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12V battery. "Will I ever buy another Tesla? Guess."

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Here is what I am about to post on Twitter. I thought I'd check in with you guys first to see if I am missing anything.
2015 Tesla Model S this morning alerts:
"12V battery must be replaced soon
Software updates will not complete until serviced"
(12V battery was replaced one year ago.)
Forum posts say 2-3 weeks remain until car dies.
Planning to leave on 2-week trip tomorrow,
some of it on extremely desolate roads.
App: earliest serice appt. where I am: Aug. 21.
App: earliest service appt. at destination: Aug. 19.
THERE IS NO WAY TO TALK TO A PERSON AT TESLA.
Can't think of alternatives to renting a car
or cancelling trip.
Will I ever buy another Tesla? Guess.
 
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I think the question should be, "Will I ever buy another battery". You know, you can buy a battery almost anywhere, and they will install it for you. Costco, Pep Boys, anyone with an auto department deals in batteries, have them sitting on the shelves. It's not a hard thing. I'd get it done today if I were you, although I know it's stressful with all the other things that need doing before a trip. But YOU would feel better, knowing you'll make it down those "desolate" roads.

Batteries should last longer than a year, but who knows. Just get it and forget it.
 
I think the question should be, "Will I ever buy another battery". You know, you can buy a battery almost anywhere, and they will install it for you. Costco, Pep Boys, anyone with an auto department deals in batteries, have them sitting on the shelves. It's not a hard thing. I'd get it done today if I were you, although I know it's stressful with all the other things that need doing before a trip. But YOU would feel better, knowing you'll make it down those "desolate" roads.

Batteries should last longer than a year, but who knows. Just get it and forget it.

Really? You can buy a Tesla 12V battery almost anywhere and they'll install it for you?

First time I hear of this.
 
I think the question should be, "Will I ever buy another battery". You know, you can buy a battery almost anywhere, and they will install it for you. Costco, Pep Boys, anyone with an auto department deals in batteries, have them sitting on the shelves. It's not a hard thing. I'd get it done today if I were you, although I know it's stressful with all the other things that need doing before a trip. But YOU would feel better, knowing you'll make it down those "desolate" roads.

Batteries should last longer than a year, but who knows. Just get it and forget it.

Nice thought, but it's obvious you've never actually done this before. Call Costco, Pep Boys, or anyone else you can think of and ask for a Model S 12v battery. Let me know how it goes.
 
Here is what I am about to post on Twitter. I thought I'd check in with you guys first to see if I am missing anything.

My March 2015 built P85D displayed that same error about a month ago. I scheduled Tesla Mobile Service through my app and got an appointment ~ 2 weeks later... then got this reply when I replied to the TEXT from Tesla Service confirming my appointment:

My question: "How risky is it to drive before you replace my 12V battery? Don't want to get stranded and need a tow"

Tesla Service response: "The alert is just a warning. I definitely wouldn't go out on a road trip but everyday normal driving, you will be fine. I have seen vehicles driving with the alert for months."

If you're unwilling to wait for Tesla to replace your battery, you can replace it yourself: 2015 tesla model s 12v battery replacement - Google Search
 
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No, I don't see Pep Boys or any other auto parts store "installing" in a Tesla. It's not easy, at least compared to an ICE.
Yeah, it has an additional step or two to remove the inner front trunk liner, but otherwise the same process.

One other Q: The 12v battery is the same as any other car isn't it?
Sort of. It is a physically smaller deep cycle battery. More likely to find a replacement at a Batteries Plus store than a Pep Boys. It is more closely related to a UPS battery than an automobile battery.

In a pinch, you could certainly use any automotive battery you wanted.
 
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It's a standard AGM battery pretty much. Install in a dual motor is not hard, just longer due to having to remove all of the plastic liner in the frunk.

Like everyone else said, try driving to a service center first and see if you can get one same day.

My Tesla is my 8th car and 2nd EV. You're not special because you own a Tesla, these things happen to ICE cars as well, in fact you're likely to run into more issues that can leave you stranded in an ICE car. My BMW had more issues than my Tesla. Try going on a road trip with bad fuel injectors, fuel pump, or coil packs.

Long story short, things break, and it takes time to repair or replace them, car or otherwise. Get a grip.
 
ITT: Lots of people who haven't had a 12v battery problem

Tesla ... IF THEY HAVE THEM ... will sell and install their proprietary reverse polarity battery. If they dont have them its a big middle finger and "we'll tow you here to wait for them when they come in".

No retail store is going to be able to help you, period the end. Your options are:

  • After market LiPO (its expensive BuT ItS BeTtEr!1!!1!). I didnt do this due to cost
  • Getting an equally form fitting 12v that is NOT reverse polarity and purchasing a longer negative/ground wire and trying to swap the terminals (problem here will be the fusepanel that sits on top of the battery)
  • Not buy another Tesla, who decided in their infinite wisdom to create a proprietary reverse polarity battery that you can only get through them, with a working life of about 2 years if you're lucky.
I am of the 3rd opinion, after an absolutely horrible experience with "we're switching suppliers, if your car dies we'll tow it here, aren't we so helpful?!"
 
Thanks for the replies. After a 25-min. hold, I did talk to someone at the service center in the destination city. He said that if the 12V dies while driving, the center console would go out but the instrument cluster would remain on. Do I recall correctly that the car will not start thereafter?
 
The resolution: I remembered that I have the "private" phone extension number of a desk in service at the SCtr in the city I'm in. A couple of calls, one before 9 A.M., were not answered. But on the third try I got someone, and the result is that mobile service is swapping the battery at my home at this writing. And, because the failing one was installed a year ago *tomorrow*, it's under warranty.

I put on my calendar for a year from now to consider buying the Ohmmu replacement, which has a 4-year warranty.
 
The resolution: I remembered that I have the "private" phone extension number of a desk in service at the SCtr in the city I'm in. A couple of calls, one before 9 A.M., were not answered. But on the third try I got someone, and the result is that mobile service is swapping the battery at my home at this writing. And, because the failing one was installed a year ago *tomorrow*, it's under warranty.

I put on my calendar for a year from now to consider buying the Ohmmu replacement, which has a 4-year warranty.
Uhmmu ROFL

Don't fall for that snake oil.
 
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