Search results

Perhaps a thin spacer between the hub and rim would solve the problem. It's common in machine shops to add a thin aluminium sheet (soda can) between the part and milling machine bed. You could do the same with thin cardboard or aluminium sheet as a test then once the solution is known Tesla can...

If softer pads don't solve this issue it may be the design of the wheel. 19 inch stock wheels have essentially 5 spokes where as the the 21 in wheels have double that. The force applied to the hub transfers through the spokes which may be just at the frequency of human hearing. Personally, I...

This is a known problem with many brake pad manufacturers and the solution is the add a stainless shim between the pads and the caliper. The frequency of the squeal is moved higher to beyond the hearing range of humans. High temp silicone sealant applied to the back of the pads does the same...

At the time (2015) our Model S85D was perfect to create a car that runs on sunshine. A small array of solar panels provides 25,000km of free driving each year for the next 30 years. I was looking for just such a project and only Tesla was able to replace our existing vehicles in size and...

My premise for FSD has always been that it is not viable until cars communicate with each other. Vehicles on a ramp become the eyes for the vehicles coming up behind. Construction zones are the same. When the fleet becomes all vehicles on the road ahead of you there is safety. In fact the only...

If the alignment computer shows acceptable readings (all green) I would drive the car sensibly and watch tire wear. Our dual motor Tesla shows very little tire wear and no tire rotation required. If you are running soft rubber performance tires you may have excess wear. Consider keeping the low...

Unlike a Tesla, all of the vehicles that I have owned in the past have firmware that doesn't change after I drive the car off the lot. It stays that way for the life of the car and I actually prefer that as learning a new user interface is a pain. In the case of a salvaged Tesla the SW is frozen...

I recently purchased a 10 year old Toyota Tundra pickup for odd jobs that need towing power or cargo space. After the purchase I asked a local dealership to check the VIN for any outstanding safety recalls. There were four outstanding as the previous owner didn't care. Toyota fixed the...

My experience with separate parking brakes on ICE vehicles is that they hold better to stop forward motion than rearward motion. Backing up the driveway when parking may eliminate the warning message. Turning the steering wheels hard to one side would also be wise as would using a wheel chock...

No hacking required. Check your local suppliers for solar panel components as it really is a DIY project. My wife and son helped and it was as easy as connecting light bulbs in parallel. Each solar panel produces 250W so after inverting the DC to 240VAC you get about 1 amp per panel. These can...

Well you are not far off with your final comment. We have a classic collectable sports car (wife's car) and it is a convertible. Technically the roof has malfunctioned as the fabric is worn and needs to be replaced. Instead, we keep the optional hard top installed all of the time and the car is...

On a previous car I increased rim size for better Solo2 performance and the reduced side wall of the new tires caused a number of suspension vibration issues. Going back to the stock rims solved the problems so it may be the same in this case where a low sidewall has no flex and it transmits...

Carry a tow strap instead and determine in advance where it is best to attach to the frame or suspension. A flat bed tow truck operator can provide you with guidance if necessary.

Full service driving is probably only possible when vehicles can talk to vehicles. Taking the human out of the system should be the plan then send out a safety survey to be completed by the vehicles.

Our Model S combined with a solar array on the house allows us to run the car on sunshine. The panels will last for 30 years as will the car which makes fuel savings a big number. We also like performance cars suitable for long distance touring so in 2015 there was only one logical choice and it...

Here is one last idea for your consideration. Seal up the pano roof and accept that this feature isn't that useful in the heat of summer. Install 30 solar panels and run your restored Model S on sunshine. The business case is easy and by making the Tesla your daily driver you can recover the...

In my case a sharp pothole pinched the tire against the rim and damaged the side wall. The tire was not repairable so a used replacement was installed to get me through the winter. The tire shop owner provides good service and I buy my tires there. We'll get a new matching replacement tire...

You may be over thinking this.... different air pressures will also change diameter of a tire but so little that it doesn't matter. I knew of taxi owner/drivers that only bought used tires and their cars ran for many hundreds of thousands of miles. In my opinion if the tire size is the same then...

Most tire shops have an older tire that they will provide free to complete the season. I'm running one now (same size but different brand). I placed it on the rear as steering and braking are more important to me in bad winter weather. If the shop knows that you will be back for a purchase they...

It's common that chrome capped wheel nuts swell when the wheel nut starts to corrode beneath the chrome cap. Using a simple exposed nut during winter will help but that means two sets of wheel nuts. Finding a socket that will fit a swollen chrome cap doesn't always work so jamming the socket on...

Here's and idea for you to consider.... buy another Model S with existing warranty and keep this salvage car as a donor for parts. Many owners of low production vehicles from the past have second or third vehicles as parts donors. You only need a place to store it. If there are other people...

If the surfaces are clean and the pistons not seized I would check for a wrapped rotor using a dial indicator then check suspension control arms. Any suspension looseness can translate into a shudder during braking. This is a very frustrating problem and most of time new rotors and callipers...

I have been following this thread and earlier I suggested using a windshield adhesive/sealant to quickly and easily fix the pano roof so that it stays closed and leak free. Job done. The tone of this thread is disappointing. I'm not sure what the OP wants from us as we are not restoring old...

I was at our local scrap yard a couple of months ago and parked there were two brand new Genesis cars waiting to be crushed. The yard boss was allowed to remove the battery and wheels but the rest of the beautiful new cars was going to the crusher under the watchful eyes of accountants. It was a...

Thanks for sharing your findings. Having a test vehicle provides you with knowledge and the freedom to explore. There are benefits which is why I like cars that are well beyond the warranty period. They are perfect for creation of an alternate fix to a problem. The solid roof attachment does...

This story sounds like an investment risk that didn't work out. I would accept the loss and move on. I have towed home many cars over decades and repaired them for my use. I was able to buy iPhone parts on-line to make repairs. As long as you can work on layers of tiny circuits, phone repairs...

Using the ABS ring to count revolutions requires no batteries and any wheel will work. I like the concept but it was replaced by in the wheel sensors for some reason. I think that the safety of TPMS is also over rated as low tire pressure generates a lead or rumble while a blow out is a blow out...

TPMS makes sense with run flat tires where you will not know that a tire has lost air. Most other situations like finding a nail in a flat tire one morning or having the car steer hard left after hitting a pot hole and pinching the side wall. I would prefer not to have TPMS and its warnings...

We bought the CHAdeMO adapter and plugged it in prior to a road trip. It worked just fine. I don't recall any special activation unless it was done over the air while we slept. I have to admit that the adapter is big and cumbersome but easily stored. We have used it a Nissan dealership where...

One option not discussed is to do nothing. Share the existing Model S and make sure that she drives every time that you are together. Insurance becomes reasonable, she will gain skill and have pride in a Model S. For those of us about to downsize the fleet of vehicles collected over time, the...

The UMC with 14-50 is a backup plan and if it is on the same fused line as the HPWC there is nothing illegal. Overloading the wiring will trip the breaker as it should. It's no different than ten 15 amp receptacles on a single breaker. The user plugs in for convenience and if they overload the...

As much as I like our HPWC (we have only one Tesla) it is still a failure point that is without a quick fix. It would be prudent to install a 14-50 on the same line and placed next to the HPWC but only use one or the other. A visiting EV of a different brand would then have a charging option...

I can see Supercharging being denied but CHAdeMO should still work. Nissan dealers have been welcoming when we stop in to charge while touring and other commercial charging stations provide CHAdeMO. The car still has value as an EV, in my opinion.

I'm still not sure why the husband feels that he has the right to determine the car that she gets. I would make a list of many cars (ICE included) with purchase price and recurring cost estimates then let her decide. If she is practical and knows her limits as a new driver she may chose a Civic...

If you present your wife with a list of cars and costs she may not pick a Model S. When they need to make a practical choice they can surprise you. Finding a car in the right colour may be your biggest issue. For many years I owned and restored Alfa Spiders while my wife drove the family cars...

We had a similar issue during pick up of our Model S. The service rep spotted the flaw where the rear fender and bumper meet as it was too small for me to notice. It would have involved removing the rear bumper cover and repainting. I told the rep to leave it alone exactly for the reasons that...

Our granddaughter is nearing completion of her driver's licence testing and she wanted to try out our Model S. She handled it with ease as it wasn't that much bigger that the SUVs in her family, however she didn't like Regen braking. It may depend upon which car your learn to drive first that...

I'm not convinced that these new wash methods will not do harm and I doubt that they are any faster than the old way, however I have found a rinse aid to enhance the normal hose and bucket wash. You will need a second bucket of warm water and to it add about a cup of Astro J wax which is the...

It sounds like you have a plan in mind but if it fails this suggestion may still be valid. Adhesive sealant is strong enough to hold a windshield in place so holding the pano glass closed should not be an issue. To be extra safe cut the wire to the pano motor and make a note for the next owner...

I would ask myself if I really need the pano roof feature. We find that it's either hot AC weather or cold Heater weather so we never open the roof. It does get lubrication service by Tesla at the biannual check ups but without that I would not know if the roof actually opens. So my suggestion...

Swapping known good parts to search for a failed part is common practise. They should be able to find the bad component even if it's only loose cable connection.

If the compressor has failed then the entire system is contaminated with debris. I have replaced compressors in the past and recharged the system only to have it fail within a year. A wise AC tech told me that all components need to be changed for a lasting repair. That might explain the cost.

A simple test would be to measure centre to centre of the two right side wheels then centre to centre of the two left side wheels. My brother purchased a used sports car and on the way home I followed noticing that the car was not running straight. Someone had crashed the rear axle and then...

If this is a business location where customers/clients arrive, consider it a business advantage to have an EV charging station available for their use. There are third party suppliers of fee based charging stations and you would then pay your share when connected. When not connected it's a valid...

Let me suggest a prototype approach to get the bugs and code worked out first. Find a wrecked Model S and strip out the battery pack, charger and cooling system then mount these on a small trailer that you can tow behind your Model S. When the main battery runs out of range you connect the...

I am still not clear why you want to do this. If you need a vehicle for a special purpose there may be better choices. The issue that I see is lack of reliability once you have built a 'hot rod' version of a Model S. Keeping a vehicle going with roadside repair is from the past. You will need a...

Not sure why you need the extra range. Charging stations from Tesla and Ontario government are being added. We have slowed our pace of travel when touring and find it more comfortable. Our S85 has more than enough range and if you are considering a drive to the Arctic circle best get a diesel...

Keep the two screw in fittings and buy some brake line of the correct diameter. You can create double flare ends easily with a simple tool and if you use copper-nickel lines they are easy to bend. Once you have reassembled the system and purged any air in the lines, stand on the brake pedal as...

We had a Feed in Tariff program that encouraged home installations of solar arrays on 20 year contract. They pay us for the electricity generated and we buy it back at lower TOU rates during the night. Converting the 25K km of free annual driving into premium fuel savings pays for the solar...

Not sure that I buy this cracking of rotors comment. With cross drilled holes the area for heat dissipation is increased and this is what you want during a hard stop. Heat causes warping and hot pads sitting on a stationary rotor produce a hot spot. I also have a feeling that cross drilled...