have been seriously or fatally injured. Tesla has been contacted but said it isnt their problem or a manufacturing problem although there is lots of reports on internet and they have issued a recall for this very problem on...