2016 Tesla Model X Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 93 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2016 Tesla Model X, 21% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 50,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “turn signals” (10% of reports).
- 93electrical system complaints
- 50,000median miles at failure
- 12mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 44%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Turn signals: mentioned in 9 of 93 complaints (10%)
- Center screen: mentioned in 8 of 93 complaints (9%)
- Rear view camera: mentioned in 6 of 93 complaints (6%)
- Safety features: mentioned in 6 of 93 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 63 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 93 complaints, 12 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 4 an injury.
Tesla Model X electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Model X | 1 | 14% | — |
| 2025 Model X | 3 | 19% | 6,150 |
| 2024 Model X | 4 | 15% | — |
| 2023 Model X | 21 | 11% | 1,000 |
| 2022 Model X | 16 | 13% | — |
| 2021 Model X | 7 | 17% | 800 |
| 2020 Model X | 28 | 22% | 11,840 |
| 2019 Model X | 20 | 20% | 17,400 |
| 2018 Model X | 36 | 19% | 9,550 |
| 2017 Model X | 72 | 27% | 30,000 |
| 2016 Model X | 93 | 21% | 50,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk: Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
Electrical system:adas:driver monitoring:software
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.
Risk: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I own a 2016 Tesla Model X P100D equipped with the Large Drive Unit (LDU). The component that fails is the rotor coolant seal in the rear drive unit motor. Coolant leaks internally into the motor and inverter, causing bearing wear, corrosion, isolation faults, and eventual complete drive unit…
Coolant heater failure resulting in no regenerative braking .
The contact owned a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 15 MPH from a traffic light, the vehicle was T-boned by another vehicle attempting to run the red light. The contact stated that the other vehicle crashed into the driverâs side front fender…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 Tesla Model Xs have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 93 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2016 Tesla Model X (21% of the 450 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Tesla Model X electrical system?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 50,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2016 Tesla Model X?
The most frequent phrase is “turn signals”, in 9 of 93 complaints, followed by “center screen” (8).
Other 2016 Tesla Model X problems
- Suspension problems (151)
- Steering problems (58)
- Structure problems (57)
See all 2016 Tesla Model X problems or electrical system problems across all Model X years.