259 of the
2,399 complaints filed about the Tesla Model X
are about the steering —
11% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2016.
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.
On XXX at approximately 465 miles, multiple critical safety systems simultaneously failed on my 2024 Tesla Model X (VIN: [XXX]). Dashboard warnings indicated that ABS, stability control, traction control, steering assist, and automatic emergency braking were all simultaneously disabled. The vehicle was taken to Tesla Service immediately. Tesla diagnosed the issue as a faulty wheel speed sensor and performed a replacement (RO# XXX). This simultaneous disabling of five critical safety systems on a vehicle with only 465 miles is a serious safety defect. Additionally, on XXX at approximately 21,180 miles, a passenger airbag warning light illuminated requiring service. This was resolved and addressed by slight moisture on son's shorts triggering the alert but unsure why this would cause such sensitivity. The vehicle has required 12 service visits since delivery in November 2024 for various recurring safety and mechanical issues. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11753633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving the vehical when something went wrong. The vehicle showed a warning stating "ABS disabled". I was worried by this, when I saw further warnings appear including "Safety restraint system issue" "Power braking assist reduced" and something about steering. The dashboard also showed "Park Brake fault" and a red icon with a seatbelt and another with an airbag. Alarmed, I pulled to the side of the road. I then discovered that I could not use the parking brake or turn on the flashers. There is no manual parking brake, and the car thought it was still driving. I was facing downhill and the only way to keep the car from rolling was to keep my foot on the brake. I had to call 911 and could only safely exit the vehicle, after they had ensured it would not roll. Again, I could not exit the vehicle, or even put on flashers to warn traffic. Tesla attempted to have me reboot the operating system but this also failed -- apparently there is no manual reboot or brake avalible.
NHTSA complaint #11751426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I own a 2023 Tesla Model X and I am reporting a steering-related safety concern. When making hard left turns, the steering wheel/front end shakes or shudders and makes a LOUD sounds. This does not feel or sound normal and appears to be related to the steering or front suspension system. The issue happens during low-speed turning/maneuvering when the wheel is turned sharply to the left. I contacted Tesla Service regarding the issue. Tesla advised that this is a known issue and that there is currently no available fix. Despite acknowledging that it is a known issue with no repair available, Tesla still wants to charge me a diagnostic fee. I am concerned because this involves the steering system, and I do not believe a vehicle should have steering shake or shuddering during normal turning, especially on a 2023 vehicle. Since Tesla has stated this is a known issue but has no fix, I am requesting that NHTSA review this as a potential safety defect affecting the 2023 Tesla Model X. The issue has not been repaired because Tesla stated there is no fix available at this time.
NHTSA complaint #11747871 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
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.
My 2017 Tesla Model X (VIN: [XXX] ) is experiencing stiff and binding steering caused by corrosion at the lower steering column I-shaft universal joint. The steering intermittently binds and resists normal turning force, which has caused Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system to disengage due to abnormal steering resistance — a direct safety concern. Tesla’s own Service Bulletin SB-20-32-004 documents this exact condition — I-shaft U-joint corrosion causing stiff steering — on Model S and Model X vehicles. The bulletin covers 2015–2020 model years. However, Tesla service center stated that my VIN is not classified under this bulletin and that the $500 repair is an out-of-pocket expense not covered under warranty or goodwill. The issue has not yet been repaired. I am currently operating a vehicle with a known steering defect that Tesla has documented in its own service bulletin but has declined to cover for my specific VIN, despite my vehicle exhibiting the identical failure. I am requesting NHTSA investigate whether the VIN classification for SB-20-32-004 is appropriately capturing all affected vehicles, and whether this issue warrants escalation to a formal safety recall — particularly given the impact on automated driving system performance. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11738097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The rack-and-pinion system failed, causing steering to become difficult at low speeds and worsening rapidly over weeks. It was inspected by a mechanic at EV Coastal in Santa Ana, who said it was not the U-Joint or bolt corrosion issue addressed by an earlier NHTSA recall. There were no notifications either visible to me or to the mechanic in service mode. The accident was at low speeds and a partial cause was my daughter's difficulty making a smooth adjustment with the steering wheel. She was pulling out of a parking spot and collided with a car going a little faster than it should have in a parking lot. Fortunately, the damage was limited to a scratch to the passenger side door of the other car (see photo) and scratches to the right side of the front fender of the Tesla.
NHTSA complaint #11734564 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2017 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to control and was pulling to one side, almost causing a crash with another vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but it was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer test drove the vehicle and the failure reoccurred, and the dealer deemed the vehicle unsafe to drive. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred shortly after the stabilizer arm and toe link were repaired. The contact also stated that a mobile message indicated that the I-shaft had failed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,340.
NHTSA complaint #11731679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Repeat catastrophic steering failure on 2017 Model X (VIN [XXX] ). Steering wheel spins freely with zero connection to the wheels (complete mechanical disconnect). This is the third steering-system repair in under 12 months. • April 8, 2025: Lower intermediate shaft replaced (still inside 12-month parts warranty). Invoice does NOT list ‘shielded’ or part 1027851-00-A. • Current failure now requires full steering rack (1070801-00-F) + module + severed cable. Current estimate DOES list shielded I-shaft (1027851-00-A). Tesla claims the April repair used the ‘most updated’ part and that TSB SB-20-32-004 did not apply to my VIN. This contradicts the invoices and the TSB itself (which covers 2015–2020 Model X). Tesla previously admitted they cannot rule out a connection to the prior repair and that this severity is something they have "never seen." Safety risk: Could have occurred on highway with loss of vehicle control. Tesla has denied goodwill. Attached: All invoices, estimates. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11730732 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
Vehicle GPS self driving is malfunctioning. GPS shows the route driving through houses and buildings The assisted self driving is extremely unsafe to use and the same goes for the GPS guided navigation The GPS is untrustworthy giving multiple unsafe routes.
NHTSA complaint #11730830 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
I have replaced several sets of tires with this Tesla Model X 2019. After years of dealing with a front end alignment problem, I finally had the repair done with some assistance from Tesla. When I purchased my vehicle under warranty, I reported problems with steering and pulling to one side, but they repeatedly claimed they couldn't replicate. This was before they allowed customers to drive with the repaid team. I mention the front-end problems as that has coupled with the rear tires. Inner wear is a consistent problem. I went to Costco today to have them look at tires I bought in November of 2024 and they said the tire was balding and unrepairable. In fact the tires were showing wear on both sides and needed to be replaced. A full set costs $1400.00+ and this is the second time I'm having to replace tires for wearing out quickly. There's a fix online from a company "N2itive". On their website they state, "The N2ITIVE SX-2 adjustable rear camber arms are designed to address the common inner tire wear issues that plague the Tesla Model S and X. These arms are available in the Red and Natural Anodized finishes with a 3-Year Warranty or the Black Anodized finish with Lifetime Warranty and work best when used in conjunction with our TSX-2 Toe Arms." External companies are standing up lines of business based on Tesla's failures. This is a problem and someone is going to get hurt, or worse.
NHTSA complaint #11728414 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I experienced a total steering lockup and loss of vehicle control immediately following a steering column and suspension repair at a certified Tesla service center at [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11726879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I don't think Tesla ever did the steering bolt recall per SB-20-32-002 on my vehicle. I had all the bolts fail, with obvious corrosion, and the motor separated from the rack causing a loss of power steering while moving. You can see where the bolt physically failed and the corrosion both on the remainder of the bolt and the entire mating surface of the motor to the steering rack. Going back through my service records, it is only listed once on 9 June 2021 with notes of "Parts not available" hidden in the comments. Tesla is telling me this was done, with comments about a January 2021 visit, but I never took it to them in January (I did in February) and the February visit has no mention of the recall. Regardless, one of two things happened: either Tesla didn't do the recall and I fell victim to the issue or the recall was done and the new, updated bolts still failed due to corrosion and exposure to a corrosive, winter environment. I still suspect the former for the reason that no visible evidence of the protective wax coating required by the TSB could be seen on the motor or steering rack. Perhaps they swapped the bolts but didn't apply the wax, which allowed for continued corrosion? I won't know for sure until they continue with the repair, but I'm worried they are going to toss the parts and sweep this under the rug and foot me with the full bill. Regardless, I want this documented that I had a failure despite the recall so that any other owner with a similar problem can see this record.
NHTSA complaint #11725858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2023 Tesla Model X suffers from severe, intermittent safety system failures. Specifically, the Automatic Emergency Braking and Steering Assist randomly become unavailable while driving. Tesla Service refuses to repair this, claiming they are "unable to replicate" the intermittent alerts. However, the vehicle's history proves severe safety flaws: Tesla previously had to replace the entire steering wheel assembly and the driver's seat belt lap pretensioner due to failures, and had to recalibrate the forward ADAS camera because it went out of spec causing Autopilot failures. These unresolved, randomly occurring defects pose a severe crash hazard that Tesla is ignoring.
NHTSA complaint #11725133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
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.
On January 31, 2026, at 10:30 PM, I was driving from Fort Lauderdale to my home in Boca Raton, Florida. I was using FSD supervised mode. Close to my home, a big red image suddenly appeared, the car started accelerating fast, and I had no control over the car or its steering wheel. The car hit several electrical posts and only stopped after the airbags engaged. My wife was in the passenger seat. The front of the car was totally damaged, and I will have to total it.
NHTSA complaint #11714755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.