Complaint 2178979

Complaint Summary

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Owner Narrative

I am filing a safety complaint regarding water intrusion into the rear tail lamp assembly of my 3-year-old Tesla Model 3. The rear tail light has progressed from minor condensation to active water accumulation and visible pooling inside the sealed housing. This is not light fogging — there is standing moisture inside the assembly. The vehicle has not been involved in any collision and there is no visible external damage to the lamp. I have already been pulled over, and drivers behind me have indicated that the affected tail light is not clearly visible. Reduced rear illumination creates a serious safety risk, particularly at night or in poor weather conditions. A malfunctioning tail lamp increases the likelihood of a rear-end collision. Rear lighting is a federally regulated safety component. Water intrusion into a sealed LED lighting assembly creates risk of electrical malfunction, corrosion, and sudden loss of rear illumination. The vehicle is currently out of warranty due to mileage; however, it is only three years old. A sealed LED tail lamp is not a wear-and-tear item and should not fail due to normal mileage accumulation. This appears to be premature sealing failure. I contacted Tesla Service regarding this issue. Their written response stated that because the vehicle is out of warranty due to mileage, any repairs would be at my expense. They did not address the safety concern or the presence of internal water accumulation. There are numerous reports from other Model 3 owners describing similar tail lamp water intrusion issues. I am requesting that NHTSA review whether water intrusion into sealed rear lighting assemblies constitutes a safety defect and whether further investigation is warranted.

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.