Tesla Model 3 deliveries to be halted over compliance breach

Deliveries of the Tesla Model 3 will be halted in Australia from today after the electric car was found to be in breach of Australian motor-vehicle regulations.

Customers were advised today deliveries will be paused indefinitely "from close of business 17 January 2024" due to a "technical compliance matter that we are working closely with the relevant authorities to resolve."

Tesla is yet to advise what will happen to updated Model 3 electric cars which have been delivered to customers so far, and if they will be recalled to resolve the compliance issue.

Drive was first to report last week that the updated Model 3 was being investigated by Australian authorities for removing access to a child-seat anchor point needed to pass motor-vehicle compliance rules.

It is a requirement for five-seat passenger vehicles – with three seatbelts across the rear, and a seatback which does not fold along the centre line of the middle seating position – to have an accessible top-tether point for securing child seats in all three seating positions.

A top-tether point for the middle rear seat was fitted to the previous Tesla Model 3 – accessed by a flap on the parcel shelf behind the rear headrests – in production from 2019 to late 2023.

However photos of the updated model captured and published by Drive show a middle top tether is no longer accessible, even though it is required for compliance with local vehicle regulations – known as Australian Design Rules (ADRs) – and approval for use on the road.

The top-tether point appears to remain under the trim panel behind the rear-seat headrests, however it is not accessible unless this component is removed – which is in breach of ADRs, which require the tether to be accessible "without the use of tools".

Earlier this week the ANCAP rating for the facelifted Model 3 was pulled – after Drive published its story on the compliance breach on Tuesday 9 January 2024.

The notice to customers from Tesla Australia – as posted on social media – reads:

"We regret to inform you that deliveries of Model 3 in Australia will be paused from close of business 17 January 2024.

"This pause is related to a technical compliance matter that we are working closely with the relevant authorities to resolve.

"We understand that these changes may lead to a delay in the delivery and want to assure you that resolving this matter is our top priority. We expect to recommence deliveries within the coming weeks," it continues.

"Our team will be in touch to provide further updates on your delivery as soon as possible. We sincerely apologise for this inconvenience."

It is unclear if the parcel shelf from the outgoing Tesla Model 3 – which included a flap for accessing the centre top tether point – will fit the new model, which could be one option for resolving the compliance breach.

Australian Design Rules state that “every vehicle shall provide the facility to attach an ‘Upper Anchorage Strap’ ‘Attaching Clip’ to an ‘Upper Anchor Fitting’ for each seating position”.