2018 Tesla Model X: sudden unintended acceleration

Filed Feb 2, 2026 · WA · crash

On 02/01/2026 at approximately 2:07 p.m., my 2018 Tesla Model X (VIN [XXX] , approximately 151,099 miles, software version 2026.2.3) experienced Sudden Unintended Acceleration while I was driving near [XXX] . I was [briefly describe what you were doing, for example: “slowing to a stop in traffic,” or “slowly pulling into a parking space,” or “braking to turn into a driveway”]. My foot was on the brake and I was NOT attempting to accelerate when the vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly surged [forward/backward] with far more power than appropriate for the situation. I had to [firmly press the brake / shift to neutral / steer away] to avoid a collision. At or around the same time, a “Sudden Unintended Acceleration” warning/message appeared on the vehicle’s display. This acceleration did not match my pedal input and created a serious risk of a crash. [There was no contact, damage, or injury / or briefly describe any damage or injuries, if applicable.] The vehicle was operating on software version 2026.2.3 at the time. [Autopilot/Traffic‑Aware Cruise Control/Full Self‑Driving was ON/OFF at the time – please select what is correct.] I have reported this incident to Tesla and requested that they preserve and review the vehicle log data for this time and location. I am filing this complaint because I believe this is a safety‑critical defect involving sudden unintended acceleration, and I am concerned it could recur and/or affect other Tesla vehicles. *** If you tell me exactly what you were doing (parking vs in traffic, approximate speed, forward vs reverse, Autopilot on/off), I can fill in the bracketed parts precisely for you. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Apr 18, 2024 · FL · crash

on 4/17/2024 while exiting bank drive up lane in parking garage car suddenly accelerated from 5mph to maximum, both feet on brake had no effect, drive lever did not engage neutral or reverse. Car exited garage and was able to be steered onto median into a tree to stop car. Air bags deployed. Thankfully no one injured, if there had been a pedestrian or another car there would have been a bad outcome. Attempted to contact Tesla but unsuccessful locating telephone number or online contact to report, was able to send text to 24 hour tech assistance line, no response as of now.

Filed Feb 14, 2024 · Electrical · 40,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model X. The contact stated while attempting to park, the vehicle suddenly accelerated forward independently. As a result, the vehicle careened through an outdoor dining area, causing extensive property damage. The air bags did not deploy. A Police report was not filed, and injuries were not reported. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed from the scene directly to a body shop for the repair. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V838000 (Electrical System) and the VIN was included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 40,000.

Filed Mar 26, 2020 · Acceleration · 10,400 miles · CA · crash

The car suddenly accelerated on its own as I was slowly entering a parking space in a supermarket parking lot and hit the car that was parked in the space in front of me.

Filed Jan 27, 2020 · Acceleration · 12,000 miles · CA

Edit/additional note to my earlier complaint number: 11300604, this sudden acceleration with tesla happen when using with/without auto pilot, I observed many times during (a).this unintended acceleration happen even when driving normally without auto pilot, though I am not pressing gas pedal, especially observed in the city road speeds around 30-45 MPH, whn using auto pilot on freeways, this happened arounbd 55-70mph speeds too. (b). Also this unintended acceleration happen when battery is at 20-40% of range. (c). Also happen whenver there is a new software update, this unitended acceleration popped up many occasions(don't remember exact times) as if some software bug resurfaced and I used to take control of the vehcile having been alert all the time. Reported this over email, talked to service center, but no concrete action from tesla end.

Filed Jan 22, 2020 · Acceleration · 11,297 miles · CA · crash · 2 injuries

My model x was traveling at low speed as it was near home. Before entering the curve, the x suddenly accelerated out of control. It first crashed into my other parked car in front of my house, pushing the parked car into my garage. Then it continued to hit a city light pole, breaking it at the base. The x continued to hit my next door neighbor's two cars parked outside of their home, damaging their garage. The car finally stop when it hit the wall of third neighbor' that divide up her driveway. Tesla roadside support contacted me on the day of the incident because they were able to see my airbag was deployed and may require assistance. I requested tesla to review the log of the car and explain why the car suddenly accelerated out of control. When I followed up that first week they acknowledged my request in an email and told me that the request is with their engineering team and it may take a while before they will have any response. However, as of today, I haven't heard from their engineering team.

Filed Jan 20, 2020 · Acceleration · 14,100 miles · CA

Note: I am not a tesla short seller, I am real owner, driver of tesla for the last 19 + months. 1.sudden acceleration happened many times during autopilot, vehicle doesn't decelerate even when another vehicle is in front, I had to take control from autropilot with this sudden acceleration and I apply brake. This has been many many times at different locations (freeways ~65mph, expressways ~45/50mph speeds). I did not apply any gas pedal/other techniques to increase the speed, but the vehicle suddenly without any intervention speeds up, I was terrified with this and took control from autopilot. Contacted tesla earlier regarding this, but their poor customer service, service center did not help much. 2.automatic emergency braking...which is supposed to stop if any objects infront, does not stop. Its just the visible clear objects, vehcile does not stop even at lower, higher speeds. I request the federal safety agency to kindly take note of these issues with teslas and appreciate your action in this regard.

Filed Jan 19, 2020 · Body, Electrical · 177 miles · TX · crash

Sudden acceleration pulling into a parking space head first with foot on the break. Next thing my wife knew was that she had jumped the curb and hit 2 other cars. Her foot was still on the brake. Tesla downloaded the black box. Tesla told us that the car was traveling at 3 MPH and that the accelerator had bee depressed. Tesla refused to share the black box print out due to "proprietary information". 3 MPH in a parking lot, dry pavement, clear sky, 10:00 am. Repair estimate was low by $10,000.

Filed Jan 17, 2020 · 8,000 miles · CA · crash

Model x accelerated by itself on the wall at the parking lot,filed complain through tesla

Filed Oct 13, 2019 · Suspension · 10,000 miles · CA

This is another complaint about the fragile suspension components on teslas. I have has to use the VIN of another wrecked tesla because the auction listing of the car in question does not provide the number. Here is a tesla for sale by the insurer. Https://www.copart.com/lot/52625009/photos close up photographs show that almost every component of the rear suspension has snapped in half. The car has not suffered an impact that would account for the damage. One possible explanation is that when a tesla has a glitch or logic lockup causing full acceleration then the traction control applies the brake on the spinning wheel. The suspension is too weak to take the massive torque and gets wrenched off. It seems highly probable that this scenario has caused several fatal crashes. Unintended acceleration, crash, inferno. I petition the federal safety agency to launch an investigation.

Filed Mar 1, 2019 · 2,146 miles · CA · crash

Was parking my 2018 model x on feb 1, 2019, in my driveway. The vehicle suddenly accelerated, hit the garage door(closed. No warning from sensor), went through garage door( vehicle did not stop after hitting the garage door), did not sense things(like washer, dryer, water heater, wall to my kitchen) in the garage door and finally smashed the washer/dryer before coming to stop. Washer/dryer hit the wall and damage the entire kitchen. No airbags came out. My wife was in the front seat, my daughter was in the backseat and my son was inside the home when it happened.

Filed Nov 27, 2018 · Acceleration · 997 miles · CA · crash · 1 injury

On nov 17, 2018 at 4:50 pm, I was driving my tesla x slowly with auto pilot off and auto steer off on a surface street in san clemente, ca. I was trying to do a u turn. I verified that there was no traffic, that there was an area where cars were not parked on the left side of the street and could use a parking driveway on the right that will allow more space to perform the u turn. I gently pressed the break to further slowdown and then veered a little to the right into the driveway at less than 5 MPH. I started to turn to the left while still gently pressing the break. As soon as the front right wheel left the driveway and before I had completed the u turn, the tesla all of a sudden, on its own spontaneously accelerated to full power (a tesla x can go from 0-60 miles in approx. 4 seconds). My foot was still on the break, I did not move it and therefore I did not press the accelerator. There were no objects obstructing the pedals. In a small fraction of a second, the tesla traveled at full speed towards the tacoma car parked ahead on the left (less than 20 feet). Something in the tesla system triggered the sudden spontaneous full acceleration resulting in this collision. The tesla had major damage in the front, the air bags were deployed. I had a major bruise on my abdomen and several small bruises on my chest. The tacoma suffered damage in the front, moved backwards and hit the car parked behind it. There were no passengers in the other vehicles. It is my firm belief that this accident occurred due not to a driver's error but to a technological error within the tesla vehicle. I found more than 60 complaints for spontaneous sudden acceleration for tesla vehicles that have been filed to the federal safety agency. What these complaints have in common are that vehicles are traveling slowly trying to park or make turns at low speed when sudden spontaneous full acceleration was triggered.