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 2018 Tesla Model X owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
The falcon doors on the model X, when it is a hot day, and the sun is hitting the door, these doors will not open under any circumstance, resulting in a major safety issue. should there be an accident, a fire or other issue where someone needs to exit the vehicle, they are simply not able to do so under any circumstance! This is a known problem with these vehicles, if the sun hits these doors or it's a hot day. There are hundreds, if not thousands of posts about these doors, not opening when the sun is hitting the door for a prolonged period of time or the door gets hot. There needs to be a recall for this issue. From my research, seems that there's some sort of sensor adhesive that comes loose or something similar to that. And either case this is a major safety issue, as it does not allow the passenger to exit the vehicle under any circumstance. …
Dealing with 2 major safety issues and innumerable minor issues with our Model X. The first major safety issue involves our right falcon wing door. It will not properly open because it is sensing an obstruction that's not there. The mobile tech told us that something inside the door has become disconnected causing the issue - clearly something that is occurring frequently. I'm struggling to get the vehicle repaired with Tesla and very worried that my kids will become trapped in an emergency. The second major issue is the front axles grinding down over time. My car is only 3.5 years old. My front axles have already been replaced once. They are beginning to make the "clunking" sound loudly enough that it is clear they need to be replaced again. Again, Tesla will make it incredibly difficult to get in and get the needed repairs on my vehicle.
While the vehicle was parked in my garage, after I removed a car seat from the rear driver side passenger seat, the door would not lock and stay closed. Because of this the vehicle would stay on and continue to give me a drivers side rear passenger door open alert. When I attempted to drive the vehicle, it would constantly give me a warning that the door was open and a distractive noise alert would activate that hindered or disturbed my ability to concentrate on the road. I went to the tesla Pomona service center and they insisted that it was safe to drive and road worthy. While on the freeway I could hear air come into the vehicle and I could also smell diesel exhaust. Whenever I parked the vehicle, the vehicle would remain on and unlocked, which would drain the battery.
The fender garnish on both the driver and passenger side of the car is falling apart. The adhesive on the fender garnish fell apart and was hanging off the side near the wheels. It was replaced by Tesla on 8/2/21(driver side) and 9/11/21(passenger side), and now on 10/4/21 both fender garnishes are falling apart yet again! On 10/5/21, The Tesla technician looked at the replaced fender garnishes and is ordering another set. This continues to be a safety risk because the fender garnishes are detaching near the wheels and can cause an accident. No messages or warning lamps were given to the driver prior to the fender garnishes detaching, other than the driver and nearby passengers noticing the detached fender garnishes.
My front trunk has been opening without any warning. It happened to open while i was driving (luckily not on a freeway) on 6/1/2023 around 415p. It did not open fully but my instrument panel warning light came on to warn me of this issue. I then pulled into a parking lot and closed the front trunk without any further issues that evening. I did not depress any buttons on my key fob and I was not using the touchscreen at the time of this incident which really concerned me. I have also noticed that the front trunk is opening when parked as well without any reason. I understand this has been an issue with other Tesla models so I am concerned that this may be a problem with my vehicle as well.
Following battery replacement under Service Order #[redacted] at a Tesla Service Center, my 2018 Tesla Model X 100D (VIN [redacted]) was returned with the underbody belly pan visibly detached and drooping toward the road surface. Fasteners were not reinstalled after service. Additional post-service issues include: recurring "Electrical System Power Reduced - Vehicle May Shut Down Unexpectedly" warnings, repeated touchscreen failure, and Falcon Wing doors opening while driving. None of these conditions existed before service. Vehicle is not being driven due to safety risk. I have photographic evidence dated [redacted].
Falcon door windows leaked a ton of water into my vehicle, the falcon door window trim disintegrates. Tesla ended up saying it was the sealant on the window but would not cover it. This is a constant issue with Tesla model x vehicles and all just dismiss it as a "thats just a tesla" problem. They need to be held liable to repair faults in their manufactured products. There is absolutely no reason a consumer should be held liable for a seal on a window nor the trim on a window that disintegrates. That is not at the consumers fault, that is a TESLA problem.
The Model X has doors that are electromechanically opened. The "door pop actuator" appears to be malfunctioning and the door can no longer be opened from the inside or the outside, creating a serious hazard for the driver in case of emergency. The only way to get into or out of the car is by crawling through the passenger door. I found others who had the same problem: [redacted]
The falcon doors will not open under any circumstance if the car is sitting in the sun. This is a known issue by Tesla with thousands of online complaints by owners. It seems the glue that holds the sensor comes loose in the heat. This is a major safety issue by NHTSA's own standards. Not being able to exit the vehicle is directly listed as a reason for a recall by NHTSA. You need to force Tesla to issue a recall for this known issue by Tesla
Body complaints in other Model X years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2018 Tesla Model X?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the body & structure of the 2018 Tesla Model X, 11% of the model year's 193 complaints. The component named most often is body (20 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 Tesla Model X body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2018 Tesla Model X, though it has 9 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2018 Tesla Model X body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 8,000 miles, and 88% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury 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.