2017 Tesla Model X Problems and Recalls (266 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2017 Tesla Model X is Suspension (17% of 266 owner reports). There are 10 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Suspension — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 266 complaints · 10 recalls
What problems show up on the 2017 Tesla Model X?
46 of 266 filings named Suspension (17% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Electrical (42 reports).
There are 10 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Rear camera / backup safety, Automatic braking / collision warning, Steering, Electrical, and Seat belts. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2016 has 444 reports on file; this year has 266. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
System named most often: Suspension 46 complaints · 17.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 24
- Fires 1
- Injuries 58
- Deaths 52
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension (SUSPENSION) | 46 | 17.3% | 5 crashes · 0 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 42 | 15.8% | 2 crashes · 0 fires |
| Steering (STEERING) | 38 | 14.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) | 21 | 7.9% | 3 crashes · 0 fires |
| Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) | 12 | 4.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION) | 10 | 3.8% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 9 | 3.4% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) | 6 | 2.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) | 6 | 2.3% | 5 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 98 | 36.8% | 10 crashes · 1 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 17V639000 was reported 68 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 21V035000 was reported 679 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 21V846000 was reported 302 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 22V037000 was reported 1,708 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 22V818000 was reported 1,986 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 23V085000 was reported 2,092 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 23V838000 was reported 2,003 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 24V051000 was reported 2,052 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 24V376000 was reported 2,408 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2017-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2017-Q4 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2018-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2018-Q2 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2018-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2018-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2019-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2019-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2019-Q4 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2020-Q2 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2020-Q3 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 19 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 25 | |
| 2021-Q2 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 12 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 18 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 12 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 12 | |
| 2024-Q2 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2025-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2025-Q2 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2026-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2026-Q2 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2026-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 17V260000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 17V639000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V035000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V846000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V037000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V818000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 23V085000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 23V838000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 24V051000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 24V376000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | DP19005 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | DP20001 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE20010 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA20003 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE20020 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE21020 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA21002 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA22002 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | DP22005 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | DP23001 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | DP23002 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | RQ24009 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE24031 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE24033 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | AQ25002 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE25012 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA26002 |
Safety Recalls (10)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Rear camera / backup safety, Automatic braking / collision warning, Steering, Electrical, and Seat belts.
-
Recall campaign 17V260000
Safety recall 17V260000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- 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.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 17V639000
Safety recall 17V639000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- If the seat back moves forward in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 21V035000
Rear camera / backup safety
- Report date
- Component:
- Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION)
- Consequence:
- 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.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 21V846000
Automatic braking / collision warning
- Report date
- Component:
- Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE)
- Consequence:
- Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 22V037000
Steering
- Report date
- Component:
- Steering (STEERING)
- Consequence:
- Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 22V818000
Steering
- Report date
- Component:
- Steering (STEERING)
- Consequence:
- A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 23V085000
Steering
- Report date
- Component:
- Steering (STEERING)
- Consequence:
- 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.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 23V838000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- 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.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 24V051000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- 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.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 24V376000
Seat belts
- Report date
- Component:
- Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
- Consequence:
- A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
- Remedy:
- 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.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Showing 5 of 266 complaints · page 1 of 11
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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 car to be responsive. Now to answer your questions: 1. Yes it is available for inspection upon request 2. By the rear view camera not turning on the second the car is in reverse. This puts everyone’s safety at risk. 3. I have not gone anywhere to show it. It’s just a very slow computer, everything on it works very slow, needs replacement. 4. No it has not been. 5. No.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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 installed on causing an accident
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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 concern. Tesla’s own Service Bulletin SB-20-32-004 documents this exact condition — I-shaft U-joint corrosion causing stiff steering — on Model S and Model X vehicles. The bulletin covers 2015–2020 model years. However, Tesla service center stated that my VIN is not classified under this bulletin and that the $500 repair is an out-of-pocket expense not covered under warranty or goodwill. The issue has not yet been repaired. I am currently operating a vehicle with a known steering defect that Tesla has documented in its own service bulletin but has declined to cover for my specific VIN, despite my vehicle exhibiting the identical failure. I am requesting NHTSA investigate whether the VIN classification for SB-20-32-004 is appropriately capturing all affected vehicles, and whether this issue warrants escalation to a formal safety recall — particularly given the impact on automated driving system performance. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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, but it was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer test drove the vehicle and the failure reoccurred, and the dealer deemed the vehicle unsafe to drive. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred shortly after the stabilizer arm and toe link were repaired. The contact also stated that a mobile message indicated that the I-shaft had failed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,340.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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’ or part 1027851-00-A. • Current failure now requires full steering rack (1070801-00-F) + module + severed cable. Current estimate DOES list shielded I-shaft (1027851-00-A). Tesla claims the April repair used the ‘most updated’ part and that TSB SB-20-32-004 did not apply to my VIN. This contradicts the invoices and the TSB itself (which covers 2015–2020 Model X). Tesla previously admitted they cannot rule out a connection to the prior repair and that this severity is something they have "never seen." Safety risk: Could have occurred on highway with loss of vehicle control. Tesla has denied goodwill. Attached: All invoices, estimates. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2017 Tesla Model X?
Owners named Suspension most often — 46 of 266 reports (17%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2017 Tesla Model X?
NHTSA lists 10 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Rear camera / backup safety, Automatic braking / collision warning, Steering, Electrical, and Seat belts. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2017 Tesla Model X?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Listen for clunks over bumps and look at tire wear for alignment issues. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.