Why 'Consumer Reports' rips Tesla for lousy reliability

When it comes to Tesla Motor's poor performance on Consumer Reports annual automotive reliability survey, look no further for blame than a pair of high-tech upward-opening doors.

Those rear-seat doors on Tesla's Model X crossovers are causing their share of quality problems, one reason the electric car maker ranked 25th out of 29 brands on the influential magazine's list.

This was the first year Consumer Reports ranked Tesla as a brand because it was the first time the automaker had more than one model on the market long enough for survey results.

With just two models, Tesla's rankings likely suffer because Model X is still relatively new and automakers tend to struggle more with the reliability of newer models.

Still, the design of the Model X signature "falcon wing" doors presents problems, said Jake Fisher,  Consumer Reports’ director of automotive testing.

"The Model X has a long way to go. It’s the sixth-least reliable vehicle in our survey, and there are some monumental challenges with that vehicle," Fisher said Monday in Detroit at an event hosted by the Automotive Press Association. "It’s unclear whether they will get the falcon wing doors right ever."

'Consumer Reports' shocks by lauding this U.S. auto brand

The falcon wing doors, used to access the SUV's back seats, open vertically as the doors pull upward instead of out. The doors have plagued the automaker since the vehicle was launched with customers complaining about rainwater flowing into the vehicle or the doors malfunctioning. Tesla provided a software update earlier this year in an attempt to fix the problem.

Reached for comment, Tesla said it's working on fixing the Model X door issue.

"We are committed to making the world's most reliable cars," the company said in a statement. "The amount of issues we’ve addressed with Model X has fallen by 92% in the last 12 months, a reflection of our ability to make continuous improvements and react quickly. This commitment is one of the reasons why Tesla won AutoPacific’s highest vehicle satisfaction award in 2016.”

The bright spot for Tesla is the Model S. Consumer Reports said Monday that the quality of the Model S is now ranked as average rather than below average.