One In Four Tesla Model 3s Fail Safety Inspections In Denmark

  • Around 23% of MY2020 Tesla Model 3s failed a compulsory safety test last year.
  • Vehicle inspectors logged 1,392 defects – triple the number found on other EVs.
  • Problems with lights, braking, steering and suspension were commonly found. 

Electric cars contain fewer moving parts than combustion cars so, theoretically, should be less likely to go wrong, but Tesla’s Model 3 seems to be turning that logic on its head. That’s because close to one in every four examples of the electric sedan failed safety tests in Denmark last year.

MY2020 Model 3s became old enough to require an inspection by the Danish Road Traffic Authority in 2024, and of the 4,668 examples tested, 1,051 failed. That’s a 23 percent failure rate and compares badly with a 9 percent rate witnessed in rival EVs, the Federation of Danish Motorists (FDM) reports.

More: Tesla Model 3 Ranks Dead Last In German Reliability Tests For Newer Cars

Inspectors logged 1,392 defects on the Teslas, three times as many as they discovered on other EVs. Frequently noted problems concern the lights, braking, steering and suspension. Testers at Germany’s TÜV carrying out similar safety checks uncovered the same kind of issues with Model 3s sold in their market. In both 2023 and 2024, the Model 3 ranked last in the TÜV reliability study.

One In Four Tesla Model 3s Fail Safety Inspections In Denmark

Will Newer Model 3 Highlands Be Any Better?

The new Danish data only covers MY2020 Model 3s, but FDM’s Lone Otto predicts owners of newer models are in line for some of the same pain.

“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 technical advisory team’s manager said. “It will be more exciting to see how the Tesla Model Y fares.”

The Model Y has been a big seller in Denmark topping the nation’s list of most popular EVs, which means they’ll make up a big proportion of the cars on the test ramps during 2025. In total, 62,000 electric cars will be subjected to the test, and 45,000 of them will get the treatment for the first time, illustrating just how rapidly the EV market grew between 2020 and 2021.

Last month in the US, Tesla was forced to recall 380,000 cars after some Model 3 and Model Y owners reported losing steering assistance. The automaker sent out an an over-the-air (OTA) update to address the problem.

One In Four Tesla Model 3s Fail Safety Inspections In Denmark

The Auto World

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Gearhead Nirvana: We Visit Porsche’s Atlanta Workshop Where Classics Get Reborn

Image
Maintaining any car is a duty that different owners approach in vastly different ways. For some, a few zip ties and a rattle can of spray paint is good enough. Far on the other end of the spectrum are owners like the ones who take their car to the Porsche Classic Center in Atlanta. During our trip there to see the new Macan EV in virtual reality , we had the opportunity to tour the Classic Center as it was deep in the midst of multiple repair and restoration projects.  To the owners of these cars and to the Porsche brand itself, what these mechanics, technicians, upholsterers, and painters are preserving is heritage. The center’s mantra “As good as new. But with even more character” is on display for anyone who visits the site. More: 2024 Porsche Macan EV Arrives From $79k, Turbo Is Faster Than A 911 GT3 Directly south of downtown Atlanta and appropriately located at 300 Porsche Ave, the Porsche Classic Center is now a separate building from the main Experience Center that o...
Read more

US Drops $100 Million To Boost Domestic EV Parts Production

Image
Vice President Kamala Harris is in Detroit today, announcing $100 million in funding to help suppliers prepare to make parts for EVs. The White House says that the money will keep good-paying, union manufacturing jobs in the country. The funding will come from the Department of Energy as part of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. As part of the Vice President’s Economic Opportunity Tour, Kamala Harris has announced that the White House will free up $100 million in funding to help small- and medium-size auto parts manufacturers prepare to produce components for electric vehicles. Half of the funds will come from the Department of Energy’s Automotive Conversion Grants Program to help suppliers shift from manufacturing parts for internal combustion vehicles to EVs. The other half of the funding comes from the department’s Implementation Grants Program to help suppliers “kickstart manufacturing diversification and conversion projects.” Read: ...
Read more

The New Honda Prelude Will Be A Global Model, But It Won’t Be A Toyota GR 86

Image
Last month, Honda rolled out the red carpet for the the hybrid Prelude Concept , heralding the comeback of a historic name in the motoring world. Now, this car has been given the green light as a global model, set to cater to both right- and left-hand drive markets. However, it might not quite rev up to be the full-throttle sports car many enthusiasts were anticipating Despite being labeled a concept by Honda, the car presented at the Japan Mobility Show (JMS) looked quite production-ready. And if we know anything about Honda, they have a knack for unveiling thinly-disguised production cars as concepts. Take the last two Civics, for example. The 10th-gen Civic Concept was more or less the Civic coupe of that generation with a more aggressive stance and altered bumpers, while the 11th-gen Civic Prototype was virtually the same sedan that made it to production. Read More: The Honda Prelude Is Coming Back As A Hybrid Sports Coupe advertisement scroll to continue Honda Pre...
Read more