2018 Tesla Model X Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 11about this part
- Share
- 6%of 193 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 89,806miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 11 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2018 Tesla Model X, 6% of the 193 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 89,806 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I have had to replace my axles/have had cv joint failure 3 times and have another service scheduled for a fourth CV/axle service. This is a known problem and Tesla has acknowledged it and done nothing about it. See Tesla service bulletin SB-20-39-001about premature axle/CV joint failures.”
NHTSA complaint #11654640, filed 2025-04“During a recent incident where a tire issue caused damage to the wiring harness for the parking brake, resulting in a Parking Brake Failure notification on the screen, the vehicle would not stop or turn off. The vehicle displayed N for neutral on the dash, but the vehicle would drive forward unless the brake was depressed. In addition, we were unable to place the vehicle in Park, which meant that we were unable to shut it off. The only way to stop the vehicle from driving on its own and crashing into something was to place concrete blocks under the tires! …”
NHTSA complaint #11715473, filed 2026-02“While driving on highway with autopilot on . I received the message Steering Assist reduced .Vehicle will require additional force to steer . I believe I hit a rough patch on the highway and my steering lost power and became very hard to steer the vehicle. Somehow I managed to drive for 20 miles to safety. When I recached home I did power reset few times and the issue went away. I noticed similar issues with model x but not for year 2018 Model x. I have opened a service request with Tesla .Tesla send me an invoice of $5500 for repair.”
NHTSA complaint #11622588, filed 2024-10“Driving into a car wash, I placed the car in NEUTRAL. The instrument cluster confirmed as much with an 'N' symbol, while I was stopped, in the single-track for the car wash to push/pull the car through the apparatus. The car was pulled into the car wash about half-way (roughly 25-35 seconds of N). Then, the car spontaneously shifted to PARK, and indicated as much with a 'P' in the instrument cluster. No cars were behind me in the car wash, this time. And I was able to re-engage NEUTRAL for the remainder of the wash (about another 35-40 seconds). …”
NHTSA complaint #11534048, filed 2023-07“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. …”
NHTSA complaint #11443952, filed 2021-12Related service bulletins
- 10251045Jan 18, 2024Some versions of Model S and X front drive unit halfshafts might cause excessive vibrations during hard acceleration at higher ride height settings. This is exclusively an NVH…
- 10212803Dec 10, 2021Some versions of Model S and X front drive unit halfshafts might cause excessive vibrations during hard acceleration at higher ride height settings. This is exclusively an NVH…
- 10162295Jun 25, 2019Older versions of the Model S and Model X LH front drive unit clevis mount contain a bushing that allows the front drive unit to move side-to-side more than expected during hard…
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
Other parts of the 2018 Tesla Model X
42 complaintsSuspension
37 complaintsElectrical system
36 complaintsForward collision avoidance
32 complaintsBody and structure
22 complaintsVehicle speed control
19 complaintsSteering
18 complaintsBrakes
14 complaintsSeats
11 complaintsAir bags
8 complaintsSeat belts
8 complaintsLane departure
7 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2018 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