The 2016 Model X is Tesla's first-gen SUV with falcon-wing doors and early dual-motor drivetrain tech. It suffers from immature manufacturing quality, notably drive unit failures, failing door mechanisms, and a surprisingly fragile 12V electrical system that can leave you stranded.
Drive Unit (Motor/Inverter) Failure
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Whining or clicking noise from front or rear motor, Reduced power / regenerative braking loss, DI_a### fault code on dash, Vehicle enters 'limp mode' or won't move
Fix: Early 2016 units use older 'small drive unit' design prone to bearing and seal failures. Tesla warranty often covers it, but out-of-warranty means full drive unit R&R — 6-8 hours labor. Some shops rebuild, but Tesla usually insists on exchange units. Inverter coolant contamination can accompany this.
Estimated cost: $5,000-9,000
Falcon-Wing Door Mechanism Failures
Common · medium severity
Symptoms: Doors won't open or close completely, Error messages about door obstruction when nothing is there, Grinding or clicking sounds during door operation, Doors open very slowly or stop mid-cycle
Fix: Complex cable and motor system with multiple sensors. Common culprits: door motor assemblies, cable tensioners, and the door control modules. Diagnosis alone can take 2-3 hours due to multiple failure points. Parts are Tesla-only and expensive. Figure 4-6 hours per door for motor/cable replacement.
Estimated cost: $1,500-3,500
12V Battery Failures Causing Total Vehicle Shutdown
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 30,000-60,000 mi
Symptoms: Vehicle won't wake up or unlock, All screens black, no response, Warning about 12V battery needing replacement days before total failure, Frunk won't open (must use manual release)
Fix: The high-voltage system charges a conventional 12V lead-acid battery that powers everything except propulsion. When it dies, the car is a brick. 2016 models don't always give adequate warning. Replacement is straightforward (1 hour labor), but towing and diagnosing 'dead car' scenarios adds frustration and cost.
Estimated cost: $300-600
HVAC Evaporator Leaks and AC Compressor Failures
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 50,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: Weak or no cold air, Musty smell from vents, Moisture inside cabin / fogged windows, High-pitched whine from under hood area
Fix: Evaporator is buried in the dash — full dash removal required, 10-14 hours labor. AC compressor is electrically driven and can fail independently (4-6 hours). Some 2016 units had faulty evaporator seals from factory. This is one of the most labor-intensive repairs on the platform.
Estimated cost: $2,000-4,500
High-Voltage Battery Pack Coolant Leaks
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 70,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Blue-green fluid pooling under vehicle, Battery cooling warnings on dash, Reduced range or power, Sweet smell near vehicle (Tesla uses blue dyed glycol)
Fix: Battery pack uses liquid cooling with connections at the front. Early packs have flange seal issues. Minor leaks can sometimes be resealed (4-6 hours), but major leaks often require full pack drop or module replacement (12-20 hours). Tesla-only parts, and some shops won't touch high-voltage systems.
Estimated cost: $1,500-8,000
Front Suspension Upper Control Arm Bushing Wear
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunking over bumps, especially when cold, Uneven tire wear on inside edges, Wandering steering or vague feel, Alignment won't hold settings
Fix: Model X is heavy (5,500+ lbs) and early air suspension setups stress the control arm bushings. Bushings themselves aren't serviceable — full control arm replacement required. 3-4 hours per side, alignment mandatory after. Not unique to Tesla but accelerated by weight.
Estimated cost: $800-1,500
Touchscreen (MCU1) Yellow Border and Unresponsive Issues
Common · medium severity
Symptoms: Yellow or white border around touchscreen edges, Screen slow to respond or freezes, Backup camera delayed or non-functional, Touchscreen reboots randomly while driving
Fix: 2016 models use MCU1 (Media Control Unit v1) with an eMMC memory chip that wears out from excessive logging. Tesla offered an 'infotainment upgrade' to MCU2 ($1,500-2,500 through Tesla). Independent shops can replace the eMMC chip (4-6 hours) for less, but it's a Band-Aid — chip will fail again eventually. This affects core vehicle functions, not just entertainment.
Estimated cost: $500-2,500
Owner tips
Check warranty transfer status carefully — many 2016 drive units were replaced under warranty, and the replacement's warranty may still be active.
Replace the 12V battery proactively every 3-4 years; don't wait for warnings.
Avoid independent body shops for falcon-wing door work — calibration requires Tesla diagnostic software in most cases.
Budget for MCU upgrade or eMMC replacement preemptively; it's when, not if.
Pre-purchase inspection must include high-voltage battery coolant system check and test drive focused on drive unit noises.
Only if you find one with documented drive unit replacement and are prepared for $2k-5k/year in surprise repairs — early Model X ownership is a costly enthusiast proposition, not rational transportation.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
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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.
Consequence: Trim that separates from the vehicle during use can create a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla service will test the roof trim adhesion and reattach the trim pieces as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 14, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-12-008. Vehicles previously repaired under recall 20V-710 will need to have the new inspection and remedy completed.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.
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."
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
STEERING:AUTOMATED/ADAPTIVE STEERING · 23V085000
2023-02-15 · EA22002
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
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.
Consequence: Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE · 21V035000
2021-01-29 · EA20003
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Tesla Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles with a center display equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and an 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device. When the 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device for the center display reaches lifetime wear, the eMMC controller will no longer be able to maintain the integrity of the filesystem, causing a failure in some of the center display functions.
Consequence: The eMMC controller wear-out condition can cause the loss of the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings, and exterior turn signal lighting, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners should ensure their vehicles are operating firmware release 2020.48.48.12 or newer, which will alert owners if the eMMC is approaching lifetime wear. Tesla will notify owners, and will replace the VCM daughterboard with one containing an enhanced eMMC controller, free of charge. The recall began March 29, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-21-001.
STRUCTURE:BODY · 20V710000
2020-11-17
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.
Consequence: Trim that separates from the vehicle during use can cause a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and dealers will test the roof trim adhesion, and, as necessary, apply primer, free of charge. The recall began January 15, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-20-12-005. This recall has been superseded by Recall 24V615 (SB-24-12-008).
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM · 20V062000
2020-02-05
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.
Consequence: Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY · 17V639000
2017-10-12
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Model X vehicles. The left-side, second row, reclining seat backs may not fully latch due to having incorrectly adjusted recliner mechanism cables. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems," and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
Consequence: If the seat back moves forward in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla service technicians will correct the cable adjustment for the left-side, fold-flat, second row, seat recliner mechanism, free of charge. The recall began on November 10, 2017. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-17-13-004.
PARKING BRAKE · 17V260000
2017-04-19
Tesla, 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 manufactured, possibly resulting in the gear fracturing during parking brake application or release.
Consequence: If the gear breaks during parking brake release, the vehicle will not be able to be moved. If the gear breaks during parking brake application, the parking brake may not adequately hold the vehicle, potentially resulting in the vehicle rolling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and service centers will replace both the left and right electric parking brake calipers, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2018. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-17-33-002.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY · 16V192000
2016-04-06
Tesla Motors, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain model year 2016 Model X vehicles manufactured September 29, 2015, to March 30, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the third row seat back may move forward under load such as in a frontal collision. As such, the vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."
Consequence: If the third row seat does not remain in its adjusted position, there may be an increased risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and dealers will replace all affected third row seats, free of charge. The recall began on April 20, 2016. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-844-248-3752 or by email at [email protected]. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-16-13-003
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