NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Tesla Model X. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Tesla error 'Park Assist not avialable' - error code, and Tesla service wants service fee to check error
Car sensors don’t seem to work hits other cars and doors close hard on a human before stopping very unsafe for a child
Display MCU1 is unsafe or at end of life and unsafe locks up goes dark and unresponsive for long periods of time, unable to drive sometimes my my car is under warranty either they should fix it or upgrade it, I was told I need to upgrade it but my car is still under new car bumper to bumper warranty either fix it or replace it, if MCU1 doesn’t work then replace it with MCU2 and honor the new car bumper to bumper warranty
Almost all body parts including doors and windows have alignment gaps resulting in air leaks into and out of the car creating too much wind noise and very had to keep warm in winter and cool in summer thus overburdening the heating and cooling system causing excessive wear and tear
Tesla issues encountered with model X 2016: 1). Bought a demo car with a new car warranty, the car is supposed to be checked and verified that it meets safety guidelines, and certain standards, a).the car had a yellowish tinge had to get it buffed and detailed to look true pearl white cost $400 b). my tires were so bad the tire shop told me they are unsafe to drive so had to get them replaced the morning after I bought the car from tesla-ohio branch and got back to chicago I informed Tesla about all nothing was done cost approximately $2000 c).After I purchased the car before I could drive to ohio to pick it up tesla employee backed up the car into a pole I was told it will be fixed it was not cost $4k d). Wheels were all scratched up had to get them refinished cost approximately $900 2). Warrant is not honored always. Over the years camera and sensor very unsafe and every time Tesla says can’t reproduce Even after providing proof of videos, one point finally got tired paid out of pocket to replace front 2 sensors they never bothered to take it apart and verify it’s working safely and properly, after paying out of pocket at least the lane change worked 98% of time cost around $500-600 3).Auto pilot is misleadingly unsafe, cameras and sensors have either reached end of life or simply not working but definitely unsafe because sometimes the car drives like a drunk person on streets, confused if lanes merging I had incidents where it would have caused an accident had I not taken over and there was no warning 4). Advertised Range is deceptive and misleading, claim is my car to get 255 miles in reality I get around 120-130 which is more like half the range makes it hard to go out of town, an 8 hr trip becomes a 13-15 hr trip.
I had an interaction with this vehicle on snow/ice packed I70 in Colorado, almost to the Kansas border. This car passed me, then immediately cut in front of my truck in the right lane and quickly slowed to about 10 mph with no warning. The car then pulled over onto the snow packed shoulder.
Left front lower control arm broke when parking.
Aluminum lower control arms break under normal driving conditions
My Tesla Model X had the "famous" suspension problem that Tesla refused to acknowledge but cost me thousands to repair the defect.
I initially brought my vehicle to the Tesla Service Center in Richmond, Texas, to address issues involving the motor. During this visit, I was informed that mismatched tire sizes and worn parts in the front end were contributing to the problem. The service center proceeded with repairs, charging me for the work. However, the original issue persisted after I picked up the vehicle. Despite multiple follow-up appointments and additional repairs, the problem was never resolved.
To Whom It May Concern, My name is [XXX] , and I am writing regarding unresolved issues with my 2016 Tesla Model X (VIN: [XXX] ). Despite multiple service visits, extensive repairs, and approximately $8,000 in costs, my vehicle remains undrivable and presents significant safety concerns. I initially brought my vehicle to the Tesla Service Center in Richmond, Texas, for motor-related issues. I was informed that mismatched tires and front-end components were contributing to the problem, and repairs were completed. However, the original issue persisted. Subsequent visits for additional repairs also failed to resolve the problem, and new safety concerns emerged. Complicating matters, the Richmond Service Center has since closed, and its staff were terminated. When I contacted the Westchase Service Center, Manager Andrea P. informed me that no resolution or agreement could be reached. I have attached the following invoices for your review: Invoice #[XXX], dated April 26, 2024 Invoice #[XXX], dated November 9, 2023 I am requesting the following: A full review of my service history and unresolved issues. Immediate repairs to address motor and safety concerns at no additional cost. A clear explanation of Tesla’s policies regarding unresolved repairs, especially with closed service centers. This situation has caused financial and personal hardship. I urge Tesla to address these issues promptly to restore my confidence in your brand. Please contact me at [Your Phone Number] or [Your Email Address] to discuss this matter. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Our 2 year old son broke his left tibia after the falcon door automatically closed on his left foot/leg and it got caught between the door and his car seat. We believe he had his leg dangling off the car seat when we closed the door from the front command station. The door sensor did not stop or give any warning that there was anything in the way. He was seen in the emergency department after the incident and is in a full leg cast for at least 4 weeks. This is a major safety risk for other children/people if the doors cannot sense small limbs and stop appropriately. The car/door is available for inspection upon request. We have not contacted Tesla yet about this but will be calling them very soon. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone yet since the incident. There were no warnings prior to the incident occurring.
Hi, I have a Tesla Model X 2016. In December 2020 I received a recall to replace the spine applique. I then bought the car to Santa Clara service center in Jan 2021 and they told me my car is safe to drive without replacement. Last Sunday ( Aug 13) while driving on I880 Northbound. I heard a small noise ( like a crack) Turned my head to see what happened in the car, but saw nothing. By the time I got home and opened the back gate to get my stuff and realized the spine applique was blown away, it was around 3 oclock. So I drove my car to the service center and told them what happened. They declined to honor the recall and asked me to pay $742.00 for the replacement cost, citting my warranty having expired. Please take a close look at the attached picture. The silicon goes around the top was supposed to keep the spine applique in place. It look very smooth meaning there is no bond between the 2. That was why it flew off the car while driving. Please see attached for your reference and advice! Thank you, [XXX] [XXX] Please call if you have any questions. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
the autopilot was engaged and the system failed, it james the breaks hard and it started scraping the body above the tire
The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the cover on the roof between the two falcon doors detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,900. The contact stated that the dealer and the manufacturer have denied his request for reimbursement.
The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that while driving down the driveway, the front suspension system failed rendering the vehicle undrivable. The vehicle was towed to the local service center who diagnosed that the front suspension was faulty and needed to be replaced. The suspension system was replaced, and the vehicle was fixed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 93,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the roof trim detached from the vehicle. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V710000 (Structure) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 99,370.
The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that while stopped at a red light and activating the air conditioning, the computer system was stuck or frozen for a moment. The contact stated that the vehicle restarted independently, and the computer was buffering when the light turned green, and the vehicle hesitated before responding and driving as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Two issues that are concerning and I have told Tesla: 1. The car will be on cruise control and I will be relaxed and all of a sudden it will just brake for no reason. Praise God I am aware of it now and prepared so I have to compensate, but it is very dangerous and made the cruise control useless. While it was under warrantee I request it be fixed, but they said there was no way to do that. 2. The car's back up screen is compromised and has a distortion on the bottom that was caused by a download. I requested four separate times a service requests to fix it while it was under warrantee, but they were unable to repair it. The first time they said I needed to wait for a download, then the second time they said it was a hacker, third time they replaced a chip, and the four time they told me to repair it I need to upgrade my entertainment package for $1500 so I cancelled the appointment. All while I was under warranty. Four appointments later and I still have a distortion on my screen when I back up which is slowly getting larger and will be a safety issue I'm sure down the road. Two very obvious safety issues that while under warranty they would not fix. I wrote Tesla and asked them to review my service requests and to get some resolution. I was unsuccessful.
MCU1 onboard computer system becomes overloaded with data that eventually and periodically causes the computer system to "crash" and requires a reboot, even with 8 GB eMMC replacement having already been installed. This means that vehicles with MCU1 (generally model S and X manufactured pre-2019) are increasingly becoming safety risks on the road because the MCU1 system crash can occur at any time, even while driving (not just when the car is going through it's start-up cycle). Whenever this occurs, it means the driver is unable to change the headlights which is especially harmful during dawn and dusk hours since these models do not have daytime running headlights. Drivers may be unable to use turn signals, unlock power doors (the Model X has power-driven doors on all sides) and advanced systems may be inoperable during the MCU1 rebooting process. This issue can be resolved by replacing the MCU1 operating system with the MCU2 operating system, but Tesla requires MCU1 owners with Auto Pilot Computer version 1.0 to pay $1,750 for what they are calling an "infotainment upgrade." This is disingenuous terminology used by Tesla because the MCU1 operating system is not just for "infotainment" - it is beyond that and includes significant safety features as mentioned above (headlights, doors, locks, windows, ADAS, and more). Tesla needs to cover the cost of replacing MCU1 with MCU2 or a new system that is stable and does not experience frequent data crashes. In other words, there must be a fix beyond the 8GB eMMC "band aid" that has not resolved the chronic failure of MCU1 systems. This is a continuing safety issue and driving hazard for all Tesla owners with MCU1 until a recall is issued.
Hello! The front fore links have failed in my vehicle which are a known issue in Tesla Model X's manufactured in 2016. I want to report this to add to the number of complaints
This vehicle was subject to a recall NHTSA campaign number: 20V710. Tesla’s own number for this recall is SB-20-12-005. It appears the inspection carried out in 2021 apparently passed at the time and no corrections were made, however, the part in question recently last week. The center spine panel came apart. Tesla are not willing to accept any liability or responsibility even though they now that this recall exists. This is a safety matter and it appears that even though vehicles were inspected at the time and deemed to have passed they are still susceptible to having the part fail later on.
The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that on multiple occasions while driving with the Autonomous Self Driving feature activated and making a left or a right turn, the steering wheel seized, and the Autonomous Self Driving feature inadvertently disabled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown Service Center to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the lower steering shaft needed to be replaced. The contact then stated that the mechanic sprayed oil on the steering shaft to loosen the steering wheel; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.
I was turning left to northbound from westbound and as I was trying to accelerate to turn, my Tesla wouldn’t go past 11 mph. I stepped on the accelerator with all my might, but it wouldn’t go past 11 mph. On my dash, the alert said: “obstruction detected- speed will be reduced.” This is very concerning because the car was slowing down and obstructing the southbound lanes. This is very dangerous and could’ve caused a car crash. I could’ve easily gotten T-boned. After I made my slow turn, the car got back to normal and accelerated normally.
My 2016 model X has been experiencing front passenger and rear passenger safety restraint system faults off and on since we purchased the vehicle in 2019. This notification requires service and the Tesla service center has done a mixture of hardware checks, replacement of parts and keeps blaming the issues on a firmware update that will eventually happen in the future. Tesla says that when the system is tripped the airbags may not deploy and to schedule service when it happens. Because the vehicle is under a used warranty they refuse to address this as a recall or possibly defect.
The second tow captain rear seats are not bolted securely. The seats both rock forward and back. I brought it up to Tedla service and the representative came back with, The car is 6 years old. So does that mean Tesla Model X captain seats begin to fail after 6 years? The other issue is a steering issue. When I steer left or right I hear a clunking noise. It's not related to the control arm as it is a known issue. The odd thing is when it rains the noise goes away which I believe it may be related to a lubrication issue. When the vehicle dries up after a day or two the noise starts again.
Power steering went out, and it was very difficult to turn the car, I called Tesla, and asked for a repair, I also stated the 20V062000 NHTSA recall and was told my car was not on warranty, my car fits exactly the recall number listed by NHTSA, I requested a refund and was denied. I had to drive the car 88 miles to Raleigh, I was put at a very high risk of safety to get the car fixed the steering was hard to pull and control, especially on stops and turns. NO warning messages, I discovered it when I was backing my car in the garage and did not drive it until I had to drive to Raleigh to get it fixed. The car was not inspected, I had to drive it to Raleigh for the repair. The consumer stated she requested to be reimbursed by Tesla but the request was denied.
I had a failure of the front right suspension fore link assembly on Feb 22, 2023. This occurred while driving at highway speeds. There was no pothole or traumatic impact to the vehicle that could have caused this failure. This resulted in misalignment of the front passenger tire, as it was off-center and made impact against the wheel arch liner. It was difficult to maintain control of the vehicle, which is a significant safety hazard. I was stranded on the roadside for several hours since the vehicle was not drivable. A tow truck had to bring my vehicle to the nearest Tesla Service Center, which confirmed the failure of the front suspension fore link assembly. This is already a well known problem that NHTSA is aware of, with over 40 complaints of the same issue filed with increasing frequency over the past year. There is an active investigation by NHTSA (opened on Nov 22, 2020) and a Tesla service repair bulletin (Feb 10, 2017) that was issued regarding this problem. Please make this a safety recall as it poses a significant safety hazard that can easily cause car accidents, harming people. Lives are at risk if this problem is allowed to continue without a safety recall.
I was rear ended while my Tesla was on auto pilot and the system never warned me or prevented the accident
In Sept of 2022 I took my car to a Tesla Svc Ctr due to the ceiling panel had dislodged. Although there was a recall for this of which I was not notified of but found on my own, I had to argue with the young woman who checked me in. She denied that a recall existed. I had to show her the notice from Teslas own website before she conceded. I later received a note letting me know I needed front tires which wasn’t unexpected but the next day, I received a new invoice with a note stating I also needed fed & aft links adding $1k to the bill. I didn't find a recall but DID find an applicable Service Bulletin but got no response when I asked about it. Flash fwd: 2-3 weeks ago I started got a, “air compression suspension disabled”. I saw no other alerts & checked for service notes of which there were none. The car drove fine, so I thought the note would clear it itself but it didn’t. I found some info on a blog & followed a tip on doing a reset which initially worked, but the alert popped up again. The car started bobbing violently. The car is at the service center now. When I checked in the gentleman helping me reviewed the cars notes & got an odd, concerning look on his face but only said he hoped the car would be done later today. When I got home I did a google search on 2016 Tesla Model X suspension issues, & found articles indicating Tesla had issued a recall in China but refused to do so in the US, & that the NHTSA was investigating the issue at the time the article was written, which has prompted me to file this complaint.
Bubbles have formed on both screens: the navigation. Screen and also the speedometer screen. Distracting and makes it harder to see necessary information.
Side wall bubble
I am reporting the cars main high voltage battery. The charging speed has slowed significantly similarly to my other Tesla which is a model S and that car's battery was replaced after the warranty expired due to unsafe circumstances where the car would not start. I'm starting to see similar signs and since this is an early model of the Model X, the battery management system in utilizing the same older hardware. The car already reported a similar error regarding the high voltage battery and I'm hoping to get ahead of the problem by making this report.
While pulling forward to straighten out car into parking/charging spot at less than 1mph at EVGo charger in front of Meijer store the front passenger wheel made loud clunk and would not move. Another motorist charging said he heard it and offered to help. I called Tesla roadside from car’s service screen and waited over half hour before being disconnected. The Tesla App provides NO applicable options for this scenario to report. I then called my extended warranty (X-care) roadside and after almost 4 hours obtained a tow to Tesla Service in Clarkston. Tesla now diagnosed that the FORE LINK ASSY, 1.00 RH(1041575-00-B) WASHER, NORDLOCK, 1.00 15.2X30.7X3.4(1033093- 00-A) NUT HF M14X1.50 [10] 1.00 ZNNI NL INSERT(1004358-00-C) need to be replaced. $400 parts and labor. Invoice attached. This luckily occurred with only me in the car, on 40 degree day and at the charger…I was nearly out of charge. I would have been stranded. And begged a lot of what if’s… The car had just been serviced by Tesla on 11/14/22-11/18/22. Invoice attached. Tesla replaced bolts in steering rack housing when I brought it in for a windshield replacement? Bottom line though this is too critical a failure during such a basic, low speed operation to be safe. I cannot trust that the fore link assembly won’t fail in future in same or different wheel. It felt like the car broke its own leg by merely taking a slow step forward. This should not be permissible. Thank you for your work.
I am making this complaint in the public interest The car I am complaining about is mangled and burned and the VIN is unavailable so I have used a dummy VIN to file this complaint. This car has just shown up in the wreckers yard. https://www.copart.com/lot/68650122/2016-tesla-model-x-ca-van-nuys It is almost certain that the occupants have been severely injured or killed. 2016 model Teslas are notorious for suspension breakages. The front RH tire has a deep gouge over the entire circumference. This is proof that the suspension failed and gouged the tire BEFORE the crash and therefore actually caused the crash. Image of the gouged tire is attached. You have hundreds of valid complaints filed for these Teslas. How many more have to die before you take action? Please note that details of the crash such as date and number of injuries are not precisely known but it will be easy for you to find out.
While driving in the carpool lane with my mother in law to work with my wife, the car abruptly activated the brakes while in auto steer mode and necessitated my immediate slamming on the gas to increase my speed to avoid a rear collision.
Severe ongoing issues with the MCU - takes excessive time to power up systems - can be minutes before functions such as navigation, rear back up camera, HVAC, screen and dashboard are fully functional. This has been an issue for years, that was supposed to be fixed with a chip recall - but has become even worse.
Hi, the car isn't allowing me to drive because I get a notification saying "Parking brake not applied, Vehicle may free roll". It's been getting worse each day. I see that Tesla recalled this issue for models from October and older. My Model X is a November baby however I believe the calipers are the same from the October and older models. Please help [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Significant creaking/squeaking of front suspension when driven st lower speeds, turning, and going over speed bumps. There are hundreds of other drivers complaining of the same for 2016-2018 model years on the Tesla forums. I have no idea if my suspension will fail, and am waiting on an appointment with Tesla. My vehicle is available for inspection should you deem it necessary. There were no warning signs at all, it just started happening on December 8, 2022 and has stayed consistent since then.
Car tends to brake in autopilot without having any car in front causing jolt feeling and dangerous scenario for vehicles behind. Suspension work like upper control, half shafts, ball joints, toe and struts been replaced 5 times. One time entire wheel came off.
The 2nd row seats are loose and Tesla will not help cover the costs of repair citing its normal wear and tear. This is a safety issue that should be covered due to it only being a 6 year old car. This would mean that Tesla seats should be expected to fail after 6 years. That seems like a problem to me.
THERE ARE KEY FOBS, ONE EACH FOR THE TWO DRIVERS IN THE HOUSE. THESE ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE PROFILE SETTINGS. FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, AFTER A SPECIFIC UPDATE TO THE FIRMWARE (I CAN’T PINPOINT WHICH OR THE PRECISE MONTH/YEAR), USING A KEY FOB WILL FREQUENTLY, BUT ERRATICALLY CHOOSE THE WRONG PROFILE. BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCE IN DRIVER HEIGHTS, THIS MAY MEAN THAT THE SEAT IS ADJUSTING FORWARD CAUSING KNEES TO QUICKLY APPROACH THE AREA OF THE DASHBOARD. AS ONE EXAMPLE WHERE I HAVE PINPOINTED WHEN THIS IS LIKELY TO OCCUR, I WILL HAVE FINISHED CHARGING THE TESLA AT A SUPERCHARGER. I WILL TRY TO REVERSE OUT OF THE SPOT BEFORE NOTICING THAT THE WRONG PROFILE HAS BEEN SELECTED. SO AS THE CAR IS MOVING, MY KNEES ARE PUSHING FORWARD TOWARD THE DASH. BECAUSE I AM ANXIOUS AS THIS HAPPENS, I WILL QUICKLY BRAKE. TESLA FINALLY REPLACED ALL COMPONENTS (KEY FOBS, BUT ALSO THE PART THAT RECEIVES THE TRANSMISSION) WHICH TEMPORARILY CORRECTED THE SITUATION UNTIL IT STARTED UP AGAIN. I AM NOW ON MY FIFTH COMPLAINT TO TESLA AND HAVE YET ANOTHER APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT FIXED. I THIINK THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT CAN AFFECT THE DRIVER WHILE THE CAR IS MOVING.
The vehicle will lose turn signal sounds making it unclear whether turn signals are activated. Therefore the driver may expect that the signal is on when it is not, or take eyes off the road in order to perform a visual confirmation.
There is a liquid MCU behind the touch screen of my vehicle. The MCU liquid leaks out from the bottom of my screen all over the interior of my car - this happens even more during hot weather. I'm disturbed because I'm reading this liquid is in fact poisonous. Tesla will not do anything about this. This leaking liquid is creating dangerous conditions for my family. This is a manufacturing defect, touch screens are not meant to leak poisonous liquid.
The front control arms broke. I had it in for recall work and asked them to check the rear control arms. We had just gotten new tires on it and the tire shop recommended we bring it in to have Tesla look at the rear control arms. Tesla said they looked good and then last minute they said the front control arms were broken. Not sure how that happened, but it seems to be a common problem with the 2016 model xs. Paid 637.94 for the repair. Since then, our power steering has been almost non existent.
Possibly loss of power to the steering wheel, caused the car hitting the freeway middle cement separator Tesla refuses to look at my drive report to identify the exact fault of the car This happened on November 4th and I see there was an issue with Tesla cars due to a faulty software download during that time I’ve reached out to Tesla numerous numerous times, they refuse to review the report and identify the malfunction
When pass under over pass, at the speed of less than 50km/h. It breaks for no reason
Drivers Front fore link cracked. Suspension failure at speed Tesla TSB over this issue that says to replace parts. Tesla TSB SB-17-31-001 Tesla stated this doesn’t apply to my vehicle even though it clearly does.
The passenger front tire suspension makes a cracking sound on low speed. We brought our car to the local service center for repair twice over the past year (spent $5000), and the noise is still there. Tesla had a recall on this issue: https://cdn.motor1.com/pdf-files/sb-21-39-001-replace-front-drive-unit-halfshafts.pdf but they told me that my vehicle was not included, even though my vehicle was made during the time period that should be covered by the recall.
Center Screen is leaking toxic fluid after researching online seems to be a common problem for many including myself. The liquid is slowly coming out the bottom of the screen onto the center console.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026