Your vehicle report
2016 Tesla Model X
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 452
- Received Mar 2016 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Suspension struts and shocks wear out early48 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Unintended acceleration despite braking26 complaints · 5.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Rear door latch fails to open or close20 complaints · 4.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #24V615000Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016 Model X vehicles. The front and center roof cosmetic trim pieces may be adhered to the vehicle without primer. As a result, one or both pieces of trim may separate from the vehicle.
- Recall #24V376000Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Steering wanders or pulls at highway speedFirst signal: Sep 2025
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 62 crashes, 4 fires, 36 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 41 |
| 2017 | 59 |
| 2018 | 12 |
| 2019 | 20 |
| 2020 | 95 |
| 2021 | 71 |
| 2022 | 48 |
| 2023 | 39 |
| 2024 | 27 |
| 2025 | 25 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 15 |
| Total | 452 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension struts and shocks wear out early | 48 | 11% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 26 | 5.8% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 20 | 4.4% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 17 | 3.8% | – | |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 17 | 3.8% | – | |
| Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches | 16 | 3.5% | – | |
| Rearview backup camera fails or goes black | 13 | 2.9% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 10 | 2.2% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 9 | 2.0% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 9 | 2.0% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 8 | 1.8% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 8 | 1.8% | 6.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Sep 2025 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.7% |
| Ball joints wear out and fail | 7 | 1.6% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 6 | 1.3% | – | |
| Heater blows cold air, defroster fails | 5 | 1.1% | – | |
| Parking brake fails to hold or release | 5 | 1.1% | 38.9× | NHTSA recall #17V260000 |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 4 | 0.9% | – | |
| Trailer frame, axle, or hitch fails while towing | 4 | 0.9% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 4 | 0.9% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 4 | 0.9% | – | NHTSA recall #20V062000 |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #24V615000August 15, 20249,136 vehicles affected
structure: body
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016 Model X vehicles. The front and center roof cosmetic trim pieces may be adhered to the vehicle without primer. As a result, one or both pieces of trim may separate from the vehicle.
Trim that separates from the vehicle during use can create a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Tesla service will test the roof trim adhesion and reattach the trim pieces as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 14, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-12-008. Vehicles previously repaired under recall 20V-710 will need to have the new inspection and remedy completed.
NHTSA recall #24V376000May 28, 2024125,233 vehicles affected
seat belts: front: warning light/devices
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy
Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.
NHTSA recall #24V051000January 30, 20242,193,869 vehicles affected
electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
NHTSA recall #23V838000December 12, 20232,031,220 vehicles affected
electrical system: adas: driver monitoring: software
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.
In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy
Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
NHTSA recall #23V085000February 15, 2023362,758 vehicles affected
steering: automated/adaptive steering
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software or pending installation. The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution. In addition, the system may respond insufficiently to changes in posted speed limits or not adequately account for the driver's adjustment of the vehicle's speed to exceed posted speed limits.
FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-001.
NHTSA recall #22V037000January 27, 202253,822 vehicles affected
steering: automated/adaptive steering
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The "rolling stop" functionality available as part of the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software may allow the vehicle to travel through an all-way stop intersection without first coming to a stop.
Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that disables the "rolling stop" functionality, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-001.
NHTSA recall #21V035000January 29, 2021134,951 vehicles affected
back over prevention: software; exterior lighting: turn signal; visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Tesla Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles with a center display equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and an 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device. When the 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device for the center display reaches lifetime wear, the eMMC controller will no longer be able to maintain the integrity of the filesystem, causing a failure in some of the center display functions.
The eMMC controller wear-out condition can cause the loss of the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings, and exterior turn signal lighting, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Owners should ensure their vehicles are operating firmware release 2020.48.48.12 or newer, which will alert owners if the eMMC is approaching lifetime wear. Tesla will notify owners, and will replace the VCM daughterboard with one containing an enhanced eMMC controller, free of charge. The recall began March 29, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-21-001.
NHTSA recall #20V710000November 17, 20209,136 vehicles affected
structure: body
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016 Model X vehicles. The front and spine cosmetic roof trim may have been adhered to the vehicle without first using primer. As a result, one or both pieces of trim may separate from the vehicle while moving.
Trim that separates from the vehicle during use can cause a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Tesla will notify owners, and dealers will test the roof trim adhesion, and, as necessary, apply primer, free of charge. The recall began January 15, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-20-12-005. This recall has been superseded by Recall 24V615 (SB-24-12-008).
NHTSA recall #20V062000February 5, 202014,113 vehicles affected
steering: electric power assist system
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Model X vehicles. The aluminum bolts that attach the power steering gear assist motor to the gear housing may corrode and fracture causing a reduction or complete loss of power steering assist.
Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla Service Centers will replace the steering gear mounting bolts with coated steel bolts, and add a corrosion-preventative sealer to the steering gear motor housing and motor connection bolts. If the mounting bolts are found to be broken or break during removal and cannot be removed, a new steering gear will also be installed. All services will be performed free of charge. The recall began February 15, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.
NHTSA recall #17V639000October 12, 20174,582 vehicles affected
seats: mid/rear assembly
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Model X vehicles. The left-side, second row, reclining seat backs may not fully latch due to having incorrectly adjusted recliner mechanism cables. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems," and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
If the seat back moves forward in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla service technicians will correct the cable adjustment for the left-side, fold-flat, second row, seat recliner mechanism, free of charge. The recall began on November 10, 2017. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-17-13-004.
NHTSA recall #17V260000April 19, 201731,709 vehicles affected
parking brake
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016 Model S and Model X vehicles. The electric parking brake calipers have an internal gear that may be improperly manufactured, possibly resulting in the gear fracturing during parking brake application or release.
If the gear breaks during parking brake release, the vehicle will not be able to be moved. If the gear breaks during parking brake application, the parking brake may not adequately hold the vehicle, potentially resulting in the vehicle rolling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Tesla will notify owners, and service centers will replace both the left and right electric parking brake calipers, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2018. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-17-33-002.
NHTSA recall #16V192000April 6, 20162,676 vehicles affected
seats: mid/rear assembly
Tesla Motors, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain model year 2016 Model X vehicles manufactured September 29, 2015, to March 30, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the third row seat back may move forward under load such as in a frontal collision. As such, the vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."
If the third row seat does not remain in its adjusted position, there may be an increased risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.
Remedy
Tesla will notify owners, and dealers will replace all affected third row seats, free of charge. The recall began on April 20, 2016. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-844-248-3752 or by email at ServiceHelpNA@teslamotors.com. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-16-13-003
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2016 Tesla Model X.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN