2016 Tesla Model X Steering Problems
Owners have filed 58 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2016 Tesla Model X, 13% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 40,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “https www” (16% of reports).
- 58steering complaints
- 40,000median miles at failure
- 8mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- 38%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.
- Https www: mentioned in 9 of 58 complaints (16%)
- Service center: mentioned in 7 of 58 complaints (12%)
- Front suspension: mentioned in 5 of 58 complaints (9%)
- Control arm: mentioned in 5 of 58 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 28 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 58 complaints, 8 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Tesla Model X steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Model X | 1 | 14% | — |
| 2025 Model X | 2 | 13% | — |
| 2024 Model X | 3 | 11% | — |
| 2023 Model X | 46 | 24% | 300 |
| 2022 Model X | 44 | 34% | 37,000 |
| 2021 Model X | 13 | 32% | 8,000 |
| 2020 Model X | 18 | 14% | 6,000 |
| 2019 Model X | 11 | 11% | 12,500 |
| 2018 Model X | 18 | 9% | 100,000 |
| 2017 Model X | 50 | 19% | 31,881 |
| 2016 Model X | 58 | 13% | 40,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Steering:automated/adaptive steering
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software or pending installation. The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution. In addition, the system may respond insufficiently to changes in posted speed limits or not adequately account for the driver's adjustment of the vehicle's speed to exceed posted speed limits.
Risk: FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-001.
Steering:automated/adaptive steering
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The "rolling stop" functionality available as part of the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software may allow the vehicle to travel through an all-way stop intersection without first coming to a stop.
Risk: Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that disables the "rolling stop" functionality, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-001.
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Model X vehicles. The aluminum bolts that attach the power steering gear assist motor to the gear housing may corrode and fracture causing a reduction or complete loss of power steering assist.
Risk: Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla Service Centers will replace the steering gear mounting bolts with coated steel bolts, and add a corrosion-preventative sealer to the steering gear motor housing and motor connection bolts. If the mounting bolts are found to be broken or break during removal and cannot be removed, a new steering gear will also be installed. All services will be performed free of charge. The recall began February 15, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I was driving the vehical when something went wrong. The vehicle showed a warning stating "ABS disabled". I was worried by this, when I saw further warnings appear including "Safety restraint system issue" "Power braking assist reduced" and something about steering. The dashboard also showed "Park…
The rack-and-pinion system failed, causing steering to become difficult at low speeds and worsening rapidly over weeks. It was inspected by a mechanic at EV Coastal in Santa Ana, who said it was not the U-Joint or bolt corrosion issue addressed by an earlier NHTSA recall. There were no…
I don't think Tesla ever did the steering bolt recall per SB-20-32-002 on my vehicle. I had all the bolts fail, with obvious corrosion, and the motor separated from the rack causing a loss of power steering while moving. You can see where the bolt physically failed and the corrosion both on the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 Tesla Model Xs have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 58 owner complaints about steering for the 2016 Tesla Model X (13% 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 steering?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 40,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2016 Tesla Model X?
The most frequent phrase is “https www”, in 9 of 58 complaints, followed by “service center” (7).
Other 2016 Tesla Model X problems
- Suspension problems (151)
- Electrical System problems (93)
- Structure problems (57)
See all 2016 Tesla Model X problems or steering problems across all Model X years.