Some owners of Tesla's pricey Model X SUV are reportedly encountering mechanical malfunctions. Tales of doors failing to close, windows refusing to open, and freezing infotainment screens are making headlines.
"It's a bummer; you spend all this money...and the doors won't open," Model X owner Anne Carter told The Wall Street Journal about her $138,000 electric vehicle.
Tesla in September unveiled its futuristic-looking SUV, which sports rear Falcon Wing doors and seats seven. It comes standard with all-wheel drive and a 90 kWh battery for 250 miles of range and zero-to-60 speeds in 3.2 seconds. It also includes parking sensors, blind spot and side collision warnings, automatic keyless entry, GPS-enabled Homelink, maps and navigation, and a bioweapon defense mode button.
Earlier this month, however, Tesla issued a voluntary recall for 2,700 Model X vehicles built before March 26, citing a faulty latch that could come loose and cause the third-row seats to fold forward during a crash.
Meanwhile, owners like Michael Karpf encountered problems as soon as he left the factory, according to Consumer Reports. His doors failed to close, while he also encountered problems with the windows, and dashboard screen, while the curved windshield gave Karpf "double vision," the AutoPilot self-driving function got confused, and the heating system was inadequate. Tesla message boards are filling up with similar complaints from Model X owners.
Tesla did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.
"While we have seen some issues with early Model X builds, the issues are not widespread, and we are working closely with each owner to respond quickly and proactively to address any problems," a company spokeswoman told Consumer Reports. "We will continue to do so until each customer is fully satisfied."
Musk, meanwhile, today told a conference audience in Oslo that the electric car manufacturer has received almost 400,000 orders for its latest vehicle, the Model 3. That's up from the 325,000 reservations (about $14 billion worth) two weeks ago. Interest in the next-generation sedan has "surprised even us," Musk said, Reuters reports.