2016 Tesla Model X body and structure problems
57 of the 448 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Tesla Model X name the body and structure (NHTSA’s “Structure” heading — body panels, frame, roof rails, trim and glass as fitted). Filed under the same heading: 29 manufacturer bulletins, 2 recalls. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the body and structure
Source: NHTSA complaint database14 of the 57 reports a crash · 1 a fire · 9 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 9 · 2017: 10 · 2018: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2020: 8 · 2021: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2026: 1
Half of the 30 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the body and structure problem between 2,000 and 55,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
448 complaints in all about the 2016 Tesla Model X, 1 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Structure” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Tesla Model X body and structure problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the body and structure. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Here is a report of a Tesla Model X crash in china. Weixin. Qq. Com/s/1din0uyenlrl8bo9gykpcg (google will translate) the owner reports that the car suddenly slammed into the concrete centre divider, spun 180 degrees and collided with another car. The drivers airbag failed to deploy resulting in very serious injuries.
Takata recall I drove my Tesla Model X 2016 today to work and when I was about to park the car in the parking lot (around 6 miles per hour may be) it suddenly accelerated and hit the concrete wall and bounced back around 8 feet. Since it was for parking I can surely say that I did not accelerate the car.
While turning left into a parking spot at a very slow speed, the car suddenly accelerated with extreme force. It ran over a curb and collided with a tree and a truck. There was only light pressure on the accelerator. The automatic braking and the airbags did not deploy.
Driver side door will no longer latch properly - constant cycling noise coming from latch. Cycling can be stopped by manually moving the striker latch with a screwdriver to fool the car into thinking the door is closed. Car can be driven by placing an arm out the window and holding the door closed manually.
Tesla deactivated safety features on the falcon wing rear doors. Safety features were active when vehicle was sold, now they have been deactivated due to chronic problems with the doors closing reliably.
What is on file about the body and structure
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecalls filed under this heading
- 24V615000 HighAug 15, 2024 · 9,136 vehicles
- 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.
- 20V710000 HighNov 17, 2020 · 9,136 vehicles
- 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.
29 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- SB-21-12-005 Service bulletinDec 5, 2024
- For some Model X vehicles built before May 2018, should water seep into the printed circuit board of the rear door cladding sensor, an alert might be displayed on the touchscreen.
- SB-24-12-008 Service bulletinOct 31, 2024
- On some Model X vehicles, the front roof applique and/or center spine applique may have been applied to the roof without the use of primer, which could cause the applique(s) to separate from the roof. This bulletin employs an improved inspection process which replaces the one for SB-20-12-005.
The 2 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Tesla Model X
Source: the same files- suspension problems 150 complaints
- electrical problems 93 complaints
- steering problems 58 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre body and structure problems common on the 2016 Tesla Model X?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 57 owner complaints naming the body and structure on this model year (13% of everything owners filed about it), and 29 manufacturer bulletins, 2 recalls are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the body and structure on the 2016 Tesla Model X?
Yes — 2 campaigns are filed under this heading: 24V615000, 20V710000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do body and structure problems show up on the 2016 Tesla Model X?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 6,000 miles; half of them between 2,000 and 55,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Structure" heading cover?
Body panels, frame, roof rails, trim and glass as fitted. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.