general problems of the 2016 Tesla Model X - part 1

Sudden and catastrophic shearing of the driver side rear suspension arm (control arm). My understanding is all these cars from Tesla have aluminum suspension arms which causes identical and catastrophic failure of the vehicle during driving due to choice of aluminum instead of stainless steel(ss). Aluminum has an ultimate tensile strength of only 90 mpa while ss can exceed 500 mpa. Since my car got disabled completely (motor gets disconnected from the wheel) I almost lost my life with vehicles coming at high speed from behind. I saw the same control arm failures with Tesla cars including s and 3 and x (like mine) all over the world. Here is an example of a very similar failure to mine on a model 3 in norway : [xxx] the failure is so similar that even the wheel tilted inwards to the wheel bay just in my case due to the clean shearing of the aluminum bushing on the control arm. I would like to make sure these failures do not continue with Tesla and people's lives are not at risk and thus this report. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I was parking my car at home when all of a sudden there was a violent/sudden drop in the front of my car. I initially thought I got a flat tire, but when I took a look the entire front suspension was shot and dropped as low as possible. The Model X feels and is very unsafe to drive and has a grainding sound like the car is about to fall a part.

In March of 2025, my steering of the Model X became really stiff. As time went on, the problem became worse and no longer able to turn left or right without major force. I made an appointment with Tesla and took it in for servicing. At this time they changed the steering bolts and steering shaft April 23, 2025. This cost $489. 70 (I will attach invoice). As soon as I picked up the vehicle my steering wheel was about 30% stuck to the right. I immediately sent a picture to Tesla for them to conduct an alignment and fix the issue. They fixed the issue but around may 15th, I had a nail in my tire so I took my car in to fix it. At that time I find out that the tires on my car were exposed to the wire (I will add the picture of the tires). I replaced these tires on March 1st 2025 which is only 2 1/2 months since I replaced it. It was an indication that something is wrong so I make another appointment with Tesla to check it and get another alignment I dropped off car on June 3rd. Tesla tried to perform another alignment to find that they are not able to because the steering gear assembly needs to be replaced. I asked for clarification because I just fixed the steering components in April and they are now wanting $4900 for the steering gear assembly. As I was researching, I find that my Model X was produced on may 2016 and there is a recall for Model X produced before oct 2016 for the steering bolt and steering components if they are damaged. When I tell Tesla that there is a recall they say that my VIN is not associated with the recall. I am filing a complaint because my car is with in the period of vehicles produces in the recall. There is a huge safety issue if the steering bolt and steering gear assembly is malfunctioning. There were no warning lamps or messages to indicate this. This has put my family and other vehicles at risk and Tesla is aware of this problem but won't honor the recall or admit that the steering issue are all related.

Wheel tilted in when backing out of driveway turning due to control arm failure.

Steering stuck: it happened several times that the steering wheel completely locked up while driving on the road. Today it happened again. It does not move, cannot turn left or right. I was in the middle of the road, the only thing I could do was to back up. I had to stop in the middle of the road and reboot the car. Luckily the cars behind me were able to stop before crashing into me. In may 2024, I addressed the same issues, but it happened again. I think it is their defect which I have serious concerns for my safety. I heard other people also experienced the same as mine. I believe this is the defect which will cause the danger of drivers. Suspension and tires: I went to several tires shops every year and they all told me that my tires have been worn quickly because alignment was not properly installed. I went to Tesla, but they said there were no issues. The fact is that my tires have been worn quickly than normal and we can hear the squeaky noise from the suspensions when turning. My friend has the same issues with his Tesla. This is also a defect that Tesla needs to repair it. Wifi: my Tesla cannot connect to wifi for all of those years for updates. I have asked Tesla to help but they cannot connect to it either. This is a defect that they cannot fix which cause my car not being able to update it automatically.

Subframe bolt was broken off without external impact, caused loud noise when driving, and potential safety concern. I suspect the bolt has proper quality control. One year ago, the front suspension(fucas) has to be replaced due to strange noise at low speed.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? rear driver's side control arm failure during slow left-hand turn (~20 mph) from one road to another. A "clunk" noise was heard from underneath the car, like that of a rock striking the vehicle, and then the vehicle reported several errors regarding drive unit failure, brake failure, and stability failure. The vehicle automatically shifted to "p" and would not move. Upon exiting the vehicle, the rear tire was tilted in at a 45 degree angle and the control arm was broken open and a 1. 25 inch piece of the control arm was on the road. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the suspension failed at low speed (~20 mph) and in little to no traffic, with no option to move the vehicle to a safer area. Had the failure occurred at any other time (higher speeds, heavier traffic), the danger to life would have been catastrophic. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? the problem is evident in the broken component dangling from the under side of the vehicle. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? the Tesla service center - salem has inspected the issue and stated that they do not have the capability of fixing the issue and that the issue is due to a collision. My insurance has assessed the issue and determined they will not cover the issue as there was no collision involved in the damage. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? there were no warnings, messages, or other symptoms prior to the suspension failure.

Squeaking noise on the passenger rear side was noticeable when I am hitting the breaks then a thump sound as if I landed on some big pothole occurred. So I drove as slow as I can until we reach home. I inspected the vehicle and to my surprise the control arm had torn and the tires were hanging loose.

Front suspension creaking and groaning with zero reason. Upperand lower links bad rear tires blew out because of severe wear on inner edge while the rest of the tire had 80% tread left bad camber caused uneven wear.

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal squeaky and clunking sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the Tesla service center, where the front driver's side and the passenger's side front upper control arms links and bushings were replaced, and the four-wheel alignment was performed. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was significantly resistant. The vehicle was taken to the Tesla service center, where the intermediate lower steering column shaft was replaced. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 20-30 mph and making a right turn, the steering wheel became significantly loose, causing the contact to lose steering control. Additionally, the wheels failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle was perpendicular to oncoming traffic at the time of the failure. The contact parked the vehicle and had the vehicle towed to the Tesla service center, where it was being diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.

The car front passenger side door open while driving and does not close and the car sting in babson college campus as my daughter cannot close door, cannot drive and Tesla service does not give repair date before two weeks and no one else knows can repair this part . This is third time in 3 months we are having problem and after spending over 3000$ in less than 3 months with full inspection down by Tesla . The service people are rude and does not care for student safety as well. Such a shame.

Aluminum lower control arms break under normal driving conditions.

Left front lower control arm broke when parking.

My Tesla Model X had the "famous" suspension problem that Tesla refused to acknowledge but cost me thousands to repair the defect.

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that while forward down the driveway the front suspension system failed rendering the vehicle undrivable the vehicle was towed to the local service center who diagnosed that the front suspension system was faulty and needed to be replaced. The suspension system was replaced and the failure was remedied. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 93,000.

Hello! the front fore links have failed in my vehicle which are a known issue in Tesla Model X's manufactured in 2016. I want to report this to add to the number of complaints.

I had a failure of the front right suspension fore link assembly on Feb 22, 2023. This occurred while driving at highway speeds. There was no pothole or traumatic impact to the vehicle that could have caused this failure. This resulted in misalignment of the front passenger tire, as it was off-center and made impact against the wheel arch liner. It was difficult to maintain control of the vehicle, which is a significant safety hazard. I was stranded on the roadside for several hours since the vehicle was not drivable. A tow truck had to bring my vehicle to the nearest Tesla service center, which confirmed the failure of the front suspension fore link assembly. This is already a well known problem that NHTSA is aware of, with over 40 complaints of the same issue filed with increasing frequency over the past year. There is an active investigation by NHTSA (opened on Nov 22, 2020) and a Tesla service repair bulletin (Feb 10, 2017) that was issued regarding this problem. Please make this a safety recall as it poses a significant safety hazard that can easily cause car accidents, harming people. Lives are at risk if this problem is allowed to continue without a safety recall.

In sept of 2022 I took my car to a Tesla svc ctr due to the ceiling panel had dislodged. Although there was a recall for this of which I was not notified of but found on my own, I had to argue with the young woman who checked me in. She denied that a recall existed. I had to show her the notice from Teslas own website before she conceded. I later received a note letting me know I needed front tires which wasn’t unexpected but the next day, I received a new invoice with a note stating I also needed fed & aft links adding $1k to the bill. I didn't find a recall but did find an applicable service bulletin but got no response when I asked about it. Flash fwd: 2-3 weeks ago I started got a, “air compression suspension disabled”. I saw no other alerts & checked for service notes of which there were none. The car drove fine, so I thought the note would clear it itself but it didn’t. I found some info on a blog & followed a tip on doing a reset which initially worked, but the alert popped up again. The car started bobbing violently. The car is at the service center now. When I checked in the gentleman helping me reviewed the cars notes & got an odd, concerning look on his face but only said he hoped the car would be done later today. When I got home I did a google search on 2016 Tesla Model X suspension issues, & found articles indicating Tesla had issued a recall in china but refused to do so in the us, & that the NHTSA was investigating the issue at the time the article was written, which has prompted me to file this complaint.

While pulling forward to straighten out car into parking/charging spot at less than 1mph at evgo charger in front of meijer store the front passenger wheel made loud clunk and would not move. Another motorist charging said he heard it and offered to help. I called Tesla roadside from car’s service screen and waited over half hour before being disconnected. The Tesla app provides no applicable options for this scenario to report. I then called my extended warranty (x-care) roadside and after almost 4 hours obtained a tow to Tesla service in clarkston. Tesla now diagnosed that the fore link assy, 1. 00 rh(1041575-00-b) washer, nordlock, 1. 00 15. 2x30. 7x3. 4(1033093- 00-a) nut hf m14x1. 50 [10] 1. 00 znni nl insert(1004358-00-c) need to be replaced. $400 parts and labor. Invoice attached. This luckily occurred with only me in the car, on 40 degree day and at the charger…I was nearly out of charge. I would have been stranded. And begged a lot of what if’s… the car had just been serviced by Tesla on 11/14/22-11/18/22. Invoice attached. Tesla replaced bolts in steering rack housing when I brought it in for a windshield replacement? bottom line though this is too critical a failure during such a basic, low speed operation to be safe. I cannot trust that the fore link assembly won’t fail in future in same or different wheel. It felt like the car broke its own leg by merely taking a slow step forward. This should not be permissible. Thank you for your work.

I am making this complaint in the public interest the car I am complaining about is mangled and burned and the VIN is unavailable so I have used a dummy VIN to file this complaint. This car has just shown up in the wreckers yard. . Read more...

Significant creaking/squeaking of front suspension when driven st lower speeds, turning, and going over speed bumps. There are hundreds of other drivers complaining of the same for 2016-2018 model years on the Tesla forums. I have no idea if my suspension will fail, and am waiting on an appointment with Tesla. My vehicle is available for inspection should you deem it necessary. There were no warning signs at all, it just started happening on December 8, 2022 and has stayed consistent since then.

Car tends to brake in autopilot without having any car in front causing jolt feeling and dangerous scenario for vehicles behind. Suspension work like upper control, half shafts, ball joints, toe and struts been replaced 5 times. One time entire wheel came off.

Drivers front fore link cracked. Suspension failure at speed Tesla TSB over this issue that says to replace parts. Tesla TSB sb-17-31-001 Tesla stated this doesn’t apply to my vehicle even though it clearly does.

The passenger front tire suspension makes a cracking sound on low speed. We brought our car to the local service center for repair twice over the past year (spent $5000), and the noise is still there. Tesla had a recall on this issue: https://cdn. Motor1. Com/pdf-files/sb-21-39-001-replace-front-drive-unit-halfshafts. Pdf but they told me that my vehicle was not included, even though my vehicle was made during the time period that should be covered by the recall.

It appears that the front air spring module fails pretty easily and causes increased stopping distance. On my vehicle, this failed at less than 38k miles (left), and at less than 50k miles (right). Both times it required full replacement of the "air spring module". While I expect this to happen eventually, both of them occurred on a fairly low mileage vehicle.

When I went to back out of parking place, I head something rubbing and car shuddered. Discovered when turning right the behavior would manifest. Drove across parking lot to tire shop. Discovered that the control arm fork had broken. Needed to have towed to Tesla service, at my expense as I was "out of the service area. " discovered there is a service bulletin, but no recall on this part? I am forced to cover repair expense, when their bulletin acknowledges the part is not up to "Tesla standards. " service claimed it was a "wear part," which could be true for bushings and connectors, not a physical piece of metal that started to rub the inside of my tire. I am told that they cover this in china, not in the us? also, they apparently have internal memos on how to deal with customers over the issue. Currently I have been without the vehicle since August 4, 2022 with a targeted release date now August 17. That date is a moving target, as it has changed 2 different times.

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated while reversing the contact noticed the front driver side lowered and heard an odd noise. The contact examined the vehicle noticed that the front driver side wheel was locked with the wheel well liner. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and they stated that both front driver and passenger side fore link needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and they authorized the vehicle repairs. The failure mileage was 42,000.

The air suspension system has failed multiple times and Tesla has been unable to correct with a permanent solution. I have read that this is a known issue with this make and model and wanted to report as it could be a large safety concern.

Vehicle has a rattling noise in front suspension when on uneven surfaces, causing concern for my and passenger safety.

Lower forelink cracked cleanly at the balljoint luckily I was going slow or could have lost control of the car. The break was clean and looks like it was just undersized for the weight. When I had it repaired at Tesla they replaced all 4 lower fore arms 2 on each side even though nothing was wrong with the passenger front, which leads me to believe they also realize this is a saftey issue due to a substandard part.

Reversing my car into a parking spot at low speed, I heard a loud pop noise from front driver side and the steering became hard to turn. Attempting to turn the wheel and backing up so I am not in the way of other cars resulted in a grinding noise and popping noises. Drove the car forward so I am in an empty part of the parking lot. This lead to more loud popping noises and grinding sounds. Once I was in a safe area, noticed that the entire front driver side wheel was shifted backward and was not centered in the wheel well. While parked, I could move the driver side wheel back and forth with my hand without too much pressure. The same was not the case for the passenger side front wheel. Pictures added showing two extreme positions of the wheel in the wheel well.

The lower a pillar on the driver side front wheel just shattered. I was driving 1 mph and hit nothing. Had this of happened anywhere else the car would have flipped. Tesla is also “forcing” me to replace the other side since these old parts are dangerous. This was the recall done in china. Part is the fore link assembly.

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal creaking sound coming from the front suspension of the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet diagnosed nor repaired. The contact indicated that the sound was caused by insufficient lubrication of the suspension ball joint and socket during manufacturing of the vehicle and the manufacturer was aware of the issue. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 60,000.

Driving the vehicle in a parking lot and at low speed turning the wheel, heard a loud pop and the front drivers side wheel starting hitting the wheel well. No warning signs or lights came on. After looking under the car a control arm snapped, I am very surprised this could happen at normal use at low speeds. If I was at high speed it could have been extremely dangerous. The car was towed to the Tesla service center on raleigh, nc where it is currently awaiting repair.

I was experiencing very loud noises from the suspension and/or steering while driving and turning. The tires were also wearing excessive and very unevenly. Within 500 miles, the tires went from 2/32nds to completely bald with no signs of tread at all and very chopped. I took the vehicle to Tesla for inspection. They came back with a repair order for $6,171 for suspension parts such as fore link assy for l and r, front suspension aft link, right rear upper link, air spring module l and r, sway bar link l and r and other misc repairs. I found that there were many complaints online for some of these components. Tesla offered no explanation why a garage kept vehicle with only 54k miles would have so many severe suspension issues and did not offer to cover any of the repairs even though the vehicle is just out of full warranty for time frame.