100% drive unit failure rate??

[AnOutsider]

I'm not sure why you say this, there are multiple revisions/versions of the DU out there..sometimes people know what revision they have (maybe on the paperwork?). I think they're at revision O or something now.

Interested. Checked my paperwork, and in Feb 2014 I received a B unit. I BELIEVE that was my last DU replacement (will review the pdfs I have at home as well) and that was about 27k miles ago. So far, so good.

 

[jaguar36]

You can't put much, if any stock in that poll. DU replacements are going to be effected by miles driven, so even if nothing had been done earlier cars are going to be more likely to have ahd replacements. Combine that with the increased production rates and you'd expect a bump in late 2013 to early 2014.

As to the OPs point that all the high mileage cars have had DU replacements, all of the high mileage cars were also earlier production cars.

They are obvioiusly trying to fix the problem. Its costing them significant amounts of money and they keep reving the drive unit.

Whether they have increased the reliability to a reasonable amount yet, won't be known for a long time. We also don't know if the fixes they are applying to the re manufactured units are the same as to the new production cars.

I also suspect that what we're dealing with is a multitude of issues that are all exhibiting similar symptoms. Internally they probably have been knocking off the most common failures first. However this means that even if a newer unit fails with what appears to be the same issue, it might very well be something different.

I'm confident that they will find a reliable solution soon, if they haven't already. In the meantime, the long drivetrain warranty is some consolation.

 

[apacheguy]

My problem with this thread is that drive unit replacement != failure

 

[SW2Fiddler]

It was making a funny noise and ... They instantly scheduled me to have the DU replaced.

I can't be the only one who's very curious what the funny noise sounded like...

 

[efusco]

Interested. Checked my paperwork, and in Feb 2014 I received a B unit. I BELIEVE that was my last DU replacement (will review the pdfs I have at home as well) and that was about 27k miles ago. So far, so good.

Checked mine too. I have an "H" revision done at about 32,000 miles (June 2014). I'm at about 60,000 miles on that one with no issues.

 

[yobigd20]

They (guy at the service center) told me it is less common in the newer cars.

that's because they don't have enough miles racked up on them yet...

As to the OPs point that all the high mileage cars have had DU replacements, all of the high mileage cars were also earlier production cars.

also, the problem with stating something like is that some of the "older" cars are getting their drive unit swapped with brand new newer revisions, (same ones in cars coming off the production line), and those brand new (not remanufactured) units are STILL failing. take for example, ME. my last DU swap was about 2-3 months ago. they put in a brand new 'N' unit (not remanufactured) since they didn't have any remanufactured ones available. This unit started the milling noise with less than 5000 miles on it. My original one that was delivered to be March 2013 lasted at least 10-15k miles before the milling noise started. So my point is that "newer cars" those "newer motors" are still having issues (so it has nothing to do with car model year).

 

[vortexz]

what does the DU of model tesla S consist of ?
Thank you

 

[taurusking]

My problem with this thread is that drive unit replacement != failure

My question is this...if Tesla is having hard time with Drive Units with $70K + cars and they cannot seem to come up with a solution

How are they going to deal with mass release of Model 3 with cars around $40 K range and still deal with drive unit issues?

I am currently scheduled on Oct 30 to have technician record the noise on second drive unit.

Bummer

 

[esk8mw]

Does anyone know what a DU replacement would cost out of warranty? Does Tesla give paperwork on warranty work showing the cost of the work performed and then zero it out? I'm used to BMW in this regard.

 

[yobigd20]

Does anyone know what a DU replacement would cost out of warranty? Does Tesla give paperwork on warranty work showing the cost of the work performed and then zero it out? I'm used to BMW in this regard.

no. i think they'd said brand new it would cost something like $17k. no idea what a remanufactured + core swap would be, let alone labor rate.

here are two swaps as examples. they zero the cost out. this was for replacing my DU #2. (DU#1 was replaced last year) . they replaced #2 with a remanufactured (RMN) unit version 'M', and it had the milling noise right off the line. so much for DU#3. So they had a brand new unit shipped in and replaced it again. #4. and this brand new unit version 'N' only took about 5000 miles before it started the milling noise again.

 

[Max*]

My problem with this thread is that drive unit replacement != failure

Then what do you call it? It's not a catastrophic failure that leads you stranded, but it's a design failure. Otherwise it wouldn't need to be replaced in the first place.

 

[KidDoc]

This is what my DU replacement paperwork stated from September:

Part QuantityDRIVE UNIT - BASE - ALL REGIONS (1002633-00-N)1
Mobil Dexron VI ATF (1031096-00-A)
2ETHYLENE GLYCOL COOLANT - 50/50 MIX - 1 gallon (1029320-00-A)
1SIDE MOTOR MOUNT ASSEMBLY (1028034-00-B)

So I'm guessing I got a revision N unit?

 

[apacheguy]

Then what do you call it? It's not a catastrophic failure that leads you stranded, but it's a design failure. Otherwise it wouldn't need to be replaced in the first place.

Failure implies the part is broken and no longer performs the function it was designed to perform. That is not the case. My 1 and only DU replacement was due to a cosmetic issue. It definitely did not fail. When I depressed the accelerator I still got 300 kW out. It still worked.

 

[taurusking]

Then what do you call it? It's not a catastrophic failure that leads you stranded, but it's a design failure. Otherwise it wouldn't need to be replaced in the first place.

I thought Tesla came up with a solution where they don't have to replace the whole drive unit..

Mine is a RWD car and it is annoying with that milling noise...called them last month and got an appointment 4 weeks from the day I called just to record the noise.

I hope Tesla's engineers are working towards a solution....

 

[Majerus]

Anybody know what the newest car is that had a drive unit swapped because of noise?

My nov 14 build , had the unit swapped at 11k, and is gearing up for another 20k miles now. Its not failure, its the milling sound that keeps returning.

- - - Updated - - -

My question is this...if Tesla is having hard time with Drive Units with $70K + cars and they cannot seem to come up with a solution

How are they going to deal with mass release of Model 3 with cars around $40 K range and still deal with drive unit issues?

I am currently scheduled on Oct 30 to have technician record the noise on second drive unit.

Bummer

Could be a power and weight problem, purhaps reducing the torque and hp of the motors allows the gears to last longer. Which is where I believe the milling sounds come from.

 

[Max*]

Failure implies the part is broken and no longer performs the function it was designed to perform. That is not the case. My 1 and only DU replacement was due to a cosmetic issue. It definitely did not fail. When I depressed the accelerator I still got 300 kW out. It still worked.

There are different levels of failure. You had a cosmetic failure, it's still a failure. It's not as bad if the failed DU left you stranded, but the fact that the DU needed to be replaced means that it did NOT perform as expected. It did NOT fail to produce energy, but it failed in some other form (noise/etc.).

I love my Tesla, but I don't understand all the sugar coating and trying to make it seem better than it is.

I thought Tesla came up with a solution where they don't have to replace the whole drive unit..

Mine is a RWD car and it is annoying with that milling noise...called them last month and got an appointment 4 weeks from the day I called just to record the noise.

I hope Tesla's engineers are working towards a solution....

Yeah, something about shims, though from what I read that doesn't fix everything. If they came up with something new, good for them.

 

[TEG]

...FWIW, i'm on my 4th DU and the milling noise is getting louder. so i'll need a 5th drive unit probably within the next few months (whenever it gets loud enough to annoy other people that's usually when I bring it in, lol)...

I wonder if driving style / conditions has something to do with it?

Hills? High speeds? Lots of stop & go? Carrying loads in the car? Aggressive/performance driving?

 

[apacheguy]

My nov 14 build , had the unit swapped at 11k, and is gearing up for another 20k miles now. Its not failure, its the milling sound that keeps returning.

Please, please post the tesla part number of the swapped DU. You have AP and AFAIK we don't know the part # for AP cars.

There are different levels of failure. You had a cosmetic failure, it's still a failure. It's not as bad if the failed DU left you stranded, but the fact that the DU needed to be replaced means that it did NOT perform as expected. It did NOT fail to produce energy, but it failed in some other form (noise/etc.).


I love my Tesla, but I don't understand all the sugar coating and trying to make it seem better than it is.

You can call it whatever you want. It's semantics. I still think defect is more appropriate than failure.

 

[ecarfan]

Then what do you call it? It's not a catastrophic failure that leads you stranded, but it's a design failure. Otherwise it wouldn't need to be replaced in the first place.

A "milling" sound coming from the rear of the car that is related to acceleration or motor speed in some way is NOT a "failure" in my opinion. It is a "noise that was not there when the car was new". Sometimes the noise gets worse over time. Sometimes it doesn't. How loud it has to be before it comes to the attention of the driver varies quite a bit, I am sure, because people's hearing ability varies and their tolerance level for a new noise varies.
A DU "failure" would be that the car doesn't move or its movement is significantly impaired.

 

[unnoho]

I agree. For all we know they could be swapping them to tear apart and examine them for wear and tear. As some people have mentioned their DU was replaced when bringing in car for another completely different issue and the customer noted nothing was wrong from their perspective.