Is the Tesla Model 3 high maintenance?
By CarWhere Research · Updated
No. The Tesla Model 3 is low maintenance. On AAA's 2025 electric vehicle benchmark, it costs about $1,511 a year to maintain and repair at 15,000 miles a year, tires included — $145 less than the $1,656 all-vehicle average. NHTSA holds 4,033 owner complaints for the Model 3, with 4 model years flagged in our years-to-avoid analysis; we don't have the sales data to turn that into a per-1,000 rate.
Verdict
No
low maintenance
Per year
$1,511
AAA 2025 benchmark
5 years
$7,555
75,000 miles
NHTSA complaints
4,033
total on file
Model 3 maintenance cost: 5 and 10 years
| Period | Miles | Estimate | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per year | 15,000 | $1,511 | AAA electric vehicle, 10.07¢/mile |
| 5 years | 75,000 | $7,555 | AAA's own 5-year window |
| 10 years (floor) | 150,000 | $15,110+ | AAA's 5-year per-mile rate, extended in a straight line |
Method: AAA 2025 electric vehicle benchmark: 10.07¢ a mile × 15,000 miles a year. Covers scheduled maintenance, wear-item repairs, one set of tires and an extended warranty over 5 years. A category average, not a Model 3-specific quote. The 10-year figure is a floor: it doesn't add the larger age-related repairs (and later scheduled items such as spark plugs or coolant) that come after year 5.
How the verdict is set: Two inputs. Cost: the estimate against AAA's $1,656 all-vehicle average (more than 3% under counts in the car's favor, more than 3% over against it). Complaints: NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 sold against the median of every model in our study (0.48); well under the median helps, well over hurts, roughly double or more hurts twice as much. Both low = "No"; both high = "Yes". Models without a dollar estimate get no verdict.
Model 3 service schedule highlights
From Tesla's documents for the Model 3:
- Cabin filter every 2 years
- A/C desiccant bag every 6 years on cars built before ~2021
- Brake fluid health check every 4 years
- Tire rotation every 6,250 miles
Source: Model 3 Do It Yourself — Vehicle Service Intervals (service.tesla.com)
Oil changes
Tesla's service-interval pages list no oil change; the cars are battery-electric.
Included maintenance
No complimentary scheduled maintenance confirmed for new Tesla vehicles. Tesla's service-interval pages describe no complimentary maintenance program. Tesla says the cars should be serviced as needed, that the list doesn't cover consumables (wipers, brake pads, 12V lead-acid battery), and that damage from opening the battery coolant reservoir isn't covered by warranty.
Tesla factory schedule
| Interval | Service items | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Every 6,250 miles (or 2/32 in tread-depth difference) |
| Model 3 Do It Yourself — Vehicle Service Intervals (service.tesla.com) |
| Every year |
| Model 3 Do It Yourself — Vehicle Service Intervals (service.tesla.com) |
| Every 2 years |
| Model 3 Do It Yourself — Vehicle Service Intervals (service.tesla.com) |
| Every 3 years |
| Model S Do It Yourself — Vehicle Service Intervals (service.tesla.com) |
| Every 4 years |
| Model 3 Do It Yourself — Vehicle Service Intervals (service.tesla.com) |
| Every 6 years (older Model 3 only) |
| Model 3 Do It Yourself — Vehicle Service Intervals (service.tesla.com) |
Common Model 3 problems (NHTSA data)
NHTSA holds 4,033 owner complaints for the Model 3, with 4 model years flagged in our years-to-avoid analysis; we don't have the sales data to turn that into a per-1,000 rate.
- 4,033 owner complaints on file with NHTSA across all Model 3 model years.
- Most-reported systems: electrical system (136).
- Model years flagged in our years-to-avoid analysis: 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023.
- Best-rated years: 2017.
Complaints measure problems owners reported to the government, not repair bills: a high count signals more unscheduled repairs, which AAA's category benchmark doesn't adjust for. Model 3 years to avoid →
How the Model 3 compares in its AAA category (electric vehicle)
Same AAA category means the same dollar benchmark, so the complaint rate is what separates them. Luxury models aren't priced.
| Model | Est. per year | Complaints / 1,000 sold | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 | $1,511 | — | No — low maintenance |
| Tesla Model Y | $1,511 | — | No — low maintenance |
| Tesla Model S | Not priced | — | Not priced |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Model 3 high maintenance?
No. The Tesla Model 3 is low maintenance. On AAA's 2025 electric vehicle benchmark, it costs about $1,511 a year to maintain and repair at 15,000 miles a year, tires included — $145 less than the $1,656 all-vehicle average. NHTSA holds 4,033 owner complaints for the Model 3, with 4 model years flagged in our years-to-avoid analysis; we don't have the sales data to turn that into a per-1,000 rate.
Is the Model 3 expensive to maintain?
Plan on about $1,511 a year, $7,555 over 5 years. AAA 2025 electric vehicle benchmark: 10.07¢ a mile × 15,000 miles a year. Covers scheduled maintenance, wear-item repairs, one set of tires and an extended warranty over 5 years. A category average, not a Model 3-specific quote.
How much does a Model 3 cost to maintain over 10 years?
About $15,110 at 15,000 miles a year (150,000 miles), extending the AAA 5-year per-mile rate in a straight line. Treat it as a floor: AAA's rate is measured on a car's first 5 years, and older cars need larger repairs.
How often does the Model 3 need an oil change?
Tesla's service-interval pages list no oil change; the cars are battery-electric. Check your owner's manual for your engine; severe-service intervals are shorter.
What is the cheapest Tesla to maintain?
Of the 3 Tesla models we cover, the Model 3 has the lowest estimated maintenance cost: about $1,511 a year (AAA 2025 electric vehicle benchmark). The Model Y shares that benchmark; we list the Model 3 first alphabetically.
What Model 3 years should I avoid?
Our NHTSA years-to-avoid analysis flags 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023. NHTSA holds 4,033 owner complaints for the Model 3, with 4 model years flagged in our years-to-avoid analysis; we don't have the sales data to turn that into a per-1,000 rate.
Related
Sources and method
Dollar figures: AAA's 2025 Your Driving Costs category benchmark (retail parts and labor for routine maintenance specified by the vehicle manufacturer, a comprehensive extended warranty, repairs to wear-and-tear items that need service during 5 years of operation, and one set of replacement tires). Schedule, oil interval and included maintenance: Tesla's own documents, linked by row. Complaints: NHTSA's public complaint database, divided by published U.S. sales (CarWhere analysis).
- Your Driving Costs 2025 (brochure: cost per mile by vehicle category) — AAA (maintenance cents per mile by category)
- Your Driving Costs 2025 fact sheet (methodology) — AAA (what the maintenance line includes)
- NHTSA vehicle owner complaints database — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (complaints per 1,000 sold is a CarWhere calculation)
- Model 3 Do It Yourself — Vehicle Service Intervals (service.tesla.com) — Tesla (opened 2026-11-06)
- Model Y Do It Yourself — Vehicle Service Intervals (service.tesla.com) — Tesla (opened 2026-11-06)
- Model S Do It Yourself — Vehicle Service Intervals (service.tesla.com) — Tesla (opened 2026-11-06)