2016 Tesla Model X Brakes Problems
- Complaints
- 24about this part
- Share
- 5%of 452 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 15,186miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 24 complaints about the brakes of the 2016 Tesla Model X, 5% of the 452 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 15,186 miles. 6 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The rear driver side lower control arm snapped off detaching the rear wheel/tire, brake assembly and strut/axel rendering the car immobile. Fortunately this did not happen 20 minutes sooner as my gf and I were traveling on the highway at normal highway speeds - this would have caused a life threatening, catastrophic multiyear crash being unable to control the vehicle... …”
NHTSA complaint #11406844, filed 2021-04, 57,000 miles“Vehicle accelerated suddenly and crashed into a tree in front while parking the car in a parking lot. We reported the problem to Tesla but they got back to us denying any car malfunction that caused the acceleration. However we received a recall letter today saying that affected parking brake caliper may cause in rollaway and crash.”
NHTSA complaint #10995447, filed 2017-06, 1 miles“Sudden unintended acceleration. The car suddenly accelerated instead of stopping when I applied the brakes while pulling into a parking space. I was going approximately 5 MPH. Instead of stopping, the car jumped a concrete parking block, went over a curb, climbed an embankment, and struck a tree before it came to a stop. The car suffered damage to the front driver's side wheel well and the undercarriage. The driver was not injured and the airbags did not deploy. Video surveillance captured the incident in its entirety. Photos of the scene and the resulting damage to the car are also attached. …”
NHTSA complaint #11306541, filed 2020-02, 6,000 miles“While highway driving the main mcu froze due to a manufacturer known memory corruption defect and would not reboot. This defect failure impacts access and control of the following safety features, turn signals, emergency brake, emergency battery disconnect, fog lights (front and rear), auto high beams, rear pedestrian camera, suspension (inability to disable auto leveling for tire changing or towing), traction control slip start, side mirror adjustments. Battery safety limits for acceleration and regen based on environmental temperature safety limits are also disabled. …”
NHTSA complaint #11337992, filed 2020-07, 50,000 miles“I had an interaction with this vehicle on snow/ice packed I70 in Colorado, almost to the Kansas border. This car passed me, then immediately cut in front of my truck in the right lane and quickly slowed to about 10 mph with no warning. The car then pulled over onto the snow packed shoulder.”
NHTSA complaint #11560515, filed 2023-12Related recalls
- 17V260000Apr 19, 2017Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016 Model S and Model X vehicles. The electric parking brake calipers have an internal gear that may be improperly…Covers: Tesla Model X 2016–2017, Model S 2012–2016
Brakes: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 14% |
| 2025 | 2 | 13% |
| 2024 | 2 | 7% |
| 2023 | 12 | 6% |
| 2022 | 10 | 8% |
| 2021 | 1 | 2% |
| 2020 | 8 | 6% |
| 2019 | 9 | 9% |
| 2018 | 14 | 7% |
| 2017 | 17 | 6% |
| 2016 | 24 | 5% |
Other parts of the 2016 Tesla Model X
151 complaintsElectrical system
93 complaintsOther or unknown
90 complaintsSteering
58 complaintsBody and structure
57 complaintsVehicle speed control
35 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
33 complaintsForward collision avoidance
24 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
15 complaintsExterior lighting
13 complaintsBack-over prevention (rear camera)
12 complaintsWheels
12 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2016 Tesla Model X
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology