A new report from the Federation of Danish Motorists revealed that nearly 1 in 4 2020 Tesla Model 3s failed safety inspections in Denmark last year, yet another troubling development for the company.
What happened?
According to the Bulgarian news outlet Facts, the Danish Road Traffic Authority requires new cars in Denmark to undergo mandatory periodic car inspections, called MOTs, four years after the car's registration date. That means in 2024, electric vehicles from the 2020 model year — including Model 3s — were due for their first MOT.
Alarmingly, vehicle inspectors found that of the 4,668 Model 3s tested, 1,051 failed the annual MOT — a 23% failure rate. Carscoops reported that, in comparison, four-year-old rival EVs in Denmark only have a 9% average market defect rate.
In total, inspectors discovered 1,392 problems with Model 3s — three times more than they found on other EVs. Common issues noted by the inspectors were with the brakes, lighting, suspension, and steering. According to Facts, the Federation of Danish Motorists called the defect rate of American EVs "outrageous," though it's unclear from the report whether they are actually applying that conclusion to any other American brands.
While the data only applies to MY2020 Model 3s, FDM's Lone Otto told Carscoops that owners of newer models may face some of the same issues.
"We have no reason to believe that younger generations of the Tesla Model 3 will differ significantly from the 2020 generation when it comes to defects and the failure rate," the manager of the technical advisory team said. "It will be more exciting to see how the Tesla Model Y fares."
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Why does this matter?
Seeing as Tesla has made headlines recently for numerous issues, including declining sales, protests at Tesla dealerships, and a voluntary recall of almost every Cybertruck sold in the United States to repair exterior trim panels that could come unglued as owners drive, the latest news is yet another blow to the company's image.
The Model 3 was the world's second best-selling EV in 2024 after the Model Y, according to Autovista24, but with the car's quality seemingly going down, sales and brand loyalty will likely take a hit.
Carscoops reported that in February, Tesla recalled 380,000 Model 3s and Model Ys in the U.S. after some drivers reported a total loss of steering assist. The company sent out an over-the-air update to address a software issue found in the vehicles.
In China, Tesla's Full Self-Driving software has also faced major challenges, as drivers have received unexpected fines due to system errors.
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The latest report out of Denmark could make customers hesitant to buy an EV, which would have negative impacts on the environment if fewer people want to drive non-polluting vehicles.
What's being done to address the issue?
According to Facts, FDM recalled that Tesla released an updated version of the Model 3 in 2023 to address some of the problems noted in the safety inspection. These updates may have included suspension tuning improvements, improved handling, and software updates allowing smoother steering.
Tesla also released an update for its Model 3s and Model Ys in Europe that introduced adaptive headlights — a way of using the car's tech to light up the road ahead more fully while specifically pointing the light away from drivers coming from the other direction, which could be a major improvement for roads across the world.
If you're considering making your next car an EV, check out this guide — you can still get the $7,500 federal tax credit for select models.
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