NHTSA ODI #11452832

2021 Tesla Model 3 Complaint

Visibility/wiper

Filed February 18, 2022 · Incident date December 5, 2021

Vehicle
2021 Tesla Model 3
Component(s)
Visibility/wiper
Complaint filed
February 18, 2022
Date of incident
December 5, 2021
Reported VIN
5YJ3E1EB9MF

Owner's description

While driving from Austin to Nashville, during the last, dark part of our drive, we hit rain. The Auto windshield wiper setting did not work, so I had my passenger help with selecting wiper speeds as the wiper speed control is difficult and distracting to use while driving. We tried the Auto setting a couple more times to see if there was any change, and noticed that the wipers would turn on when we drove under a light, then off again when the there was no light. We tested this a few more times and it appears that the Auto wiper setting only works in well-lit settings (i.e. when it's not raining), and does not work in the dark. It is possible to click a button on the left stalk to trigger a single wipe, but this is ineffective in anything beyond light rain. Due to the inaccessibility of the wiper controls and insufficiency of the single-wipe button, this presents a safety risk while driving the car in the rain.

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Data sourced from the NHTSA Complaints database. Complaints are submitted by vehicle owners and have not been independently verified.