55 of the
2,399 complaints filed about the Tesla Model X
are about the airbag system —
2% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2016.
I have a 2018 and a 2023 Tesla both with the same air bag failure warning, specifically Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Issue. Since this is a critical safety component of the car and Tesla appears to have a wide spread problem with this component, please look into this as possible recall situation.
NHTSA complaint #11756754 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle: 2019 Tesla Model X VIN: [XXX] My horn stopped working, and Tesla Service diagnosed the issue as a “known issue” with the driver airbag module, stating the entire airbag assembly must be replaced. They quoted me several thousand dollars for the repair. A horn failure caused by the airbag assembly is a safety defect, and Tesla has an active NHTSA recall (25V‑172) for Model X vehicles with incorrect driver airbag/horn pad assemblies that cause the horn to stop working. My vehicle is experiencing the same failure mode, but Tesla says my VIN is not included in the recall. Since Tesla acknowledges this as a “known issue” involving a safety‑critical component (airbag and horn), I am reporting this so NHTSA can investigate whether the existing recall should be expanded to include earlier Model X vehicles like mine. The horn is a required safety device, and failure due to an airbag defect presents an unreasonable safety risk. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11744601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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 complaint #11739759 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I have had “safety system restraints service is required “ as a warning four different times. Took my car in to a Tesla Service Center all 4 times & each time the repair only lasts about 6 months & it comes up again. For the 5th time I am going to the Tesla Service Center in Little Rock, AR. This time I will have to pay because my warranty is up. It is not fair & I want some remuneration or a replacement Model X.
NHTSA complaint #11739176 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The front passenger seat sensor failed. Without the sensor properly detecting weight, the airbag will deploy no matter the weight of the front seat passenger. Tesla has fixed the sensor placement in newer models as the service tech told us this is a common issue in later models where the only fix is to pay over $5k to replace the entire seat otherwise the airbag will go off no matter what.
NHTSA complaint #11714119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2022 Tesla Model X has two recurring safety-critical defects that remain unresolved despite multiple repair attempts. 1. Airbag / Restraint System Failure (RCM2 / OCS Defect): The vehicle frequently misclassifies the front passenger seat. It shows a passenger when the seat is empty and activates passenger seatbelt warnings incorrectly. Recently the vehicle displayed: “Front passenger safety restraint system issue: Service required (RCM2_a064).” Tesla attempted to repair an electrical harness in the seat, but the problem returned. A Tesla technician documented that the seat may still need a new occupancy sensor. Because this affects the Occupant Classification System and airbag deployment logic, it raises potential FMVSS 208 compliance concerns. 2. FSD / GPS Safety Hazard (5 Unsuccessful Repair Attempts): Across five service visits, Tesla attempted to fix GPS drift and unsafe FSD routing. The vehicle still attempts incorrect turns, performs premature lane changes, and misinterprets intersections. One recent incident involved FSD attempting a left turn one intersection early, nearly causing a collision. Tesla replaced the GPS antenna, recalibrated cameras, and replaced the computer, but the unsafe behavior continues. These two defects—incorrect airbag/OCS behavior and hazardous automated-driving/navigation behavior—create a significant safety risk to occupants and other drivers. Both defects persist after repair attempts. I can provide service records, videos, and documentation upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11703661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Recurring front passenger safety restraint system fault that Tesla cannot permanently repair despite 4 service attempts over 16 months. ISSUE: Vehicle intermittently displays "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault - Service Required" with persistent warning chimes and airbag warning indicator. Occurs with and without passenger present. Causes significant stress/anxiety and erodes confidence in restraint system reliability during a collision. REPAIR HISTORY (all under warranty): [XXX] (30,638 mi) - Invoice #[XXX] - Connector grease treatment. Recurred after ~3 weeks. [XXX] (32,399 mi) - Invoice #[XXX] - Replaced Restraint Control Module. Recurred after ~3 weeks. [XXX] (36,106 mi) - Invoice #[XXX] - Pin retention repair. Recurred after ~3 weeks. [XXX] (43,204 mi) - Invoice #[XXX] - Harness tension adjustment. Recurred late Nov 2025. CURRENT STATUS: Fault resurfaced 5th time. Service appointment scheduled ~Dec 14, 2025. Vehicle at ~48,000 miles, approaching 50,000-mile warranty limit. PATTERN: Each repair temporarily resolves issue, but fault consistently returns after 2-4 weeks. Tesla unable to identify root cause despite multiple different repair approaches. ADDITIONAL: Original owner. Also had driver-side restraint wiring repaired Feb 2024 (23,310 mi). Issue may relate to known Tesla restraint system concerns. Requesting NHTSA review whether this pattern warrants investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11703187 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I had my two Teslas parked in the garage. The model X was charging at about 1:30 AM. We heard explosions coming out of the garage. Went to check only to see my model X in flames. We evacuated and called 911 eventually a fire investigation report was made Showing the fire started within the vehicle outward. The battery pack was on fire. We had lithium contamination all over the house and this fire endangered five lives. This incident has been two years ago and until now Tesla refuses to acknowledge the faulty battery and is refusing to do anything about it
NHTSA complaint #11700457 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I own a 2019 Model X which I have been driving for six years without any driving issues. I did have a few incidents in which the screen went black while driving. That was scary - driving without controls. These issues reported to Tesla and were addressed by Tesla. Today I was pulling into a parking lot when all of a sudden my Tesla automatically accelerated to high speed. I could not control or stop the vehicle despite applying hard brakes. The car crashed through a metal fence and continued to accelerate through the wall of a building. The only reason it finally stopped was because the back tires got stuck on the ledge of the wall. The Tesla went through the metal gates and walls of the building, but the safety airbag never deployed. The car has been towed away and reported to the insurance immediately after the police report. There was no warning messages or indication prior to the incident.
NHTSA complaint #11699986 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle has start throwing a safety restraint error. We got into the service mode and it shows there is electrical problems with the driver side airbag system and that it may not deploy in the event of an accident. Tesla is delaying the appointment to review this for 12 days. Their app advised to not drive the car due to a safety issue as all safety measures may not work appropriately. Seems to be a safety level recall.
NHTSA complaint #11691180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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
NHTSA complaint #11681216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that while the driver was driving at an undisclosed speed, another vehicle attempted to merge near the contact’s vehicle, which caused the passenger front end of the vehicle to collide into a pole. The air bags did not deploy during the incident. The contact also stated that the front driver's door became inoperable, and the contact had to break the front driver's window to be removed from the vehicle. No injuries were sustained, and no medical attention was provided. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
NHTSA complaint #11671065 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
" PASSANGER SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAULT" IS THE WARNING MESSAGE POPPING UP ON THE DISPLAY WE NOTICED THAT THE WARNING LIGHT SOMETIMES GOES AWAY WHEN MOVING THE PASSANGER SEAT, WE FIRST TOUGHT THAT THIS WAS JUST A PROBLEM THAT WE MAY HAVE CAUSED BUT ONCE DOING REASERACH WE NOTICED THAT THERE ARE MANY ONLINE SCENERIOUS THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE "PASSANGER SAFETY REISTRAINT FAULT" WE DISSMISSED THE ISSUE WE TOOK IT TO TESLA SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA THEY MENTIONED THAT SOME WIRE PIN HAD CAME LOOSE WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS ODD SINCE WE HAVE OWNED OVER 20 VEHILES AND WE HAVE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE WITH ANY OTHER MANUFACTURE. WE WERE CHARGED 300+ DOLLARS FOR THEM TO FIND THEB EXCAT PIN/ WIRE THAT CAME LOOSE. WE ALSO HAVE A 2020 TESLA MODEL 3 STANDER RANGE, WE RECENTLY HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND THE WARNING LIGHT IS CURRENTLY ON AND GOES AWAY IF WE MOVE THE PASSANGER SEAT. I HAVE COME TO CONCLUDE THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT THAT CAN BE A SERIOUS ISSUE IF AIR BAGS ARE NOT PROPERLY WORKING CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY TO PASSANGERS IN THE VEHICLE I WILL ATTACH THE VIN OF OUR 2020 TESLA MODEL 3 STANDER RANGE [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11666337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2017 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Restraint System Fault" remained displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local Tesla Service Center who diagnosed that the restraint system sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 93,000.
NHTSA complaint #11660843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Component: Driver airbag assembly required replacement Risk: Airbag assembly seems serious & life-threatening if not functinal Inspected & replaced by: By Tesla service center Symptom: Horn stopped working
NHTSA complaint #11660999 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Was stopped at a red light behind the car in front of me. I was stopped at a appropriate distance from the car in front of me. I had my right foot on the brake pedal, when the car accelerated on its own. It launched its self into the car ahead of me. I looked down and my foot was still on the brake pedal. None of the air bags inside the car deployed.
NHTSA complaint #11658937 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.