2021-2022 Tesla Model X Curtain Air Bag Recall (22V233)

Recall 22V233 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2021-2022 Tesla Model X in recall 22V233?

The left or right front-row side curtain air bags may not deploy as intended when the windows are lowered.

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model X vehicles. The left or right front-row side curtain air bags may not deploy as intended when the windows are lowered. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."

Is it safe to drive a 2021-2022 Model X with recall 22V233?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: Improper side curtain air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: Improper side curtain air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Model X shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the curtain, have it checked before driving further.

Which vehicles are included in recall 22V233?

Recall 22V233 covers 7,289 vehicles: 2021-2022 Tesla Model X.

NHTSA lists 7,289 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the Model X curtain air bag recall?

Yes. Tesla Service Centers will replace the left and right front-row side curtain air bags, free of charge.

Tesla Service Centers will replace the left and right front-row side curtain air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 16, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-20-003.

When was recall 22V233 announced?

Tesla, Inc. reported recall 22V233 to NHTSA on April 8, 2022. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as July 16, 2022.

This recall was filed 54 months ago. If your Model X was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my Model X is part of recall 22V233?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 22V233 is open on your Model X, it will be listed there.

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 22V233000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.

What should Model X owners do about recall 22V233?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 22V233000 applies to your Model X.
2. Call a Tesla dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
3. Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
4. Write down when symptoms involving the curtain happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.

What are Model X owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 168 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 9 of them about the air bags.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 168 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 9 of them involve the air bags. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.

• 2022 Tesla Model X: 127 complaints in total, 9 about the air bags
• 2021 Tesla Model X: 41 complaints in total, 0 about the air bags

Here is what some owners told NHTSA, in their own words (excerpts, unverified):

" passanger safety restraint system fault" is the warning message popping up on the display we noticed that the warning light sometimes goes away when moving the passanger seat, we first tought that this was just a problem that we may have caused but once doing reaserach we noticed that there are many online scenerious…

2022 Tesla Model X owner, GA, NHTSA complaint 11666337, filed June 11, 2025

I had my two Teslas parked in the garage. The model X was charging at about 1:30 AM. We heard explosions coming out of the garage. Went to check only to see my model X in flames.

2022 Tesla Model X owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11700457, filed November 19, 2025

Car is displaying a warning reading “Rear right safety restraint system fault. Service is required.” Same for the left side. I took the vehicle for service and was told that this is a “Known Characteristic of Current Firmware”.

2022 Tesla Model X owner, WA, NHTSA complaint 11459186, filed April 1, 2022

Can recall 22V233 make my Model X a lemon in California?

Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.

Owners often ask whether this curtain recall means their Model X qualifies as a lemon. Not by itself. Song-Beverly looks at whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs use, value or safety and was not fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

Air bag defects are hidden until the moment they matter most. A recall repair may replace an inflator or sensor, but if warning lights return or the system faults again, that is a repeat repair for a safety defect.

A remedy is available. Many vehicles are fixed on the first try. If the problem returns after the recall repair, or the 2021-2022 Tesla Model X has needed other repairs for the same defect, those visits count toward a lemon law claim.

California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.

An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

Frequently asked questions about recall 22V233