NHTSA // CRASH-TESTED
2019 Tesla Model 3 Safety Ratings
The 2019 Tesla Model 3 scores 80 out of 100 on the NHTSA Safety Index (Strong), with a 5-star overall NHTSA crash rating, 22 recalls, and 590 owner complaints on file.
Updated Oct 1, 2026 from NHTSA data · Reviewed by Ivanna Verstliar
The 2019 Tesla Model 3 achieved a perfect star rating in every NHTSA crash-test category. This otherwise excellent safety profile is significantly impacted by a recall record registering zero points due to 21 distinct recall campaigns. Its NHTSA Safety Index stands at 80 out of 100, placing it in the Strong band, a commendable position grounded in its robust crash-test performance.
The 2019 Tesla Model 3 holds a NHTSA Safety Index of 80 out of 100 and a 5-star overall NHTSA crash-test rating, according to federal NHTSA data.
MotorCaliber Safety Desk // NHTSA data, verified Oct 1, 2026
Among the 119 Sedans from 2019 that NHTSA has crash-tested, the 2019 Tesla Model 3 ranks 83 for overall NHTSA Safety Index.
- families prioritizing rollover safety
- new and teen drivers who want standard crash-avoidance tech
- urban drivers exposed to side-impact risk
| NHTSA Safety Index | 80 / 100 (Strong) |
|---|---|
| Overall crash rating | 5 of 5 stars |
| Frontal / Side / Rollover | 5 / 5 / 5 stars |
| Rollover risk | 6.6% |
| Recalls on file | 22 |
| Owner complaints | 590 (unverified allegations) |
| Class rank | 83 of 119 Sedans tested for 2019 |
| Data verified | Oct 1, 2026 |
ANALYSISHow safe is the 2019 Tesla Model 3?
The 2019 Tesla Model 3 earned 5 out of 5 stars in every crash-test category assessed by NHTSA. This exceptional performance in crash protection contributes to a perfect 70 out of 70 points in that category on our Safety Index. The vehicle further scores a flawless 10 out of 10 for its standard crash-avoidance technology, which includes forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and electronic stability control. However, the Safety Index for the 2019 Model 3 is significantly impacted by its defect record, which registers 0 out of a possible 20 points. This penalty stems from the 21 recall campaigns associated with this specific model year. These recalls are the primary factor in the vehicle's overall Safety Index score of 80 points. A year-over-year comparison is not possible, as no prior Safety Index data is on file. Among the 590 unverified owner complaints, 167 specifically cite issues with Forward Collision Avoidance, a concern that directly correlates with one of the five recall campaigns highlighted in the data. This convergence of owner complaints and formal recall actions within the same system merits careful consideration.
NCAP // CRASH TESTHow did the 2019 Tesla Model 3 perform in crash tests?
The 2019 Tesla Model 3 achieved a perfect 5 out of 5 stars in every crash-test category assessed by NHTSA. This includes overall, frontal, and side impact protection, along with its rollover rating. The vehicle's rollover risk was determined to be 7 percent, with the dynamic tip test resulting in "No Tip." No category in the federal safety evaluation fell below the highest possible mark.
Source: NHTSA NCAP, VehicleId 14094
Index breakdown
NCAP // CRASH IMAGESCrash-test images
Crash-test images are US federal government works (NHTSA / NCAP), public domain.
NHTSA // RECALLSDoes the 2019 Tesla Model 3 have any recalls?
Yes, 21 recall campaigns cover this model year. Documented component areas include the tire pressure monitoring system, front seat belt warning devices, forward collision avoidance pedestrian alert, the electrical instrument cluster, and Autopilot and full self-driving software. All five highlighted campaigns were resolved via over-the-air software fixes. No park-outside or do-not-drive directive appears in the provided campaign data.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS26V507000
Risk: Headlight low beams that are too bright can reduce visibility for oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service will replace the headlights, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 3, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-17-003.
Reported 2026-08-05
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS24V935000
Risk: Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 15, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-018.
Reported 2024-12-17
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES24V376000
Risk: A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.
Reported 2024-05-28
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS:EXTERNAL/PEDESTRIAN ALERT24V153000
Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, release 2023.44.30.14, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 27, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-006.
Reported 2024-02-27
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL24V051000
Risk: Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
Reported 2024-01-30
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE23V838000
Risk: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
Reported 2023-12-12
SUSPENSION:FRONT23V235000
Risk: A lateral link separation could shift the wheel alignment, causing instability and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service will tighten or replace the lateral link fasteners as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 30, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-31-001. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-835.
Reported 2023-03-31
STEERING:AUTOMATED/ADAPTIVE STEERING23V085000
Risk: FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-001.
Reported 2023-02-15
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER:ANCHORAGE22V798000
Risk: An incorrectly reassembled seat belt anchor can impair the performance of the seat belt during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and reassemble the seat belt anchors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-20-004.
Reported 2022-10-21
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS22V702000
Risk: A closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update of the automatic window reversal system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2032. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-013.
Reported 2022-09-19
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL22V263000
Risk: The driver may not know how fast the vehicle is traveling without the mph or km/h unit display, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 17, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-008.
Reported 2022-04-18
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE22V235000
Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will disable the Boombox functionality when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral and Reverse modes, including Summon and Smart Summon, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-003. Note: This recall supersedes
Reported 2022-04-12
NHTSA // COMPLAINTSWhat do owners report about the 2019 Tesla Model 3?
NHTSA has logged 590 unverified owner complaints for the 2019 Model 3. The most frequently alleged problem areas are Forward Collision Avoidance with 167 reports, followed by the Electrical System at 88, Air Bags and Suspension each at 75, and Vehicle Speed Control at 71. These are unverified consumer allegations, not established facts.
590 owner complaints on file. These are unverified allegations reported to NHTSA.
USED BUYERWhat should used buyers know about the 2019 Tesla Model 3?
Any shopper considering a used 2019 Tesla Model 3 should run the vehicle's VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup tool before purchase. With 21 recall campaigns on record, confirming which remedies have been applied, particularly the over-the-air software fixes, is the most important safety step a buyer can take.
- The 2019 Tesla Model 3 scored a perfect 5 out of 5 NHTSA stars in every tested category, including frontal, side, and rollover, with a 7 percent rollover risk and a No Tip dynamic result.
- Twenty-one recall campaigns are attached to this specific model year, driving the defect record component of the Safety Index to 0 out of 20 points and holding the overall Index to 80 out of 100 despite perfect crash and avoidance scores.
- Five of the highlighted recall campaigns were addressed through over-the-air software updates, covering the tire pressure monitoring system, seat belt warning, pedestrian alert, instrument cluster, and Autopilot software. Buyers should verify via VIN that each OTA remedy was actually received and applied on the specific unit they are considering.
- Unverified owner complaints total 590, with Forward Collision Avoidance alone accounting for 167 alleged reports, a figure that directly mirrors one of the formal recall campaigns and represents the most concentrated complaint category for this model year.
RANKINGSWhere the 2019 Tesla Model 3 places
The 2019 Tesla Model 3 qualifies for these MotorCaliber safety rankings:
FAQ2019 Tesla Model 3 safety questions
Was the 2019 Tesla Model 3 crash-tested by NHTSA?
Yes. NHTSA crash-tested the 2019 Tesla Model 3, and it earns a NHTSA Safety Index of 80 out of 100, placing it in the Strong band. The index combines federal crash-test stars, standard crash-avoidance tech, and the recall record.
What are the 2019 Tesla Model 3 crash-test star ratings?
In NHTSA testing the 2019 Tesla Model 3 earned 5 out of 5 stars for overall, 5 out of 5 stars for frontal, 5 out of 5 stars for side, and 5 out of 5 stars for rollover. Its measured rollover risk is 6.6%. Categories NHTSA did not test show as not rated.
How many recalls does the 2019 Tesla Model 3 have?
According to NHTSA recall data, 22 vehicle recalls are on file for the 2019 Tesla Model 3. Confirm your VIN at nhtsa.gov to see which apply to your car.
How many complaints have owners filed about the 2019 Tesla Model 3?
According to NHTSA's complaint database, 590 owner complaints are on file for the 2019 Tesla Model 3. These are unverified allegations submitted by owners, not confirmed defects, and include reports involving a crash or a fire.
Cross-check this record against independent expert reviews and the live NHTSA database before you buy.
Other Model 3 years
Rivals in Sedan (2019)
| Vehicle | NHTSA Safety Index | Overall stars | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Acura RLX Sport | 100/100 | not rated | 0 |
| 2019 Audi A4 Allroad | 99/100 | not rated | 0 |
| 2019 Audi Rs5 Sportback | 99/100 | not rated | 0 |
| 2019 Audi S5 Sportback | 99/100 | not rated | 0 |
| 2019 Audi S4 | 98/100 | not rated | 1 |
| 2019 Tesla Model S 60d | 98/100 | not rated | 0 |
- DATA Pulled directly from NHTSA: New Car Assessment Program crash tests (VehicleId 14094), the recallsByVehicle and complaintsByVehicle records for the Tesla Model 3 2019.
- SCORE The NHTSA Safety Index (0-100) weights crash protection, standard crash-avoidance tech, and the defect record. Full formula on the methodology page. It ranks 83 of 119 in the Sedan class for 2019.
- EDITED Written by the MotorCaliber Safety Desk and reviewed for accuracy and plain-language clarity by Ivanna Verstliar, Editor, against the source figures on this page.
- VERIFIED Data last synced Oct 1, 2026. Recalls change; confirm your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. See our corrections policy and disclosure.