2017 Tesla Model X
Common problems & what to know before you buy
Before you message the seller, know the documented failure patterns, repair cost exposure, and risk level for the 2017 Tesla Model X.
What to watch for on the 2017 Tesla Model X
Falcon Wing Door Faults
Alignment drift, sensor errors, actuator failure, and water leaks along the upper seals are all common. A door that hesitates, stops short, or travels unevenly is showing early symptoms. This is the defining cost risk of the model and repairs run well into four figures.
MCU1 eMMC Flash Failure (pre-2018)
Cars built before roughly March 2018 use MCU1, whose flash memory wears out and eventually causes a black screen with loss of climate, charging and camera controls. The permanent fix is an MCU2 upgrade.
7 more known problems on the 2017 Model X
Your guide shows all of them and which apply to the exact car, and what to ask the seller.
2017 Tesla Model X price ranges
Model X values are highly sensitive to door condition and service history. A car with documented recent falcon door work is worth paying up for, because that repair is the one most likely to land on the next owner. Cars from around March 2018 onward with MCU2 avoid a second near-certain bill.
Recalls on the 2017 Tesla Model X
Parking brake
Tesla, Inc.
Seats: mid/rear assembly
Tesla, Inc.
Electrical system: software
Tesla, Inc.
7 more in the guide, with whether each one was done on the car you're looking at.
Source: NHTSA
2017 Tesla Model X at a glance
- Trims
- Model X 100DModel X 60DModel X 75DModel X 90DModel X P100DModel X P90D
- Engine
- Dual Electric Motors
- Transmission
- Automatic 1-spd
- Drivetrain
- AWD
- Fuel
- Electric
- Body style
- SUV
Tesla Model X (2016-2021) Buyer's Guide
Falcon Doors and Real Running Costs
The first-generation Model X is a fast, spacious, seven-seat electric SUV with the most complicated doors ever fitted to a production car. Those falcon wing rear doors define the ownership experience in both directions: they are genuinely useful in tight parking spaces and genuinely the most common source of expensive faults. Any Model X purchase should begin and end with them.
Trims: the D naming runs through 2018 with 60D, 75D, 90D, 100D and the performance P90D and P100D. From 2019 the range became Standard Range, Long Range, Long Range Plus and Performance. A 100D is the practical sweet spot.
What to look for: Cycle both falcon doors repeatedly, from the key, the interior button, and the handle, watching for hesitation, uneven travel, or a door that stops short. Check the seals along the top edge for water staining in the headliner. Inspect the second-row seats, particularly on 2016 and 2017 cars with the single-post design that was subject to a seat latch recall. Establish whether the car has MCU1 or MCU2. Confirm the panoramic windshield is undamaged, because replacing it is one of the most expensive pieces of glass on any road car.
Ownership reality: This is a heavy, complex, fast SUV and it costs accordingly. Tires, suspension, and door repairs dominate. Insurance is high, body repair is slow and expensive, and the windshield alone can be a four-figure bill. Against that, few used vehicles offer this combination of space, speed, and range at current prices.
About the 1st Gen
The first-generation Tesla Model X, built from 2016 to 2021, is a fast, spacious, seven-seat electric SUV distinguished by the most complicated doors ever fitted to a production vehicle. The falcon wing rear doors are genuinely useful in tight parking spaces and genuinely the most common source of expensive faults, and any purchase decision should begin with them. Trims followed the Model S D naming through 2018 with 60D, 75D, 90D, 100D and the performance P90D and P100D, before switching to Standard Range, Long Range, Long Range Plus and Performance for 2019.
As a used buy it offers a combination of space, speed and range that little else matches at current prices, but the running costs are real. Falcon door alignment drift, sensor errors, actuator failure and upper seal leaks all occur and repairs run well into four figures. Cars built before roughly March 2018 use the MCU1 media unit whose flash memory eventually fails. Early 2016 and 2017 cars were subject to a recall over the single-post second-row seat latch. The wraparound panoramic windshield is among the most expensive pieces of glass on any road car, air suspension fails with age on a vehicle this heavy, and insurance and body repair costs are high across the board. Service history, and specifically documented door work, matters more than mileage.
Other Tesla Model X years
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Frequently asked questions
Are the falcon wing doors really that problematic?
They are the model's defining weakness. Alignment, sensors, actuators, and seals all fail, and repairs commonly run into four figures. That does not make the car a bad buy, but it does mean the doors deserve more scrutiny than anything else, and a repair fund is sensible.
Which Model X trim should I look for?
A 100D from 2017 or later. It gives the best range of the era without the Performance premium or its tire consumption, and later build dates bring MCU2 and improved door hardware.
Is the third row usable?
More so than most three-row electric SUVs, and the falcon doors genuinely help access. It still suits children and shorter adult journeys best, and using it leaves limited cargo space behind. The six-seat configuration with captain's chairs is the more comfortable layout.
Why is insurance so expensive?
Heavy, fast, aluminum-intensive, with complex doors and a very expensive windshield, repaired through a limited approved body shop network. Every one of those factors pushes premiums up. Get a quote before you commit, not after.
What should I check on a test drive?
Cycle both falcon doors repeatedly from every control. Check headliner corners and the trunk well for water. Work every air suspension height. Listen for drive unit whine and half-shaft shudder from a standstill. Inspect the windshield in good light. Confirm MCU version and recall completion by VIN.
Squeezed is a buyer guide based on public data and industry patterns, not a mechanical inspection. Always get a professional pre-purchase inspection before you buy.