2016 TESLA MODEL X Complaints

Two issues that are concerning and I have told Tesla: 1. The car will be on cruise control and I will be relaxed and all of a sudden it will just brake for no reason. Praise God I am aware of it now and prepared so I have to compensate, but it is very dangerous and made the cruise control useless. While it was under warrantee I request it be fixed, but they said there was no way to do that. 2. The car's back up screen is compromised and has a distortion on the bottom that was caused by a download. I requested four separate times a service requests to fix it while it was under warrantee, but they were unable to repair it. The first time they said I needed to wait for a download, then the second time they said it was a hacker, third time they replaced a chip, and the four time they told me to repair it I need to upgrade my entertainment package for $1500 so I cancelled the appointment. All while I was under warranty. Four appointments later and I still have a distortion on my screen when I back up which is slowly getting larger and will be a safety issue I'm sure down the road. Two very obvious safety issues that while under warranty they would not fix. I wrote Tesla and asked them to review my service requests and to get some resolution. I was unsuccessful.

MCU1 onboard computer system becomes overloaded with data that eventually and periodically causes the computer system to "crash" and requires a reboot, even with 8 GB eMMC replacement having already been installed. This means that vehicles with MCU1 (generally model S and X manufactured pre-2019) are increasingly becoming safety risks on the road because the MCU1 system crash can occur at any time, even while driving (not just when the car is going through it's start-up cycle). Whenever this occurs, it means the driver is unable to change the headlights which is especially harmful during dawn and dusk hours since these models do not have daytime running headlights. Drivers may be unable to use turn signals, unlock power doors (the Model X has power-driven doors on all sides) and advanced systems may be inoperable during the MCU1 rebooting process. This issue can be resolved by replacing the MCU1 operating system with the MCU2 operating system, but Tesla requires MCU1 owners with Auto Pilot Computer version 1.0 to pay $1,750 for what they are calling an "infotainment upgrade." This is disingenuous terminology used by Tesla because the MCU1 operating system is not just for "infotainment" - it is beyond that and includes significant safety features as mentioned above (headlights, doors, locks, windows, ADAS, and more). Tesla needs to cover the cost of replacing MCU1 with MCU2 or a new system that is stable and does not experience frequent data crashes. In other words, there must be a fix beyond the 8GB eMMC "band aid" that has not resolved the chronic failure of MCU1 systems. This is a continuing safety issue and driving hazard for all Tesla owners with MCU1 until a recall is issued.

Hello! The front fore links have failed in my vehicle which are a known issue in Tesla Model X's manufactured in 2016. I want to report this to add to the number of complaints

This vehicle was subject to a recall NHTSA campaign number: 20V710. Tesla’s own number for this recall is SB-20-12-005. It appears the inspection carried out in 2021 apparently passed at the time and no corrections were made, however, the part in question recently last week. The center spine panel came apart. Tesla are not willing to accept any liability or responsibility even though they now that this recall exists. This is a safety matter and it appears that even though vehicles were inspected at the time and deemed to have passed they are still susceptible to having the part fail later on.

On August 30, 2022 between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. the driver of a 2016 Tesla X, was traveling at highway speeds in the number one lane. The fore link failed when the driver applied the vehicle’s brakes in response to a vehicle in front of her abruptly braking for a hazard ahead. A grinding noise came from the drivetrain and the vehicle rapidly slowed involuntarily. The driver was able to navigate across several lanes of traffic to the right shoulder. The vehicle remained inoperable at the side of the freeway until it was later towed to Tesla, Inc. for repair. The nature of the incident was reported to Tesla Inc. Tesla, Inc. diagnosed the issue and found front left fore link to be broken at the ball joint. The technician found additional damage to : (1) the coaxial cable that leads to the left rocker panel; (2) the front aero shield; (3) front left fender liner (missing); and (4) main harness. Later, damage was discovered to the A/C compressor. Notably, Tesla Inc. inspected the vehicle braking system twice in the two months preceding the incident. On June 28, 2022, Tesla Inc. replaced the front brake pads. On August 4, 2022, Tesla Inc. inspected the tire pressure and condition and did not recommend rotation. No warnings were displayed. Co-owner spoke with a service manager at Tesla Inc. regarding Service Bulletin 17-31-001, indicating that Model X vehicles built in 2016 may have been manufactured with front suspension fore links that may not meet Tesla strength specifications. Nevertheless, Tesla, Inc. refused to cover the repairs under the Drivetrain Warranty or goodwill. The co-owner later learned that the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE20-020) regarding this issue. Co-owner also requested that Tesla, Inc. replace the right fore link without charge. After Tesla Inc. refused to do so, co-owner paid for the replacement out of pocket.

The suspension (the front half shaft) has repeatedly failed and has been replaced multiple times by Tesla. First it was replaced under warranty and now we are paying for it as it is no longer covered under the warranty. The part failure is a safety concern as it has lead to unstable handling, nearly resulting in a crash several times. The parts have always been discarded by Tesla but a full explanation of the problem is here: https://n2itive.me/ No warning lamps or messages appear as it happens every time you accelerate, and sometimes the vibrations are so severe that it affects the handling of the vehicle severely.

Power steering went out, and it was very difficult to turn the car, I called Tesla, and asked for a repair, I also stated the 20V062000 NHTSA recall and was told my car was not on warranty, my car fits exactly the recall number listed by NHTSA, I requested a refund and was denied. I had to drive the car 88 miles to Raleigh, I was put at a very high risk of safety to get the car fixed the steering was hard to pull and control, especially on stops and turns. NO warning messages, I discovered it when I was backing my car in the garage and did not drive it until I had to drive to Raleigh to get it fixed. The car was not inspected, I had to drive it to Raleigh for the repair. The consumer stated she requested to be reimbursed by Tesla but the request was denied.

The control arm joints of the Model X started to squeak under warranty. Under warranty, they "Reseal Area Around Both Front Upper Control Arm Ball Joints With Urethane (Model X)" which they knew didn't fix the problem from looking Tesla forum. It just masks the problem for another 1-2 years and when the car is out of warranty, they now offer a fix which is to replace the entire control arm joint which is around $1k per side. There is a known issue with Model X suspension. It looks like other models have had a recall for similar issues.

The front control arms broke. I had it in for recall work and asked them to check the rear control arms. We had just gotten new tires on it and the tire shop recommended we bring it in to have Tesla look at the rear control arms. Tesla said they looked good and then last minute they said the front control arms were broken. Not sure how that happened, but it seems to be a common problem with the 2016 model xs. Paid 637.94 for the repair. Since then, our power steering has been almost non existent.

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that on multiple occasions while driving with the Autonomous Self Driving feature activated and making a left or a right turn, the steering wheel seized, and the Autonomous Self Driving feature inadvertently disabled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown Service Center to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the lower steering shaft needed to be replaced. The contact then stated that the mechanic sprayed oil on the steering shaft to loosen the steering wheel; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.