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What to check: Tesla Model X

EBy age

DBy miles

Ranked across all years of the Tesla Model X, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Bushes and ball jointsDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 6.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%

Rubber boots and gaitersRuns high on this modelOn full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 2.2% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%

A binding brakeRuns high on this modelAfter the test drive, hold the back of your hand near each wheel hub. One wheel running much hotter than the rest is a sticking caliper. A car that slows itself down when you lift off on a flat road is saying the same thing.Recorded on 1.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%

Steering playWith the engine running and the car parked, waggle the wheel lightly about the straight-ahead. The wheels should respond almost at once. A dead zone before anything happens means wear in the rack or the track rod ends.Recorded on 0.7% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.4%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourRuns high on this modelCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 36.0% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%

Pads and discsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 15.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 8.7%

Windscreen and wipersRuns high on this modelScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 3.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.7%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Check the VIN against Tesla's UK recall list for R/2021/031 before you view the car.If it is affected and still shows the original 8GB board, budget for a dealer visit even though the fix is free, or a private repair bill if the recall window has passed.

On the test drive, open and close both falcon wing doors fully, including near a wall or another car.Slow movement, grinding, or a door that refuses to close the last few inches points to worn sensors, hinges or hydraulics.

Listen for a rising whine from the motor under hard acceleration and while turning at low speed.A clear hum that builds with speed suggests drive unit bearing wear, an expensive job once the warranty has run out.

Check the MOT history for suspension advisories and feel for any creak or clunk over speed bumps.Repeated suspension advisories or a clunky front end match the arm wear and air-strut sag owners report from as early as 20-25k miles.

Try the door handles cold, from outside, on every door.A handle that hesitates to present or won't retract fully is a common but inconsistent fault, worth a recalibration check rather than a walk-away.

Look closely at the edges of the centre screen for a yellow tint.It is only cosmetic, but it flags an older MCU1 unit that is more likely to need the eMMC recall work if it hasn't been done.

Ask for service history showing any suspension, door, or drive unit warranty claims.A car with several of these jobs already done under warranty has had its weak points sorted; one with none of them on an early build is unproven.

Full Tesla Model X reliability report