Tesla Model X 90D common problems: what to check before you buy
Credov's researched list of the 5 faults the Tesla Model X 90D is known for (2015–2021), 4 of them serious or costly. Each one says what to look for when you check the car, so you can spot it before you buy. Not every car has these faults: they are the ones worth checking on this model.
Known problems on the Tesla Model X 90D
Touchscreen lag, reboots or black screen
Costly if missed
2012–2018 · ev · Electrical
What to look for: Force a screen reboot with both scroll wheels and watch for a slow restart, lag, a blank map or a black screen.
Why it matters: A dead or dying MCU1 can take the reversing camera, demist, climate and charging settings down with it, and leaves the car hard to drive comfortably until it is fixed. Tesla's free-replacement window is tied to the car's age and odometer, not to who owns it, so a car near or past 8 years / 160,000 km may already be outside cover and facing a four-figure repair.
What to look for: Check the car sits level on arrival, then raise and lower it from the screen and watch each corner move evenly.
Why it matters: A sagging corner or a failing compressor only gets worse, and an independent shop repair runs well into four figures per corner. The fault can start as something subtle - slow levelling, one corner a little low overnight - so a car that looks fine standing still can already be heading for a bump-stop ride, and a height sensor fault can mimic a leak, so finding which one it is avoids paying to fix the wrong part.
What to look for: Open and close each falcon-wing door five times from the fob, screen and button, watching for hesitation or stalling.
Why it matters: A falcon-wing door that hesitates or misjudges obstacles is annoying every day and can also point to worn hinges, struts, latches, motors or sensors that are costly to put right. Because Tesla revised this hardware several times, two cars of the same year can be in very different condition, so the only way to know is to run each door through its full cycle at the inspection.
What to look for: Inspect the whole windscreen, including the section over the front seats, for chips, cracks or cloudy edges.
Why it matters: This is the most expensive single piece of glass on the car, parts can take weeks to source, and a delaminating or cracked screen only gets worse, so it is worth finding before, not after, purchase.
Typical repair: NZ$2,500–NZ$6,000 in New Zealand · A$2,580–A$6,180 in Australia
What to look for: Inspect the rubber around each falcon door's upper glass and roof edge, and check the second-row seats for damp.
Why it matters: A cracked glass-bonded seal means replacing the whole upper glass panel, a costly repair, and an unnoticed leak can soak the second-row carpet and seats long before a buyer spots it.
Got a question about a Tesla Model X 90D? Ask Credov: a noise, a warning light, a part or how to fix it.
Also check on every car
On top of the faults above, every Credov inspection covers the basics: fuel smell, leaks or filler rust, engine oil leaks, power steering fluid leak, drive belt cracks or squeal, rust underneath: chassis and mounts, engine mounts, engine oil level and colour, coolant level, colour and leaks, head gasket failure signs, cold start: rattle, knock or smoke, rough or hunting idle, engine running hot on gauge, gearbox or diff oil leak, swapped gearbox without lvv and more.
Researched by Credov from manufacturer recalls and service bulletins, owner reports and workshop sources. Repair prices are typical ranges, not quotes. See also fault codes and repair costs.