2016 TESLA MODEL X Complaints

My 2016 Tesla Model X is subject to NHTSA Recall 24V615000 for detaching roof appliques. The component was previously inspected by Tesla under this campaign. August 30, 2026 the center spine applique completely detached and flew off the vehicle at highway speeds, creating an immediate road hazard. Tesla Service is now refusing to replace the missing component under the recall campaign, claiming a prior inspection absolves them of coverage. The vehicle currently exhibits the exact safety defect intended to be cured by the recall.

I was driving the vehical when something went wrong. The vehicle showed a warning stating "ABS disabled". I was worried by this, when I saw further warnings appear including "Safety restraint system issue" "Power braking assist reduced" and something about steering. The dashboard also showed "Park Brake fault" and a red icon with a seatbelt and another with an airbag. Alarmed, I pulled to the side of the road. I then discovered that I could not use the parking brake or turn on the flashers. There is no manual parking brake, and the car thought it was still driving. I was facing downhill and the only way to keep the car from rolling was to keep my foot on the brake. I had to call 911 and could only safely exit the vehicle, after they had ensured it would not roll. Again, I could not exit the vehicle, or even put on flashers to warn traffic. Tesla attempted to have me reboot the operating system but this also failed -- apparently there is no manual reboot or brake avalible.

I own a 2016 Tesla Model X P100D equipped with the Large Drive Unit (LDU). The component that fails is the rotor coolant seal in the rear drive unit motor. Coolant leaks internally into the motor and inverter, causing bearing wear, corrosion, isolation faults, and eventual complete drive unit failure. The affected drive units are still installed and available for inspection upon request. This defect puts my safety and the safety of others at risk because it can cause sudden loss of propulsion (especially at highway speeds), power reduction, or total drivetrain shutdown, potentially leading to a crash. Coolant in high-voltage areas also raises electrical fault/fire risks. The problem is widely reproduced and confirmed: Tesla service centers are familiar with it and replace failed units with updated “-U” revisions that include a coolant bypass. Independent EV shops confirm the exact root cause (rotor seal failure) via encoder inspections showing coolant intrusion and through disassembly. This is a documented pattern failure in all 2012–2020 LDU vehicles. No police or insurance inspections have occurred yet, as no crash or total failure has happened. Tesla is aware of the recurring issue through service records on similar vehicles. Early symptoms before full failure typically include rear motor whining/grinding (especially under load), reduced power warnings, “Rear Drive Unit Fault” messages, and visible coolant on the speed sensor. These can appear gradually. My vehicles have not yet experienced total failure, but the defect is known to be inevitable. I am proactively monitoring encoder sensors. Because this is a systemic design defect affecting thousands of vehicles with clear safety implications, I request NHTSA open an investigation and require Tesla to issue a recall for free repairs/replacements on all affected 2012–2020 LDU vehicles.

The rack-and-pinion system failed, causing steering to become difficult at low speeds and worsening rapidly over weeks. It was inspected by a mechanic at EV Coastal in Santa Ana, who said it was not the U-Joint or bolt corrosion issue addressed by an earlier NHTSA recall. There were no notifications either visible to me or to the mechanic in service mode. The accident was at low speeds and a partial cause was my daughter's difficulty making a smooth adjustment with the steering wheel. She was pulling out of a parking spot and collided with a car going a little faster than it should have in a parking lot. Fortunately, the damage was limited to a scratch to the passenger side door of the other car (see photo) and scratches to the right side of the front fender of the Tesla.

I don't think Tesla ever did the steering bolt recall per SB-20-32-002 on my vehicle. I had all the bolts fail, with obvious corrosion, and the motor separated from the rack causing a loss of power steering while moving. You can see where the bolt physically failed and the corrosion both on the remainder of the bolt and the entire mating surface of the motor to the steering rack. Going back through my service records, it is only listed once on 9 June 2021 with notes of "Parts not available" hidden in the comments. Tesla is telling me this was done, with comments about a January 2021 visit, but I never took it to them in January (I did in February) and the February visit has no mention of the recall. Regardless, one of two things happened: either Tesla didn't do the recall and I fell victim to the issue or the recall was done and the new, updated bolts still failed due to corrosion and exposure to a corrosive, winter environment. I still suspect the former for the reason that no visible evidence of the protective wax coating required by the TSB could be seen on the motor or steering rack. Perhaps they swapped the bolts but didn't apply the wax, which allowed for continued corrosion? I won't know for sure until they continue with the repair, but I'm worried they are going to toss the parts and sweep this under the rug and foot me with the full bill. Regardless, I want this documented that I had a failure despite the recall so that any other owner with a similar problem can see this record.

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that while driving during a rainstorm, the power steering assist feature suddenly failed, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. The driver was able to forcefully turn the steering wheel and drive the vehicle a short distance to the residence. The vehicle was later towed to the local Tesla Service Center who diagnosed that the steering rack circuit board had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V062000 (STEERING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 80,000.

2016 Tesla Model X experienced Electronic Parking Brake failure with alerts stating ‘parking brake did not release.’ Tesla is charging for replacement despite known EPB defect and recall affecting 2016 Model X vehicles. This is a safety-related braking issue.

While driving a notification popped up, parking brake may not be applied while driving. This notification appears in rain or snow making me think it is weather related malfunctioning.

Description of Problem: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER COMPLETE FAILURE My 2016 Tesla Model X instrument cluster has completely failed and permanently displays "CAR OFF" regardless of the actual vehicle status, including while actively driving at highway speeds. Critical Information I CANNOT See While Driving: Gear position (P, D, R, N) - I have no visual confirmation of what gear the vehicle is in Vehicle speed/speedometer Warning lights (brake, ABS, tire pressure, etc.) Battery status Any critical safety alerts This is an extremely dangerous condition that prevents me from knowing essential driving information required to operate the vehicle safely. Federal Safety Violations: This defect clearly violates Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) No. 101 and No. 102. Gear position indicators must be "permanently displayed in view of the driver" Critical safety information must be accessible to a properly seated and belted driver Instrument panels must provide essential vehicle status information Tesla's Pattern of Similar Recalls: Tesla has previously recalled vehicles for similar instrument cluster issues: 2023 Recall (NHTSA Campaign 23V-404): Tesla recalled 2012-2023 Model S and 2016-2024 Model X vehicles for incorrect instrument panel warning light font size, specifically stating that warning lights with smaller fonts "can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash." 2022 Recall (Multiple campaigns): Tesla recalled Model S and Model X vehicles for touchscreen failures affecting backup camera, window defroster/defogger, and instrument cluster displays.

Problem: Driver door fails to open The door actuator and latch will intermittently fail and the door will refuse to open. In the event of an accident the driver can fail to exit the vehicle possibly leading to death. An independent party/dealer has not produced the problem. No representative has looked at the problem. No warnings of failure appear.