Transport Canada issued recall 2022037 on February 1, 2022, covering 80,363 Tesla Model 3 vehicles from model years 2018 through 2022. The issue: under certain conditions, the seat belt reminder chime may not sound when the driver starts the car without buckling up. Tesla resolved it with an over-the-air firmware update — but owners need to confirm their vehicle has received it.
What the Recall Covers
Canadian regulations require both an audible chime and a visual warning when the driver's seat belt is unbuckled at startup. On affected vehicles, the chime could fail to trigger, removing one of the two required reminders. While the visual indicator would still appear on the instrument cluster, the missing audio cue increases the risk of a driver leaving the seat belt unbuckled — raising injury risk in a collision.
Recall at a Glance
| Recall Number | 2022037 |
| Issue Date | February 1, 2022 |
| Affected Vehicles | 2018–2022 Tesla Model 3 (Canada) |
| Units Affected | 80,363 |
| Fix Method | OTA firmware update |
How to Check If Your Car Is Already Fixed
Tesla delivered the fix via OTA update in early February 2022. If your Model 3 is running firmware 2021.43.101.1, 2022.4.5, or any later release, the recall has been addressed and no further action is required on your part.
Here's how to confirm your software version in under two minutes:
- Tap the car icon on your touchscreen to open Vehicle settings.
- Scroll down to Software — your current version number appears here.
- Compare the version against the thresholds above (2021.43.101.1 or 2022.4.5 or newer).
- If your version is older than both of those, proceed to the steps below.
If Your Software Is Out of Date
Most vehicles connected to Wi-Fi will have received the update automatically. If yours hasn't, take these steps:
- Connect to Wi-Fi — park within range of a known network and confirm the car connects (Settings → Wi-Fi).
- Check for pending updates — go to Controls → Software and tap 'Check for Updates' if the option appears.
- Schedule the install — if an update is available, schedule it for overnight or whenever the car is parked and plugged in.
- Contact Tesla Service if no update appears after 48 hours on Wi-Fi. You can reach Tesla Canada support through the Tesla app or by calling your nearest Service Center. Reference recall number 2022037.
- Watch for Tesla's email — Tesla committed to notifying affected owners directly. Check your inbox for a message from Tesla referencing this recall.
In the Meantime
Until you've confirmed the fix is installed, make it a habit to listen for the chime at startup — and glance at the seat belt indicator on the instrument cluster before pulling away. The visual warning should still function correctly even on unpatched vehicles, so the cluster remains a reliable backup cue.
You can view the official Transport Canada recall filing at tc.canada.ca/en/recall/2022037. Given that the OTA fix has been available since February 2022, the vast majority of connected Model 3s in Canada will already be running a compliant firmware version — a quick version check is all most owners need to do.
Related Gear
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Marcus covers Tesla's software releases, FSD rollouts, and OTA changes. Background in automotive engineering. Based in Austin.
Sources verified at publish time. Spotted an inaccuracy? Email editorial@basenor.com.
