2018 TESLA MODEL X Steering Problems

Vehicle: 2018 Tesla Model X Recall Reference: Tesla eMMC Recall – NHTSA Campaign Number 21V-035 (Recall 21V035000) Defect Description: In March 2021, Tesla notified me by email of a recall involving failure of the eMMC memory chip in the Media Control Unit (MCU). This defect is known to cause loss of vehicle system functionality and safety-related features. Despite this notification, Tesla has refused to honor the recall and replace the eMMC when I brought my vehicle in for service. Current Vehicle Condition: My vehicle exhibits severe and worsening symptoms consistent with eMMC failure, including: System freezing and frequent unresponsiveness GPS extremely slow or nonfunctional Turn signal indicators intermittently fail Horn fails to operate approximately 95% of the time Vehicle reset/reboot does not work Touchscreen and vehicle controls are very slow or nonresponsive These issues occur regularly and without warning. Safety Risk: This defect creates a significant safety hazard. The failure of turn signals, horn, and system responsiveness increases the risk of accidents. The inability to reset or restore the system while driving further endangers occupants and other road users. Due to these failures, the vehicle is unsafe to operate. Manufacturer Response: Although Tesla issued a recall notice in March 2021, they have declined to perform the recall repair on my vehicle. No effective remedy has been provided, and the vehicle’s condition continues to deteriorate. Request for NHTSA Action: I am requesting that NHTSA investigate Tesla’s failure to honor Recall 21V-035 and require Tesla to provide the mandated repair. This unresolved defect affects safety-critical systems and presents an ongoing risk. When I went there last Dec 4 to get this repaired, they wanted me to upgrade and pay almost $2000. I am willing to pay half of the cost but not the entire amount.

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized with the message “Steering Assist Reduced” message displayed. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering rack had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Mileage: 100,000

Last month we were driving our Tesla Model X on the highway and suddenly the steering started malfunctioning. It was all she could do to get the car home, wrestling with manual-only operation that was clearly messed up, with no steering assist. We saw the warning pop up on console saying this needed to be fixed immediately. Turns out this is a well-documented problem, and indeed the company knows this very well, as they initiated a recall. It’s a design flaw – the assembly is inadequately sealed allowing water to get in corrode various parts. We took it to Tesla Watertown (MA) and they said our vehicle is not under recall and demanded $5000 to replace the assembly and if we didn't, that we should get the undrivable car off their lot because they're very busy. I made the case that this is an ongoing problem and should clearly be corrected at no cost to the beleaguered consumer (we’ve poured thousands into this car for various quirky malfunctions, which has been disappointing because the alleged advantage of the computer on wheels was that it had fewer parts that need maintenance or fewer things as with combustion engines to go wrong). Specifically, though, the steering fail keeps happening, recounted in horrifying detail on Facebook groups and listservs, as drivers are motoring along and suddenly can’t control the steering of a three-ton vehicle. This sure seems like a consumer issue needing attention. I asked for some kind of appeal and they just shrugged; Tesla is 100% unreachable in terms of customer service, as you may know. They have walled off any hope with talking or messaging with a human being. There's simply no one to reach out to.

The steering wheel is hard to turn while driving. Also, heard a clanking/ squeaking sound while driving.

The horn on the steering wheel stopped working recently. Horns are important safety features on any vehicle, and electric vehicles are especially quiet so the horn is essential. The other buttons and scrollers on the steering wheel also stopped working. It's unclear if the airbag still functions.

2018 Tesla X with only 48k miles has lost power (electric) steering and controllability. This is a huge safety issue which I see in many, many other Tesla X reports on the NHTSA web sire. Tesla has acknowledge it a know issue however says they can’t get us an appointment to did the problem for until January 6th, 10 weeks from us contacting them. Totally unacceptable and they don’t care. There’s no warning lights, no other issues, just steering locks in 1/4 turn increments which I’m fairly sure is the steering “u joint” others have spoke about. No one local will touch it and Tesla will not come out with novel mechanic to assist. They say tow it in (2 hour) to our service center, $500, and we’ll look at it January 6th, today is November 26th. I admire Elon and everything he stands for, I’m positive if I could speak to him this service would not be acceptable to him either. Over 2 months without a car…. Really….. This is a clear and obvious safety issue and should be a recall for all 2018 Tesla Model X vehicles. I’ve owned many cars and never had a steering column-u joint issue at 48k miles. In closing it should be known Tesla as well says the estimate for repair is $600…… plus the tow. For a 48k mile car, NHTSA, please help the hundreds of owners who are having this huge SAFETY ISSUE! Thank you !

I had a problem with steering wheel on my Tesla Model X 2018 After twice updating the software, my steering wheel became stiff when I turn it more than half a turn back and forth. I also changed the setting to light mode, but it didn't work. My vehicle is out of the manufacturer's warranty. I'm concerned about safety, as I won't be able to control the vehicle if it happens while driving.

Driving vehicle on a local highway at about 35 mph when suddenly the steering wheel locked up while making a slight turn. The steering wheel was locked to the 2:00 position and unable to turn or change direction AT ALL, requiring emergency braking to avoid collision with oncoming traffic. Once stopped, the vehicle was restarted with temporary (5 secs) of return of function to the steering but would fail again. Unfortunately, restarting the vehicle did not help thereafter. Steering was attempted to move to a safe location off the road, which required significant about of force to turn (I am a rock climber of [XXX] and considered myself quite strong). The vehicle had to be towed. An error message was displayed by the computer as "EPAS_W001" “steering assist reduced”. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Steering “U Joint” apparently degrades/locks up due to rust and debris. This is a well known issue and the Tesla community believes this is a design flaw in the steering system. Tesla apparently has a TSB [XXX] ) and updated parts to correct this issue, but they want to charge customers for the correction at $400+ at most service locations. At a certain point of debris accumulation and/or rust, the joint seizes up in multiple spots while turning the steering wheel. This makes the vehicle unpredictable to control and also will disengage the driver assistance features (Full Self Driving, Autopilot), as the car thinks the user is pulling on the steering wheel, when in fact it is the debris accumulated in the U joint that is causing resistance. If this happens while the driver is not paying very close attention, the system will disengage and could potentially do so without the driver realizing what is going on, which could easily lead to the driver going off the road/into another car/etc. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The car starts developing very loud squeaking noise when the suspension is at work, when turning, and when accelerating/decelerating

I was driving on [XXX] from Carson City to Reno in Washoe Valley while on autopilot, the car suddenly alerted with very loud alarms, showed 1. steering assist reduced, 2. Automatic Emergency Braking is unavailable 3. Traction Control disabled 4. Stability control disabled 5. Park Assist unavailable. I pulled over to a safe parking area. Then the car locked out for 75 mins, in Neutral gear, can't shut off, can't park, can't reset the car at all even after talking to Tesla support. While waiting for the tow truck, I turned it into Tow mode, was able to change into Park mode finally, and hard reset the car. I took it in and Tesla told me the steering system was the problem and I was out of warranty so I had to pay A LOT OF money to repair/replace it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

When turning the power steeting goes in and out and most of the time the steering wheel does not return and is stuck where it is continuing turning. Intermitent powersteering loss.

Unexpected loss of Power steering and premature suspension failure caused loss of full control of vehicle.

I am writing to you once again to emphasize and provide additional details regarding the critical safety issue I previously addressed concerning the Tesla Model X vehicles, which is similarly affecting Tesla Model S models. My personal experience underscores the severity of this problem: I have had to replace five tires due to accelerated inner wall wear. This specific wear pattern is a direct result of improper camber alignment, an issue that Tesla has continuously refused to rectify. This problem is not isolated to my vehicle alone. A growing number of Tesla Model X and Model S owners have reported similar experiences, indicating a widespread and systemic issue. The accelerated inner wall tire wear poses significant safety risks, as it can lead to unexpected and dangerous tire failures on the road. Despite the clear evidence and numerous complaints from Tesla owners, Tesla has consistently declined to address this issue adequately. It appears that the company’s reluctance is rooted in the fact that proper repair or recall to fix the camber alignment is not cost-effective from their perspective. However, this cost-cutting measure is putting drivers and passengers at risk. Given the scale and gravity of this issue, I urge the National Highway Safety Institute to take immediate action. It is essential to investigate these recurring problems with both the Tesla Model X and Model S models. The safety of Tesla drivers, passengers, and the general public is at stake, and a thorough investigation could compel Tesla to take the necessary corrective actions. Thank you for your attention to this urgent safety matter. I trust that the National Highway Safety Institute will act promptly to ensure automotive safety and hold manufacturers accountable for their vehicles’ reliability and safety.

Suddenly getting harder to turn the steering wheel to either direction. The problem happens randomly and also looses the power steering, needing to forcibly bring the steering back and making the driving difficult. When this happens many alerts pop on the dash including traction alert, break alert, and line alert.

Feb 2022 while driving horn engaged and would not go off , had to pull over , steering wheel then locked up and car would not start again but horn continued to go off and had weird smell until it died out. Took vehicle to Tesla service center, was told multiple fuses were blown , mother board and several other electrical/computer issues. May 2023 while parked in driveway horn engaged wound not stop, steering wheel once again locked up and unable to use any features in the car, while looking for fuse to pull to stop horn, noticed smoke coming from under frunk and smelled like something was burning , pulled main front end fuse which stopped the horn and burning. Called Tesla emergency services, advised not to drive it and have it towed to Tesla service center . Tesla repair shop once again said horns were fried along with other electrical problems, the smell of something burning was still present , same as event in 2022. Rear safety belt malfunction alert pops on and off for past 2 years .

Initially I noticed an issue with notchy steering, which is typically caused by faulty u-joints in the steering column. I took the vehicle in for service on 2/14/23, and the service center confirmed the issue and replaced the lower steering column. Almost immediately after picking up the vehicle from service, I noticed a loud creaking sound coming from the suspension when the steering wheel was turned. I brought the vehicle back to the service center on 3/29/23, where it was found that both upper control arms were "frozen" and required replacement, the lower aft links had play in them, and the lower fore links had cracked bushings. All front control arms were replaced. Luckily all work was covered for me under warranty, but the vehicle is less than 5 years old and has been driven less than 60,000 miles.

After I started an update as requested on Tesla app, the car was giving error messages. I was able to drive but the errors were - 1. reduced steering assist 2. Autopilot and cruise control not available