23 percent of the popular Tesla Model 3s fail the periodic inspection in Denmark. This is shown by a new calculation. FDM calls it 'an outrageously high failure rate'.
A new analysis from FDM Test & Bilsyn based on figures from the Danish Road Safety Agency shows that 23 percent of Tesla Model 3s from 2020 failed their inspection in Denmark in 2024. This is a significantly higher failure rate than for other electric cars, where only 9 percent failed their inspection.
– It is an outrageously high failure rate for the Tesla Model 3, as the Danish Road Traffic Authority's visual data reveals, but unfortunately it is not something that surprises us, says area manager in FDM's technical consultancy Lone Otto.
This is what FDM writes in a press release .
A total of 4,668 Tesla Model 3s of the 2020 model year were inspected between January 1 and November 21, 2024, and of those, 1,051 failed. This means that almost every fourth Tesla Model 3 failed the inspection on the first attempt.
FDM's analysis reveals that 1,392 defects were found on the inspected Tesla Model 3s. This is three times as many defects as the other electric cars.
The most common faults on the Tesla Model 3 are found in the brakes, lights, axles, wheels, tires and steering. These fault types are well known to FDM.
– Electric cars brake in a different way, and therefore problems with the brakes are well known, says Lone Otto.
However, problems with the suspension and steering are more concerning, FDM believes, as the Tesla Model 3 is a relatively new car model. The same applies to defects in the headlights, which are often either loose or blinding.
The results from FDM are consistent with inspection figures from Germany, where the Tesla Model 3 also has a high failure rate.
In 2025, 62,000 electric cars will be inspected in Denmark, including the Tesla Model 3 model year 2021 and the Tesla Model Y. FDM does not expect that the newer model years of the Model 3 will perform significantly better than the 2020 model.
– It will be more exciting to see how the Tesla Model Y will perform, says Lone Otto.
FDM recommends that Tesla Model 3 owners have their cars inspected by an independent mechanic before the warranty expires after four years.
– Good advice is therefore to have the car inspected by an independent person before the cut-off date is reached, says Lone Otto.
In general, FDM recommends that all car owners, regardless of brand, have their cars serviced and inspected regularly, preferably once a year.
