Tesla Model X Collision Avoidance Problems

Owners have filed 253 complaints about driver assistance problems with the Tesla Model X — 16% of all Model X complaints. The worst model years are 2017 (47), 2016 (37) and 2018 (34). Problems typically start around 31,000 miles. 8 related recalls have been issued.

253complaints
2017worst year
31ktypical miles
8related recalls
36crashes
0fires

Collision Avoidance complaints by model year

201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026374734223492825944
Collision Avoidance complaints per model year, Tesla Model X.
YearComplaintsShare of year's complaintsTypical mileage
2026457%—
2025425%—
2024933%—
20232513%4,000 miles
20222822%—
2021922%0 miles
20203427%10,000 miles
20192222%21,000 miles
20183418%39,000 miles
20174718%22,000 miles
2016378%57,000 miles

Which parts fail

  • Adaptive cruise control
    126
  • Automatic emergency braking
    96
  • Warnings
    50
  • Assist
    35
  • Warning
    21
  • Blind spot detection
    12
  • Rearview system braking
    4
  • Sensing system › Camera
    3

Components named in complaints (automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, lane keeping, backup camera).

Mileage when the problem started

  • Under 25k
    1442%
  • 25k–50k
    1030%
  • 50k–75k
    721%
  • 75k–100k
    26%
  • 100k–150k
    00%
  • 150k+
    00%

What owners report

In January my parents Tesla in self driving mode drove them straight through a building. The breaks didn't deploy, the airbags didn't deploy and the steering wheel was shaking and unresponsive. Thankfully no one was seriously injured. That said, there was a lot of physical damage to the restaurant/building and the car was completely totaled. We are certain that there were catastrophic failures with the car that caused the accident however the mechanic has informed us that due to her NDA she cannot provide any details about her findings after examining the car. She sent her findings to Tesla who was supposed to issue a report to us and the insurance company, but several months later we still have not received anything. They are well past the 30 days time limit. We cannot get anyone from Tesla to respond to us. …

2026 Model X · Automatic emergency braking · Jan 2026 · crash · 1 injury

Tesla has auto-park in the supervised FSD. My wife was using it to park the car in a public garage and it hit a post. The car was damaged. It was too quick for my wife to intervene. I know it is supervised, but there is no time to intervene when it comes to parking where the spot to park is close to other cars or posts anyway.

2026 Model X · Adaptive cruise control · Mar 2026 · crash

My Tesla Model X was in Autopilot mode (v13.2.9) at the time of the incident. The vehicle's advanced driver-assistance system was actively controlling steering and speed, while I remained attentive with my hands on the wheel I was closely monitoring the car's operation but was not manually steering, braking, or accelerating during Autopilot engagement The vehicle collided with stationary flexible delineator posts. The impact occurred at 55MPH. The flexible delineator posts were the only object struck. No other vehicles were involved in the accident, and no persons were injured.No passengers or bystanders affected. The collision with the flexible delineator posts caused damage to my vehicle's front bumper area and cracked right headlight. There was no damage to any property besides my own vehicle. The incident was captured on the Tesla's built-in camera system (dashcam). …

2025 Model X · Adaptive cruise control · Nov 2025 · crash

I am writing to report and formally document a very serious and distressing safety incident involving my Tesla Model X that occurred for a second time, on [redacted]. While driving routinely into the parking garage at my workplace, my vehicle suddenly and violently stopped without warning. There were no obstacles, vehicles, or pedestrians in front of me. The abrupt stop caused my body and head to jolt forward with force, resulting in whiplash. I am still feeling dizzy, dazed, and disoriented, and I believe I may need to consult a neurologist as I have a headache from the whiplash. This is not the first time this has occurred. A similar but less severe incident happened previously while I was driving on [redacted] . At that time, I dismissed it as a possible glitch, but after this most recent and violent episode, I am deeply alarmed. …

2025 Model X · Automatic emergency braking · Oct 2025

On July 29, 2024, when my husband backed the vehicle out of the garage slowly, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and it hit the stone column causing a big damage to the car. I believe the pedal speed control and emergency brake have problems. When I reported to Tesla, they said the vehicle was not at fault. They said the issue had been resolved remotely by the engineer and cancelled my service appointment. When I asked for the engineer report, Tesla rep told me to download the data report. After I downloaded the data report, it shows no data 2 hours before and after the time of the incident. When I tried to retrieve the video on the replay function in the vehicle, the video was not there anymore. Fortunately, my husband recorded the video on his phone and I have a copy of the video. I feel very disappointed and frustrated with how Tesla handled the issue. …

2024 Model X · Automatic emergency braking · Jul 2024 · crash

I am reporting a potential safety issue with my Tesla Model X. When the vehicle is placed in reverse with the steering wheel turned to full lock, it unexpectedly initiates self-movement without any driver input. I raised this issue with Tesla Service, and they responded with the following statement: "We are aware of this and [it is] currently a known software characteristic at this time. It is under investigation and to be resolved with a future software update." Tesla has acknowledged this issue but has not provided a timeline for a fix. Safety Concerns: This unexpected movement can pose a serious safety risk in environments where precise control is needed, such as driveways, parking lots, and tight spaces. It could indicate a malfunction in the vehicle's drive-by-wire system, creating potential hazards for drivers and pedestrians. …

2024 Model X · Adaptive cruise control · Mar 2025

The contact owned a 2023 Tesla X. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the contact became distracted by an incoming phone call and crashed into another vehicle. The air bags deployed upon impact and the contact became locked inside the vehicle. The whereabouts of the other driver were unknown. The police were called to the scene but were unable to assist with the contact's removal from the vehicle. After close to an hour, the contact finally found a latch to unlock the vehicle. The contact sustained a headache as a result of the accident but did not seek medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the scene to a Tesla service center. The contact stated that the forward collision avoidance feature failed to operate as needed which should have prevented the accident. …

2023 Model X · 1,000 miles · Oct 2023 · crash

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The apparent malfunction involved Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised) during an autonomous highway lane change. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?** The vehicle struck lane delineator posts at approximately 70 mph without any observable warning or corrective action. Immediate manual intervention was required to avoid a potentially more serious collision with surrounding highway traffic. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center UNKNOWN. The incident has not been reproduced or independently confirmed. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others?** A Tesla Service Request has been opened. …

2023 Model X · Adaptive cruise control · Jun 2026 · crash

Related recalls (8)

Back over prevention › Software

NHTSA recall 26V-283 · May 4, 2026 · 218,868 vehicles

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017, 2021-2023 Model 3, 2020-2023 Model Y, 2021-2023 Model S, and Model X vehicles operating software version 2026.8.6. The rearview camera image may be delayed when the vehicle is placed in reverse.

Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.

Forward collision avoidance › Warnings › External/pedestrian alert

NHTSA recall 24V-153 · Feb 27, 2024 · 6,557 vehicles

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2013, 2018-2021 Model S, 2020-2021 Model X, 2018-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. A factory reset muted the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds.

Remedy: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, release 2023.44.30.14, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 27, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.

Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera

NHTSA recall 24V-035 · Jan 22, 2024 · 199,575 vehicles

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model S, X, and Y vehicles equipped with full self-driving computer 4.0 and running a software release version 2023.44.30 through 2023.44.30.6 or 2023.44.100. Software instability may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying.

Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 22, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.

Forward collision avoidance › Sensing system › Camera

NHTSA recall 23V-489 · Jul 14, 2023 · 1,337 vehicles

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model S, Model X, and Model Y vehicles. The forward-facing camera may be misaligned, causing some of the active safety features such as emergency braking, forward collision warning, and lane assist to become unavailable without alerting the driver.

Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and adjust the pitch angle, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 12, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.

Back over prevention

NHTSA recall 23V-244 · Apr 5, 2023 · 38 vehicles

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model X vehicles equipped with a full self-driving computer 4.0 and running software release version 2023.2.200. Weak camera signal strength may prevent the rearview image from displaying.

Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. All affected vehicles have been remedied. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.

Show 3 more recalls

Back over prevention › Display function

NHTSA recall 22V-169 · Mar 18, 2022 · 947 vehicles

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Model S, Model X, and 2017-2020 Model 3 vehicles equipped with Autopilot Computer 2.5 and operating certain firmware releases. The rearview image may not immediately display when the vehicle begins to reverse.

Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.

Forward collision avoidance › Warnings › External/pedestrian alert

NHTSA recall 22V-063 · Feb 4, 2022 · 578,607 vehicles

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model S, Model X, Model Y, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. The Boombox function allows sounds to be played through an external speaker while the vehicle is in motion, which may obscure the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds.

Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will disable the Boombox functionality when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral and Reverse modes, free of charge.

Forward collision avoidance › Software

NHTSA recall 21V-846 · Oct 29, 2021 · 11,728 vehicles

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Model S, Model 3, Model X, and 2020-2021 Model Y vehicles operating software version 2021.36.5.2. A communication error may cause false forward-collision warning (FCW) or unexpected activation of the automatic emergency brake (AEB) system.

Remedy: Tesla Service has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. The recall began October 25, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.

NHTSA investigations

Loss of rearview camera

NHTSA investigation PE20010 · opened Jun 22, 2020 · closed Nov 22, 2020

On June 22, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE20-010 to investigate incidents of media control unit (MCU) failures resulting in loss of rearview camera in model year (MY) 2012-2015 Tesla Model S vehicles equipped with the NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor with an integrated 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device.

Automatic vehicle control systems

NHTSA investigation PE16007 · opened Jun 28, 2016 · closed Jan 19, 2017

On May 7, 2016, a 2015 Tesla Model S collided with a tractor trailer crossing an uncontrolled intersection on a highway west of Williston, Florida, resulting in fatal injuries to the Tesla driver.Data obtained from the Model S indicated that:1) the Tesla was being operated in Autopilot mode at the time of the collision; 2) the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system did not provide any warning or automated braking…

Loss of rearview camera

NHTSA investigation EA20003 · opened Nov 12, 2020 · closed May 2, 2024 · led to recall 21V-035

On November 20, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA) 20-003 to investigate incidents of media control unit (MCU) failures resulting in loss of rearview camera in model year (MY) 2012-18 Tesla Model S and model year (MY) 2016-2018 Tesla Model X vehicles equipped with the NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor with an integrated 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device.

Frequently asked questions

Which Tesla Model X years have collision avoidance problems?

By NHTSA complaints, the 2017 (47), 2016 (37), 2018 (34), 2020 (34) and 2022 (28) model years. Collision Avoidance complaints make up 18% of all complaints for the 2017.

Is there a recall for Tesla Model X collision avoidance problems?

Yes — 8 recalls, including 26V-283 (software, May 4, 2026); 24V-153 (external/pedestrian alert, Feb 27, 2024); 24V-035 (camera, Jan 22, 2024). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.

At what mileage do Tesla Model X collision avoidance problems start?

Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 31,000 miles; 73% happened before 50,000 miles.

What part fails most often?

Owners most often name the adaptive cruise control (126 mentions), followed by the automatic emergency braking (96).

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.