Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Tesla Model X owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact's wife attempted to open the driver's side rear door however, the door failed to open as intended. The contact's wife noticed a crushing sound. The driver's side rear top door glass engaged with the fractured center spine trim and the driver's rear door top glass simultaneously fractured. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a fractured center roof trim. The contact was informed that the center spine roof trim and the driver's side rear door glass need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact was informed that the vehicle had been previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V615000 (Structure); however, additional repairs were not covered under the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. …
The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated while opening the passenger's side gull wing door for his daughter, the center spine applique detached inadvertently and struck the passenger's side upper and rear glass window, causing the window to shatter. The contact's daughter who was near the vehicle did not sustain any injuries. The vehicle was taken to the local service center where it was diagnosed that the failure was associated with Tesla Technical Service Bulletin Number: SB-20-12-005, when the falcon wing door opened, the glass window pinched against the center spine causing the window to buckle and shatter. The service center informed the contact that he had to pay the repair fee out-of-pocket, they would not cover the cost of fixing as it was not deemed a safety issue. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2016 TESLA Model X. The contact's wife stated while driving 15 MPH, she heard a sound coming from underneath the vehicle and the rear passenger's wheel was bent outward from the subframe of the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer and it was diagnosed with needing the control arms to be replaced. The subframe assembly was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,900.
The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the roof trim detached from the vehicle. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V710000 (Structure) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 99,370.
The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the cover on the roof between the two falcon doors detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,900. The contact stated that the dealer and the manufacturer have denied his request for reimbursement.
My vehicle was being repaired by a collision repair shop to replace the front bumper and grill. When they finished the repair and were calibrating all the sensors, they discovered that the driver door would not latch consistently. When it did latch, during test drives by the collision employees it would fail while driving down the road and the door would open on the highway. They could not return the vehicle to me until the door issue was fixed. They attempted to fix it by replacing the door actuator once that part arrived from Tesla. That also did not fix the problem. After contacting Tesla they were told it is a known problem for which a retrofit latch kit is needed. Tesla would not repair the latch without payment for the kit parts and labor to install it as the car was out of warranty. The total bill was $820, including $310 for parts and $455 for labor. …
Vehicle's "Falcon Wing" doors would malfunction when exposed to direct sunlight where door panels would become hot. Doors would not open remotely due to the sensor believing an object was blocking the door, the message on screen would read "Obstacle detected" when no object was present. Occupants would manually have to hold down the open button on screen or the physical button in order to open the door. Which would open very slowly or stop oppening halfway due to a phantom object being detected. This would pose a risk for rear occupants unable to exit the vehicle in a timely manner in case of an emergency. The vehicle was taken into service 8 different times to address the issue. Service center claims they could not recreate the problem but found the tripod mounts for the infrared door sensor to be misaligned. …
Our 2 year old son broke his left tibia after the falcon door automatically closed on his left foot/leg and it got caught between the door and his car seat. We believe he had his leg dangling off the car seat when we closed the door from the front command station. The door sensor did not stop or give any warning that there was anything in the way. He was seen in the emergency department after the incident and is in a full leg cast for at least 4 weeks. This is a major safety risk for other children/people if the doors cannot sense small limbs and stop appropriately. The car/door is available for inspection upon request. We have not contacted Tesla yet about this but will be calling them very soon. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone yet since the incident. There were no warnings prior to the incident occurring.
This vehicle was subject to a recall NHTSA campaign number: 20V710. Tesla's own number for this recall is SB-20-12-005. It appears the inspection carried out in 2021 apparently passed at the time and no corrections were made, however, the part in question recently last week. The center spine panel came apart. Tesla are not willing to accept any liability or responsibility even though they now that this recall exists. This is a safety matter and it appears that even though vehicles were inspected at the time and deemed to have passed they are still susceptible to having the part fail later on.
My 2016 Tesla Model X is subject to NHTSA Recall 24V615000 for detaching roof appliques. The component was previously inspected by Tesla under this campaign. August 30, 2026 the center spine applique completely detached and flew off the vehicle at highway speeds, creating an immediate road hazard. Tesla Service is now refusing to replace the missing component under the recall campaign, claiming a prior inspection absolves them of coverage. The vehicle currently exhibits the exact safety defect intended to be cured by the recall.
Related recalls
Structure › Body
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016 Model X vehicles. The front and center roof cosmetic trim pieces may be adhered to the vehicle without primer. As a result, one or both pieces of trim may separate from the vehicle.
Remedy: Tesla service will test the roof trim adhesion and reattach the trim pieces as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 14, 2024.
Structure › Body
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016 Model X vehicles. The front and spine cosmetic roof trim may have been adhered to the vehicle without first using primer. As a result, one or both pieces of trim may separate from the vehicle while moving.
Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and dealers will test the roof trim adhesion, and, as necessary, apply primer, free of charge. The recall began January 15, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.
Body complaints in other Model X years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2016 Tesla Model X?
NHTSA has 57 complaints about the body & structure of the 2016 Tesla Model X, 13% of the model year's 450 complaints. The component named most often is body (49 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Tesla Model X body problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 24V-615 (body, Aug 15, 2024); NHTSA recall 20V-710 (body, Nov 17, 2020). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2016 Tesla Model X body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 10,000 miles, and 63% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 14 crashes, 1 fire and 9 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.