2019 TESLA MODEL 3 Air Bags Problems

70 complaints about Air Bags

70
Complaints
9
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Deaths

High Severity Issue

This component has been associated with crashes, fires, or deaths.

This Problem Across All Years

All Air Bags Complaints (70)

Jan 5, 2026

System error code RCM_a021 "Front left safety restraint system issue" The wiring under the front seat may be damaged due to the "easy entry" function which raises, lowers and moves the seat backward and forwards for easier entry and exit of the car. Safety restraint system or airbags may be compromised in the event of a collision if wiring or controls are damaged. Warning code RCM_a021 appeared every time the easy entry function was automatically started.

Oct 9, 2025

My Tesla displayed fault code RCM-A056 (Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault). This error disables or compromises the front passenger airbag/occupant restraint system. The fault appeared without accident or damage, and Tesla has declined to cover the repair because my Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty has expired. This is a critical safety defect because it prevents the front passenger airbag system from functioning properly in a crash. Tesla has issued recalls and service campaigns related to restraint control module calibration, and many owners have reported the same fault code. I am filing this complaint so NHTSA can investigate whether this is part of a broader safety defect trend and ensure Tesla repairs these failures regardless of warranty status.

Sep 10, 2025

Front left safety restraint. Airbags won’t deploy due to this issue.

Sep 5, 2025

Front passenger safety restraint system fault - this seems to be very common issue on Tesla Model 3 where I'm told some wires or sensor is pinched on the seat when the seat is reclined too far back or forward. It could cause an issue with the airbag misfiring or not firing at all during an accident, leading to death. I think this needs to be investigated immediately - this is a common issue and Tesla is not repairing for free. They're quoting people with a "filter" fix which is a band-aid fix only for about 300$ (Tesla says there is 50% change this will fix it) or they want us to replace the whole seat with the sensors that cost close to 1500$. Even with the new seat, the issue has come back few times for many people.

Aug 29, 2025

Driving as normal when an alert for a front passenger safety restraint system fault appeared. It went away on its own. I thought it was a software glitch. It would periodically reappear, then go away after a driving session. Last week it persisted between sessions. I learned that if the seat was moved slightly forward or back, then the alert would go away. I scheduled a service with Tesla. Tesla advised that the entire car seat and airbag would have to be replaced for $1800. This is a ~50,000 mile car with no collision history. It's just out of warranty. Tesla refuses to tell me if the car will safety function in an accident or not. The alert is gone, but I have a service estimate that says the car has all of these problems. Major safety concern.

Aug 21, 2025

There is an error with my car's Occupant Classification System (OCS) which is giving me an alarm of "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault". Tesla only "fix" is to replace the OCS with what seems to be a newer version. You can tell it is a new version because they are also telling me I need to replace my airbag as my current airbag is not compatible with the new OCS.

Aug 4, 2025

Passenger Restraint System Fault causing the system not to sense the presence of front passengers. This could possibly lead to safety systems for the passenger to not work in the event of a crash.

Aug 4, 2025

The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that the passenger's side air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the Tesla Service Center, where it was diagnosed and determined that the passenger's side seat sensor had failed. The seat was replaced with a new seat; however, the air bag warning illuminated after the repair. The vehicle was taken back to the service center, where the contact was informed that the technician had failed to install the module connected to the air bag during the previous repair. The seat replacement was performed a second time; however, the failure persisted, and the contact noticed that the seat was not installed correctly. The contact requested for another service through the Tesla App, but the request was denied. The contact was informed that the vehicle was repaired, and the notification of the failure was due to a glitch in the system. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal creaking sound coming from the front suspension. The contact stated that the sound became louder while turning. An appointment was scheduled with the Tesla Service Center. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Jul 23, 2025

The rear camera on my Tesla intermittently fails when shifting into reverse. Additionally, the rear trunk will not open using the in-car release button, mobile app, or key fob. A warning appears stating the function will return on the next drive, but I am often forced to use the emergency release to access the trunk. I believe this may be related to a prior recall involving the rear trunk harness, but when checking my VIN, no active recalls appear. Tesla service also reports no recalls on file. I am also receiving an intermittent fault message regarding the front passenger safety restraint system, stating that service is required. This is a serious concern, as a malfunctioning restraint system may fail to protect occupants in the event of a crash. Tesla has given me an estimate of $225.00 to address the safety restraint fault and $495.27 to repair the trunk/rear camera issues, with a total cost of $739.60 including taxes. I believe that safety-related repairs, especially those involving airbag and restraint systems, should be covered by the manufacturer and not passed on to the vehicle owner when not due to misuse or damage. The passenger restraint fault poses a direct safety hazard in a crash. The rear camera issue, while less severe, still impacts safety, as the camera provides a wider and clearer view than mirrors alone. I am asking NHTSA to review whether these issues are safety defects and whether they may be connected to known problems or recalls not applied to my vehicle.

Jul 14, 2025

Tesla wants >$750 to "fix" a bug it sold in the car, & won't turn off the beep that happens every 5 minutes of driving, telling us that their sensor is defective. They want us to pay to tear the seat apart so they can replace the entire sensor. This error is happening in most of their vehicles (at least 2019 Model 3's). It's probably a Malfunctioning Occupant Weight Sensor (which determines if someone is in the seat and dictates whether the airbag should deploy). This fault triggers the painful loud beep/warning every 5 minutes of driving, & may disable the airbag in a collision. Tesla's systems rely heavily on software, & it may be a glitch or bug, but they say they can't fix it w/o making us pay to take out the seats. Or it may be Wiring and Connection Issues. (We have just 35,000 miles on this vehicle.)

Jun 2, 2025

Tesla has just informed me about a safety concern on the 2019 M3 They explained that despite of the car not giving me a notification, it is showing on their end that my car has an airbag safety concern and by law they have to tell me. So I asked why this recall is not being addressed and fixed by Tesla. They told me that is my choice and if I choose to be safe I have to pay. This is not acceptable. Recalls that fail the nhtsa standards need to be accounted and addressed by the manufacturer. Please assist I find interesting that I didn’t receive a notification but they have and we all know that notifications can be manipulated by Tesla.

Jun 2, 2025

We have recently incurred an alert that comes on as it pleases and has no rhyme or reason for popping up with passenger airbag restraint issue. Tesla is wanting to charge us over $900 to fix this issue yet this isn’t an us issue it’s a them issue. They installed a faulty airbag sensor which now requires the replacement of sensor, airbag, and harness as well as a software update. I have seen thousands of complaints online in regards to the same error code. This is something Tesla needs to take ownership for. This isn’t a wear and tear item, these airbags have never been deployed, so why are we being punished! Recall these cars they are a hazard

May 20, 2025

Started getting intermittent RCM_a056 faults stating "front passenger safety restraint system fault". Apparently this can be a safety issue as the airbag may not deploy and seems to be a common issue reported by owners. Tesla is charging owners to fix this safety issue, which in some cases is completely replacing the full seat and airbags. Instead, this should be covered under recall or bulletin fix.

May 8, 2025

Around February or March of 2025, my Tesla Model 3 (year 2019) began to flag an electronic warning for a passenger occupancy sear sensor and recommended immediate service. The sensor and warning did not stay on and would only appear intermittently. I still decided to service the vehicle and took the car to the manufacturer service center closest to me in May 2025. I was quoted for $500-$600 to repair the sensors. Later the quote was updated to over $1,200 because the new sensor was “not compatible” with the old air bag. It seems like Tesla intentionally or knowing used an updated sensor either because the old sensor was known to have issues or because of refreshed models but then did not ensure they used a part that worked with their existing model cars. This seems like a major safety issue and requires customers to pay twice their expected repair cost in order to ensure basic required safety functions work on a 6 year old car. I clarified with the service advisor that if I did not replace the airbag that they would not deploy in a collision and they affirmed my understanding which forces me to have to replace the airbags on a 6 year old vehicle for no reason other than Tesla’s poor safety planning.

Apr 15, 2025

The front passenger seat’s OCS required a service bulletin application, involving a retrofit of the seat belt reminder sensor and component replacement, confirmed by a Tesla technician. The repair likely falls under TSB SB-19-20-003 (2017-2019 Model 3), addressing OCS electrical interference causing airbag indicator issues, which can affect seat belt reminder functionality. The TSB involves retrofitting parts My 2019 Model 3 (39,140 miles) needs an OCS repair per SB-19-20-003, a known safety issue from 2019 affecting airbags and seat belts (FMVSS 208). Since it’s a manufacturing defect and a safety risk this should be under a recall.

Mar 31, 2025

The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the air bags warning light illuminated and the message "Front Passenger Safety Restraint Fault - Service Required" was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the front passenger seat occupancy system had an internal fault and the bolts, knee and passenger air bag bolts, bolt mat, passenger air bag, harness retaining clip, front row seat harness assembly, right hand, front row seat belt reminder sensor box, front row occupancy sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Mar 6, 2025

A warning alert message popped up stating “RCM_a056 Front passenger safety restraint system fault”. I contacted Tesla dealer and they said at is out of warranty after 5 years and my car is 6 years old. On searching internet I noticed several people have same issue. Tesla said there is no recall at this time. Since this is a safety critical system which affects the air bag deployment, can NHTSA investigate and see if this can become a mandatory recall. Tesla are quoting $1130 for repair!

Feb 8, 2025

Passenger safety restraint system fault warning keeps alerting on the display screen. I contacted Tesla about the situation and they want to charge me for the fix. This is a safety issue and not a mechanical issue

Feb 8, 2025

Passenger safety restraint system fault warning keeps alerting on the display screen. I contacted Tesla about the situation and they want to charge me for the fix. This is a safety issue and not a mechanical issue

Feb 4, 2025

passenger safety restraint system light came on, Tesla says to fix needs to install OCS filter module and replace existing OCS sensor because its not compatible with existing OCS sensor...cost is $806....there are no broken parts in my car. according to Teslas service bulletin Sep 21, 2020 this problem is caused by electrical interference in the seat harness causing the airbag restrain system message on screen due to faulty design.....Tesla says i need to pay for it because car is out of warranty, i say its a faulty design and they have to fix free. this should be a recall because Tesla is aware of many of same problems that make the airbag inoperable. from the bulletin "On some Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, the Occupant Classification System (OCS) signal might be affected by electrical interference in the seat harness, causing the airbag indicator to display on the touchscreen." Tesla has been aware of the problem for 4 years at least.

Jan 4, 2025

The airbag and seat belt system on the driver's side is faulty, which may result in an unsuccessful deployment of the airbag should I get into an accident. This is an immediate safety concern, yet Tesla would like to charge me over $400 to remedy the situation. That's why I'm reporting this as a safety recall so that no other owner/ leasee faces this risk or financial burden.

Nov 20, 2024

I along with many people online have reported the occupant safety restraint system having an issue and setting off a fault. I took it back several times on a warranty to Tesla. However, they were unable to replicate the air. Now the air is started again. the car is out of warranty and Tesla wants $2000 now to put in a new airbag new occupant sensor and clip. This is absolute ridiculous, and has really undermined my faith in Tesla. They should not be having occupant faults.and not fixing it.

Nov 8, 2024

The OCS filter (occupant classification sensor) failed causing a “passenger restraint system fault”. This is simply a poorly designed component that fails. It is extremely common. The repair was quoted at nearly $2000 because the airbag and module have to be upgraded alongside it. Tesla sold a bunch of cars with a faulty $15 sensor, and is forcing $2000 worth of repairs just to get the passenger safety system to work.

Oct 30, 2024

I am submitting a complaint regarding an unresolved safety issue with the front passenger restraint system in my 2019 Tesla Model 3 (VIN: [XXX] ). Since February 2024, I have encountered recurring alerts for this system, despite multiple service visits to address it. Service History and Concerns: The initial repair attempt on February 27, 2024, involved Tesla replacing the Occupant Classification System (OCS) filter module. However, the alert returned shortly after, showing the issue was not resolved. On October 14, 2024, I returned to Tesla, where they quoted $1,800 for further repairs, claiming my general warranty was expired. Their records indicate that this failure directly impacts the front passenger’s safety restraint, making it a serious defect. During a follow-up visit on October 23, 2024, the issue was confirmed but left unaddressed unless I paid out-of-pocket. This recurring fault poses a critical safety risk, as a defective restraint system compromises passenger protection in a crash. Tesla’s refusal to provide coverage, despite prior similar recalls for restraint systems, suggests a pattern of shifting safety costs onto consumers. I request the NHTSA to investigate this fault’s prevalence and require Tesla to provide a remedy that upholds passenger safety. Thank you for your attention to this serious issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Oct 6, 2024

Front left safety restraint system fault alert which requires service from Tesla service center. Tesla is charging $360 before taxes to fix this issue which seems to be an ongoing issue for many Tesla owners. The cost should be on the company since it’s a safety concern.

Oct 6, 2024

Front left safety restraint system fault/Service is required

Sep 21, 2024

There is a common warning message on Tesla Model 3 and Y that states “Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault” I just received it on mine. Tesla service advised that the passenger airbag and safety system may not function in the event of a crash. I searched online and can see in forums that many people receive this warning. Tesla also confirmed that if someone receives this message while driving and then they get into an accident during that same drive, the airbag may not work. This is a HUGE safety issue, and Tesla should be held accountable.

Sep 11, 2024

Over the last few days, an alert has come and gone numerous times indicating a fault of the front left safety restraint system. As of today, the alert persists and does not go away. The computer reports an error code of “RCM_a021 Front left safety restraint system fault. Service is required.” Additionally the airbag indicator is illuminated, which I believe means that it is disabled because of this error.

Sep 10, 2024

There have been a number of Tesla’s coming back to the dealership due to a left or right pseat restraint error, which is the seat restraint module failure or even pinched wires that have not been secured properly during manufacturing. This is a safety issue that Tesla needs to correct as they are charging customers between $460 and $1500 to be repaired and these faults end up coming back time after time. Any other car manufacturer would replace on a recall.

Aug 22, 2024

Seat sensor error. "Front left safety restraint system fault" Car was still under warranty when the right seat fault happened. Clearly an issue with Tesla since there are many reports out "restraint system fault"

Aug 16, 2024

While driving I received an error on the screen stating “front passenger safety restraint fail -service needed”. This would go on and off randomly. It took over a month to get into Tesla. By the time I got into service the error was gone but Tesla replaced a sensor and airbag to be complaint with the sensor costing over $1300. I have seen a lot of posts of other Tesla owners experiencing the same error.

Aug 11, 2024

Safety issue: Got a "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault" (code RCM_a056) out of a sudden. Apparently, the passenger's occupied-seat sensor is not communicating with the system, leading to potential hazard in airbag deployment scenario. Upon reaching out to the Tesla Service Center, got a quote for $1600, which includes a replacement not only of the passenger's seat sensor, but there's also a need to replace the airbag - to maintain compatibility with the new sensor. Upon additional research, I've discovered that this is not merely wear and tear; some owners reported that this error appears on brand new cars. In short, Tesla is requiring customers to pay $1600 to cover a design failure that could result in a safety / injury. The company should be held liable to its errors, not customers.

Aug 9, 2024

I continuously receive a notification on my car that the there is a fault with the passenger restraint system and includes a red income with the airbag. I have found hundreds of Tesla drivers that have reported the same issue. Tesla is claiming that my airbag needs replaced as well as other safety components with the seat that need retrofitted in order for the airbag to work properly. They quoted me over $2.4k for the repair and are holding me responsible for all costs since the vehicle is out of warranty. They told me that the airbag may not work properly. This is a common problem among Tesla’s and should be assessed.

Aug 2, 2024

An error has displayed on the screen stating: "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault RCM_a056 Service is Required" and reaching out to the local Tesla service center, I discovered the prescribed repair costs $1600. After searching online for other owner's experience with the error, I discovered that this is a common issue caused by a wire connection to the seat control model coming loose due to a poorly tensioned connector. Those other owners have reported that Tesla knows about this issue in their manufacturing and is refusing to fix the issue or issue a recall even though it is a safety issue.

Jun 25, 2024

FRONT PASSANGER SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAULT

Jun 17, 2024

Car repeatedly shows a warning for "Front passenger safety restraint system fault." The error goes away after a few minutes usually, but comes up frequently - about 1/2 of all drives. Error came up in 2021 and Tesla fixed it under warranty in about 2 minutes, tech said it's a sensor under the seat and a frequent error. Called Tesla about it in May 2024 and they said it's a safety hazard and we need to replace the entire front seat and seatbelt, estimated at $1,500 and multi-day repair. Warranty expired last year which may explain difference in recommended repair. Friends with same car have been experiencing the same warning and there are many reports of it online.

Jun 16, 2024

Driver-side Airbags deployed for no reason. While my husband was driving, the Tesla screen showed that the crash had been detected, so airbags were deployed, and he was asked to call 911. However, no collision occurred. Attaching photos of the towed car. Police came and didn’t make a report since no collision was present. After the tow truck towed the car, and a couple of hours later, we went to pick up our belongings; we couldn’t access the trunk, the car was fully dead. However, the charge was 71% before the deployment of the airbag.

Jun 6, 2024

Occupant sensor and wiring harness in the front seat becomes "pinched" under the seat when my son sits in the seat. Error code comes up on the dashboard.

Jun 4, 2024

Received a system fault for seat belt SRS airbag safety restraint system for front left passenger. code RCM_a021_pretenLapFrontLeft Causes the pretensioner and restraint system to not function as designed. Has not been in an accident and verified problem was persistent with hard system reset and software update. Did not do modification or touch the seat belt components at all during ownership period. Worried that the pretensioner and SRS airbags will not go off if involved in a crash. First appeared last year intermittently and then starting June 1st, 2024 The airbag lamp is on inside the warning panel of screen.

May 28, 2024

I have a known safety issue with my Tesla model 3. There is a fault in the clips, requiring a filter clip to allow the safety restraint system to work appropriately. Tesla admits this is a known manufacturer fault but still charges 400$ to correct it.

May 28, 2024

Car giving message 'front passenger safety system error'. Scheduled service with Tesla and was given a qoute of $2500. I checked online and found that this is a common problem where seats have been replaced, some harness under seat is issue and in some cases airbags were replaced. Seems to be a common safety issue which is manufacturing defect and should be recalled with no cost fix. Given it is a safety issue, I cannot drive with a passenger on front seat.

May 22, 2024

The car has a feature which adjust the seats for easy entry and for a driver based on driver profile. This results in the drivers seat to automatically adjust per profile. It seems overtime this damages a cable or connection under the seat, resulting in a fault in the sensor which recognizes a driver being present in the seat in case of emergency, ie determines if it should deploy airbag. Right now our car is showing this error and it’s only present when the seat adjust for my partner who is a shorter driver. Tesla has stated previously that this would be around $250 to repair, could only do it in person at the repair center. Online I’ve seen reports of onsite techs making the repair in less that 5 minutes with no or minimal charge for a replacement sensor or cable.

May 21, 2024

Front passenger restraint system fault. Tesla service informed that the airbags may not deploy and they need to be replaced.

May 10, 2024

Starting on May 6, 2024, my vehicle display showed an error message stating "Front passenger safety restraint system fault - Service is required." I alerted Tesla of this error through my phone app and set an appointment to have this fixed. I then received an estimate of $1400 which consisted of replacement of the passenger airbag ($1000) as well as an additional sensor that Tesla is indicating went bad ($400). I have never been in an accident with this vehicle so I can't understand why the airbag would be to be replaced, unless it was defective. I questioned this with Tesla and was told that none of the safety systems are covered anymore since the vehicle is now our of warranty. My wife drives my daughter to school daily and I'm more concerned that a car I spent $40k + on will not protect her in the event of a crash. Why would an un-used airbag need to be replaced at the owner's expense? Why isn't Tesla covering a defect in their restraint systems?

May 9, 2024

I received an error. - RCM_a056 "front passenger safety restraint system fault" So I scheduled service to review what happened. According to Tesla, and my service center - this is a known and common issue. The issue is a failure of the seat occupancy sensor. This requires replacement of: seat harness assembly, seat belt reminder sensor box clip and the first row occupancy sensor. However, the major issue (and what should be a class action lawsuit) is that Tesla created a new sensor - that now works, however, requires the replacement of the PASSENGER AIRBAG. Tesla's solution to this widely known issue (according to my service center) was to create a sensor that is not compatible with the current airbag system. This cost is astronomical. If the sensor alone could be replaced, this could be around a $400 fix, but because the airbag is an extra (approximate) $1,000. Total cost of repair is $1,329.34, not including the required $100 remote diagnostic fee.

Apr 15, 2024

Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault requiring replacement of airbag and passenger seat sonsor retrofit. If not replaced a danger of airbag failure to deploy. Problem confirmed with dealer and inspected by manufacturer. Warning light appeared to bring car in for repair

Mar 5, 2024

The car's main screen displayed an error message, "front passenger safety restraint fault. service required." According to on line user groups this same safety system fault has occurred in many Tesla Model 3 cars. In my case, Tesla replaced the occupancy sensor harness in the seat and replaced the passenger side air bag, for a total price of $1800. Replacing the air bag was by far the most expensive part of the repair, but it wasn't defective, it was merely incompatible with the new sensor. With a repair this expensive, many car owners will be tempted to forego the entire repair, since the warning doesn't prevent the car's operation. Tesla should recall all Model 3s and repair the problem, otherwise many drivers will be tempted to drive with a defective sensor system.

Feb 12, 2024

The car is showing a system failure of the passenger restraining system, including the airbag. Car is only five years old with 67,000 miles. This condition should be repaired by Tesla at no cost to the consumer for this early failure. Also, the air conditioning compressor has failed, it is part of the battery cooling system which may create hazard of overheating The battery. This repair should also be covered by Tesla since it is a safety feature. These two failures seem to be very common among Tesla owners as evidence by the multiple social media post on these failures, a safety recall should be implemented to provide these repairs, and no cost to the consumer. Thank you so much.

Jan 21, 2024

In July 2023 we started receiving airbag fault messages on the main screen, “Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault". Based on our research this meant that in the event of an accident the airbag would most likely not deploy. We tried to schedule service and due to a "bug with the recent update" we could not get the invoice through their app or schedule the actual service for over a week. After contacting Tesla multiple times we got scheduled and had to drive to a service center instead of mobile service coming to us. This turned out to be a known fault due to the lack of an Occupant Classification System (OCS) Filter Module on the 2017-2019 Model 3. We were charged $165.89 to install what should have been provided for free on a recall to all affected model years. Upon arrival to the center they told me it could end up costing thousands of dollars if they had to replace the airbags, wiring harnesses and other components. That car was about 4 years and 1 month old, and just under 70K miles at the time, so the airbag system should not be failing. Those costs could be prohibitive for some owners, causing them to drive with an unsafe car. Luckily the service center tried the cheapest option first, which was installing the filter that is now standard equipment on all 2020 model years and later. The fact that Tesla now installs that filter as standard shows that it is necessary, and should have been provided to all previous model years as a free recall. Details can be found in the service bulletin that Tesla has already submitted to NHTSA at [XXX] . If that link doesn't work it is [XXX] from [XXX], 2019. This is a known issue for the affected year models that is fixed with an OCS filter module on newer models, that can be installed in a short time on older models. The lack of that module puts users at risk of the airbags not deploying as designed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Dec 6, 2023

Warning message regarding passenger safety restraint system. Code RCM_056

Nov 7, 2023

Front right safety restraint system fault. Rear right safety restraint system fault.

Nov 1, 2023

Air bag sensor not functioning as advertised. I have opened 4 service actions with Tesla. I have been told the sensor activates the airbag for passengers weighing 100 lbs or more. My wife weighs approximately 120 lbs, and we are having continual failures of the system to activate the front passenger airbag, despite her occupation of the seat. We have provided time and date information as requested for Tesla service to review the car's log information. Tesla has performed 2 "hands-on" inspections of the vehicle, and one remote inspection, and continue to assert that the system is working as intended. Tesla service is now stating that clothing could cause the problem, but have failed to render a solution to the issue. I find it unreasonable to have a 20% margin of error for a sensor that operates a life-safety system in a modern vehicle.

Oct 6, 2023

I get an intermittent error message: RCM_a021 Front left safety restraint system fault service is required Tesla service charges nearly $360 for this repair. I have understood from owners with the same issue that the connector to the seat belt pretensioner is the issue. Several owners have the same issue.

Sep 18, 2023

This is a rampant problem with tesla models. You get a seat restraint safety feature has failed. These are being repaired with a make shift repair and the owners are being charged for it.

Jul 12, 2023

The issue pertains to a persistent warning message that displays "front passenger safety restraint system fault" with associated error code "rcm_a056". This warning suggests a potential malfunction in the safety restraint system, which could pose a significant risk to the passenger in the event of an accident. Tesla Service quoted $1180 for the repair including replacing the front passenger airbag and retrofitting SBR in the OCS passenger seat. This issue appears commonly reported among social groups.

Jul 10, 2023

I have a warning sign stating my air bag system on the passenger side is not working. Many drivers have reported this as an issue. Due to the fact that the car is no longer under warranty I am concerned if I get I to an accident and the air bags don’t deploy, my loved ones are in grave danger if they are in the passenger seat.

May 29, 2023

The passenger occupancy sensor and airbag failed and needed to be replaced. The system alerted me to the failure. Tesla does not cover this as a manufacturing issue. $1300 for repairs on parts that are designed for safety Tesla is not responsible for the quality of parts used to assemble the vehicle. Per Tesla safety related issues are only covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. There must be a higher standard for safety.

Jan 9, 2023

The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the Front Passenger Restraint System Fault message was displayed. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the front passenger’s side seat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.

Mileage: 66,000

Dec 16, 2022

I started to having "Faulty Restrain system fault" around 49k miles on Tesla Model 3. Error pop up "service needed". Consult Tesla for repair. First they ask for $384 for repair harness wires attach for driver front seat. Upon checking warranty on Tesla.com, it provides 60000 miles and 5 years warranty for Restrain System coverage so tesla agrees to fix error for "$0". Upon taking car for repair, I was informed I had rodent cause damage (chewed) wires and it's not cover. I had to pay $180 for repair. I live in Phoenix city and where I live we don't have any problem with rodents. It's very shocking to learn that rodent get access to underneath of Tesla and can chewed on wires. Why wires are not covered with better material rather than cheap plastic tapes. Those wires play significant role in vehicle safety as far as restrain system is concern. Question is why Model 3 is so inferiors in quality and design that rodent get access to the wiring. Error cause many driving problems with air bags not working and causing speeding errors. I have read on Tesla Motor Club blog and many customers are experiencing same problem. Is there anything Tesla needs to do to make their car more safer on road? If you need more information please email me at [XXX] I can provide pictures of damage due to rodent provided by Tesla. Thank You,[XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Nov 21, 2022 Crash

Major side impact. Vehicle struck 30-35mph perpendicular to direction of travel. Vehicle did a 180 and suffered significant damage. Side Airbags did not deploy and shattered glass projectiles were flung to the head area of rear occupant, as evidenced by glass shards caught in car seat head area.

Jul 10, 2022 Crash

I was coming out of the park and getting on the main road, when the Tesla accelerated without warning in huge burst of speed. I don't use AutoPilot. I had to drive the car out of the road to avoid the incoming traffic and the Tesla hit a tree and a parked car. Then it came to a stop. Then the airbags also failed to deploy. I reported to the police .

Jul 5, 2022 Crash

Frontal head-on collision - I went too fast while making a left turn (at least 50mph) - vehicle drifted and I lost control and it hit a lamp post - damage was pretty severe in front left drivers side of car but airbag never deployed

Feb 26, 2022

Constantly beeps and makes me think I’m getting into an accident took to tesla they say sensors are ok. But a car shows on my blind side and sometimes there’s no car there, especially big trucks doesn’t bring up sensor correctly

Feb 17, 2022

The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that the air bags deployed without impact. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was sent to the manufacturer who was investigating the failure however, no resolution had been made. The vehicle had not been repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 50,100.

Mileage: 50,100

Mar 17, 2021 Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 TESLA MODEL 3. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING IN AUTO PILOT AT 65 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT AND THEN IT SPUN OUT OF CONTROL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A MEDIUM GUARD RAIL. THERE WAS NO OTHER VEHICLE INVOLVED IN THE CRASH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOYED, A UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT DID ILLUMINATE FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED HOWEVER THEY HAD WHIPLASH AROUND THEIR NECK, BUT THERE WAS NO MEDICAL ATTENTION OR TREATMENT FOR THE INJURY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MANUFACTURER DEALER TESLA (7101 GLENWOOD AVE, RALEIGH, NC 27612). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.

Mileage: 34,000

Jun 15, 2020 Crash

AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 HOURS ON JUNE 3 2020 THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. AT A CROSS STREET, AN SUV FAILED TO MAKE A STOP AT A POSTED STOP SIGN AND STRUCK THE VEHICLE ON THE RIGHT PASSENGER REAR QUARTER, SPINNING IT 270 DEGREES AND PROPELLING IT INTO A WALL ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE LANE OF IMPACT. THE DRIVER, THE ONLY OCCUPANT WAS NOT INJURED. THE DRIVER OF THE SUV FLED THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. POLICE WERE CALLED AND RESPONDED TO THE SCENE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CAR WAS EVALUATED AS A TOTAL LOSS BY THE INSURANCE APPRAISER. IMPORTANTLY, THE REAR PASSENGER AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON IMPACT. *TR

Mileage: 7,000

Feb 6, 2020 Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 TESLA MODEL 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING THAT VEHICLE TO REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF A POLICE REPORT BEING FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING LOT AND THEN TO A COLLSION CENTER. THE CONTACT CONTACTED TESLA (811 S SAN FERNANDO BLVD, BURBANK, CA 91502) WHERE THEY WAS INFORMED OF THE CRASH AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

Mileage: 10,000

Jan 17, 2020 Crash

I AM FEMALE SAFE DRIVER WITH CLEAN DRIVING RECORDS, MY TESLA WAS THIRD CAR STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT ON DEC 19TH IN THE CITY STREET, AND ALL OF SUDDEN, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT IT TRIGGERED UNINTENDED SPONTANEOUS ACCELERATION THAT RESULTED IN ACCIDENT WITH TWO CARS AHEAD OF ME, DAMAGED ALL 3 VEHICLES INCLUDING MINE, I PUSHED THE BRAKE IMMEDIATELY & PARKED BEFORE ALL AIRBAGS IN MY CAR DEPLOYED. I TRIED TO PROVE MY POINT TO THE INSURANCE THAT ITS NOT MY FAULT BUT ITS A CAR THAT BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE DUE TO PROBABLY SOME KIND OF NIGHTLY AUTOMATIC SOFTWARE UPDATE OR A MECHANICAL PROBLEM BUT INSURANCE DIDN'T AGREE AND FORCED ME TO AGREE THAT I DID IT !

Mileage: 4,361

Oct 8, 2019 Crash

MY WIFE WAS TRYING TO PARK THE CAR IN OUR GARAGE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY SPED UP AND HIT OUR INNER GARAGE WALL. IT THEN REVERSED BACK AND HIT THE WALL A SECOND TIME. THEN IT AUTOMATICALLY REVERSED AND PARKED ON THE NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY. BOTH THE STERLING AIR BAG AND AIRBAG NEAR THE FEET DEPLOYED. THE CAR'S FRONT WAS SMASHED. OUR GARAGE WALL AND DOOR ARE ALSO BADLY DAMAGED. I HAVE ASKED TESLA TO INVESTIGATE IF IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE AUTOPILOT TAKING OVER BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM THEM YET AFTER MORE THAN A WEEK.

Mileage: 7,143

Aug 1, 2019 Crash

MY CAR WAS FIVE WEEKS OLD. WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME ON MY COMMUTE I REALIZE THE SCREEN HAD FROZE, AND THEN SUDDENLY BLACKED OUT. I THOUGHT IT WAS A SOFTWARE UPDATE AS I AM A FAMILY THAT OWNS TESLA, BUT IT WASN'T BECAUSE SUDDENLY THE ABILITY TO STEER AND BREAK OR COMPROMISED AND THE CAR HAD SPED WITHOUT ANY INDICATION AS TO WHY. I REPORTED IT TO TESLA AND THE EARLIEST THEY COULD SET FOR AN APPOINTMENT WITH SEVERAL WEEKS LATER. WITHIN ONE WEEK OF THIS INCIDENT INITIALLY OCCURRING, THIS HAPPENED AGAIN DURING TRAFFIC AND MY CAR INSTEAD OF BREAKING, INCREASED TREMENDOUSLY AND SMASHED INTO A CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD CONTACTED. TESLA LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS VERY LUCKY BECAUSE I WASN'T ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT 95% OF MY COMMUTE IS ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS IN THE BAY AREA. I SAID THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS AND I REALLY THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED UP FASTER, I GOT ZERO RESPONSE. SO WHEN THIS HAPPENED THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING I COULD DO AND I ROLLED AND SPRAINED MY ANKLE VERY AGGRESSIVELY. NOT ONLY THAT BUT ALL OF THE AIRBAGS IN THE ENTIRE CAR MALFUNCTIONED EVEN THOUGH I WAS ABLE TO FOCUS THE BRUNT OF THE DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FRONT. UNFORTUNATELY ONE OF THE BACK WINDOWS DIDN'T OPEN NOR DID THE PASSENGER LOWER AIRBAG. THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT BUT IF THERE WAS THAT WOULD HAVE NOT GONE OFF AND THAT'S NOT OK. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AND THERE WERE NO UPDATES ON SOFTWARE THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN AND THE CAR WAS FIVE WEEKS OLD. TESLA HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE ME WITH THEIR DATA AND I HAVE AN SSD THAT SHOWS MY CAR SHUT DOWN.

Mileage: 3,500