The Model 3 arrived in the UK in spring 2019, bringing Tesla to the mass market for the first time. Early US-built (Fremont) examples had the most build quality issues — inconsistent panel gaps, paint defects, and boot water ingress. The upper control arm squeak from water ingress into ball joints is a very common UK issue due to wet weather and road salt.
The front upper control arms frequently develop a loud squeaking or "old bed spring" creaking noise due to water ingress into the ball joint. This is very common in the UK due to wet weather and road salt.
Water ingress into the rear light clusters is common, often leading to visible condensation and eventual failure of the LED units.
The paint on Model 3 is known to be relatively soft, making it highly susceptible to stone chips and "sandblasting" on the rocker panels and sills.
Water can collect on the boot lid and run directly into the trunk when opened, or leak through the rear seals during heavy rain.