2016 Tesla MODEL X
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2016 Tesla MODEL X has 681 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 8.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is suspension problems (22% of all complaints), specifically: here is a model x in the salvage yard. it is almost brand new but the front suspension has fallen apart. https://m.iaai.com/vehicledetenc.aspx?auctionid=0&itemid=22034238&rowid=36&pagesource=vehicleresults# the close up photograph reveals a lower suspension ball joint that has fallen apart. there. ⚠️ 7 fire reports filed.
681
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
8.5x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
SUSPENSION
150 complaints- • HERE IS A MODEL X IN THE SALVAGE YARD. IT IS ALMOST BRAND NEW BUT THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS FALLEN APART. HTTPS://M.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETENC.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=22034238&ROWID=36&PAGESOURCE=VEHICLERESULTS# THE CLOSE UP PHOTOGRAPH REVEALS A LOWER SUSPENSION BALL JOINT THAT HAS FALLEN APART. THERE
- • HERE ARE TWO MODEL X CARS AT A REPAIR SHOP. SEE ATTACHED PHOTOGRAPH. THEY BOTH HAVE FRONT SUSPENSION DAMAGE. THE BLACK CAR IN THE FOREGROUND HAS THE FRONT WHEEL SLICED IN HALF. THIS CAN ONLY BE THE RESULT OF A BROKEN SUSPENSION COMPONENT. ELON MUSK HAS TWEETED THAT THE NHTSA HAS CLEARED TESLA
- • I AM NOT OWNER BUT AM FILING ON BEHALF OF CHINESE OWNER WHO HAD ACCIDENT IN MONTANA AT 2AM 7/09/2016. DRIVER NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED CAR TO VEER TO THE RIGHT OFF THE ROAD BUT FRONT RIGHT WHEEL IS OFF. SPEED WAS 56 TO 60 MPH MONTANA STATE POLICE RESPONDED. HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/MY-FR
“HERE IS A MODEL X IN THE SALVAGE YARD. IT IS ALMOST BRAND NEW BUT THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS FALLEN APART. HTTPS://M.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETENC.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=22034238&ROWID=36&PAGESOURCE=VEHICLERESULTS# THE CLOSE UP PHOTOGRAPH REVEALS A LOWER SUSPENSION BALL JOINT THAT HAS FALLEN APART. THERE”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
93 complaints- • FALCON WING DOORS WOULD NOT CLOSE. I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO GET THE DOOR TO CLOSE AND LOCK AND ALL ATTEMPTS TO CLOSE AND LOCK THE DOOR FAILED. TESLA HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A SERVICE CENTER FOR REPAIRS.
- • I WAS IN A PARKING LOT WAITING ON A LUNCH ORDER. AFTER GETTING MY ORDER I WAS READY TO PULL THE CAR OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND NOT MOVING . AS I STEP ON THE GAS TO PULL OUT , THE CAR WENT INTO 100% ACCELERATION FORWARD CLIMB THE CURB AND CRASH INTO A CONCRETE WALL THAT SURRO
- • HERE IS A REPORT OF A TESLA MODEL X CRASH IN CHINA. HTTPS://MP.WEIXIN.QQ.COM/S/1DIN0UYENLRL8BO9GYKPCG (GOOGLE WILL TRANSLATE) THE OWNER REPORTS THAT THE CAR SUDDENLY SLAMMED INTO THE CONCRETE CENTRE DIVIDER, SPUN 180 DEGREES AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER CAR. THE DRIVERS AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY RESU
“FALCON WING DOORS WOULD NOT CLOSE. I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO GET THE DOOR TO CLOSE AND LOCK AND ALL ATTEMPTS TO CLOSE AND LOCK THE DOOR FAILED. TESLA HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A SERVICE CENTER FOR REPAIRS.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
90 complaints- • FALCON DOORS NOT CLOSING, REAR DRIVER SEAT ELECTRICAL DEAD, WARNING LIGHT BLOCKING BACKUP CAMERA READING REAR SEATS NOT IN PLACE, ALL INSULATION PEELING OFF ABOVE TIRES, BUBBLING PAINT, TRUNK AND SIDE PANELS MISALIGNED SO TILTED TRUNK HOOD AND FINGER GOES IN ONE GAP BUT FINGERNAIL ONLY BARELY IN OTH
- • ON APRIL 30, MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING MY NEW MODEL X ON THE FREEWAY. IT WAS A SUNNY DAY. HE DISENGAGED AUTOPILOT TO CHANGE FREEWAYS. AFTER HE CHANGED FREEWAYS, HE RE-ENGAGED AUTOPILOT. THE CAR FOLLOWED THE CURVE ON THE NEW FREEWAY, TURNING TO THE RIGHT, BUT WHEN THE FREEWAY STRAIGHTENED OUT, THE CAR K
- • HERE IS A FRESHLY UPLOADED VIDEO OF AN OWNER USING AUTOPILOT HANDS FREE. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=RO4DHFCUYEO AT 2:10 INTO THE VIDEO HE PASSES AN ONCOMING SCHOOL BUS ON AN UNDIVIDED ROAD WHILST WAVING HIS HANDS AROUND AND TALKING TO THE VIDEO RECORDER. THERE NEEDS TO BE A VERY LOUD AND
“FALCON DOORS NOT CLOSING, REAR DRIVER SEAT ELECTRICAL DEAD, WARNING LIGHT BLOCKING BACKUP CAMERA READING REAR SEATS NOT IN PLACE, ALL INSULATION PEELING OFF ABOVE TIRES, BUBBLING PAINT, TRUNK AND SIDE PANELS MISALIGNED SO TILTED TRUNK HOOD AND FINGER GOES IN ONE GAP BUT FINGERNAIL ONLY BARELY IN OTH”
— NHTSA complaint filing
STEERING
57 complaints- • I AM NOT OWNER BUT AM FILING ON BEHALF OF CHINESE OWNER WHO HAD ACCIDENT IN MONTANA AT 2AM 7/09/2016. DRIVER NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED CAR TO VEER TO THE RIGHT OFF THE ROAD BUT FRONT RIGHT WHEEL IS OFF. SPEED WAS 56 TO 60 MPH MONTANA STATE POLICE RESPONDED. HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/MY-FR
- • AUTOPILOT SAFETY HAZARD CREATING A CRASH WITH ME AND MY SON. ON JULY 25TH, 2016 AT 4:30AM I WAS INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT WITH MY TESLA MODEL X 2016 WITHIN 3 WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP. THE ROAD WAS WIDE OPEN WITH ONLY A FEW CARS AND GREAT CONDITION FOR AUTOPILOT, WE ENTERED IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE WITHOU
- • HERE IS A FRESHLY UPLOADED VIDEO OF AN OWNER USING AUTOPILOT HANDS FREE. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=RO4DHFCUYEO AT 2:10 INTO THE VIDEO HE PASSES AN ONCOMING SCHOOL BUS ON AN UNDIVIDED ROAD WHILST WAVING HIS HANDS AROUND AND TALKING TO THE VIDEO RECORDER. THERE NEEDS TO BE A VERY LOUD AND
“I AM NOT OWNER BUT AM FILING ON BEHALF OF CHINESE OWNER WHO HAD ACCIDENT IN MONTANA AT 2AM 7/09/2016. DRIVER NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED CAR TO VEER TO THE RIGHT OFF THE ROAD BUT FRONT RIGHT WHEEL IS OFF. SPEED WAS 56 TO 60 MPH MONTANA STATE POLICE RESPONDED. HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/MY-FR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
BODY/STRUCTURE
56 complaints- • FALCON DOORS NOT CLOSING, REAR DRIVER SEAT ELECTRICAL DEAD, WARNING LIGHT BLOCKING BACKUP CAMERA READING REAR SEATS NOT IN PLACE, ALL INSULATION PEELING OFF ABOVE TIRES, BUBBLING PAINT, TRUNK AND SIDE PANELS MISALIGNED SO TILTED TRUNK HOOD AND FINGER GOES IN ONE GAP BUT FINGERNAIL ONLY BARELY IN OTH
- • THIS IS A COMPLAINT MADE IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THE VIN IS A RANDOM NUMBER AND NOT THE ACTUAL VEHICLE INVOLVED. THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT DOORS AND FALCON DOORS FAILING TO OPEN OR CLOSE CORRECTLY. HERE IS A REPORT FROM AN OWNER WHOSE FALCON DOORS OPENED INADVERT
- • THE RIGHT REAR DOOR (KNOWN AS "FALCON WING DOORS") CAME OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND BEGAN TO IMPACT THE BODY OF THE CAR. NOT ONLY DID THIS POSE A RISK FOR BREAKING THE GLASS ON THE DOOR WHILE IT DRAGS AGAINST THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THERE APPEARS TO BE NO "PINCH DETECTION" IN THIS SCENARIO AS THE DOO
“FALCON DOORS NOT CLOSING, REAR DRIVER SEAT ELECTRICAL DEAD, WARNING LIGHT BLOCKING BACKUP CAMERA READING REAR SEATS NOT IN PLACE, ALL INSULATION PEELING OFF ABOVE TIRES, BUBBLING PAINT, TRUNK AND SIDE PANELS MISALIGNED SO TILTED TRUNK HOOD AND FINGER GOES IN ONE GAP BUT FINGERNAIL ONLY BARELY IN OTH”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 681 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐SUSPENSION: HERE IS A MODEL X IN THE SALVAGE YARD. IT IS ALMOST BRAND NEW BUT THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS FALLEN APART. HTTPS://M.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETENC.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=22034238&ROWID=36&PAGESOURCE=VEHICLERESULTS# THE CLOSE UP PHOTOGRAPH REVEALS A LOWER SUSPENSION BALL JOINT THAT HAS FALLEN APART. THERE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: FALCON WING DOORS WOULD NOT CLOSE. I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO GET THE DOOR TO CLOSE AND LOCK AND ALL ATTEMPTS TO CLOSE AND LOCK THE DOOR FAILED. TESLA HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A SERVICE CENTER FOR REPAIRS.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: FALCON DOORS NOT CLOSING, REAR DRIVER SEAT ELECTRICAL DEAD, WARNING LIGHT BLOCKING BACKUP CAMERA READING REAR SEATS NOT IN PLACE, ALL INSULATION PEELING OFF ABOVE TIRES, BUBBLING PAINT, TRUNK AND SIDE PANELS MISALIGNED SO TILTED TRUNK HOOD AND FINGER GOES IN ONE GAP BUT FINGERNAIL ONLY BARELY IN OTH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐STEERING: I AM NOT OWNER BUT AM FILING ON BEHALF OF CHINESE OWNER WHO HAD ACCIDENT IN MONTANA AT 2AM 7/09/2016. DRIVER NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED CAR TO VEER TO THE RIGHT OFF THE ROAD BUT FRONT RIGHT WHEEL IS OFF. SPEED WAS 56 TO 60 MPH MONTANA STATE POLICE RESPONDED. HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/MY-FR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Tesla MODEL X — Year Comparison
How does 2016 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 681
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 7
- Crash reports
- 90
- Injury reports
- 52
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2016 Tesla MODEL X