Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest May 23, 2026
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 189 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1
What this page shows
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2018 Tesla Model X submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming airbag
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
AirbagsBody & structureBrakes
Filed May 23, 2026
Crash reported
The Automated Emergency Brakes did not activate. This car hit the next car on the street. I was driving when I noticed the brake lights on the car in front of me, so I applied the brakes. Though it did not work, as this car is equipped with the Automated Emergency Brakes feature, it was expected that the car would activate the feature to stop to avoid impact and an accident. Which did not happen, and this car has a tremendous loss; the car in front also suffered a loss. The car manufacturer has given data in Excel files showing the events; it has no data at the time of the impact, but it has data well before and well after. Due to the failure of this important feature, the car has suffered a loss (potentially a total loss), the insurance process has been affected, and there has been a mental impact on my family members and me. Hence, requesting help in this regard.
NHTSA ID
11739759
Incident
May 17, 2026
AirbagsDriver assistanceSeat belts
Filed Jan 23, 2025
‘safety restraint system issue’ error pops up when ever car is turned on was told that can cause airbag to not be deployed when needed.
NHTSA ID
11638080
Incident
Jan 21, 2025
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jan 16, 2025
System warning for the rear left safety restraint. Took it into Tesla and they charged me.
NHTSA ID
11636400
Incident
Jan 16, 2025
AirbagsSteering
Filed Dec 31, 2024
The horn on the steering wheel stopped working recently. Horns are important safety features on any vehicle, and electric vehicles are especially quiet so the horn is essential. The other buttons and scrollers on the steering wheel also stopped working. It's unclear if the airbag still functions.
NHTSA ID
11633471
Incident
Dec 20, 2024
AirbagsInterior & seatsSeat belts
Filed May 25, 2024
I have encountered what seems to be a very common issue in 2018ish tesla vehicles. Seatbelt sensor issues. While I believe it is due to wiring below the seat, tesla claims the only fix is an entire seat replacement. Researching this it seems to be a widespread issue, especially as the cars age.
NHTSA ID
11590693
Incident
Apr 28, 2024
AirbagsInterior & seatsSeat belts
Filed Sep 28, 2022
Since the purchase of this vehicle the Safety Restraint System Fault Alert intermittently pops up while I am driving the vehicle. Tesla has owners make service appointment in an App which I have done multiple times in the past few years but each time the alert has gone away and the service appointments have been canceled. Turns out now, 4 years later, we have been driving with a faulty restraint system and there is a disconnect between the system and the wiring. Essentially this is a safety issue in that the notification system is faulty and incorrectly and only intermittently warns of possible failure as well as a possibility of the restraint system actually failing in a driving scenario. This problem is particularly concerning because they are unable to correctly diagnose which seats are affected and that includes seats that may have car seats attached.
NHTSA ID
11486869
Incident
Mar 1, 2022
Airbags
Filed Jan 20, 2022
May 21, 2021 air bag had to be replaced, horn did not function as well as other components of the unit on the steering wheel. I am now dealing with the same issue again and the air bag and horn again are not work less than a year later after replacement. I will be getting it serviced again.
NHTSA ID
11448136
Incident
Dec 29, 2021
AirbagsBrakesDriver assistance+1 more
Filed May 8, 2018
Crash reported1 injury reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL X. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATED OVER A CURB BEFORE CRASHING INTO A CEMENT LIGHT POLE. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK, SHOULDER, AND CHEST INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, AN ERRONEOUS WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED WHILE DRIVING, INDICATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING TOO CLOSELY TO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE, EVEN THOUGH ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS NOWHERE IN THE VICINITY. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, INCLUDING SHORTLY BEFORE THE CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500.
NHTSA ID
11092528
Incident
Apr 27, 2018
Mileage
1,500 mi
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own