2025 Tesla Model X Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2025 Tesla Model X, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance321.4%
- Brakes214.3%
- Seat belts214.3%
- Electrical214.3%
- Airbags17.1%
- Visibility17.1%
- Body & structure17.1%
- Exterior lighting17.1%
- Steering17.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
While operating a 2025 Tesla Model X on Full Self-Driving (FSD Supervised), the vehicle engaged in leader-car following behavior and trailed a slow-moving vehicle onto an active railroad crossing. FSD failed to ensure the exit path was clear, causing the vehicle to suddenly decelerate from 12 mph to 0 mph, stranding the car directly on the tracks just as the crossing's active warning lights and gates triggered. When attempting to take immediate manual control to clear the tracks, the vehicle suffered a severe drivetrain control lockout. The vehicle remained unresponsive and stuck at 0 mph for approximately 3 seconds despite driver intervention to shift into reverse and accelerate. After the 3-second software lag, manual control was recovered, and the vehicle reversed. A dropping railroad gate arm struck the vehicle's panoramic roof and hood during the escape. Telemetry stats and multi-camera dashcam video of this autonomous software failure and control lockout have been retained.
I am writing to report and formally document a very serious and distressing safety incident involving my Tesla Model X that occurred for a second time, on [XXX]. While driving routinely into the parking garage at my workplace, my vehicle suddenly and violently stopped without warning. There were no obstacles, vehicles, or pedestrians in front of me. The abrupt stop caused my body and head to jolt forward with force, resulting in whiplash. I am still feeling dizzy, dazed, and disoriented, and I believe I may need to consult a neurologist as I have a headache from the whiplash. This is not the first time this has occurred. A similar but less severe incident happened previously while I was driving on [XXX] . At that time, I dismissed it as a possible glitch, but after this most recent and violent episode, I am deeply alarmed. I am extremely concerned about the safety of this vehicle. What if this sudden stop had occurred on the freeway, or while my two children were in the car? The potential consequences could have been catastrophic. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
I am writing to report and formally document a very serious and distressing safety incident involving my Tesla Model X that occurred for a second time, on [XXX]. While driving routinely into the parking garage at my workplace, my vehicle suddenly and violently stopped without warning. There were no obstacles, vehicles, or pedestrians in front of me. The abrupt stop caused my body and head to jolt forward with force, resulting in whiplash. I am still feeling dizzy, dazed, and disoriented, and I believe I may need to consult a neurologist as I have a headache from the whiplash. This is not the first time this has occurred. A similar but less severe incident happened previously while I was driving on [XXX] . At that time, I dismissed it as a possible glitch, but after this most recent and violent episode, I am deeply alarmed. I am extremely concerned about the safety of this vehicle. What if this sudden stop had occurred on the freeway, or while my two children were in the car? The potential consequences could have been catastrophic. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My 2025 Model X has a feature commonly called "one pedal drive", where lifting pressure off the gas pedal causes regenerative braking force. This feature is *forced on* at all times, and is unsafe in slippery icy conditions, especially turns, especially downhill. I don't know if this is because of a malfunction of their regen-braking anti-lock (the ABS equvialent), or because it's simply not possible to drive safely in slippery conditions with one-pedal-drive regen braking... but either way, this situation is unsafe. I urge you to investigate this situation, and consider issuing a recall requiring Tesla to perform a software update to give drivers the ability to turn off one-pedal-drive, for safety in snowy and icy conditions. NOTE: Tesla's owners manual for the Model Y recommends drivers disable one-pedal-drive by turning regenerative braking to LOW, but they have disabled the ability to do this on all Model S/X cars 2020+. From their Model Y owners manual: "Warning: In snowy or icy conditions, Model Y may experience loss of traction during regenerative braking, particularly when in the Standard setting and/or not using winter tires. Tesla recommends using the Low setting in snowy or icy conditions to help maintain vehicle stability." Here is a video example of this happening to a driver (not me) for reference. This is snow not ice, and not even in a turn or downhill. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
I own a Tesla Model X 6-seater. The second-row seatbelt repeatedly becomes twisted and fails to retract or lay flat after only a few days of normal use. I have brought the vehicle to the Tesla Service Center in Austin, TX (2323 Ridgepoint Dr) multiple times — five separate repair visits so far — for the same issue. Each time, the technicians temporarily correct the twist or adjust the belt path, but the issue returns within days. I have attached screenshots of all five repair records, including Tesla’s technician notes describing the repeated attempts to resolve the problem. The problem appears to be caused by misalignment of the seatbelt retractor or seat design, not by user misuse. When the belt twists, it cannot retract properly or lay flat across the passenger, which may reduce its effectiveness during a collision. Tesla Service has not offered a permanent fix or design correction, and the defect continues to recur. This appears to be a systemic issue in the second-row seatbelt system of the Model X six-seat configuration. Because the defect involves a federally required safety restraint that may not function as intended, I am reporting this as a potential safety defect for further investigation.
There is an error alert on my car that says front left safety restraint issue service is required. So seems to me the airbags or seat belt may not be working properly and its clearly labeled as a safety issue. We have to drive this vehicle nearly daily and tesla is refusing to fix for a minimum of 10 days even though this fault could threaten our lives. Make them fix ASAP
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2025 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that after the latest update was pushed out, the speed regulation on the vehicle failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the speed regulation was set to "Standard Mode" and the vehicle accelerated to 70 MPH in a 55 MPH Zone. The contact stated that was not the mode selected. In addition, when the contact set the speed regulator to "Crawl Mode," the vehicle drove 10-15 MPH below the speed limit. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was unable to control the speed of the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owned a 2025 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 MPH with Self-driving Assist activated, while the vehicle in front deaccelerated, the vehicle had aggressively deaccelerated. The contact stated that the self-driving assist had deactivated, causing him to aggressively depress the brake pedal, stopping before it struck the vehicle in front. Several unknown warning lights illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was struck in the rear by another vehicle, causing the vehicle to rear-end another vehicle. The contact sought medical attention for head and back injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was deemed a loss. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,150.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
There is an error alert on my car that says front left safety restraint issue service is required. So seems to me the airbags or seat belt may not be working properly and its clearly labeled as a safety issue. We have to drive this vehicle nearly daily and tesla is refusing to fix for a minimum of 10 days even though this fault could threaten our lives. Make them fix ASAP
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
I own a 2025 Tesla Model X. A large crack appeared in the windshield spontaneously, without any impact or road debris. It has since worsened audibly while driving. Tesla is classifying this as an accident without identifying an impact point, and they have refused to cover towing or acknowledge a potential manufacturing defect. I do not feel safe driving the vehicle in this condition and believe this may be a structural glass failure. Escalation to Tesla Executive Support is ongoing. Safety concern unresolved.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
Sept 20, 2025. 2025 Model X door alarmed for being open when it was actually closed. Door would only open intermittently. Your in car and cannot escape through drivers door. It was locked shut and thought it was open. Parked car requested Tesla service. Mobile unit came out replaced electric opener. Door continued to lock driver in and out of car randomly for the month of October 2025. We parked car and scheduled appointments with Tesla multiple times. They were not concerned this was a safety issue. They reschedule our appointments multiple times. At the end of October after several service appointments and multiple parts replaced the door started working. Their final comments we "THEY WERENT ABLE TO VERIFY THERE WAS AN ISSUE."
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
Hazard flasher button in my 2-weeks old new Tesla Model X is not working. On August 23, 2025, I was in a parking lot and needed to turn on the hazard flashers to signal to the car behind me that I was waiting for another vehicle to leave a parking space. I discovered that the hazard flasher button on my 2025 Tesla Model X did not work at all. Since I could not activate the hazard lights, I had to continue driving to find another parking spot. This was the first time I tried to use the hazard flashers since purchasing the vehicle two weeks earlier, and they have never worked. I attempted both a power cycle and vehicle reset, but the hazard button remains completely unresponsive. On this model, the hazard flasher is integrated into a touch-sensitive bar in the center console, and there is no alternative physical or touchscreen backup control. The absence of functioning hazard lights poses a significant safety risk. If I only discovered this defect during a true emergency situation (e.g., breakdown or accident), I would not have been able to warn surrounding traffic. In my opinion, relying on a touch bar for such a critical safety function is unreliable; a physical pressable button should be required. Tesla has scheduled a service appointment, but it is two weeks away, and in the meantime, I am driving a vehicle without working hazard lights. This is a safety-critical defect that should be investigated.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
Left indicator button is randomly unresponsive, sometime it doesn’t work for up to a minute. This happened to me with my previous model x (bought back by tesla in a lemon case for the same issue), happened to me also in a loaner car they gave me while trying to fix this issue and now again in a recently purchased model x. In both cases Tesla replaced the steering yoke and that didn’t solved the issue This is a serious safety issue that left me frustrated and with no solution from Tesla. Every time i got a different response from tesla like: - its a software issue - its a design flaw - I’m not pressing the button correctly - I’m resting my finger on the button and that makes the button unresponsive - we couldn’t replicate the issue I have a video of the left indicator not working for a whole minute while the right one is working
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .