Falcon wing doors on some Tesla Model X cars won't open or close

As the number of people who've received their Tesla Model X increases, so do the various bugs and glitches their new owners are noticing. Among the more serious, are problems with the car's falcon-wing doors, which in some cases either won't open, or won't close. 

In a report Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal highlighted the example of a Tesla Model X owner whose $138,000 car's doors wouldn't open. And on Tuesday, Consumer Reports wrote about the experience of another Model X owner who had the opposite problem: One of the car's falcon wing doors wouldn't close, and on one occasion, the door's sensor malfunctioned and the door bumped into an overhang, resulting in minor damage. 

The reports prompted other Model X owners to speak out about their issues. VC Byron Deeter had even worse problems with his car: his driver door and passenger windows won't close, and his emergency brake goes off when backing up. 

In an interview with Fortune, Deeter said that, even with all these problems, he's still a big fan of Tesla. But he points out the difference between what he calls "acceptable tech glitches" and "safety and usability issues." 

"This is a huge reminder that 99% complete software isn’t sufficient when it comes to moving people,” he said.  

Jon McNeill, Tesla’s president of sales and service, told The Wall Street Journal the problems with Model X's falcon wing doors are "largely behind us," pointing out that the "customer satisfaction levels for owners of the Model X are about the same as the Model S.”

Tesla's Model X, a luxury all-electric SUV that started getting delivered to customers in September 2015, starts at $85,500, but can be priced up to $144,000, depending on the options. 

The glitches with the car's doors started even before the car reached the consumers. In April, Tesla said it blames its own "hubris" for production issues, which included parts shortages for the Falcon wing doors. 

And problems with doors aren't the only thing plaguing the Model X. Earlier this month, the company recalled 2,700 Model X cars over safety concerns that its third-row seat could move forward during a crash.

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