Tesla Model X Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Tesla Model X options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Tesla Model X has 3,099 owner complaints and 111 safety recalls across model years 2017–2026. The most reported issue area is SUSPENSION. 2017 drew the most complaints; 2026 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Tesla
- Model
- Model X
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 3,099
- Safety recall campaigns
- 111
- Crash-related complaints
- 380
- Fire-related complaints
- 34
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2017 (1,185 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2026 (5 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- SUSPENSION
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Tesla Model X: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
NCAP crash test ratings for this model are not yet loaded or this vehicle was not tested in the years analyzed. NHTSA tests a subset of new vehicles each year. Check nhtsa.gov/ratings directly for the latest results.
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe TESLA MODEL X has 3,099 NHTSA complaints and 111 recalls on record. 380 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 3,099 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 111 federal recall campaigns
- 380 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Aug 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
111 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
AIR BAGS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE
STEERING:AUTOMATED/ADAPTIVE STEERING
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS:EXTERNAL/PEDESTRIAN ALERT
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 3,099 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
3,099 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
In January my parents Tesla in self driving mode drove them straight through a building. The breaks didn't deploy, the airbags didn't deploy and the steering wheel was shaking and unresponsive. Thankfully no one was seriously injured. That said, there was a lot of physical damage to the restaurant/building and the car was completely totaled. We are certain that there were catastrophic failures with the car that caused the accident however the mechanic has informed us that due to her NDA she cannot provide any details about her findings after examining the car. She sent her findings to Tesla who was supposed to issue a report to us and the insurance company, but several months later we still have not received anything. They are well past the 30 days time limit. We cannot get anyone from Tesla to respond to us. There was a police report and the cops, firemen, and mechanics where all absolutely floored that the airbags didn't deploy given the damage to the vehicle. Self driving failed. Breaks failed. Steering failed. Airbags failed. and Tesla has failed to respond.
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.
Both Garnish - Fender - Front - LH Right side and Left side come loose when driving in rain. The force of wheels pushing rain water on the fender garnish causes both the left and right fender garnish 4 push clips to come loose. When this fender garnish breaks and flies off it could hit a pedestrian, another car on the road or the car it is installed on causing an accident
Read 14 more owner reports
Steering got stuck on the road while driving. I couldnt move or change lanes. It was really scary. Then I slowed down and then I had tp pull out of the road to the shoulder. Then I waited for 20-30 mins and restarted the car. Then it worked. I was able to go home. I contacted Tesla and they said they need to look into the issue. At the service center, now they are saying they need to replace entire steering system and the cost is 5000. This is not fair and unprofessional. And it is very scary experience.
Heavy steering warning. Steering gear left hand drive.
While driving our screen shut down, autopilot and GPS stopped working and the doors would not open. My kids were stuck on multiple occasions and had to climb through the front seats. Tesla has already confirmed that the Driver Assistance System ECU (Turbo A and Turbo B processors) is a known issue. Over 1600 cases reported. This defect disables safety-critical driver-assist functions without warning, which meets the federal definition of a safety defect under 49 U.S.C. § 30102. Provide a free remedy to owners — including replacement at no cost — as required by 49 U.S.C. § 30120. Telsa denied coverage because we are out of warranty. I asked whether the known issue has been reported and why it is not being covered as a known safety defect. Because the problem involves loss of a safety system, it should not be treated as routine maintenance or wear and tear. It is a known safety defect and therefore must be reported and remedied at Tesla’s expense. Tesla refuse to address my concern and would only let me talk to store manager. They told me I had to email business resolutions to get more information. I have not heard back. I was forced to spend $2k to get my car fixed
After completing a 17.5-hour, ~1,000-mile non-stop road trip from Florida to Texas using Autopilot with no interventions or issues, the following week this vehicle experienced a sudden and total steering failure while slowly turning through my residential neighborhood. The steering locked up without warning and caused the car to drift partially into the opposing lane. No power steering warning was shown prior to the failure. Tesla Service diagnosed and replaced both the Front Body Controller (Part #1585663-00-C) and the Steering Gear Assembly (Part #1070801-00-F) under warranty. This is an extremely dangerous failure scenario — had it occurred at high speed, the outcome could have been catastrophic. I am reporting this to ensure it’s documented and investigated, as it appears consistent with similar steering failure complaints in 2021+ Model X vehicles.
Driving speed limit of 50 miles an hour on a two lane road and went to push the accelerator pedal and the entire assembly snapped completely off and was unable to continue driving the car
My car has 50,000 miles on it and is just over 4 years old. The steering column has failed causing it to not be able to steer. The service for this is a new steering column at a cost of over $5,000.00. The Y models and 3 models had a recall on this issue. Now it looks like the X models are having the issue as well. The consumer should not be responsible for this. It is dangerous. It is expensive to fix. A steering column should not fail at 50,000 miles. I am not the only person who has been faced with this issue. Tesla service even confirmed that they are seeing this on the X models. I think an investigation should be done. How many $5,000.00 repairs for safety has the consumer been saddled with?
Summary: The front suspension defect on my 2021 Model X, confirmed by St. Petersburg Service Center (Invoice #3000S0013156326), presents a serious safety hazard. Timeline & Concern: Reported Dec 4, 2024, under ESA. Example of Tesla’s delay tactics—service was scheduled only after warranty lapsed. Issue diagnosed in May 2025 as a faulty front upper control arm. Safety risk: Failure could lead to loss of control. I request a safety investigation to prevent similar unsafe compromises.
Steering assist error code. Car has less than 25,000 miles and Tesla is reporting this is common and the steering rack needs to be replaced and the steering gear left hand drive. Tesla Temecula also said there was a system malfunction that caused it but they do not dig into that they just do the service for $5100. Looking online this is common.
My 2021 Tesla Model X has a serious safety issue with the driver’s door. When opened, the door swings freely with no support or soft-close resistance and can slam shut or fling wide open unexpectedly. This poses a danger to passengers and nearby people or property. I believe this issue may relate to a latch or hinge mechanism malfunction, and I am concerned about the lack of a safety interlock. I have reported this to Tesla, and they have not acknowledged it as a warranty or safety concern. I am submitting this complaint in the interest of safety for myself and other drivers of this model. I have videos and more detail but this site only allows static photos.
Windshield cracked due to defrosting; yes available for inspection upon request. If the windshield shatters due to defrosting this is serious safety risk and what can happen while driving is limited less. Vehicle was inspected by Tesla located in Peabody, Massachusetts and the representative stated they are aware, and this is why they tell customers to warm the vehicle up before turning on defrosting, in all the vehicles I've owned windshield cracking from defroster being on has never happened or been an issue. Also through research I found other Tesla owners have experienced similar. No there were no warnings of this happening outside of reading other Tesla owners experiencing this similar situation.
This complain is regarding the recent recall regarding FSD tesla Smart Summon failures. Incident date June 02, 2024 Car was parked in a parking lot outside a movie theater. I was less than 20 feet away from car with clear visibility, and tried smart summon. Car pulled out of the parking making an acute turn damaging driver side door, and front bumper of car parked next to it. Tesla was contacted immediately regarding this malfunction of smart summon and requested them to stop offering this service to owners as it is dangerous. They took 3 months to conduct an internal investigation but refused to share written results. Instead read a generic statement from their website. Still not received a copy of the investigation. Tesla also refused to take take financial responsibility for the damage and their false claim. Smart Summon is dangerous and Tesla should not be allowed to advertise.
Unintended, unexpected opening of front frunk hood while driving slowly in a parking lot into a strong wind gust. I did not deploy frunk switch and Secondary latch apparently inoperative
12v Battery is keep discharging in every two to three months. Tesla service can't find issues or not telling me what is the reason. I have got 5 replacements of 12v battery in last one year. So I think there is a issue in car or bug they are not able to fix it because of limitation. Please let me know how to handle this.
Alerts: UI_a020 - Steering Assist Reduced APP_w264 - Lane Departure features unavailable This incident happened suddenly during a normal commute from work to home. It caused the steering of the vehicle to be very heavy and difficult to control which could have potentially led to an unwanted accident on the road. There root cause seems to be a failure in the steering rack component of the car. It is a very common and prevalent issue with Tesla vehicles, and complaints on various Tesla forums and Reddit threads about this same issue. There also has been NHTSA investigations in the past regarding this. The failure caused the loss of safety functionality such as Lane Keeping Assistance, Lane Departure Assistance, Autopilot and FSD. Tesla Service Center diagnosed the alerts as a steering rack hardware failure and is charging almost $5000 to replace the part. Given that this is such a prevalent issue among so many Tesla vehicles, it needs to be addressed by the manufacturer and should be a safety recall and not on the customer to pay out of pocket.
Showing 20 of 3,099 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
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Before you buy, check the exact Tesla Model X
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Tesla Model X, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Tesla Model X has 3,099 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Tesla Model X has 111 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 380 of the Tesla Model X's 3,099 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Tesla Model X vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Tesla Model X vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Tesla Model X has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Tesla Model X reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Tesla Model X reliable?
Poor. The Tesla Model X has 3,099 NHTSA owner complaints and 111 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is SUSPENSION. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Tesla Model X years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2017 (1,185 complaints), 2018 (705 complaints), 2020 (369 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Tesla Model X problems?
Top reported issues: SUSPENSION (716 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (695 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (672 complaints).
Does the Tesla Model X have recalls?
Yes — 111 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Tesla Model X. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.