2018 Tesla Model X Interior & seats Problems

On July 25, 2025 I was installing a toddlers car seat in the vehicles rear passenger seat. Upon clipping the secure straps onto the rear seat, I noticed the seat slid all the way to the front position - the seat was loose - sliding back and forth. Nothing appeared to be visually broken. I made an appointment with Tesla and they report that they “replaced an actuator” that had failed. The failure caused the entire rear seat to slide without warning and no way to secure the seat. Tesla does not consider this a safety issue. Tesla is charging $1800 for repairs. Tesla says the broken part is not available for inspection. Tesla seemed to indicate that a possible electrical component failed that resulted in this issue.

NHTSA ID

11683116

Incident

Jul 25, 2025

While driving on the freeway at 60 mph, the car's hood suddenly opened and struck the windshield, obstructing the driver's view completely. The car had just left a Tesla service center a few minutes earlier, and the incident occurred while driving on [XXX] North freeway near Dedham, MA. Incident occurred on [XXX] at [XXX]. Tesla service at Dedham, MA, accepted the vehicle for hood repair and mentioned its a service mistake. They did not mention any issues related to recall or software. Vehicle is still at Tesla service center at Dedham, MA, under repair. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11651899

Incident

Mar 24, 2025

INCIDENT REPORT: automated driver seat attempted to crush me when vehicle placed into drive Date: 15 June 2024 4:10 ET firmware version: v12 ⁦(2024.14.9 0b82f700aebe)⁩ steps to produce incident: 1. vehicle to park 2. seat auto changes to easy entry 3. opened the frunk 4. exit vehicle, closed door 5. re-entered vehicle to move it a little forward 6. press brake, put into drive, entered PIN 7. DRIVER SEAT BACK BEGINS TO TILT FORWARD TO ABNORMAL EXTREME FORWARD ANGLE, SEAT STARTS TO MOVE FORWARD (from easy entry mode), CRUSHING DRIVER AGAINST STEERING WHEEL 8. manual press of profile to user profile does not stop moving seat, does not retrace seat back from abnormal extreme forward angle, seat continues to move forward, crushing driver against steering wheel. 9. manual shift to PARK stops seat forward movement, does not return seat back from abnormal extreme forward angle. 10. opened door and exited vehicle, snapped photo of abnormal seat extreme forward angle ##

NHTSA ID

11594506

Incident

Jun 15, 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

In the middle row of a six seat Tesla Model X, if one installs a forward facing car seat the latch which connects to the backside anchor of the seat has no integrity. The belt slides from over the seat of the car killing the purpose of the tether.

NHTSA ID

11554665

Incident

Nov 10, 2023

Captain seats in Tesla Model X cars do NOT support a standard child's car seat tether. The headrests are attached. The manual says to route the tether around the headrest, but it's at an angle causing the tether strap to slide down. I do not believe the tether will function in an accident because moving the car seat forward causes the tether to slip off. This is unacceptable— all cars should support a standard child's car seat. My Model X is a "six-seater" and all six seats are captain's seats with attached headrests. There is nowhere to put a car seat with a tether, yet child car seats require a tether strap in the forward-facing position. Please make all car manufacturers provide the safest possible car seat installation. The owner's manual even shows a picture of how to route the tether strap— but the picture is NOT accurate about the shape of the seat. It shows a level place for the tether strap to sit while routed around the headrest, but there is NO level or safe place for the tether strap to sit. It slides down onto the floor.

NHTSA ID

11541749

Incident

Aug 30, 2023

The Model X has doors that are electromechanically opened. The "door pop actuator" appears to be malfunctioning and the door can no longer be opened from the inside or the outside, creating a serious hazard for the driver in case of emergency. The only way to get into or out of the car is by crawling through the passenger door. I found others who had the same problem: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11538776

Incident

Aug 15, 2023

The passenger side middle row seat stopped locking in place. We drove out of our driveway with my 3 year old in his car seat when this happened, and he went flying into the back of the front passenger seat. Had we been driving any faster, he would have been seriously injured. Tesla sent a technician to our home for a mobile service visit. He wasn’t able to fix the problem and said ‘If it were me, I wouldn’t put my child on this seat.’ We then took it to the Long Beach service center, where we were told the seat locking mechanism ‘works’ but it eroding. They wanted to send us home, and I said no. I wanted it repaired. They said that we have to replace the entire seat for $750. I said absolutely not, this is a manufacturer’s defect and a huge safety issue and should not be failing. They did not care. A child is going to get injured.

NHTSA ID

11537050

Incident

Aug 1, 2023

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

The seats behind the driver are a 2:1 split design with each side being able to be adjusted backwards and forwards. The latching mechanism on the larger of the two pieces failed in a way that left the seat free to slide backwards and forwards. This is extremely dangerous as it could result in crush injuries to the occupant of the seat. If a child seat was installed, it could result in fatal whiplash. I have a video of the seat moving freely as pictures don't really help describe the problem.

NHTSA ID

11471349

Incident

Jun 21, 2022

I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER, THAT THE TESLA MODEL X 7 SEAT VEHICLE MUST MAKE A LOUD 15 SECOND LONG ALERT WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE, WHEN IN THE EVENT THAT THE VEHICLES FOLD FLAT SEATS ARE FOLDED FLAT. THIS SAME ALERT IS NOT PRESENT ON TESLA MODEL X 5 SEAT VEHICLE MODELS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO INFORM NHTSA THAT TESLA MAYBE VIOLATING REGULATIONS IN THEIR PRODUCED 5 SEAT MODELS, OR MAKING UP REGULATIONS TO IGNORE SOFTWARE BUGS THAT HINDER THE OPERATION OF THEIR VEHICLES AND DISTRACTING THE DRIVER FOR 15 SECONDS WHEN USING THE VEHICLE DAILY.

NHTSA ID

11387354

Incident

Jan 8, 2021

Mileage

20,907 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL X. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BACK WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BACK FAILED TO REMAIN IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TESLA SERVICE CENTER LOCATED AT 5600 KEARNY MESA RD, SAN DIEGO, CA 92111, (858) 285-3905, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BY EMAIL ABOUT OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 56,000.*DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11342614

Incident

Jul 5, 2020

Mileage

56,000 mi

I BROUGHT MY CAR TO BROOKLYN TESLA SERVICE BECAUSE MY DRIVER SEAT STARTED TO ROCKING (ITS MOVING LIKE IT GOT LOOSE) AFTER TECHNICIAN DUPLICATED THE ISSUE, HE SAID IT'S A "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" AND THAT TESLA SEAT CAN START MOVING AFTER A CERTAIN TIME IF THE DRIVER IS HEAVY. THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING I AM CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY AND I'M SURE THAT LOOSE DRIVER SEAT IS DANGEROUS. IN ADDION THE SEAT HAS METAL BAR ON BUTTOM CUSION THAT IS PAINTFULL FOR "HEAVY" DRIVERS, ALSO A VERY BIG SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE YOU CAN'T REALLY DRIVE IN PAIN AND THIS AS PER TESLA THE SEAT IS DESIGNED THIS WAY.

NHTSA ID

11151158

Incident

Oct 29, 2018