12v battery issue, Tesla unsatisfactory response

[Tjhappel]

3rd new Tesla I’ve owned, relatively minor problems with my 3 until today when without a SINGLE warning my 12v is apparently dead? Car will not turn on for about 30 minutes, finally got it on, drove it forward 5 feet and tried to roll the window back up... bad call. Window is now stuck down and my car is now refusing to budge from the front of my driveway, it’s blocking 2 other cars so I can’t actually leave my house except on foot.

I sent an emergency roadside assistance message to tsla and explained that I could not get out, have 2 kids and all of our cars are stuck behind my model 3. They suggested I wait 12 days for roadside assistance... AWESOME... or that since my car is out of warranty I could Pay and have it flat bedded 40 miles away to the service center and they could sneak me in early October??

I drive a ton and I’m out of warranty (which I’m fine with) but this is a November 2018 build model 3 with 79k miles on it (non Uber/taxi) and I received ZERO WARNINGS about the battery. The person mentioned they had an issue and were diligently working on trying to give people a “heads up” about the bad or low battery. I know maintenance will always be needed on vehicles and am super happy to do it but no warning and now I’m stuck??

i have been a huge supporter, Im long tsla and I love what they’re doing to the auto world but service like this is just so so so bad it’s not even funny. Maybe my issue is that I owned a 2013 model s and when I had a problem someone would drive to my house and fix it like that minute.... those days are LONG GONE. This just surprised me tho since I could easily been stuck in a spot and have an issue.

 

[TexanEV]

I had a similar shitty experience with the 12V. U know if u had pets/small kids in the car and u got out and closed the door, you would not be able to get back in to get them out and they wouldn’t be able to get out on their own. In the heat..that could be very dangerous.

you could always jump it on ur own at least to move it temporarily out of the way tho. Takes a little time to do it tho.

 

[Tdriver]

The manual explains how to release the hood and get access to the battery

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

If it's just a dead 12V:

That's a 12V replacement video. Still stupidly complicated for 12V replacement, but looks doable.
The video's from Ohmmu that makes a lithium 12V replacement, but covers the important stuff for a generic 12V.

Of course, you'd have to get the replacement 12V.

 

[Tjhappel]

Yeah the manual that’s on the screen of the car eh? You’d have to quickly think about logging in to the main website then figuring out where to go, what to search for etc etc.

I even explained to this person of the REAL dangers to your point about the dogs or kids, I am not exaggerating when I had no warning. All my cars are parked behind the 3 and so for sure I’ll have to get it towed first thing tomorrow am and hopefully nothing happens with my window which somehow I am still getting updates that’s it’s down for?

I will try to get some buddies to help me
find a replacement battery and put it in but I really have no way to get about without loving the damn thing....

kinda funny when you think about it. If this was Tesla 2017 let alone 13 there’d be someone here right now

 

[fr100]

Since you're out of warranty, you could buy a battery from the service center and change it yourself.

 

[cwerdna]

3rd new Tesla I’ve owned, relatively minor problems with my 3 until today when without a SINGLE warning my 12v is apparently dead? Car will not turn on for about 30 minutes, finally got it on, drove it forward 5 feet and tried to roll the window back up... bad call. Window is now stuck down and my car is now refusing to budge from the front of my driveway, it’s blocking 2 other cars so I can’t actually leave my house except on foot.

I sent an emergency roadside assistance message to tsla and explained that I could not get out, have 2 kids and all of our cars are stuck behind my model 3. They suggested I wait 12 days for roadside assistance... AWESOME... or that since my car is out of warranty I could Pay and have it flat bedded 40 miles away to the service center and they could sneak me in early October??

I drive a ton and I’m out of warranty (which I’m fine with) but this is a November 2018 build model 3 with 79k miles on it (non Uber/taxi) and I received ZERO WARNINGS about the battery.

FWIW, gen 2 Priuses (04 to 09 model year) would give no warning about a dying 12 volt. There's no dedicated starter motor so you'd never hear symptoms like slow cranking (engine is started by the big battery, not the 12 volt) nor a starter solenoid clicking but engine not turning. Weird stuff may happen but the car will just not go into READY mode reliably or at all.

Ditto for Leafs. They also give no warning and have the same symptoms, possibly accompanied by a "T/M System Malfunction" error.

The 12 volt in my used Leaf bit the dust before the 3 year mark and was replaced for free under warranty: 2013 Leaf - Dead 12-Volt Battery every 2 Weeks - Page 18 - My Nissan Leaf Forum. I jump started it with a big lead-based jump starter pack to go to the dealer.

The replacement, an "84 month" Nissan-branded 12 volt bit the dust a few years later but the out of pocket cost was much more than me buying a 12 volt from Costco and DIY (Purchasing a 12V battery? Advice... - Page 4 - My Nissan Leaf Forum). So, I did the latter.

 

[Az_Rael]

I am not exaggerating when I had no warning

Yep, this has been happening to quite a few 3 owners. Mine was stuck in my garage, dead, and the 12V was HOT and stunk like sulfur. I was able to jump the car and get it out onto the street at least so that if the 12V caught fire, it wouldn’t burn my house down with it.

I have heard the 12V is a regular sort that you can get from a normal store, although I didn’t try that. Had mine towed to Tesla and replaced, but I was still under warranty.

And, yes service is much reduced from 3 years ago. I have just gotten used to having lower expectations.

 

[Tjhappel]

Agree 100

 

[Electroman]

Very odd. I had my 12V die and was given the option of emergency service which I declined, since my car was safe inside my garage. Later I got a text that day that a service technician would come home and change it. A day later a Tesla tech cane and changed it in 10 mins in my garage. No charge because mine is still in warranty.

 

[sightman]

I’ve read on the forums a 51R agm battery will work as a replacement. Perhaps local Costco, autozone or advance auto have one

 

[TSLA Pilot]

Battery Day is in two days and I hope that Tesla will also, perhaps, announce something related to a new ability to DROP/REMOVE that friggin' 12-volt battery, forever?

Not only does it lead to these major issues, on all of their models, the batteries are heavy too. (Avoiding mass is a good thing on anything that moves

On older MS's, they're also a pain in butt to replace. Not the best engineering back then, but hey, the MS's Chief Engineer left many years ago and is at Lucid now so let's see how that works out (and if he's learned anything in the interim).

As for "Tesla Service," their response to you is just plain 100% UNSAT.

Elon: Fix this (again) as you have REALLY dropped the ball here.

 

[ProtonSF]

I wish Tesla was more committed to customer care AFTER you have already given them your money.

I have a Model 3 at 62,000 miles however, so I guess I need to start thinking about this. Can someone confirm that a 51R agm battery will fit the Model 3?

 

[HenryFi]

Yeah the manual that’s on the screen of the car eh? You’d have to quickly think about logging in to the main website then figuring out where to go, what to search for etc etc.

Or the manual you can find by typing in to google "Model 3 user manual" and that shows up as the first result.

 

[mrclean90]

Maybe we should just proactively be replacing the 12V battery every 1 or 1.5 years.

 

[Az_Rael]

Maybe we should just proactively be replacing the 12V battery every 1 or 1.5 years.

Ugh, so much for less maintenance with an EV, or at least a Tesla EV. I hope they eventually offer a higher quality 12V that will last the more normal lifespan.

 

[ProtonSF]

Maybe we should just proactively be replacing the 12V battery every 1 or 1.5 years.

I don't think this is necessary. I'm going on 2.5 years and 62,000 miles on my model 3 and still haven't had to replace the 12v. However I'm bracing my anus for it anyway now.... may end up just replacing it at 70,000 just in case.

 

[BEPA400]

I don't think this is necessary. I'm going on 2.5 years and 62,000 miles on my model 3 and still haven't had to replace the 12v. However I'm bracing my anus for it anyway now.... may end up just replacing it at 70,000 just in case.

I think replacing every three years would be overall pretty proactive.. wouldn’t prevent these early failures but isn’t an unreasonable bit of upkeep in the big picture. I EXPECT five years from a car 12v battery when well maintained (ie I trickle charge my gas car batteries at least once every two months)
I’ve never trickle charged my Tesla but maybe I will go check the voltage on the 12v when is sleeping.. maybe worth doing to buy some more life for the 12v.

 

[TomT]

Or from somewhere else where it will be much cheaper...

Since you're out of warranty, you could buy a battery from the service center and change it yourself.

 

[TomT]

That is simply silly. I've never has an ICE battery fail in less than five years and an EV battery is under much less strain...

Maybe we should just proactively be replacing the 12V battery every 1 or 1.5 years.