2022 Model S Plaid "gearbox fluid service"

[mario65]

I just got the gear box service message. I also just got my plaid S. Its a 2021 with 1200 miles. Car sat for a while and i just started stretching its legs. Not sure if the message is reoccurring or this is the first time. Anyway I went out to the car after charging and no message.

 

[cwerdna]

The car was there for over a week and they told me that there was a "wiring harness" that had to be replaced and that everything was good now. I was not satisfied with their explanation but was sick of my car being there for and extended period of time so I took my car and left. 2 days ago on my way home I received the same message on the dash saying the car needs a gearbox fluid service and now I really don't know what to do. Wondering if anyone on here has had this issue before.

"Wiring harness" isn't a Tesla-specific term and has been in the automotive industry for AGES.

Wire Harness | Automotive Business | List of Vehicle Equipment Business | YAZAKI Corporation is a leading supplier of them.
"Yazaki Group began producing wire harnesses in 1939, and they have now been adopted by all domestic automobile manufacturers, The Yazaki Group's wire harnesses have been integrated in many types of vehicles on the road today. We also supply wire harnesses and related parts to overseas automobile manufacturers, and have offices around the world."

 

[AAKEE]

I got it today. DIREL_a251

‘23 MS Plaid, 11.5K im (~7K mi).

On a trip, on the way out. Not that cold outside and chill mode as most during the winter.

It disappeared after a stop at a grocery store ~ 2 hours after it came.

 

[aerodyne]

I got it today. DIREL_a251

‘23 MS Plaid, 11.5K im (~7K mi).

On a trip, on the way out. Not that cold outside and chill mode as most during the winter.

It disappeared after a stop at a grocery store ~ 2 hours after it came.

View attachment 1003212
View attachment 1003213

If the fluid is leaking, one should be able to look under the car and detect fluid stain.

I believe the fluid is ATF.

Although the bottom of your car reflects your weather, and is likely not shiny clean, by spraying water on the back aeroshield you should see an area of where the water "Beads" due the presence of oil.

Hoping it is not a leak.

 

[AAKEE]

If the fluid is leaking, one should be able to look under the car and detect fluid stain.

I believe the fluid is ATF.

Although the bottom of your car reflects your weather, and is likely not shiny clean, by spraying water on the back aeroshield you should see an area of where the water "Beads" due the presence of oil.

Hoping it is not a leak.

I have the car inside in my garage almost *any* night. Drifting snow would probably have found the way to the upper side of the ”bottom plates” and when melting in the warm garage it would take at least some ATF with itself down on the floor.
I wiped the floor yesterday before a project with another car. Only water yesterday, for sure. At least yesterday it was…

Right now in the dark well north of the Artic Circle, some 600 klicks N of ”my” servicecentre so hopefully it does release all oil overnight (parked outside this night).

Detection for ”Gearbox oil needs service - ok to drive” would mean a chip detector found a chip? As it is not a combustion engine, soot levels etc does not need to be measured so I more or less can see two sensors that would make sense:
- Chip detection
- Oil temp

(- Oil level, if the gearbox is built so it can get out of oil without a trace and if it not is improbabke enough.)

I guess its the chip detector that found a chip, or a malfunction in that circuit.

 

[aerodyne]

I guess its the chip detector that found a chip, or a malfunction in that circuit.

Hoping not a chip, but possible.

Once, I had the driveshaft replaced under warranty because of a slight vibration at high power settings.

They mis installed the drive shafts and I lost most of the fluid during a drive.

It made a real mess, and it took to trips to SvC to clean up the underside of the car. I suspect they used a pressure washer and got water in the pack which died suddenly a few months later.

I had to clean the driveway myself.

So, I think if it was even a small leak you would see it.

 

[AAKEE]

Hoping not a chip, but possible.

If it was just a single chip, from break-in, it would be an issue. (Not that uncommon in helicopter gear boxes, at least for some types)

Once, I had the driveshaft replaced under warranty because of a slight vibration at high power settings.

They mis installed the drive shafts and I lost most of the fluid during a drive.

It made a real mess, and it took to trips to SvC to clean up the underside of the car. I suspect they used a pressure washer and got water in the pack which died suddenly a few months later.

I had to clean the driveway myself.

So, I think if it was even a small leak you would see it.

Yes, I did read about that case when searching for posts with the same fault as I got. Sorry to see that maybe Tesla self both broke the gearbox and possibly/probably the battery as well…

 

[aerodyne]

If it was just a single chip, from break-in, it would be an issue. (Not that uncommon in helicopter gear boxes, at least for some types)



Yes, I did read about that case when searching for posts with the same fault as I got. Sorry to see that maybe Tesla self both broke the gearbox and possibly/probably the battery as well…

On my old '94 vintage ICE car manual transmission, I vaporized an entire ball bearing and a portion of the bearing cage.

Magnets inside the gear box kept all the broken bits contained, rebuilt trans by just replacing bearings.

Unlike a jet turbine, auto gearboxes are pretty simple and robust.

Hopefully just a transient problem.