2017 Tesla Model X problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Suspension (55) · Electrical System (38) · Steering (35)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Tesla Model X model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
111 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (10)
Seat Belts:front:warning Light/Devices 2024-05-28 · campaign 24V376000 · 125,233 vehicles
Defect: 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."
Risk: A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: 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.
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel 2024-01-30 · campaign 24V051000 · 2,193,869 vehicles
Defect: 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."
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Electrical System:adas:driver Monitoring:software 2023-12-12 · campaign 23V838000 · 2,031,220 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Steering:automated/Adaptive Steering 2023-02-15 · campaign 23V085000 · 362,758 vehicles
Defect: 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 traf
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Steering:electric Power Assist System 2022-11-01 · campaign 22V818000 · 40,168 vehicles
Defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Model S and Model X vehicles. The electronic power assist steering (EPAS) system may experience a loss of power steering assist when driving on rough roads or after hitting a pothole.
Risk: A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update to recalibrate the EPAS system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 31, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-014.
Steering:automated/Adaptive Steering 2022-01-27 · campaign 22V037000 · 53,822 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Forward Collision Avoidance: Sensing System: Camera 2021-10-29 · campaign 21V846000 · 11,728 vehicles
Defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Model S, Model 3, Model X, and 2020-2021 Model Y vehicles operating software version 2021.36.5.2. A communication error may cause false forward-collision warning (FCW) or unexpected activation of the automatic emergency brake (AEB) system.
Risk: Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. The recall began October 25, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-00-004.
Visibility:defroster/Defogger/Hvac System 2021-01-29 · campaign 21V035000 · 134,951 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Seats:mid/Rear Assembly 2017-10-12 · campaign 17V639000 · 4,582 vehicles
Defect: 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."
Risk: If the seat back moves forward in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Parking Brake 2017-04-19 · campaign 17V260000 · 31,709 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Service bulletins (117)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Electrical System 2025-06-03 · SB-25-16-003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
on certain model s and model x vehicles, the battery powered pyrotechnic high voltage (hv) battery disconnect will reach the end of its battery lifespan in the near future, which will trigger alerts and may limit the vehicle’s performance.
Structure:body 2024-12-05 · SB-21-12-005 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
for some model x vehicles built before may 2018, should water seep into the printed circuit board of the rear door cladding sensor, an alert might be displayed on the touchscreen.
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-30 · fsd-12-5-4-1_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air
tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is displayed on its touchscreen. this file c
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-30 · fsd-12-5-4_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air
tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is displayed on its touchscreen. this file c
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-30 · fsd-12-5-3_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air
tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is displayed on its touchscreen. this file c
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-30 · 2024.38_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air
tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is displayed on its touchscreen. this file c
Showing the 6 most recent of 117 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-08-03 · Unknown Or Other“the main vertical display which shows rear view camera when car is in reverse is extremely slow. my rear view camera at times doesn’t show up until 15-20 seconds of putting the car in reverse and sometimes, the camera doesn’t even come up. this happens frequently on a weekly basis. i think the unit needs to be replaced for the camera and the entire…”
2026-05-31 · Structure:body“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 installe…”
2026-05-15 · Steering“my 2017 tesla model x (vin: [xxx] ) is experiencing stiff and binding steering caused by corrosion at the lower steering column i-shaft universal joint. the steering intermittently binds and resists normal turning force, which has caused tesla’s full self-driving (fsd) system to disengage due to abnormal steering resistance — a direct safety concer…”
2026-04-16 · Steering · 55,340 mi“the contact owns a 2017 tesla model x. the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized. there was no warning light illuminated. the contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to control and was pulling to one side, almost causing a crash with another vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer,…”
2026-04-13 · Steering“repeat catastrophic steering failure on 2017 model x (vin [xxx] ). steering wheel spins freely with zero connection to the wheels (complete mechanical disconnect). this is the third steering-system repair in under 12 months. • april 8, 2025: lower intermediate shaft replaced (still inside 12-month parts warranty). invoice does not list ‘shielded’ …”
2026-04-02 · Unknown Or Other“high voltage battery management system generated fault codes bms_u008 and bms_f071 during a supercharger charging session, prohibiting drive mode. vehicle had been driven normally to the supercharger with no drive-prohibiting alerts during transit. after connecting to the supercharger, fault codes manifested. despite fault condition, vehicle contin…”
2026-03-24 · Steering“i experienced a total steering lockup and loss of vehicle control immediately following a steering column and suspension repair at a certified tesla service center at [xxx] . information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)…”
2026-03-20 · Structure · 50,000 mi“the contact owns a 2017 tesla model x. the contact stated that while driving and rolling up the front driver's side window, the exterior window lower chrome detached. the contact was able to grab the chrome piece before the chrome piece flew off the vehicle. the chrome piece was reinstalled on several occasions; however, the failure recurred while …”
2026-03-03 · Structure:body“ approximately one to two months ago, the driver-side front door latch on my 2017 tesla model x malfunctioned and prevented me from exiting the vehicle through the driver door. i first attempted to open the door using the manual interior door handle (manual mechanical release), but the door did not unlatch. i then attempted to open the door using …”
2026-01-05 · Steering“the electronic power steering (eps) is struggling, requiring increased driver effort to steer. this seems to be dangerous when driving. the full self driving (fsd) capability also stops abruptly when the steering locks up. again, this is very risky and can cause serious accidents. i see that several owners have posted on social media about this sam…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.