Use cautionVehicle recall · NHTSA · Published May 25, 2021
Tesla Model 3 (2020) Seat Belts Recall: Risk of Injury from Improper Attachment
Tesla is recalling 2020 Model 3 vehicles with seat belt fasteners that may not be properly attached, increasing injury risk. Owners must contact Tesla for free repairs.
“Tesla Model 3 (2020) Seat Belts Recall: Risk of Injury from Improper Attachment.” GovInfoNow, updated August 18, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/80043-tesla-model-3-2020-seat-belts-recall-risk-of-injury. Based on NHTSA recall #21V389000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=21V389000).
Tesla, Inc. recalled certain 2018-2020 Model 3 and 2019-2021 Model Y vehicles due to seat belt hazards, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in a recall issued May 25, 2021. The agency announced that improperly attached fasteners may prevent the seat belt system from performing as designed.
How to tell if you have it
Tesla Model 3, 2018-2020
Tesla Model Y, 2019-2021
What to do
Tesla Service will inspect and repair both fasteners if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 23, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service online by visiting www.tesla.com/support/contact or by calling 1-877-79-TESLA (or 1-877-798-3752).
The hazard
An improperly attached fastener may prevent the seat belt system from performing as designed, increasing the risk of injury. The record does not report specific incidents or injuries associated with this recall.
Context
GovInfoNow's records show Tesla, Inc. has 71 other recalls on file since March 29, 2018. Other recent recalls of similar products include Volvo VAH 2023 Seat Belts Recall (Nov. 3, 2025), Land Rover Defender 2026 Seat Belts Recall (March 18, 2026), and Mercedes-Benz 2026 GLS 450 4MATIC Seat Belts Recall (May 29, 2026). NHTSA has received 1,032 owner complaints for the 2018 Tesla Model 3, with the latest report received Oct. 17, 2026.
How to tell if you have this one
Check if your 2020 Tesla Model 3 has seat belt fasteners that may not be properly attached. The recall covers vehicles from 2018-2020 Model 3 and 2019-2021 Model Y.
Brand
Tesla
Category
Vehicle
Based on the official NHTSA remedy
What to do — step by step
Contact Tesla for Repair
Tesla will inspect and repair the seat belt fasteners for free if necessary. Owners can contact Tesla online or by phone.
Official remedy
What NHTSA says to do
Tesla Service will inspect and repair both fasteners if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 23, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service online by visiting www.tesla.com/support/contact or by calling 1-877-79-TESLA (or 1-877-798-3752). Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-20-001.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
Owners were mailed letters 59 days after NHTSA received the defect report.
1NHTSA received the defect report
2Owner letters mailed
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
Take action
Contact Tesla
We’ve drafted a message you can send Tesla to request your refund or repair — edit it as you like.
Subject: Recall 21V389000 — Tesla Model 3 (2020) Seat Belts Recall: Risk of Injury from Improper Attachment
Hello,
I own a Tesla Model 3 (2020) Seat Belts Recall: Risk of Injury from Improper Attachment that is covered by recall 21V389000 from Tesla.
The official recall notice states: Tesla Service will inspect and repair both fasteners if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 23, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service online by visiting www.tesla.com/support/contact or by calling 1-877-79-TESLA (or 1-877-798-3752). Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-20-001.
I’m writing to arrange the remedy described in the recall (a refund, repair, or replacement as applicable). Could you please tell me the next steps to resolve this?
Thank you.
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on August 18, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.