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2022 MYP Steering rack Failure. Tesla DENYING warranty coverage due to aftermarket wheels 20x10 with 275 40 20 set up
- Thread starter globalmax
- Start date
whisperingshad
Active Member
There are so many folks using the same set up (correction- it is 20x10.5" not 20x10 as mentioned earlier with 35 offset 275 40 20 tires ). Absolutely NO rubbing. Whatever it is worth these wheels are 24lbs each lighter than tesla oem wheels.
Coming back to topic, If the view point is that any aftermarket wheels will void the warranty then I guess I don’t have any other options IF the the burden of proof is on Tesla to prove that this particular aftermarket wheel caused the damage, any specific suggestions on my next steps?
Coming back to topic, If the view point is that any aftermarket wheels will void the warranty then I guess I don’t have any other options IF the the burden of proof is on Tesla to prove that this particular aftermarket wheel caused the damage, any specific suggestions on my next steps?
Having owned several modified cars over the years and having warranty claims denied, I‘m not sure there’s much you can do short of hiring a lawyer and MAYBE having a favorable outcome there (doubtful when you weigh cost vs benefit).
Their response seems no different than the Germany car dealerships I’ve dealt with in the past. They don’t ever prove anything, they just say “you have x which is aftermarket, therefore we won’t cover the work.”
Their response seems no different than the Germany car dealerships I’ve dealt with in the past. They don’t ever prove anything, they just say “you have x which is aftermarket, therefore we won’t cover the work.”
In cases like these, people usually start talking about the magnussen moss warranty act, saying stuff like "XXXX (in this case Tesla) cant do that, sue them because of magnussen moss says.....".
Im not a lawyer, but the magnusson moss warranty act says (basically) that a manufacturer has to prove a third party part caused a warranty issue, however, (and this is a big HOOOOWWWWEEEEEVVVVVEEEERRRRR), its for parts that are designed to the same basic specifications of the manufacturers parts.
If you replaced an air filter with an after market air filter THAT WAS DESIGNED WITH THE SAME SPECIFICATIONS, then it would be up to a manufacturer to prove that yours caused some damage if damage was caused. If the part isnt the same specification, then they dont have to prove that.
In the case of tires / wheels, if you bought tires WITH THE SAME SPECIFICATIONS / SIZES as OEM tires and wheels, then you could rightly make Tesla prove to you that your SAME SPECIFICATION wheels and tires caused damage. Since you dont have the same specification wheels and tires as OEM, then Mangussen moss doesnt apply, and I am fairly certain they dont have to prove anything to you because you have parts that are not to OEM specifications (aftermarket or otherwise).
Im not a lawyer though, so if you desire to check in with a lawyer on that, you should do that, but thats my understanding of magnusson moss, which is the act most people will try to point to in this case.
(note, magnusson moss also says that tesla couldnt void the warranty on, say, the computer, because of aftermarket suspension parts, but that doesnt apply in this case).
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Review the The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. According to the FTC, using aftermarket or recycled/re-manufactured parts doesn't void a vehicle warranty. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act makes it illegal for companies to void a warranty or deny coverage under the warranty because an aftermarket or recycled part was used.
Unless Tesla can prove that your aftermarket wheels directly affected the warrantied item, then they legally should not be able to deny the claim.
Unless Tesla can prove that your aftermarket wheels directly affected the warrantied item, then they legally should not be able to deny the claim.
This is crazy, and everyone on here claiming that the wheels had anything to do with it is crazy. There are millions of people driving around on aftermarket wheels every day. Is it possible, in theory, that a certain wheel configuration might, over time, lead to increased wear on the steering rack? Sure. But this is a 2022 with 8,000 miles on it. A failed steering rack under a year old with less than 10,000 miles is due to accident damage or manufacturer defect, not aftermarket wheels.
It would seem Tesla is covered by virtue of the language on page 9 in the "New Vehicle Limited Warranty." So I am not sure how the "burden of proof is on Tesla," they've explicitly stated otherwise. Not the first time there have been clear exclusions in a warranty. I am guessing the burden of proof is on any owner who chooses to 'modify their vehicle with accessories not specified in owner documentation.' There is no MY with 10.5" wide front wheels that I know of.
Not so much a question for you directly, just throwing the question out there, what would fall under "same specification?" Would something that is lighter or heavier be considered the same? How about different offset? TSportline and MW probably have the wheels that are closest to the OE wheels, but even then, their offsets are different, and that admittedly would shift the physics.
Ultimately, you'd probably need to keep your OE wheels and swap them back for getting service for related items. Otherwise, you're rolling the dice and Tesla (or any manufacturer) could deny claims.
z0lt3c
Tesla Solar
I doubt the steering rack even failed based on the posters description of the problem. Tesla loves diagnosing R&R steering racks. Only reason to R&R a rack is if the belt blows out, and if this happens you loose power steering. I bet something is up with the inner tie rods ends, and since the rack is not "serviceable" the whole thing must be replaced.
I would take it to a third party shop.
I would take it to a third party shop.
While I have played around with simple items like exhaust, brakes, coolant etc categories in various cars not even average mechanic by any means
Can this steering rack replacement be done by a regular garage or this needs so called Tesla experts who calls them selves Service advisors?
Not that I am going to do with a regular garage just trying to find out
Can this steering rack replacement be done by a regular garage or this needs so called Tesla experts who calls them selves Service advisors?
Not that I am going to do with a regular garage just trying to find out
I know there are aftermarket wheel vendors active in the forums, would love to hear your views as well
Not an engineering analysis but something better than "it was the aftermarket wheels". I would expect an explanation of how the wheels caused the issue. How did they reach their conclusion? One could also argue it's reasonable to believe the part failed due to defects in workmanship. Who is correct?
Tesla or any other car maker for that matter cannot simply say the warranty is void because aftermarket parts were installed. They must have proof the failure was a direct result of the aftermarket parts.
The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act makes it illegal for companies to void a warranty or deny coverage under the warranty because an aftermarket or recycled part was used.
With all that said, wheels and tires need to have careful consideration when they are changed. Changing the offset changes the handling of the car. More negative offset for example (think wheels sticking out further) puts more stress on suspension components and bearings. Then there is scrub radius. Too much to go into here but it's more than just looks.
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Guess this solves my dilemma of wanting to move the 275 rears to the front wheels and putting larger 295 on the rear wheels! Was planning to do that for wheel protection. Not a fan of the tire being all stretched out and not providing any wheel lip protection.
This is sad to hear, can’t be anything to do with the wheels otherwise majority of us would be having issues. Their just using that excuse to not payout, here is where sometimes having dealerships can be helpful (not always) as they will usually push through the claim with no issues for this type of issue.
I just made the swich to wider tires also, fingers crossed!
I just made the swich to wider tires also, fingers crossed!
I am betting the issue came from the wide front rim and wider front tire contact patch. I would guess if the tire/wheel profile were the same or smaller they would not have flagged it. But wider will put more load on the rack. Go drive a diesel pick up or any pick up that someone put those ugly wide 24-26” rims on. If they had them on for more than a a few thousand miles, you can turn the wheel 1/2 a turn before it moves the rack.
z0lt3c
Tesla Solar
While I have played around with simple items like exhaust, brakes, coolant etc categories in various cars not even average mechanic by any means
Can this steering rack replacement be done by a regular garage or this needs so called Tesla experts who calls them selves Service advisors?
Not that I am going to do with a regular garage just trying to find out
The steering rack is manufactured by Jaguar/Land Rover. Tesla just software locks the power assist motor so that it will only work in a Tesla. There is nothing unique to Tesla about this rack, and Land Rover uses a similar rack in the Evoque. (which isn't electric)
Part of the rack is the mechanical linkage between your steering wheel and the tires. Tesla will service the outer tie rod ends but not the inner.
Part of the rack is electric, to drive the power assist motor, which delivers power steering and auto steering. Tesla will service nothing electric.
Since Tesla won't service any components on the rack, nor even isolate the rack failure, a third party mechanic can at least help with a proper diagnosis. Any competent suspension/speed shop should be able to do this diagnosis for you to confirm Tesla diagnosis (like a second opinion). Replacing the rack usually requires one to drop the HV battery. So, if all efforts to service the rack fail, you want someone who has dropped a battery before. These shops are harder to find, but do exist. You can DM me if you want some specific shop recommendation in the Northeast.
Even if the diagnosis is correct, and the rack needs to be replaced, racks can be found on ebay for $300 to $500.
Mine was 20" inch wheels with 275 40 20 tires ( wheels weighs 24 lbs than the heavier uberturbines) compared to oem induction wheels with 255 40 20. You are correct Tesla allows to select Square set up from Service Menu. Going up to 265 or 275 on oem induction wheels has been a popular upgrade for many here.
Not sure whom to talk to other as my next service center is 200 miles away
Not sure whom to talk to other as my next service center is 200 miles away
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