Tesla Model X Reliability by Year
Best & Worst Years, Problems & Recalls — NHTSA Data

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Incident Description: I was driving on the highway using Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) / FSD Supervised at approximately 65+ mph. Traffic conditions were moderate, and weather and visibility conditions were clear. While FSD was actively engaged, my phone began ringing. As I briefly attempted to silence the ringing phone, the FSD system unexpectedly disengaged/canceled during highway driving. I did not receive sufficient audible warning, advance notification, or adequate transition time to safely assume full manual control of the vehicle. There was no meaningful cushion time for driver response before vehicle behavior changed. The disengagement occurred abruptly and created an immediate dangerous situation at highway speed. The sudden transfer of control, without sufficient warning or response time, significantly reduced my ability to react safely. At the time of the incident: - My attention had been on the roadway prior to the phone ringing - I was monitoring the vehicle as required under FSD Supervised - My hands were near the steering wheel - There was no construction, lane merge, or unusual road condition nearby Immediately following the disengagement, the vehicle suddenly drifted and braked, resulting in a collision with the curb/barrier area near the highway bridge. Fortunately, no other vehicles were involved and no secondary collision occurred. I am requesting that Tesla investigate: - FSD disengagement behavior - Warning timing and driver alert mechanisms - System logs and telemetry data - Whether the vehicle generated internal safety/event reports at the time of the incident - Whether the disengagement and transition-to-driver behavior complied with Tesla’s intended safety protocols Relevant evidence preserved: - Tesla dashcam footage - Photos of vehicle damage and scene - Time and location information  - Vehicle data request pending

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.

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.

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.

As I was driving the Tesla Model X, I received a steering assist reduced error on the dash. There was no immediate noticeability, but after about 5 minutes, it felt like there was ZERO power steering, with no additional warnings in the car. With zero power steering, car required extreme forces required to get to the shoulder. If attempting any kind of turn, car would require forces in excess of 80lbs of pressure to execute. Once safely in a parking lot, I put the car into SERVICE mode to check the errors. There was an EPAS error, where it said Torque Sensor 1 not receiving, along with a Torque Sensor 2 not receiving. This has occurred to me 3 times, in the 3 years I've owned the car. Other than "Steering assist reduced", there is no other warning that the car's EPAS steering system reverts to just manual forces required to steer a car. I do not trust my wife to drive this car, as she would not have the strength necessary to get the car to a safe location. If this happened while turning, there's a strong possibility the car would not turn at all, a huge safety factor.

The steering wheel locks periodically and I have to get out and re enter my car. On long drives it works pretty fine and does not do this much on highways only once but in hotter weathers it seems to be much much worse. This happened once before the warranty but I did not think much of it. In one instance the steering wheel was so tight that it hurt my wrist while getting off the road

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.

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.

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.

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.

While driving my 2022 Tesla Model X at highway speed, I experienced a sudden loss of steering assist shortly after Supercharging. The steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn, and I had to use significant force to maintain control. The vehicle displayed a ‘Steering Assist Reduced’ alert, FSD became unavailable, and the suspension behaved unexpectedly. After the incident, the vehicle was taken to Tesla service. At this time, I have not received a clear explanation of the root cause of the steering‑assist loss. Because this event occurred at highway speed and created a safety concern, I am submitting this report so the incident can be documented and reviewed.

On January 31, 2026, at 10:30 PM, I was driving from Fort Lauderdale to my home in Boca Raton, Florida. I was using FSD supervised mode. Close to my home, a big red image suddenly appeared, the car started accelerating fast, and I had no control over the car or its steering wheel. The car hit several electrical posts and only stopped after the airbags engaged. My wife was in the passenger seat. The front of the car was totally damaged, and I will have to total it.

I am writing to formally document a life-threatening mechanical failure involving my 2022 Model X on January 30, 2026. While my wife was operating the vehicle, it suffered a simultaneous and catastrophic collapse of all primary safety systems. During operation, the vehicle experienced a total loss of steering and braking control. This was accompanied by a rapid cascade of critical system alerts on the primary display, including “ABS Malfunction,” “Stability Control Disabled,” and “Steering Assist Reduced/Disabled.” Most critically, the vehicle exhibited Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA), increasing speed in direct opposition to the driver’s physical application of the brake pedal. This resulted in a near-miss where the driver narrowly avoided a construction crew.

The turn signal buttons intermittently fail to work. Many presses of the tuen signal buttons do nothing. When it stops working it stops for several minutes and then will start to work again. The problem is happening more and more frequently. The yoke has been replaced 3 times already for the same issue and after about a year just started happening again.

Both front half shafts failed. I did research and this part is known to be substandard, was recalled in China, and remains a problem in the US.

My 2022 Tesla Model X has two recurring safety-critical defects that remain unresolved despite multiple repair attempts. 1. Airbag / Restraint System Failure (RCM2 / OCS Defect): The vehicle frequently misclassifies the front passenger seat. It shows a passenger when the seat is empty and activates passenger seatbelt warnings incorrectly. Recently the vehicle displayed: “Front passenger safety restraint system issue: Service required (RCM2_a064).” Tesla attempted to repair an electrical harness in the seat, but the problem returned. A Tesla technician documented that the seat may still need a new occupancy sensor. Because this affects the Occupant Classification System and airbag deployment logic, it raises potential FMVSS 208 compliance concerns. 2. FSD / GPS Safety Hazard (5 Unsuccessful Repair Attempts): Across five service visits, Tesla attempted to fix GPS drift and unsafe FSD routing. The vehicle still attempts incorrect turns, performs premature lane changes, and misinterprets intersections. One recent incident involved FSD attempting a left turn one intersection early, nearly causing a collision. Tesla replaced the GPS antenna, recalibrated cameras, and replaced the computer, but the unsafe behavior continues. These two defects—incorrect airbag/OCS behavior and hazardous automated-driving/navigation behavior—create a significant safety risk to occupants and other drivers. Both defects persist after repair attempts. I can provide service records, videos, and documentation upon request.

The vehicle presents a compounded safety defect creating a risk of passenger entrapment and high-voltage fire. 1. High Voltage Manufacturing Defect: On September 3, 2024, authorized Tesla Service technicians diagnosed a critical safety fault. The service record states technicians 'found A/C compressor HV harness was incorrectly routed, rubbing against the steering column' and 'found sand inside the connector'. Tesla repaired this defects under the 'Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty,' confirming it was a factory assembly error. This defect created an imminent risk of a high-voltage short to the steering column, which could result in driver electrocution or total vehicle power loss at speed. 2. Passenger Entrapment: The vehicle has a documented history of Rear Falcon Wing Door failure (7 repair attempts from April 2023 to May 2025). The doors frequently fail to latch or open. On July 8, 2025, the Left Rear Door failed to open due to a sensor fault. 3. Combined Hazard: If the incorrectly routed High Voltage harness causes a vehicle power failure, the rear doors' electronic latches will fail. Because the doors have a history of mechanical jamming, passengers in the rear seats would be trapped in a vehicle with a compromised High Voltage system.

I had my two Teslas parked in the garage. The model X was charging at about 1:30 AM. We heard explosions coming out of the garage. Went to check only to see my model X in flames. We evacuated and called 911 eventually a fire investigation report was made Showing the fire started within the vehicle outward. The battery pack was on fire. We had lithium contamination all over the house and this fire endangered five lives. This incident has been two years ago and until now Tesla refuses to acknowledge the faulty battery and is refusing to do anything about it

The wing-style door of the car closed while my 1-year-old daughter's leg was sticking out. It dragged her leg sideways as it closed, and he femur broke. None of the sensors worked, the door should have detected motion or pressure, but they did not and it resulted in my daughter's leg breaking.

As I was attempting to merge onto Interstate 75, I noticed that steering became unexpectedly difficult. Consequently, I decided not to enter the highway. I then crossed the highway and pulled into a parking lot, where I turned off the vehicle. Upon restarting the vehicle, the issue seemed to have resolved itself.