Am I able to unlock my battery OTA?

[yorich18]

Yeah topic sounds dumb, I assure you it isn't. let me explain. My 2014 S 85 (non P/D) wouldn't start 3 weeks ago. I had to have it towed to the shop, car was throwing a ton of warnings, and roadside service said the 12V wasn't seeing the HV pack. 3 weeks later, I get the car back, except now both my mobile app, and the in-dash info screen show the car as a "90" instead of an "85". The reason for this is that there was some issue with my battery pack (fortunately under warranty), so they installed a "new" (likely refurbished) pack in. I thought I was going to be getting an 85, but it seems as if i got a 90 kWh pack instead. The service rep couldn't tell me for sure, and when I fully charge to 100%, I'm getting 265miles (same as the 85), so I'm thinking one of two things...either I have a 90 and they software locked it to 85, or I have a 90 pack that was gimped of some cells to make it an 85... I don't know enough about the makeup of the battery trays to know if they can remove part of one pack (I do know the whole pack is made up of a bunch of smaller units though). The fact that both the car and the mobile app think i I have a 90kwh S, makes me think it is indeed a 90 now...which would be a snowflake since it seems that they never made any 90kwh non-d models around 2014.



Any thoughts? I'm tempted to call service and ask if they can unlock the car, but wondering first what I might indeed have.

 

[Tam]

...either I have a 90 and they software locked it to 85, or I have a 90 pack that was gimped of some cells to make it an 85...

Please take a photo of your battery pack label (lay down behind your right front wheel, you should steer the wheels all the way to the left for more room):

You should get your camera real close to it for a clearer readable view:

 

[Krash]

They can't restrict just "a few cells". Typically replacement batteries are refurbished and only need to have more range than the batteries they replace, not full new range for their own battery type.

I have not seen a service center software lock a battery on a car that did not already have a software lock. I believe only corporate engineering could do so.

 

[ucmndd]

A refurbished, somewhat degraded 90kwh pack that is calculating its rated miles at the lower efficiency rating of your RWD car (vs the “294” it is rated for in an AWD) would probably pencil out to about 265 rated miles.

 

[yorich18]

Please take a photo of your battery pack label (lay down behind your right front wheel, you should steer the wheels all the way to the left for more room):

You should get your camera real close to it for a clearer readable view:

 

[yorich18]

They can't restrict just "a few cells". Typically replacement batteries are refurbished and only need to have more range than the batteries they replace, not full new range for their own battery type.

I have not seen a service center software lock a battery on a car that did not already have a software lock. I believe only corporate engineering could do so.

I didnt mean a few cells, I meant like maybe they pulled out one of the sub-pack assemblies...these things:

 

[ucmndd]

I didnt mean a few cells, I meant like maybe they pulled out one of the sub-pack assemblies...these things:
View attachment 382678

Nah. You just have a remanufactured 90kwh battery that has lost some range.

 

[ucmndd]

https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/attachments/battery-overview-png.228174/

Looks like a pre-refresh 90kwh

 

[yorich18]

Darn. Thanks guys!

 

[Krash]

I didnt mean a few cells, I meant like maybe they pulled out one of the sub-pack assemblies...

Those are modules. Each is 25v. 16 make the 400v pack like your old 85, the 90 and 100. 14 make up the 350v 60, 75 and the yet to be released new 85 that will be the non software locked standard range. The 400v supercharges faster and produces more power. We haven't seen a 400v car battery replaced with a 350v, although we have seen the 350v upgraded to 400v under warranty. And we have never seen a 375v battery, maybe because the odd module weight wouldn't be centered.

 

[Tam]

...Any thoughts?...

Thanks for the label picture. You got a real remanufactured 90 kWh battery. If Tesla didn't software limit yours, it should show on your display as 90. If it still show 85 as before, then you got a software limited pack.

 

[Krash]

Pretty sure Tesla can't software limit to 85. Only 60, 75 and standard range (92ish). Also, I don't think they have ever added a lock to a previously unlocked car.

 

[Lasttoy]

My SC told me it would be Re badged as a 90.
He also said i could buy up to a 100 if i wanted.
I got new motor last week. Thats why it came up.
This new motor uses more charge per trip than old one. I mame aame trip every week. 45 miles to JAX. It took 45 to 48 miles of charge. Now it takes 55 to 60. SC said it was better motor, HA, Ha. Might be faster, but uses more charge.

 

[Rocky_H]

This new motor uses more charge per trip than old one. I mame aame trip every week. 45 miles to JAX. It took 45 to 48 miles of charge. Now it takes 55 to 60. SC said it was better motor, HA, Ha. Might be faster, but uses more charge.

You haven't noticed our culture always thinks more powerful cars are "better", even though they get worse gas mileage?