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Model file · TeslaUpdated · 8 sources

Selling a broken or wrecked Tesla Model X

The first model year carries the most weight. The 2016 Model X has 449 of the 1,549 complaints owners filed with NHTSA through the 2026 model, nearly three in ten, according to NHTSA's records pulled October 10, 2026. Suspension leads that year with 129, then the electrical system (74) and structure (48).

A dark gray Tesla Model X SUV with black wheels, parked at a painted curb beside tall stone pillars
Photo: Ethan Llamas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Complaints to NHTSA, 2016-2026
1,549
Year with the most complaints
2016 (449)
Component named most
Suspension (283)
Recall campaigns
39
Production
2015 to May 2026
Battery
100 kWh (earlier 60, 75 and 90)

Got a Model X with a dropped corner, a stuck falcon-wing door or crash damage? We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

Model X complaints and recalls by year

These Model X figures were taken on October 10, 2026, from complaints owners sent to NHTSA. Owners wrote these and NHTSA did not confirm them. The 2024-2026 SUVs have been out too briefly to gather many. That column totals more than 39 because a Model X recall touching several years is counted once per year.

Model yearComplaintsReporting a crashReporting a fireRecall campaignsMost-named component
201644962412Suspension (129)
201726824110Electrical system (63)
20181933529Suspension (35)
20191011338Suspension (23)
202012817010Suspension (29)
2021413024Steering (12)
202212712222Steering (38)
202319418217Unknown or other (72)
202426208Unknown or other (6)
202515203Unknown or other (4)
20267200Forward collision avoidance (1)

What went wrong on the Model X, by period

Wikipedia lists the Model X as a mid-size luxury crossover built in Fremont, California, from 2015 to May 2026, with final assembly in Tilburg, Netherlands, from 2016 to 2021. Every one has at least two motors and all-wheel drive; the Plaid has three.

2016-2020: doors, seats and air suspension

Suspension is the top complaint component on four of these five years. Wikipedia notes that in October 2016 Tesla made "Smart Air Suspension" standard in place of coil springs. Structure complaints show up too, 48 on the 2016 and 12 on the 2019. The falcon-wing rear doors were a problem from the start: in 2016 Tesla sued the Swiss supplier Hoerbiger for not producing satisfactory doors, and the suit settled that September.

Wikipedia lists the early recalls:

  • April 2016: 2,700 Model Xs, for third-row seats that unlatched in collision testing.
  • April 2017: parking brakes, on about 70% of the S and X vehicles sold in 2016.
  • October 2017: 11,000 vehicles, for a locking cable in the second-row seats.
  • February 2020: 15,000 Model Xs, for corroded bolts on the power steering motor.

NHTSA's recall 21V035000 also covers 2016-2018 Model X center displays with an 8GB eMMC flash memory chip. Its 134,951 vehicles include the Model S.

2021-2026: Plaid, steering and software

Steering moves to the top: 12 complaints on the 2021, 38 on the 2022, and 41 on the 2023, second to unknown or other. Some 2017-2021 SUVs may drop power steering assist on broken pavement or after a hard hit, says recall 22V818000. An over-the-air (OTA) update fixes it, and the 40,168 vehicles in that campaign include Model S sedans.

Two campaigns name newer cars directly. Recall 23V679000 covers 54,676 2021-2023 Model Xs that may not warn of low brake fluid. A crash could release the cabin door locks on some 2021-2023 SUVs, per recall 23V862000; its 120,423 vehicles include the Model S. The 2021 sits in 24 recall campaigns, mostly fleet-wide software updates. In August 2024, Wikipedia adds, 9,100 Model Xs were recalled because roof trim missing primer could fly off.

In January 2026, Tesla said it would end the Model X and turn its line over to Optimus robots, with a final run of 100 "Signature Edition" units.

Repair the Model X, or let it go?

Compare the quote with what a running Model X of the same year brings. Wikipedia reports that in 2026 the Model X is the fastest-selling used car in the US, so get that number before you decide.

  1. Check open recalls with your VIN at NHTSA. Seat, steering bolt and roof trim recalls need a service visit.
  2. Air suspension down? Read broken suspension before paying for struts and a compressor.
  3. Crash damage or a door that won't close? See wrecked or totaled.
  4. Battery won't hold a charge? The EV battery guide covers it.

Selling a Model X whole

  1. List what works: whether it powers on, which doors open, whether it rolls, plus the VIN and mileage.
  2. Request an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
  3. Tell us where it's parked and how much room is around it, such as a tight garage or an open driveway. Our truck loads it right there, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.
  4. Keep it complete. Leave the pack, seats and wheels in it, and say what's missing.
  5. Clear the screen of your account and saved places; see wipe your data.
  6. Have the title and ID ready. No title? Start with selling with no title.

The Model S is the sedan this SUV grew from. For the smaller pair, read the Model Y and Model 3 pages; for the pickup, the Cybertruck. Our Tesla page has the full list.

Questions people ask

Which Model X year has the most NHTSA complaints?
The 2016, the first model year, with 449 in NHTSA's October 10, 2026 records. The 2017 has 268, and the 2023 and 2018 have 194 and 193. Recent Model Xs have been driven for fewer years, which keeps their counts low for now.
Is the brake fluid warning recall on my Model X done?
Recall 23V679000 covers certain 2021-2023 Model X SUVs whose controller may not detect low brake fluid or show the warning light. To learn if this Model X recall is still open on your SUV, enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Will you take a Model X with doors that won't open?
Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US. Tell us which doors work, whether it rolls, and where it's parked.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.

  1. NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
  2. NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
  3. NHTSA recall 21V035000: center display flash memory, Model S and Model X nhtsa.gov
  4. NHTSA recall 22V818000: loss of power steering assist, Model S and Model X nhtsa.gov
  5. NHTSA recall 23V679000: low brake fluid warning, 2021-2023 Model X nhtsa.gov
  6. NHTSA recall 23V862000: doors unlocking in a crash, Model S and Model X nhtsa.gov
  7. EPA fuel economy data (model years and variants) fueleconomy.gov
  8. Wikipedia: Tesla Model X (production, doors, suspension, recalls, discontinuation) en.wikipedia.org