I own a 2023 Tesla Model X and I am reporting a steering-related safety concern. When making hard left turns, the steering wheel/front end shakes or shudders and makes a LOUD sounds. This does not feel or sound normal and appears to be related to the steering or front suspension system. The issue happens during low-speed turning/maneuvering when the wheel is turned sharply to the left. I contacted Tesla Service regarding the issue. Tesla advised that this is a known issue and that there is currently no available fix. Despite acknowledging that it is a known issue with no repair available, Tesla still wants to charge me a diagnostic fee. I am concerned because this involves the steering system, and I do not believe a vehicle should have steering shake or shuddering during normal turning, especially on a 2023 vehicle. Since Tesla has stated this is a known issue but has no fix, I am requesting that the federal safety agency review this as a potential safety defect affecting the 2023 Tesla Model X. The issue has not been repaired because Tesla stated there is no fix available at this time.
2023 Tesla Model X steering problems
46 complaints (24% of all complaints for this car). 2 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 46
- of this car's complaints
- 24%
- crashes
- 2
- recalls
- 2
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Tesla Model X steering problems in other years
Related recalls
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
- What is wrong
- Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model S and Model X vehicles. An incorrect air bag may have been installed when the steering yoke or round steering wheel was replaced with a different style of yoke or steering wheel.
- Risk
- An air bag that is not designed to function with the replacement steering yoke or wheel may deploy incorrectly, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
- Remedy
- Tesla Service will inspect and replace the driver air bag as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1‑877‑798‑3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-20-005.
Recall number 23V743000 · Recall details
Steering: automated/adaptive steering
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 23V085000 · Recall details
What 2023 Tesla Model X owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
My 2023 Tesla Model X suffers from severe, intermittent safety system failures. Specifically, the Automatic Emergency Braking and Steering Assist randomly become unavailable while driving. Tesla Service refuses to repair this, claiming they are "unable to replicate" the intermittent alerts. However, the vehicle's history proves severe safety flaws: Tesla previously had to replace the entire steering wheel assembly and the driver's seat belt lap pretensioner due to failures, and had to recalibrate the forward ADAS camera because it went out of spec causing Autopilot failures. These unresolved, randomly occurring defects pose a severe crash hazard that Tesla is ignoring.
Peeling steering wheel, eventually will need to replaced due to not being able to grab wheel and lose grip when I turn. Many others complain of the same problem with model x and Tesla wants $1800 to replace. I refuse to use my insurance to pay for this so they have not inspected it.
In many near hit collisions where I need to honk the horn, memory reflexes goes to press down the center of the steering wheel to alert but the horn button isn’t there on this vehicle. It’s put as a button on the right side but after 25,000 Miles and at least 4 times, I could not locate it quick enough. This is a serious safety issue.
On my 2023 Tesla Model X, the horn button is a capacitive touch button among several other buttons and it is difficult to use on a daily basis and impossible to find in an emergency. Yesterday, another car was drifting into my lane on the highway traveling at 70 MPH and I could not locate the horn in time to alert them. I had to drive evasively to avoid a serious accident. This has happened at least 7 separate times already. 2024 Tesla Model Xs now have the button in the center of the steering wheel where it is on every other car I have ever driven. Yesterday, I contacted Tesla service about this critical safety issue and demanded the replace my steering wheel with a center horn button because of the document safety issues. They refused. There needs to be a recall forcing Tesla to replace these defective steering wheels with the new and safe design before people get killed.
The horn is a button on the top right of the yoke steering. With a turning wheel the position is not stationary and in situations where it is warranted to warn other vehicle or person you keep looking for it and get distracted. I have had this vehicle for about three weeks and I find this as a serious safety issue. Today I contacted Tesla and it seems they have a new steering that come with manual horn in the middle but they would not replace it without charging $2000 for it or there is some defect like peeling on it. There are numerous online chats where people have got it replaced citing safety reason. In my view this should be under the recall especially when there is an option.
The steering wheel doesn't comes with a horn. Meaning on a regular car, when you need the just press the airbag but in Tesla there a tiny button needs to press in order to get the horn which is impossible to do in case of an emergency.
The horn doesn’t get activated when the center of the steering wheel is pressed. The horn button is on the right hand side on the wheel. It’s a safety hazard trying to find the button while driving especially in round abouts. In the place I live, there are couple of roundabouts; one car almost hit me since they didn’t yield to me when I was on the roundabout. I couldn’t find the horn button and had to hard brake.
The steering wheel design includes a small button to engage the horn rather than a common practice of having the horn engage on center press of the wheel. In practice, this has turned out to be a significant safety issue and cause of confusion due to its in ability to effectively find the button or safely reach the button during safety concerns especially when the wheel is rotated since its general proximity is never consistent. Additionally, it is very close to other buttons which has caused it to accidentally be pressed and create confusion and anger with other drivers on the road.
2023 model X is NOT equiped with a center steering wheel horn, instead a small button on the right of steering wheel which is nowhere to be found when you need in an emergency, i almost got in to 3 accidents for lack of horn. Tesla must replace these for traditional horn button
Questions about the 2023 Tesla Model X steering
Does the 2023 Tesla Model X have steering problems?
Owners have filed 46 complaints about the steering of the 2023 Tesla Model X, 24% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 2023 Tesla Model X steering problems start?
Not enough complaints include the mileage to tell.
Was there a recall on the 2023 Tesla Model X steering?
Yes, 2 recalls: 23V743000, 23V085000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Tesla Model X have bad steering?
The Tesla Model X model years with the most steering complaints are 2016 (59 complaints), 2017 (51 complaints) and 2023 (46 complaints).
Other 2023 Tesla Model X problems
Driver assistance 26Electrical 21Body 12Brakes 12Airbags 9Seat belts 9Acceleration 7Visibility 6Suspension 5Lights 4Seats 3Tires 3Wheels 2Locks 1Transmission 1
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