The Recall Desk
HighNHTSA·21V834000·Announced 2021-10-25

2020-2023 Tesla Model 3 Curtain Airbag Deployment Safety Defect

Tesla is recalling certain 2020-2023 Model 3 vehicles because the side curtain airbag may be improperly secured to the roof rail and could twist, deploying incorrectly during a crash and increasing risk of injury or ejection.

What this means for you

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: This is a structural vehicle safety defect in the side curtain airbag system that could result in improper deployment during a crash and increased occupant injury or ejection risk. Because no injuries or deaths have been reported in the source material, this falls within the High severity category per the rubric.

Plain-English summary

Tesla, Inc. is recalling certain 2020, 2021, and 2023 model year Tesla Model 3 vehicles. The left and/or right side curtain airbag may have been improperly secured to the roof rail during manufacturing.

When improperly secured, the side curtain airbag can become twisted. A twisted airbag may not deploy correctly in a side-impact crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury or ejection from the vehicle. These vehicles fail to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 214 (Side Impact Protection) and 226 (Ejection Mitigation).

Tesla has notified affected owners by mail. To remedy the issue, Tesla Service will inspect and realign the curtain airbags at no cost to the owner. Owners can contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752 or call the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 for more information.

The recalled product

Product
TESLA MODEL 3
Brand
TESLA
Manufacturer
Tesla, Inc.
Category
Vehicle — Airbag System
Hazard
Affected units
3

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (1)

  • MODEL 3

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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