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Model X Reliability
- Thread starter PasoRobles
- Start date
scottf200
Well-Known Member
Probably should have included Mobile Service. I’ve had mobile service three times, and SC three times. So for me, that means 6 times
Fair point! I was trying to skew towards issues that were serious enough to require an SC visit. But you are correct in pointing out that some problems that leave a vehicle disabled (12V battery) can be fixed at home. Valid critique. Thanks for the reply.
Mobile Service can do a lot. They took apart my entire trunk to fix an issue with charging.
Reliability 
I kid. The car is reliable, but I've had my fair share of problems.
I kid. The car is reliable, but I've had my fair share of problems.
- LF lower control arm catastrophically failed; replaced
- RF lower control arm replaced
- Active spoiler replaced
- 2nd row, L, seat replaced because it wouldn't tilt anymore
- LF speaker blown
- LF and RF halfshafts replaced
- LF and RF hubs replaced
- Clevis mount replaced
- Steering U-joint replaced
- Driver door no longer auto presented, both latches replaced
- LR, RF window regulators replaced
- Center console door replaced
- Both front control arm ball joints resealed
- RF seat heater no longer working
- Driver does not auto present
- Heat no longer working
2018 X, and honestly it’s been the most reliable car I have ever owned. I haven’t had even a single fault with it. Only time it has been at the service center was for a HW3 upgrade, and more recently for a new set of tires.
adaboost
Member
Reliability
I kid. The car is reliable, but I've had my fair share of problems.
Not yet fixed, but discovered:
- LF lower control arm catastrophically failed; replaced
- RF lower control arm replaced
- Active spoiler replaced
- 2nd row, L, seat replaced because it wouldn't tilt anymore
- LF speaker blown
- LF and RF halfshafts replaced
- LF and RF hubs replaced
- Clevis mount replaced
- Steering U-joint replaced
- Driver door no longer auto presented, both latches replaced
- LR, RF window regulators replaced
- Center console door replaced
- Both front control arm ball joints resealed
- RF seat heater no longer working
- Driver does not auto present
- Heat no longer working
I was going to complain, but see that I only had a subset of your problems
Our 3 we had mostly delivery issues, but also headlights and taillights and turn stalk replaced.
Our X... she's been a bit more high maintenance. No showstoppers, but about 25 service appointments since we got her in 2019. And there's still issues they haven't fixed...sigh. My wife loves it (it's her daily driver) but I prefer my 3 in every way. I'm scared to death to keep the X after the warranty is out.
Our X... she's been a bit more high maintenance. No showstoppers, but about 25 service appointments since we got her in 2019. And there's still issues they haven't fixed...sigh. My wife loves it (it's her daily driver) but I prefer my 3 in every way. I'm scared to death to keep the X after the warranty is out.
My 2018 X has 44k miles and I expect to hit 50k this summer or early fall. No serious trouble with it since 12/2018 purchase, but the pucker factor is increasing daily as I was the odometer. I may have to go the 2yr extended warranty route. No way am I going to be 100% exposed after 50k.
Gaston
Active Member
My 2017 Model X with 90.000 miles has been perfectly reliable, as it never failed me. Not a single time.
Yes, I had the accelleration shudder, a faulty door latch, spoiler corrosion and squeeking front arms, but they have been replaced, mostly under warranty.
In fact, my Model X runs just as smooth as brand new.
You can purchase a perfect 2nd hand Model X, providing the required replacements for newer part numbers have been done.
Yes, I had the accelleration shudder, a faulty door latch, spoiler corrosion and squeeking front arms, but they have been replaced, mostly under warranty.
In fact, my Model X runs just as smooth as brand new.
You can purchase a perfect 2nd hand Model X, providing the required replacements for newer part numbers have been done.
dskid,
I can relate. Tipping my hand now. With 30 Model X owner responses, 21 (70%) reported 2 or less SC visits in 2021. Our 2016 X P90D had 3 SC visits between May and December.
- Rear suspension links (May '21)
- Coolant leak (Sep '21)
- Battery heater failed while at SC for the coolant leak fix
- Rear drive unit (Dec '21)
...And the rear drive unit just failed again
Needless to say, the thought of dealing with RDUs and battery heaters after the battery and propulsion system warranties are up is unpleasant. The X is my wife's daily driver also. More than that, it's her mobile medical facility. She's a home health nurse. There are easily a dozen unique attributes that make the Model X an absolutely incredible car for her job. Seems like we just need a newer one.
markinsf
Member
2018 MX here. I find that I'm in the service center a 2-3 times per year for quirky problems usually related to all the corners that are cut in the manufacture of Teslas. Thus, comparing the first 3 years of owning a Tesla (many service visits) to the 3-year lease of my previous Audi Q5 (1 visit to dealer for oil change) I find Teslas unacceptably unreliable.
Here is a list of service visits I've had with my MX since I bought it in no particular order:
Here is a list of service visits I've had with my MX since I bought it in no particular order:
- Driver window would not roll up - will still have this problem if the window is wet or has tree sap on it or if you look at it wrong - though I now know how to reset the window (holding the window button for 10 seconds or, if that doesn't work, pounding on the window edge as it rolls up)
- Had to replace roof weather stripping on wing doors as it deteriorated and fell apart - was leaking water into the cabin
- Auto-open driver door will no longer open if approaching vehicle from front (after you pass the door) - only pops it open an inch - used to open it all the way once you walked passed the door - this is still unresolved and the guys at the service center says that is the way it's suppose to be - No, it's not.
- Yellowing around screen - was fixed - thank you, for once, Tesla!
- Clunking from rear when accelerating - could not reproduce 6 months ago at service center - it has been getting more frequent and worse - have an appt in a month to take it in
- Driver's seat padding flattened out - I weigh 165lbs and only have 20K miles on the car yet the padding on the drivers seat (where the pull out thigh support would be on any other luxury car) is flattened and I can feel the steel frame of the seat. Trips of more than an hour or two require I get out and stretch - I suppose the supercharger stops "help" with this problem
- The complete and utter lack of any sound proofing whatsoever in the car. My car measures in the low 70s on a decibel meter on the freeway. Meanwhile my GF's '16 Audi Q3 is in high 60s. My 2003 Toyota beater truck is in mid 30s. Can't believe a $130K car was built with zero sound deadening. Even the carpet is paper thin. Love driving my Tesla at lower speeds as it is relatively quiet. Freeway speeds are exhaustingly loud. On roadtrips I feel as if I'm piloting a jet it is so loud and it is a relief to finally get to my destination and get out of my "jet."
- As I mentioned above, the seats in a Tesla are abysmal to any other luxury car. My old Audi Q5 seats were real leather, had pull out thigh supports, and were just the right combination of firmness, support, and cushion.
- Inferior paint quality. I wash my car by hand with a 2-bucket system. Yet, the paint is so soft that I have swirls and microscratches all over the black paint. Recently had a body shop polish it up and it looks a little better but there's no excuse for a paint job that is of such piss poor quality.
- Overall quality. I could make a list of things in the interior that are ridiculous. For example the plastic covers on the seat rails (where the seats attach) are not even attached and fall off constantly. One would think that a more elegant solution would have been designed. Squeaks and creaks, etc.
- Closing the door of my MX with the window down is like nails on a chalk board. Again, Tesla cut many corners and there are no felt guides or sufficient padding for the window when it is down. Closing the door produces a rattling sound like a bucket of bolts.
- The convenience of never going to get gas.
- The instant power.
- The auto-pilot features (though I think the idea of a Tesla ever full self driving is a complete joke - never gonna happen).
- The useful updates that improve the driving experience (the games, farting noises, etc. - WTF - who cares about this stoopid stuff?).
- The charging network.
I agree with you on the things to love about Tesla AND waiting for Audi to catch up. We're looking for a car to replace our aging Honda CRV and looked at Audi because of their highly rated driver assist features. Turns out, in 2022 they basically killed off their auto-lane centering and have reverted to rudimentary lane-keep. That alone was a deal breaker for us
The fit and finish of any of the big players is leap and bounds above Tesla. Before we discovered the removal of the lane keep on the Audi, it was a tough decision between the Q5 and XC60, but now I think we're going to end up with the XC60.
Batt Car
Executive, engineer, entrepreneur, author, dad.
Weird I guess. My 2017 MX has had a mobile service visit to fix the LEDs on the charge port, a fix for one FWD seal, and 2 service center visits to upgrade HW3 / MCU 2. No issue with fit or finish here. I have owned BMW, Porsche, Lexus, and Audi. The Tesla has required the least amount of service and the software updates make every other “big player” just a bunch of wanna-bes. Yeah there are quality problems sometimes but the same goes for every other car maker.
Yeah, every car marker has issues but I think it's disingenuous to say Tesla and other car makers have the same amount of problems. BMW/VAG/Lexus wouldn't use consumers are guinea pigs. The yellowing MCUs, EEMC issue, and failing control arms are a perfect example of this.
markinsf
Member
I don't doubt what you say and agree with you that the software updates are usually great.
Maybe I have a car that was built on a Friday. Funny thing is one time I had my car in the service center when they still used to give loaners. I got another MX, same year, same feature set, wheels and tires, and it road much smoother and quieter than my own car. I even measured the tire pressure (was the same). The only difference was that this MX had 70K miles on it (and mine had 15K at the time). Why in the heck would there be such a vast difference between two cars of the same model year?
I was just out running errands today in my MX and, though I usually have music or a podcast on, I felt like some silence. But I forgot - can't get that in my MX. Squeaks and creaks and rattles galore. When I turned in my Q5 with 30K miles on it it was as quiet and solid - not a rattle or squeak to be found. Shutting the door on a German car is a completely different experience then the Tesla (though I do like that my MX shuts the door for me).
I think it's pretty clear that Tesla cut a lot of corners for margins and to reduce weight. For chrissakes, the thinness of the carpet in my MX is surprising and very disappointing. Bought some $300 mats hoping for a small difference but I think the car would need to be taken apart, have proper sound deadening put in the floor pan, in the frunk hood, and in the doors before any noticeable difference could be discerned.
I should also note, I live in commie California where the streets and roads are falling apart. Perhaps if I lived in Phoenix or some other city where the asphalt is buttery smooth then maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't notice some of my car's shortcomings. In any event, looking at the 2023 Audi E-tron GT.
