Home · 2020 Tesla Model X (all Variants 5-seat) · Complaints

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

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (123)Crash / fire / injury (17)Suspension (37)Electrical system (28)Driver assistance (23)Speed control (18)Steering (18)Body & structure (11)Lane Departure (10)Brakes (8)Transmission & drivetrain (8)Wheels (5)

9 of 123 complaints match · Speed control · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Sep 2, 2022Speed controlBrakesDriver assistanceCrash

On 8/16/2022 Tuesday, I went to work at about 10:24 and parked by the road next to mcDonalds to call my husband. I wanted him to take the car to park elsewhere as that spot had no parking starting at 10:30. My husband was not available so I was about to move the car and had my feet slightly touching the brake. At that point the car suddenly accelerated and jumped forward without any control and hit a car that was coming out of mcDonalds driveway. That car was about 15/20 feet away from my car and I hit on the driver’s side. My car was in such speed that it pushed the other car 6 feet on the other side which in turn hit a pedestrian crossing the road. I am 100% sure that I did not press the accelerator and the car moved by itself in such force that I had no chance of controlling it. I’ve asked Tesla to investigate as well

NHTSA ODI 11482661

Jul 2, 2021Speed controlBrakesCrash2 injuries

Around 1:50 P.M May 27, 2021, I left my house driving my Tesla 2020 Model X with my son in the front passenger seat to his school. We returned to our home around 2:19 P.M. At our front gate, I slowed down to a close stop as I turned the vehicle into my driveway. Once descending the driveway, my Tesla vehicle suddenly accelerated to an extremely high speed. While I attempted to brake; however, none of the speed controls seemed to work. The vehicle hit my 2009 Toyota Camry parked on the left side of my driveway first, then took out the heavy duty wrought iron fence post and gate door located about 100 ft from my front gate. My Tesla vehicle kept moving at a very high speed and knocked down and damaged all trees, plants, and garden arbors along the vehicle’s path and, then, crashed through the rear wrought iron fences about 200 ft from my front gate. Finally, the vehicle stopped after crashing into two large trees and stop there. My son got injured and was taken to an urgent care facility after the crash. Two of my vehicles including 2020 Tesla Model X and 2009 Camry LE were totaled and a large portion of my backyard, fence and gate were destroyed due to this Tesla crash. This Tesla vehicle suddenly accelerated for no reason, indicating that there must have been something seriously wrong with this vehicle at that time. The resulting skid marks on my driveway discovered after the incident demonstrates that braking was applied even though the vehicle accelerated. I had reported this crash to Tesla on May 27 and followed up on May 29, June 1 and June 3 and have not received a response from Tesla at this time. The investigation shall be performed to find why this Tesla vehicle suddenly accelerated to prevent other Tesla vehicle drivers from similar dangerous incidents caused by the vehicle’s sudden accelerations. I have the videos and photos from the crash. Please let me know should you need this information for the investigation.

NHTSA ODI 11423276

Dec 17, 2020Speed controlEngineCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TESLA MODEL X. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES PEDAL AND STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE HAD EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE AGAIN ON 12/14/2020, AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE AND WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS OFF WHEN IT ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY AND DROVE INTO A BUILDING. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES OR SEEK MEDICATION ATTENTION. A POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT CALLED LOCAL DEALER TESLA (6701 AMADOR PLAZA RD, DUBLIN, CA 94568; (925) 361-1173) AND WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE.THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. A THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE'S LIGHTS INDEPENDENTLY TURN ON AND OF.

NHTSA ODI 11383955

Dec 13, 2020Speed controlLane DepartureBackup camera & sensorsCrash

ON THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER 11, MY REVERSE CAMERA STOPS FUNCTIONING. AT NIGHT, WHEN I PARK MY CAR IN THE GARAGE, MY FRONT SCREEN (BEHIND STEERING WHEEL) WAS BLANK. SHORTLY AFTER, MY CAR SUDDENLY SELF-ACCELERATED WHILE I WAS PARKED. THIS RESULTED IN THE CAR SMASHING THROUGH MY GARAGE WALL, CAUSING LOADS OF DAMAGE IN THE ROOM OPPOSITE OF THE WALL. SOME DAMAGE INCLUDED: A BROKEN WOODEN BAR, SHATTERED GLASSES & LIQUOR BOTTLES, AND DAMAGES TO THE FRONT OF MY TESLA. THIS CAR WAS NEWLY PURCHASED, WITH A MILAGE OF SIMPLY 40 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 11383233

Jul 1, 2020Speed controlCrash

I WAS THE FOURTH VEHICLE IN LINE AT A BANK DRIVE THRU AND WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME MOVED UP IN LINE, I PLACED THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT TWO VEHICLES AND THEN WENT OVER A CURB INTO A PARKING LOT AND CRASHED INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES, WHICH RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT INVOLVING FOUR OTHER VEHICLES. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY HURT. MY VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS.

NHTSA ODI 11337072

Apr 7, 2020Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlCrash

WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JUMP THE PARKING CURB AND STRIKE A RETAINING WALL. I HAVE THE VIDEO FROM THE CAR. WHILE TURNING RIGHT INTO AN AVAILABLE PARKING SPOT, I WAS ABOUT 80% INTO THE SPOT WHEN THE VEHICLE SURGED.

NHTSA ODI 11320402

Apr 6, 2020Electrical systemSpeed controlCrash

WHILE I WAS PARKING, MY TESLA MODEL X SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO MY OFFICE BUILDING. I AM SURE THAT MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AT THE TIME.

NHTSA ODI 11320351

Mar 21, 2020Speed controlCrash

AT APPROXIMATELY 6:18 PM ON 3/21/2020, I WAS DRIVING MY BRAND NEW 2020 TESLA MODEL X (7 MILES STARTING ODOMETER) HOME FROM TAKING DELIVERY OF IT (!), AND AFTER 20 MILES OF MOSTLY HIGHWAY DRIVING, I WAS NEARING HOME AND STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT (WITH SEVERAL CARS STOPPED AHEAD OF ME). AFTER ABOUT 30 SECONDS OF SITTING DEAD-STOPPED, THE CAR VIGOROUSLY ACCELERATED WITH NO ACTION ON MY PART, AND I HAD TO TURN THE CAR HARD TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID A FULL-ON COLLISION WITH THE STOPPED CAR IN FRONT OF ME. FORTUNATELY, TO MY RIGHT THERE WAS A CURB AND THEN AN EMPTY PARKING LOT AND SO I WAS ABLE TO AVOID ANY SERIOUS PROPERTY DAMAGE OR INJURY. BOTH OF THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRES ON MY VEHICLE WERE FLATTENED, AND THERE WAS SOME VERY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE BUMPER, AND TO THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE FENDER OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. (I HAD LEFT ENOUGH DISTANCE WHEN STOPPING AT THE LIGHT IN BETWEEN MY CAR AND THEIRS AND I ALSO SOMEHOW REACTED VERY QUICKLY GIVEN HOW IN SHOCK I WAS.) THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVE-ABLE BECAUSE OF THE FLAT TIRES, AND SO I CONTACTED TESLA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THEY TOWED THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE TESLA FACILITY FROM WHERE I HAD JUST ORIGINATED. AFTER THE INCIDENT, I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE SALES PERSON BECAUSE -- YOU KNOW -- I HAD LITERALLY JUST PURCHASED THE CAR. SOMEONE ELSE ON THE SALES TEAM ANSWERED THE PHONE. MY SALES PERSON CALLED ME BACK SHORTLY THEREAFTER, AND I EVENTUALLY SPOKE WITH THE SALES MANAGER AROUND 7:45PM. ALL FOUR OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS (3 SALES, 1 ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE REP) SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF: "WE'VE NEVER HEARD OF A VEHICLE DOING THIS BEFORE." THANKFULLY I THOUGHT TO GOOGLE THE ISSUE, AND AN ARTICLE IN CAR & DRIVER ABOUT YOUR PENDING INVESTIGATION POPPED UP. SO I FEEL LIKE THEY WERE PROBABLY GASLIGHTING ME PER SOME SCRIPT FROM LEGAL, WHICH IS A REALLY GREAT FEELING AFTER YOU SPEND $103,000 ON A CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11318912

Jan 17, 2020Speed controlCrash

THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO FULL SPEED WHEN PARKING THE CAR IN A MALL PARKING LOT. I TRIED TO PARK THE CAR, IT DID NOT FIT SO I WENT REVERSE A COUPLE OF FEET AND WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, IT ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT. THE CAR WENT OVER THE TIRE STOPPERS AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN IT CRASHED AGAINST A POST. THIS WAS 100% THE CAR'S FAULT, I AM SURE I DID NOT PRESS THE ACCELERATOR. I HAVE SUBMITTED THE CLAIM WITH TESLA AND THEY ARE REVIEWING THE DATA. I SAW THE NEWS THAT OTHER CARS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM AND I WANTED TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE AS WELL. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED

NHTSA ODI 11300090

Working with the data? Download all 123 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 20, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2020 Tesla Model X (all Variants 5-seat) verdict →