What 123 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Tesla Model X (all Variants 5-seat)

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to you once again to emphasize and provide additional details regarding the critical safety issue I previously addressed concerning the Tesla Model X vehicles, which is similarly affecting Tesla Model S models. My personal experience underscores the severity of this problem: I have had to replace six tires due to accelerated inner wall wear in the last 5 months. This specific wear pattern is a direct result of improper camber alignment, an issue that Tesla has continuously refused to rectify. This problem is not isolated to my vehicle alone. A growing number of Tesla Model X and Model S owners have reported similar experiences, indicating a widespread and systemic issue. The accelerated inner wall tire wear poses significant safety risks, as it can lead to unexpected and dangerous tire failures on the road. Despite the clear evidence and numerous complaints from Tesla owners, Tesla has consistently declined to address this issue adequately. It appears that the company’s reluctance is rooted in the fact that proper repair or recall to fix the camber alignment is not cost-effective from their perspective. However, this cost-cutting measure is putting drivers and passengers at risk. Given the scale and gravity of this issue, I urge the National Highway Safety Institute to take immediate action. It is essential to investigate these recurring problems with both the Tesla Model X and Model S models. The safety of Tesla drivers, passengers, and the general public is at stake, and a thorough investigation could compel Tesla to take the necessary corrective actions. Thank you for your attention to this urgent safety matter. I trust that the National Highway Safety Institute will act promptly to ensure automotive safety and hold manufacturers accountable for their vehicles’ reliability and safety.

NHTSA ODI 11741048

While driving the vehicle on the freeway, the driver noticed the car was handling unusually at highway speeds. After exiting the freeway at approximately 45 mph, the accelerator pedal failed to decelerate properly when the foot was lifted from the pedal. A warning message appeared on the display screen indicating the vehicle was shutting down while the vehicle was still in motion. The vehicle subsequently became completely inoperable and had to be towed to a Tesla service center. Tesla's own technician confirmed multiple Battery Management System faults and an internal fault within the high voltage battery pack. A full HV battery replacement was required. The vehicle had been purchased 14 days prior and had only been driven approximately 723 miles at the time of the incident. Safety of driver and passengers was at risk due to unexpected loss of power and loss of accelerator response while driving at speed.

NHTSA ODI 11736694

My 2020 Tesla Model X (VIN: [XXX] , approx. 121,000 miles) experienced a dangerous defect with the automatic front passenger door opening with excessive and uncontrolled force. I noticed this issue within the past three months. The vehicle's front doors are fully automated — the driver and passengers have no manual control over the force at which the door opens. Because of this, a person or object standing near the vehicle could be struck without warning and without any ability to stop or slow the door. The door was opening with such excessive force that it nearly struck a bystander on at least one occasion. This posed a clear and immediate safety hazard to anyone standing near the vehicle. When I brought the vehicle to Tesla Service, their own technician documented the issue in the repair notes as a "safety concern." The technician confirmed the cause was a defective door drive unit and a corroded connector in the wiring harness. Tesla replaced the right front door drive unit and the associated wiring harness. Tesla charged me over $1,000 to repair this defect, despite the fact that their own technician's notes explicitly identify this as a safety concern — not normal wear. I believe this is a manufacturing defect that should be covered under a safety recall or goodwill reimbursement, and I am reporting it here so that NHTSA can investigate whether other Tesla Model X vehicles share this defect. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue and determine whether a safety recall is warranted for this component. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11734616

When turning a loud cranking sound is heard and it makes it hard to turn. It as if something is stopping it from turning.

NHTSA ODI 11726034

On 03/13/2026, while driving my 2020 Tesla Model X at approximately 65 mph on a freeway, the front hood (frunk lid) suddenly flew open without warning and slammed into the windshield. The hood rotated upward violently and struck the windshield completely blocking the driver’s forward visibility. This created an immediate safety hazard while traveling at highway speed. Prior to the incident there were no warning messages or alerts displayed on the vehicle screen indicating that the hood was open or improperly latched. Tesla vehicles normally provide a dashboard and a sound alert if the hood is not properly latched before driving. No such warning occurred. The vehicle’s front camera recorded the incident. The video does not show any hood movement or flutter prior to the failure, suggesting that the hood was fully closed before the event. After the incident, Tesla service personnel inspected the vehicle. The technician stated that the hood may not have been properly latched prior to driving. However: The vehicle gave no dashboard warning No hood movement or vibration was visible prior to the event The hood opened suddenly and violently rather than gradually If the secondary latch alone had been holding the hood, some hood movement or vibration would normally be expected prior to full release. Safety Concern A hood opening at highway speed that: occurs without warning results in complete loss of forward visibility presents a severe safety risk to the driver and surrounding traffic. This type of failure could easily cause a high-speed crash. Video evidence of the incident at: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11724823

I am submitting information regarding repair access and repair estimate concerns involving a Tesla vehicle after a collision. During an insurance claim handled by Tesla Insurance Company, a repair estimate from a Tesla-preferred repair facility was used to declare the vehicle a total loss. However, a manufacturer-owned repair facility estimate would be significantly lower and could make the vehicle repairable. When I attempted to obtain an inspection and estimate from a Tesla manufacturer repair facility, the appointment was cancelled after communication between the insurance company and the repair facility. This prevented me from obtaining a competing repair estimate. Because Tesla operates the vehicle manufacturing, repair network, and insurance services within the same ecosystem, I am submitting this information for review regarding potential impacts on repair access, repairability, and consumer choice.

NHTSA ODI 11722287

Making a loud squeaky noise and knocking while I turn. The noise is coming from the steering and front suspension arms I believe.

NHTSA ODI 11713009

I am a software engineer and owner of two 2020 Tesla Model X (Raven) vehicles. Both exhibit a serious safety defect after installing firmware 2025.44.25.4 with FSD v12.6.4. Vehicle configuration: Model S/X with MCU2 (Intel Atom) and Hardware 3 (HW3). Defect description: When Full Self-Driving (FSD) is engaged, the vehicle intermittently enters a critical failure state while in motion: • The instrument cluster (driver display) suddenly goes completely black • The center screen issues a red “Take Control Immediately” alert with alarms • The infotainment computer performs a watchdog reset and reboots (Tesla logo appears) while the vehicle is traveling at highway speeds This has occurred multiple times on both vehicles. Suspected cause: The 2025.44 software update appears to introduce additional dashcam telemetry writes (speed, steering, FSD state) to the USB device while recording video. On MCU2 (Intel Atom), this creates an I/O and CPU bottleneck that starves display and safety-critical threads, triggering an operating-system watchdog reboot. Disabling Dashcam immediately stops the crashes, indicating a resource-exhaustion condition rather than driver error. Safety risk: During the blackout and reboot, the driver loses all visual feedback from the instrument cluster while being instructed to take control. This creates a high risk of collision, especially at highway speeds or in complex traffic environments. Severity: Loss of driver display and system reboot while driving constitutes a safety-critical defect. This condition could lead to serious injury or death. I request NHTSA investigation into instrument-cluster blackouts and system reboots on Tesla HW3/MCU2 vehicles when FSD and Dashcam are enabled.

NHTSA ODI 11708160

My 2020 Tesla Model X experiences severe vibration, shaking, and rattling during acceleration, especially between about 20–45 mph and at higher suspension settings. The vibration is strong enough to affect steering stability and safe control of the vehicle during acceleration and lane changes. Tesla has already replaced the front half-shafts twice under warranty for this same problem, but the issue has returned again. This is a known defect documented by Tesla in Service Bulletin SB-21-39-001, which describes excessive front drive unit half-shaft vibration during acceleration and defines the repair with updated components. The latest revision of this bulletin (R3, dated January 19, 2024) explicitly adds “Customer Pay billing” instructions. Despite this, my local Tesla Service Center in Tempe, AZ (Supervisor: Lewis Holguin) refused to apply the SB-21-39-001 Customer Pay billing and instead charged full retail for the repair. On 11/28/2025, I was billed $1,694.86 out of pocket to replace both front half-shafts again (invoice shows approx. $1,046 in parts and $564 in labor). I have documentation showing that other Tesla customers with the same defect were billed only $350 under SB-21-39-001, which demonstrates that Tesla does apply a discounted bulletin rate in some cases. In my case, they refused to honor it even though this is a repeat failure of the same known defect and the prior warranty repairs did not permanently fix the problem. This is a repeat driveline/suspension defect that affects drivability and safety under acceleration. The shaking and vibration make it difficult to maintain stable vehicle control, especially during highway merging or lane changes. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate recurring front half-shaft failures and vibration/shudder issues on Tesla Model X vehicles and Tesla’s inconsistent handling of this known defect and service bulletin.

NHTSA ODI 11701961

On or about 20Jun2025: Tesla Driver Assistance Features - After the most recent 2025.20.3 softball update and installation my safety feature of the blind spot monitoring doesn't chim when a car is in my blind spot the car will show red in the font display but the sounds are now inoperable

NHTSA ODI 11677957

I would like to report a significant safety concern affecting Tesla Model X vehicles, and potentially Model S as well. Numerous reports across Tesla forums have highlighted persistent issues with unadjustable negative camber, which results in excessive inner tire wear on all four wheels. In some cases, owners have reported needing to replace their tires as early as 5,000 miles. In my own experience, I had to replace mine at just 14,000 miles. Additionally, I’ve experienced repeated failures of the front axle half-shafts on both the left and right sides. The first replacement occurred at 14,000 miles under warranty, and the second at 38,000 miles—this time at my own expense. Independent automotive professionals have pointed out that the angle at which the half-shafts are installed is too steep for optimal performance. The front motor sits significantly higher than the wheels, forcing the half-shafts to transfer power at an extreme downward angle. This off-axis setup, combined with the vehicle’s weight and high torque output, contributes to accelerated wear of internal components within the half-shafts. Over time, this leads to fatigue and surface damage, causing noticeable shuddering or vibrations during acceleration. To resolve this issue, the half-shafts would need to be more closely aligned with the wheels (on-axis) to reduce mechanical strain and eliminate the root cause of the vibrations. I urge Tesla to further investigate and address this recurring issue, as it impacts both vehicle safety and long-term ownership costs. A safety recall should be issued and reimburse out of pocket expensive back to owners.

NHTSA ODI 11675226

The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model X. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle shook erratically. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a malfunction with the front driver's side half shaft. The contact stated that the front driver's side half shaft needed to be repositioned. The vehicle was being repaired. The contact was informed that it was a known failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.

NHTSA ODI 11672375

Hello - I'm having extreme Inner tire wear on rear tires due to a bad camber arm design on my Tesla model X. The negative chamber is way outside of normal standards. I had an issue recently where my tire blew out. I did not notice until I had to replace it. I have changed tires three times in the last year. That's just egregious.

NHTSA ODI 11666971

This is a major safety issue --- we got an error that steering assistance was "reduced" for about 12 hours. Then on [XXX] at around [XXX], we were pulling out of a parked area (after being parked for 2 hours) -- and proceeded to increase speed on [XXX] in Newark, the car steering wheel abruptly LOCKED ITSELF - you couldn't even move the steering wheel. It just locked and shut down completely. We proceeded to do a rest (hitting two scroll buttons) to reset the system over 5-6 times. Each time it takes about 10 mins to complete. It was pure HORROR - sitting on the road with cars just passing by and honking at me behind. I had the hazard lights on, but it was a dangerous situation. I was completely STUCK and immobile. After some time, the steering wheel "magically" started working again. We've dropped the Tesla off at Springfield and they are charging us over $6,000 in damages for this. This is a SAFETY issue (we bought the car in March of 2024) and it's only been 15 months since we've had this used car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11666287

Steering assist reduced. It has been faulty for the past six months and auto pilot doesn’t work. Not repaired as the cost of repair is 5K.

NHTSA ODI 11658020

The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model X. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the self-driving mode disengaged unintendedly. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Tesla Service Center, where it was diagnosed that the self-driving system had completely failed. The Service Center determined that the self-driving computer needed to be replaced. The vehicle was in the process of being repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.

NHTSA ODI 11652136

We purchased a Tesla Model X 2 years ago and have driven a little over 10,000 miles on it. The car has had continuous suspension problems which resulted in replacing the half shaft twice, control arms and now suspension pins. We drive solely on city roads and highways, it does not seem safe that a car used for regular commute to/from work and school would have such serious mechanical problems so early on.

NHTSA ODI 11650050

I preordered a 2020 Tesla Model X on [XXX], totaling $112,590, with $62,617 paid in cash and the rest financed. On November 30, 2021, I brought the car to the Renton Tesla Service Center for axle noise when accelerating, but they couldn’t replicate it. On February 7, 2022, I returned with the same complaint and was asked to provide a video of the issue. On April 13, 2022, with video proof of the noise, Tesla verified the issue and replaced the axle halfshafts, temporarily resolving it. On [XXX], the noise recurred. Renton Tesla couldn’t replicate it and suggested a wheel alignment, which I paid for. On November 30, 2022, I took the car to Tesla of Bellevue, where they diagnosed worn-out suspension and made repairs, ordering additional parts. On January 9, 2023, Tesla replaced the Drive Unit during follow-up work. On [XXX], the knocking noise returned, but Tesla Bellevue couldn’t replicate the issue, providing no solution. On [XXX], I returned with the ongoing issue. Tesla again identified the problem as halfshaft-related and replaced the parts. Frustrated with no permanent fix, I requested they either find a long-term solution or initiate a buy-back. Tesla completed repairs, left voicemails to pick up the car, and failed to address my buy-back request. On December 5, 2024, Ludee, Tesla’s Bellevue manager, emailed threatening storage fees and impounding if I didn’t retrieve the car. I repeated my request for a buy-back over safety concerns but received another demand letter on December 12, threatening towing and impound charges if I didn’t pick up the vehicle by December 18. Tesla has known about this issue since November 2021 and has only offered temporary fixes despite verbal acknowledgment of the problem. It is not cosmetic but a significant safety concern, with axle noise pointing to potential frame and drive component faults. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11632901

Eil

NHTSA ODI 11626567

The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model X. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle was making an abnormal sound. The contact stated there was a grinding and whining sound coming from the vehicle while driving approximately 30 MPH and the sound was constant. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the front-end half-shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.

NHTSA ODI 11626341

Tesla updated my vehicle with FSD 12.5.2.1 and it is dangerous and should be recalled. The software is too much for my vehicles processor, it frequently freezes for as long as 10 seconds. This loses my speedometer, my signal information, and happened while merging and nearly caused me an accident. The lane keep assist has retrograded significantly, it often goes outside of the painted lines and is in danger of hitting curbs. The processor feels like it struggles to keep up, and the auto steer is unsettled and jerky as it changes its mind. Previous software worked great, Tesla is pushing the software beyond the hardwares capabilities and it’s going to cause accidents. Please stop them.

NHTSA ODI 11615386

I went over a dip (not even a speed hump, but a dip in the pavement) in a parking lot and the front passenger side sounded like the suspension broke. From there every turn or small bump sounded as though metal was on metal. I messaged Tesla to get an appointment to look at it, but they had no appointments for 2 weeks. Feeling as though the car was unsafe to drive while waiting for my appointment, I took it a local Tesla approved repair shop. They told me the bolt that holds the front passenger side of the front subframe and chassis was sheared. After that shop looked at it I had it towed to Tesla, hopeful they would repair it since my warranty expired in June 2024. I have a screen shot of Teslas message stating "The sound is coming from where the sway bar mount, front subframe, and chassis meet. The bolt is broken in the inside the chassis and vehicle will need to go to a body shop to be repaired," Seeing as I did not have an accident or hit anything this seems like a poor design. No body shop wanted to fix it because it was not in an accident. I reached out to Tesla to ask if this was common issue, but they did not answer that question. Online there are several forums with model X owners experiencing the same issue. This is a very expensive repair ($3500-$4000). My warranty was for 4 years/50k miles. My car has 51K and expired in June 2024. When the shop that is doing the repairs asked the tesla parts department if this was an issue with this model, they said the car has too much torque and it shears the bolts. This is dangerous. My front end could have come off, this could have caused a major accident. The car is not safe to drive and they told me the front passenger side frame could have come off the car. Please consider a recall to fix this for others for safety There were no warnings from the car that anything was wrong at any point.

NHTSA ODI 11614918

See attached document for complaint

NHTSA ODI 11610116

The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that upon activating Smart Summon, the vehicle turned directly towards a vehicle parked to the left at an undisclosed speed, resulting in a crash before that contact was able to cancel Smart Summon, after which the vehicle came to a complete stop. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. A Police report was not filed, and no injuries were reported. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 57,000.

NHTSA ODI 11592440

Since Tesla did a recent software upgrade for the autopilot, the car on a single carriageway drives very close to the right side, and fairly frequently drives over the white line on the right side (i.e. departing from the travel lane). The car used to sit in the center of the lane. The problem does not occur on the highway where it still travels in the center of the lane. The problem occurs when autopilot is used on [XXX] in New Hampshire, southbound from Wakefield to Rochester, NH. Autopilot has to be disengaged to correct the problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11587754