2022 Tesla Model X steering problems

STEERING

The power steering fails very often making it hard to turn and happens when I’m on the highway going 60+ mph which is very dangerous and a threat to my safety. The only way to fix it in those moments is to pull over turn the car off which consists of me getting out of my vehicle and waiting two minutes. But usually when it happens once that day it occurs all day even if I reset the car and try all the other troubleshooting options which make it very difficult to rely on the car for safety. It happened only once every few months but now it happens almost every other time I drive my car. This is not a normal wear and tear issue as I’ve had cars before with over 50k miles and not once have I had a power steering failure on those cars which are older and have more mileage.

NHTSA complaint #11757903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

As I was driving the Tesla Model X, I received a steering assist reduced error on the dash. There was no immediate noticeability, but after about 5 minutes, it felt like there was ZERO power steering, with no additional warnings in the car. With zero power steering, car required extreme forces required to get to the shoulder. If attempting any kind of turn, car would require forces in excess of 80lbs of pressure to execute. Once safely in a parking lot, I put the car into SERVICE mode to check the errors. There was an EPAS error, where it said Torque Sensor 1 not receiving, along with a Torque Sensor 2 not receiving. This has occurred to me 3 times, in the 3 years I've owned the car. Other than "Steering assist reduced", there is no other warning that the car's EPAS steering system reverts to just manual forces required to steer a car. I do not trust my wife to drive this car, as she would not have the strength necessary to get the car to a safe location. If this happened while turning, there's a strong possibility the car would not turn at all, a huge safety factor.

NHTSA complaint #11741443 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The steering wheel locks periodically and I have to get out and re enter my car. On long drives it works pretty fine and does not do this much on highways only once but in hotter weathers it seems to be much much worse. This happened once before the warranty but I did not think much of it. In one instance the steering wheel was so tight that it hurt my wrist while getting off the road

NHTSA complaint #11740539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The failure involves the rear suspension system, specifically suspected rear control arm / suspension linkage play, which caused severe misalignment (rear toe out of specification). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This defect created a significant safety risk. The abnormal toe condition caused rapid and uneven tire wear, with both rear tires becoming nearly completely bald within less than 7,000 miles. This condition increases the risk of tire blowout, loss of traction, and potential loss of control at highway speeds. The issue has been confirmed by an independent service center (Les Schwab), which documented suspension play in the rear control arm area and alignment out of specification (rear toe approximately +1.20° total). The alignment could not be maintained, indicating an underlying mechanical issue. Tesla inspected the vehicle but stated that no suspension components required replacement and attributed the issue only to alignment. However, alignment does not go out of specification without a mechanical cause. Despite multiple requests, Tesla refused to provide detailed documentation regarding the inspection or repair of the suspension system. They replaced only one rear tire and did not address the root cause. The other rear tire had already worn completely bald. After approximately 5,386 miles, the replacement tire has again worn down close to the minimum safety limit, demonstrating that the underlying issue was not corrected and continues to affect vehicle safety. There were no warning lights or system messages prior to the failure. The first symptoms were abnormal tire wear, increased energy consumption, and unstable driving behavior at highway speeds, which began shortly after vehicle purchase. This appears to be a repeat safety-related defect that has not been properly diagnosed or repaired.

NHTSA complaint #11730973 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

Lost power steering while I was driving multiple time and I couldn't turn. Later the alert also come on and off but sometime the steering is fine. Found out on Tesla Model X facebook group people are having the same issues.

NHTSA complaint #11729091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The electric power assist steering system on my 2022 Tesla Model X began displaying a "Steering Assist Reduced / Steering May Require Increased Effort" warning intermittently beginning in approximately May 2024, shortly after I purchased the vehicle. This warning appeared more times than I can count over the following months. In most instances the warning appeared but the steering continued to function normally. On approximately March 2, 2026, the warning appeared and for the first time the steering became extremely difficult to turn, requiring significantly increased physical effort to control the vehicle. The first physical failure occurred while parking at low speed in reverse. The steering failure also occurred subsequently while driving at highway speeds. In both instances I stopped the vehicle, exited, waited briefly, and upon re-entering the vehicle the warning cleared and steering returned to normal. This same sequence repeated the following day. The vehicle was brought to a Tesla authorized service center on March 13, 2026. Tesla's technician confirmed the steering assist reduction as reported and determined the steering gear required full replacement. The failed part, steering gear left hand drive part number 1070801-00-F, was replaced. Only full hardware replacement resolved the issue permanently. Prior power cycling provided only temporary relief. My safety was directly at risk. I am a full-time rideshare driver operating at highway speeds. The failed component has been replaced and is in Tesla's possession. Tesla is charging the full repair cost out of pocket despite this matching a documented pattern of identical failures reported to NHTSA by multiple Tesla owners.

NHTSA complaint #11724683 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

While driving my 2022 Tesla Model X at highway speed, I experienced a sudden loss of steering assist shortly after Supercharging. The steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn, and I had to use significant force to maintain control. The vehicle displayed a ‘Steering Assist Reduced’ alert, FSD became unavailable, and the suspension behaved unexpectedly. After the incident, the vehicle was taken to Tesla service. At this time, I have not received a clear explanation of the root cause of the steering‑assist loss. Because this event occurred at highway speed and created a safety concern, I am submitting this report so the incident can be documented and reviewed.

NHTSA complaint #11717677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

I am writing to formally document a life-threatening mechanical failure involving my 2022 Model X on January 30, 2026. While my wife was operating the vehicle, it suffered a simultaneous and catastrophic collapse of all primary safety systems. During operation, the vehicle experienced a total loss of steering and braking control. This was accompanied by a rapid cascade of critical system alerts on the primary display, including “ABS Malfunction,” “Stability Control Disabled,” and “Steering Assist Reduced/Disabled.” Most critically, the vehicle exhibited Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA), increasing speed in direct opposition to the driver’s physical application of the brake pedal. This resulted in a near-miss where the driver narrowly avoided a construction crew.

NHTSA complaint #11714488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

As I was attempting to merge onto Interstate 75, I noticed that steering became unexpectedly difficult. Consequently, I decided not to enter the highway. I then crossed the highway and pulled into a parking lot, where I turned off the vehicle. Upon restarting the vehicle, the issue seemed to have resolved itself.

NHTSA complaint #11669976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to inform you of a recurring issue I am experiencing with the power steering in my 2022 Model X Plaid. This problem began on [XXX] and has progressively worsened. Initially, the power steering would function normally for approximately 30 minutes of driving. It would work fine when starting in the morning or when the car was cool. However, after driving about 15 miles, the power steering would completely fail, and a warning message would appear indicating that extra effort was required. Recently, the power steering now fails every time I drive. Based on my research, this appears to be a common problem with Tesla vehicles, and I understand a recall has been issued for some model years, although not for the year of my vehicle. I intend to have this issue addressed and repaired through Tesla service. However, I wanted to make you aware of this problem as it seems to be a known issue that is now affecting my 2022 X Plaid as well. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11657566 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

While driving my Model X 2022 I noticed the warning "Steering assist reduced, Steering may require increased effort". I was then at a red light and I started to make a left turn and I could BARELY turn the wheel it was like it was almost locked up. Luckily I had enough strength and I was driving into a parking lot where I needed to have my car towed. Tesla service just said there was moisture in the steering wheel connector and they just cleaned it up and connected it. They test drove it and said it's fine. 4 days later I was driving it on the highway and I got the message again and I had my daughter in the car and was terrified. Luckily the steering did not lock up and just drove it home. I have messaged Tesla to see next steps, but when I look at the forums this has been happening A LOT! This is a huge safety concern and I don't feel Tesla is properly handling it based on all the reviews I have read...

NHTSA complaint #11657089 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

My Tesla stopped in the middle of a 4 way intersection without notice. As I was turning left, the car started to shake for about 2 seconds and then stopped. No warning or anything. The notification stated "electrical system unable to support functions." My safety was put at risk and others. I was traveling with my 11 month old and other cars could have hit my car if they were not paying attention when coming through the intersection. The car was towed to the Tesla dealership. No warnings prior to the failure. Warnings appeared after the car stopped.

NHTSA complaint #11626534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

I was getting a message on my display saying: Steering assist reduced Steering may require increased effort. But in reality, it requires all my strength, to turn the wheel. Very dangerous. Tesla charge to fix $4,100. I’ll have to pay it.

NHTSA complaint #11606691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

We bought the Tesla Model X as a CPO vehicle from Tesla on [XXX]. Within the first 2 months of driving the car we saw an an alert for “Steering assist reduced” and shortly after the steering wheel locked up making the car inoperable. This has happened twice while driving: [XXX] [XXX] This puts the driver and passengers at huge risk because the car was unable to turn while blocking a major intersection on [XXX] . We have taken in the vehicle in to Telsa Santa Barbara service center and they were unable to reproduce the issues so they did not make any fixes and returned the vehicle back in the same condition. There was a “Steering assist reduced” warning message to the driver before the steering wheel locked up. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11605280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

As I was making an unprotected left turn, the power steering failed. The steering became incredibly heavy. There was almost an accident. Feels unsafe to drive, will be towing to the dealership. Errors: Steering assist reduced, lane assist unavailable. Codes: EPAS3P_a005_sent2mia, torque sensor 2 signal not received.

NHTSA complaint #11598049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The location of horn small icon and not in middle of the steering wheel is very hard to locate when you need it and safety concerns. Several times I needed to use the horn in emergency but were not able to locate it when you are in sudden need. Thanks

NHTSA complaint #11593226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

Many newer models of Teslas do not include a horn in the middle of the steering wheel. Instead there is a small button on the left side which is impossible to find to warn others of a possible collision! The driver gets distracted trying to find the horn and makes the situation even worse by not reacting quick enough. They released a new version of the wheel with a horn but those who are out of warranty have to pay a large amount for a basic yet hugs safety oversight. They should be replaced on with recall free of charge.

NHTSA complaint #11593252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

On more than one occasion lost power steering and ability to steer properly suddenly in mid drive. It is associated with a warning that comes on at random times saying steering assist reduced

NHTSA complaint #11581259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The yoke steering wheel only had a small horn button on the right side, only accessible by right thumb. If you are in the middle of a turn that requires more than a quarter turn, then your hand cannot possible be in the right place to use the horn. The lack of a horn in the center of the steering (like every other car) is unsafe. On many occasions I have found myself needing the horn but unable to press it fast enough and have had to take other evasive actions to avoid other vehicles.

NHTSA complaint #11581260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

23V-838 This recall made my car less safe, you should not have forced this change on my car I do not like it. It makes the car unsafe

NHTSA complaint #11568157 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

Steering yoke doesn't not have proper mechanical car horn.

NHTSA complaint #11565350 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

Not being able to press the center of the yoke to activate the horn has been a consistent safety problem. Alerting other drivers in an emergency shouldn’t require me to find a small and indistinguishable button on the steering wheel. This has caused multiple incidents that could have been easily avoided with a traditional center horn. I drive my wife and 2 children in this vehicle daily. A horn should just work.

NHTSA complaint #11565386 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

I sometimes hear a creaking noise from under my car when driving and steering at low speed and believe there is a potential defect that poses a risk to motor vehicle safety. I took my car into Tesla but they said they would not look at the car unless they could first hear a noise which is I told them is intermittent. They could nto hear a noise at the time, so did nto look at it. I have on occasion heard the noise again. My car is a year old and had around 5.1k miles when I took it in. It now has around 7,500 miles. I have never had a dealer refuse to put the car on a lift, especially a new car that is under warranty, to examine it based on a complaint from a customer. My concern is that I had read articles of reports to to NHTSA of Tesla suspension breakdown and wheels failing off of Tesla's on highways that have caused serious injuries to passengers and other vehicles and I am concerned something like that could happen to my car.

NHTSA complaint #11561241 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH with the Auto Steering feature deactivated, the message "Auto Steering Unavailable" Suddenly displayed. Approximately three seconds later, the steering wheel erroneously made a sharp turn to the left causing the vehicle to drive into the opposite lane. The contact was able to forcefully turn the steering wheel to the right to avoid colliding head-on into oncoming traffic. The vehicle was later towed to the local service center who confirmed that the failure was caused by an internal fault in the steering column. No further information was available. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 37,000.

NHTSA complaint #11559521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

My left turn signal on my steering wheel intermittently wont turn on. Its very annoying I thought it was a software issue and waited because Tesla service center is so bad. After research on the internet forums people have suggested to report this to NHTSA due to no resolutions found.

NHTSA complaint #11556079 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The design feature of having the HORN be a soft key rather than palming the steering wheel just like every other car, has resulted in multiple occurrences where I tried to honk at someone to avert a collision, and the honk was delayed by hundreds of milliseconds as I had to recall that the horn is a soft key, that I have to hunt for depending on the steering wheel angle, at a critical time when milliseconds count. This is a really hazardous design decision I hope gets changed before it becomes a direct factor in people's deaths.

NHTSA complaint #11551475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

My 2022 Tesla Model X is equipped with yoke steering wheel with capacitive turn signal buttons integrated, and there's no turn signal stalk. While I like the simplicity, the turn signal buttons sometimes do not respond. It happened about 10x in the past 12 months / 10k miles of ownership. I took the vehicle to Tesla service center twice in the last a few weeks and they couldn't do anything other than a customer paid diagnostics. The most recent occurrence was 9/17. Here's what I put in my service request. "I was about to move to the right lane, but right signal button did not respond for 10-15 seconds. In the meantime, left signal button worked and I was able to activate it twice just to confirm it wasn't my thumb being wet of something else, but the right signal button would not respond at all. I wanted to record a video but it wasn't safe to do so. I captured a dashcam recording in case that helps." Here's the service result on my invoice "Unable to duplicate concerns present on steering yoke. Checked vehicle logs and no hardware related concerns or abnormalities identified. Performed inspection in-house and verified proper operation." (I was charged $70.5 for the diagnoses) The same also happened on 9/4. I put in the service note "I pressed on the left turn buttons about 5 times when the first 4 times it didn’t respond. I’ve capture a dashcam video to record the exact time in case that helps." Here's the service result on my invoice "Unable to verify the customer concern, diagnosed and pulled car logs and customers time stamp. Reviewed data with the lead technician, and found no issues or cracked alerts during the time of when the button was operated. unable to replicate concern. Buttons are working as designed. No repairs needed at this time." This imposes road safety issues for me and other drivers, especially when I have to change lanes on busy roads.

NHTSA complaint #11547793 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

driving this morning when suddenly the car steering wheel stop responding and will no long turn right or left, and almost Couse to a crash with other cars. calling tow truck to tow the car to Tesla. waiting for diagnostic. car is mostly brand new, super dangerous

NHTSA complaint #11543918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

At about 11:20pm on September 9th, the steering control went out while we were going around an exit ramp at which point the steering yoke became extremely difficult to use and tried to revert to a straight position in the middle of going around the curve.

NHTSA complaint #11543641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.