Tesla Model X Complaints

402 consumer complaints on file.

#11739176May 20, 2026
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I have had “safety system restraints service is required “ as a warning four different times. Took my car in to a Tesla Service Center all 4 times & each time the repair only lasts about 6 months & it comes up again. For the 5th time I am going to the Tesla Service Center in Little Rock, AR. This time I will have to pay because my warranty is up. It is not fair & I want some remuneration or a replacement Model X.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738672May 18, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
A car was backing up and almost hit my front bumper. The Tesla model X horn isn’t in the middle of the steering wheel on top of the airbag like every other car I have driven. There is a button (one of 7) on the steering wheel for the horn. Unsafe.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736598May 8, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, STRUCTURE:BODY
The primary front trunk (frunk) latch mechanism fails to unlatch on the first attempt, requiring multiple actuations to open. When I brought the vehicle to the manufacturer's official service center to have the defective safety latch inspected and repaired, they confirmed the behavior but refused to fix the underlying hardware. Instead, the service center officially documented on my repair invoice that this latch failure is "frequently present and deemed a characteristic of the vehicle." A malfunctioning, binding, or misaligned front trunk latch poses a severe safety risk. If the primary latch is failing to release properly, it indicates a defect in the retention mechanism that could lead to the hood unexpectedly opening, flying up, and obstructing the driver's vision at highway speeds (a known issue that has caused recalls in the past). The manufacturer's refusal to repair a failing primary safety latch, and instead documenting it as a normal "characteristic," leaves a critical safety component in a compromised and dangerous state. There were no warning lights prior to this failure; it is a physical, mechanical defect that the manufacturer has acknowledged in writing but refuses to remedy.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736437May 7, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
COMPONENT: Rear right falcon-wing door electronic control system. Door becomes stuck in a partially closed position and cannot be opened from inside or outside. Vehicle and component are available for inspection. SAFETY RISK: Falcon-wing doors have NO exterior mechanical release accessible to occupants when the electronic system fails. An occupant of the rear right seat can be trapped inside the vehicle. This creates a foreseeable risk of serious injury or death in any emergency requiring rapid egress: collision, fire (including thermal-runaway events documented across the lithium-ion EV fleet), submersion, or smoke inhalation. The risk is especially severe for child passengers using this seating position. CONFIRMED BY DEALER: Yes. Tesla Service Aliso Viejo and Tesla Collision Aliso Viejo (CA) inspected and attempted repair on at least 5 separate occasions between October 2025 and April 2026. Tesla represented in writing each time that the issue was resolved. The defect has recurred after every repair attempt. As of May 2026 the door remains unsafe. INSPECTED BY: Tesla service technicians only. No police, insurance, or independent inspection. WARNING SYMPTOMS / TIMING: The defect began in September 2025. No prior warning lamps or messages. The door operated normally for the preceding 12 months. Tesla initially attributed the failure to a minor cosmetic scratch sustained 12 months earlier — a theory inconsistent with the timeline, since the scratch existed during 12 months of normal door operation. Recurrence after 5+ failed repair attempts confirms the defect is electronic in nature, not cosmetic.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735945May 5, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I would like to report a potential safety issue regarding Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD), specifically version 14.3.2. Following any driver intervention (such as braking or steering override), the system presents a prompt asking “Why did you intervene?” with selectable options (e.g., Navigation, Discomfort, Preference, Critical) or voice input. In my experience, this prompt does not automatically dismiss and requires manual interaction with the touchscreen to clear. This design creates a safety concern because: - It introduces a mandatory driver interaction immediately after a disengagement event. - It diverts driver attention away from the road during a potentially critical moment. - It may encourage rushed or inattentive responses just to clear the interface. Driver intervention moments are often associated with complex or unsafe driving situations, where full attention is essential. Requiring touchscreen interaction at that time may increase the risk of distraction-related incidents. I believe this behavior could represent a human-machine interface design issue that impacts driver safety. Vehicle: Tesla [Model] Software Version: FSD 14.3.2 Frequency: Occurs consistently after interventions
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735665May 4, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
once full self-driving is disengaged a pop-up menu shows up at the main part of the screen requesting a feedback why full self-driving was disengaged you cannot dismiss the questionnaire easily without being distracted during the driving extremely dangerous The only way to dismiss the compulsory questionnaire is to make a selection of 1 option or double click on a microphone button on the steering wheel extremely distractive and requires not to look at the road just at the moment you disengage full self-driving there is no option to dismiss it Tesla is forcing you to answer it
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734690April 29, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While using the FSD system, ANYTIME you take over, a LARGE popup appears on the main screen disabling ALL user input, or view of the map or any other information needed to DRIVE THE CAR, UNTIL you tap one of the options on the screen. This can happen MULTIPLE times during any drive, at everytime you take over. This is exceptionally dangerous and outright one of the dumbest things I've ever seen a car do.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734065April 27, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
In April 13th, 2026 while driving from the house through community, I suddenly stopped at the cross roads due to unexpected conditions. During this event, a coffee mug placed in the cup holder tipped over and spilled liquid onto the center console area—near the phone charging pad and critical control panel used for gear selection and essential driving functions. In about 15 minutes after the spill, when I reached the highway at about 70 mph, the vehicle experienced a rapid and severe system-wide failure. The dashboard displayed multiple warnings and errors, including: * “Steering assist reduced – Steering may require increased effort” * “Center console buttons to select gears unavailable – Use touchscreen to select gears – Schedule service” * Repeated alerts indicating braking and system limitations * Conflicting and inaccurate readings, including the speedometer displaying “0 mph” while the vehicle was still moving at highway speed At the same time: * Braking response was severely compromised despite full pedal application * Hazard lights and turn signals were non-functional * Gear selection controls became unavailable or unreliable * Driver assistance and safety systems were disabled * The system issued instructions to “press and hold brake” while braking performance was inconsistent This resulted in a complete loss of situational awareness and control while I was in the car with my older parents and my child. l. I was unable to signal to surrounding vehicles while attempting to maneuver into a narrow emergency lane at highway speed. My family and I had fear for our lives. Critically, the vehicle instructed to exit immediately while we were still in a dangerous roadside position without functioning hazard lights. We were exposed to active highway traffic without any ability to alert others. was eventually able to maneuver the vehicle into the emergency lane under extremely dangerous conditions. The vehicle was towed, and the issue was reported immediately.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730973April 13, 2026
SUSPENSION, WHEELS, STEERING
The failure involves the rear suspension system, specifically suspected rear control arm / suspension linkage play, which caused severe misalignment (rear toe out of specification). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This defect created a significant safety risk. The abnormal toe condition caused rapid and uneven tire wear, with both rear tires becoming nearly completely bald within less than 7,000 miles. This condition increases the risk of tire blowout, loss of traction, and potential loss of control at highway speeds. The issue has been confirmed by an independent service center (Les Schwab), which documented suspension play in the rear control arm area and alignment out of specification (rear toe approximately +1.20° total). The alignment could not be maintained, indicating an underlying mechanical issue. Tesla inspected the vehicle but stated that no suspension components required replacement and attributed the issue only to alignment. However, alignment does not go out of specification without a mechanical cause. Despite multiple requests, Tesla refused to provide detailed documentation regarding the inspection or repair of the suspension system. They replaced only one rear tire and did not address the root cause. The other rear tire had already worn completely bald. After approximately 5,386 miles, the replacement tire has again worn down close to the minimum safety limit, demonstrating that the underlying issue was not corrected and continues to affect vehicle safety. There were no warning lights or system messages prior to the failure. The first symptoms were abnormal tire wear, increased energy consumption, and unstable driving behavior at highway speeds, which began shortly after vehicle purchase. This appears to be a repeat safety-related defect that has not been properly diagnosed or repaired.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730830April 13, 2026
STEERING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Vehicle GPS self driving is malfunctioning. GPS shows the route driving through houses and buildings The assisted self driving is extremely unsafe to use and the same goes for the GPS guided navigation The GPS is untrustworthy giving multiple unsafe routes.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729233April 4, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
My 2023 Tesla Model X Plaid's falcon wing doors have had a persistent rattling/squeaking defect since August 2023 that has not been resolved after 9+ repair visits to Tesla service centers. More critically, in November 2025 (Invoice #3000S0014846906), the left falcon door's ultrasonic sensor failed to detect an adjacent vehicle's side mirrors, causing the falcon door to strike and scratch the other vehicle's mirrors — a safety incident for which I was forced to pay out-of-pocket. Tesla replaced the ultrasonic sensor under warranty but did not compensate me for the third-party damage. Additionally, in January 2026, the right falcon door was showing a "press and hold to override" error approximately 20% of the time despite no obstacles being present, requiring replacement of the sensor carrier (Invoice #3000S0015725078). The door sensor failures represent a serious safety hazard as the falcon wing doors can strike pedestrians, cyclists, other vehicles, and property. These issues have not been permanently resolved despite repeated warranty repairs spanning nearly 3 years.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729091April 3, 2026
STEERING
Lost power steering while I was driving multiple time and I couldn't turn. Later the alert also come on and off but sometime the steering is fine. Found out on Tesla Model X facebook group people are having the same issues.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728896April 2, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
1) Yes, upon opening the falcon door there is water flooding down 2) Yes 3) Yes 4) No
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728687April 2, 2026
SEATS
On April 1st 2026, our brand-new 2026 Tesla Model X, 6-seat configuration, experienced a dangerous third-row seat incident. Our dog slipped into a blind spot beneath/behind the third-row seat while the seat was folded down. After the dog became trapped, the powered third-row seat would not respond, and there was no usable manual release or mechanical way for us to raise the seat and free him. The dog was trapped under the seat and in immediate danger. We drove directly to Tesla Service for an emergency rescue. Tesla personnel informed us that the only way to free the trapped animal was to dismantle and destroy/remove the rear seat assembly. That is what they did. The dog was then taken for emergency veterinary treatment and remains traumatized, with possible physical injury. This vehicle had been delivered only 4 days earlier. In my view, this presents a serious safety/design issue involving the third-row power seat system and the lack of an accessible emergency release when a living occupant or animal is trapped under the seat. The fact that destructive disassembly was allegedly the only way to free the trapped animal raises a serious safety concern. I am requesting that NHTSA review this incident as a potential safety defect involving the third-row seat mechanism, emergency release/access, and occupant/animal entrapment risk. I have photos, veterinary records, and related documentation.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726773March 24, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
My 2023 Tesla Model X began experiencing safety-related failures immediately after a Tesla software update. Right after the update, the vehicle’s cameras stopped functioning correctly and GPS/navigation also stopped working properly. Since that point, subsequent Tesla software updates have failed to install successfully. Tesla diagnosed the issue as requiring replacement of the HW4 computer at my expense for approximately $4,500 because the vehicle is just outside warranty. I believe this may be a safety defect or a software-induced hardware failure because the malfunction began immediately after Tesla’s software update and affects safety-relevant vehicle functions, including camera-related visibility systems and vehicle localization. My VIN does not show an open recall, but this vehicle previously received completed Tesla software recall remedies related to camera/HW4 issues. I am filing this complaint because Tesla should investigate whether this failure is related to a broader HW4 defect pattern, software update defect, or inadequate recall scope. I am requesting investigation of failures involving camera function, GPS malfunction, and repeated software update failure after an over-the-air Tesla update.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725133March 18, 2026
STEERING, SEAT BELTS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
My 2023 Tesla Model X suffers from severe, intermittent safety system failures. Specifically, the Automatic Emergency Braking and Steering Assist randomly become unavailable while driving. Tesla Service refuses to repair this, claiming they are "unable to replicate" the intermittent alerts. However, the vehicle's history proves severe safety flaws: Tesla previously had to replace the entire steering wheel assembly and the driver's seat belt lap pretensioner due to failures, and had to recalibrate the forward ADAS camera because it went out of spec causing Autopilot failures. These unresolved, randomly occurring defects pose a severe crash hazard that Tesla is ignoring.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11724683March 16, 2026
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The electric power assist steering system on my 2022 Tesla Model X began displaying a "Steering Assist Reduced / Steering May Require Increased Effort" warning intermittently beginning in approximately May 2024, shortly after I purchased the vehicle. This warning appeared more times than I can count over the following months. In most instances the warning appeared but the steering continued to function normally. On approximately March 2, 2026, the warning appeared and for the first time the steering became extremely difficult to turn, requiring significantly increased physical effort to control the vehicle. The first physical failure occurred while parking at low speed in reverse. The steering failure also occurred subsequently while driving at highway speeds. In both instances I stopped the vehicle, exited, waited briefly, and upon re-entering the vehicle the warning cleared and steering returned to normal. This same sequence repeated the following day. The vehicle was brought to a Tesla authorized service center on March 13, 2026. Tesla's technician confirmed the steering assist reduction as reported and determined the steering gear required full replacement. The failed part, steering gear left hand drive part number 1070801-00-F, was replaced. Only full hardware replacement resolved the issue permanently. Prior power cycling provided only temporary relief. My safety was directly at risk. I am a full-time rideshare driver operating at highway speeds. The failed component has been replaced and is in Tesla's possession. Tesla is charging the full repair cost out of pocket despite this matching a documented pattern of identical failures reported to NHTSA by multiple Tesla owners.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11722384March 6, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Tesla has auto-park in the supervised FSD. My wife was using it to park the car in a public garage and it hit a post. The car was damaged. It was too quick for my wife to intervene. I know it is supervised, but there is no time to intervene when it comes to parking where the spot to park is close to other cars or posts anyway.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720061February 24, 2026
SEATS
The second-row seat does not latch properly and cannot lock into position. This is a safety-related issue affecting occupant restraint and crash safety. The vehicle is a 2023 Tesla Model X with 59,035 miles now, when report this issue Tesla, it was only 57,326 mile, still within the 5-year / 60,000-mile Supplemental Restraint System warranty. Tesla has declined warranty coverage and requested customer-paid seat replacement. I am concerned the vehicle may be unsafe to operate due to the seat not latching. Requesting investigation into potential safety defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718694February 18, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On February 17 at approximately 9:30 AM, while my wife was driving uphill, the vehicle abruptly shut down and became completely disabled. It began rolling backward despite her attempting to accelerate. Multiple warning alerts activated simultaneously, and the vehicle would not respond to forward input. Our [XXX] child was in the vehicle at the time. A total loss of power while in motion, combined with unintended rollback on an incline, represents a catastrophic safety defect. This was not a minor malfunction — it created a direct and immediate risk of collision and serious injury. Compounding this concern, on the morning following the incident at approximately 6:00 AM, I discovered one of the vehicle doors open without any user interaction. The vehicle had been secured the night before. This raises serious questions regarding electronic reliability and system integrity. Given the severity of these failures, I have lost confidence in the safety and dependability of this vehicle. My family’s safety cannot be subjected to further uncertainty. If this matter is not resolved promptly and satisfactorily, I am prepared to pursue all available legal and regulatory remedies, including formal complaints to appropriate federal safety authorities. Please confirm receipt of this letter and provide a written response outlining next steps within five business days. This situation placed my wife and child in direct danger. I expect a resolution that reflects the seriousness of that fact. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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