Another Tesla Service Concern

[Sunny5280]

I have noticed some wind noise with my car and decided to schedule a service appointment to have it investigated. I scheduled using the Tesla app and today I received a notification of my service appointment estimate. Estimate? The car is covered under the full warranty so why are they sending my any estimate? This isn't an FYI but a charge for them to look into the issue.

Perhaps I am jumping the gun but, since this car is under full warranty, I shouldn't be charged a fee just to investigate what apparently is a common issue (common enough that it is a service option in the application). Any guidance on how to handle this? I declined the service estimate but want to get this checked.

 

[RayK]

Tesla sends out a service estimate for all (?) scheduled appointments. For items which they determine eventually falls under the bumper-to-bumper warranty they will dismiss the charges. They can't tell where your wind noise is coming from just from reading your message. I would imagine that your estimate is just for labor costs to look / diagnose the issue.

edit: From what I read here, a typical cause for wind noise is a mis-alignment of the triangular piece of plastic that's attached to the outside mirror assembly.

 

[Sunny5280]

IMO if a vehicle is under a bumper to bumper warranty then the repair estimate should be $0.00. In all of my years having vehicles repaired under warranty not a single one had an estimate for cost prior to the examination of the issue. This is, IMO, a black eye for Tesla.

 

[afadeev]

IMO if a vehicle is under a bumper to bumper warranty then the repair estimate should be $0.00. In all of my years having vehicles repaired under warranty not a single one had an estimate for cost prior to the examination of the issue. This is, IMO, a black eye for Tesla.

Logically, you are correct.
Realistically, Elon needs a new house, so there will be things that bumper-to-bumper will not cover. Interior quality issues and wind noise complaints have been reported to fall into the latter category.

YMMV,
a

 

[glide]

Tesla sends out a service estimate for all (?) scheduled appointments. For items which they determine eventually falls under the bumper-to-bumper warranty they will dismiss the charges. They can't tell where your wind noise is coming from just from reading your message. I would imagine that your estimate is just for labor costs to look / diagnose the issue.

edit: From what I read here, a typical cause for wind noise is a mis-alignment of the triangular piece of plastic that's attached to the outside mirror assembly.

I remember a while back they were charging for wind/road noise diagnosis regardless of whether the vehicle was under warranty or not.

Unless the cause is a very obvious mis-alignment they will likely send you away with a diagnosis of “within spec” and possibly an accompanying bill.

 

[focher]

I have noticed some wind noise with my car and decided to schedule a service appointment to have it investigated. I scheduled using the Tesla app and today I received a notification of my service appointment estimate. Estimate? The car is covered under the full warranty so why are they sending my any estimate? This isn't an FYI but a charge for them to look into the issue.

Perhaps I am jumping the gun but, since this car is under full warranty, I shouldn't be charged a fee just to investigate what apparently is a common issue (common enough that it is a service option in the application). Any guidance on how to handle this? I declined the service estimate but want to get this checked.

They've been doing this for awhile, and I agree it's terribly obnoxious. However, the "solve" as a customer is to just ignore the estimate. Don't "sign" it. Each time I've had service performed, they've never charged me for inspecting the car for a warranty covered item. Nor would I ever pay it.

 

[Fernand]

They ALWAYS write up an estimate. Relax. It's not a "black eye" or any other color. It's just their procedure. I've always gotten estimates, and never been charged for anything under warranty.

 

[Shelburne]

I have noticed some wind noise with my car and decided to schedule a service appointment to have it investigated. I scheduled using the Tesla app and today I received a notification of my service appointment estimate. Estimate? The car is covered under the full warranty so why are they sending my any estimate? This isn't an FYI but a charge for them to look into the issue.

Perhaps I am jumping the gun but, since this car is under full warranty, I shouldn't be charged a fee just to investigate what apparently is a common issue (common enough that it is a service option in the application). Any guidance on how to handle this? I declined the service estimate but want to get this checked.

A few weeks ago I noticed that the trim on the inside of the pillar between front and rear doors on the driver's side was loose. I made a service appointment using the app. I got a quick response with both a choice of date and time for the fix and an estimate of $94. The car is barely a year old so I texted back to remind them that it was still under warranty. I got another quick response apologizing for the estimate, and also got aa new estimate of zero dollars. So, text them again reminding them about your warranty.

 

[Sunny5280]

A few weeks ago I noticed that the trim on the inside of the pillar between front and rear doors on the driver's side was loose. I made a service appointment using the app. I got a quick response with both a choice of date and time for the fix and an estimate of $94. The car is barely a year old so I texted back to remind them that it was still under warranty. I got another quick response apologizing for the estimate, and also got aa new estimate of zero dollars. So, text them again reminding them about your warranty.

Thank you for this information. I may do that depending on how they respond to my declination of the estimate. When I did so I noted the car is still under warranty and therefore there should be no cost estimate. Since that occurred yesterday I am going to give them a few days to respond. If not I'll be showing up at the service center on the date and time I scheduled and we can address it then.

 

[SaintMickey®]

If you waste Tesla's time...they shouldn't pay you should.

 

[focher]

If you waste Tesla's time...they shouldn't pay you should.

That’s not how warranty coverage works.

Can anyone cite a single example where any other car manufacturer does this? I’ve definitely never seen it done.

 

[SaintMickey®]

That’s not how warranty coverage works.

Can anyone cite a single example where any other car manufacturer does this? I’ve definitely never seen it done.

If I tell BMW that I have a shake and make them do an alignment...and there isn't any (warranty) issue I'm paying. If I've damaged some of my rubber window trim (or whatever) and I complain about a "road noise" or whatever I'm paying. If I'm just whinny and waste their time...I should pay. Otherwise we ALL PAY in the long run.

I'm a big believer in personal responsibility in life and that includes my cars.

 

[Sunny5280]

If you waste Tesla's time...they shouldn't pay you should.

What does this even mean?

 

[Sunny5280]

If I tell BMW that I have a shake and make them do an alignment...and there isn't any (warranty) issue I'm paying. If I've damaged some of my rubber window trim (or whatever) and I complain about a "road noise" or whatever I'm paying. If I'm just whinny and waste their time...I should pay. Otherwise we ALL PAY in the long run.

I'm a big believer in personal responsibility in life and that includes my cars.

Somehow I feel this is going to be wasted effort but here goes: There's no damage. The car is in pristine condition. The service center shouldn't be providing any quotations for work that is going to be covered under warranty. Now if I go in and they determine that it's a non warranty related problem then they can tell me as much. However it doesn't take $135.00 worth of work to look at the drivers window and see there's nothing wrong with it.

 

[trm2]

What does this even mean?

If they can reproduce the issue they will fix it under warranty . If everything is “working as intended“ or “in spec” there is nothing to fix and that is where the diagnostic fee comes in.
With other companies, no it isn’t an issue. With Tesla, expect everything to be in spec.

 

[afadeev]

If I tell BMW that I have a shake and make them do an alignment...and there isn't any (warranty) issue I'm paying.

That's completely not true.
If you picked up a new car, under warranty, with vibration, you take it back to the dealer, and they will remedy the matter. That goes for drivetrain, suspension, wind-noise, interior creaking, or interior quality issues.

I've never had any issues with BMWs under 4 year / 50K warranty, that EVER produced pre-estimates, or got a cold shoulder. Over the past 25+ years and 10+ cars, that included one (1) alignment/tire wear complaint, one pair of failing rear shocks (a pair replaced on both sides), a window regulator, and interior squeak rattle complaints.

BTW, "shake" is unlikely to require and "alignment" ;-)

If I've damaged some of my rubber window trim (or whatever) and I complain about a "road noise" or whatever I'm paying.

If there is sign of owner damaged parts (cuts, hit a curb, whatever), then the owner is responsible. But that is hardly the situation that OP is describing.
Blaming him for the ever-present wind-noise issues in Model 3 is disingenuous at best, and kinda evil.

If I'm just whinny and waste their time...I should pay. Otherwise we ALL PAY in the long run.

Just the opposite.
If you don't aggressively complain about issues you find in new cars - how is manufacturer to know to improve design and manufacturing process in the future?
Same goes for reporting bugs to software vendors, or service issues to hotels. If you don't complain, it wont improve.
And if it's manufacturer's (Tesla's) fault, they should absolutely remedy the problem on their own dime.

Also, sharing "common problems" with the rest of us, on these forums, is to be applauded.
We all run into these issues, and helping each other out to troubleshoot things, is the primary motivating driver of owners' forums.

We are not here to warship the OEM. We are here to help each other out!

a

 

[Sunny5280]

If they can reproduce the issue they will fix it under warranty . If everything is “working as intended“ or “in spec” there is nothing to fix and that is where the diagnostic fee comes in.
With other companies, no it isn’t an issue. With Tesla, expect everything to be in spec.

But I am still out the $135 for them to make that determination.

 

[focher]

If I tell BMW that I have a shake and make them do an alignment...and there isn't any (warranty) issue I'm paying. If I've damaged some of my rubber window trim (or whatever) and I complain about a "road noise" or whatever I'm paying. If I'm just whinny and waste their time...I should pay. Otherwise we ALL PAY in the long run.

I'm a big believer in personal responsibility in life and that includes my cars.

You just moved the goalposts. In your hypothetical, BMW didn’t claim you had to pay a fee to inspect the car to make any determination whatsoever. Tesla sending out these inspection estimates is that. We’re not talking about whether something is covered under warranty. We’re taking about making that determination.

In fairness I’ve never heard of Tesla actually charging the estimate inspection fee. It’s just obnoxious that they even send it.

 

[SaintMickey®]

You just moved the goalposts. In your hypothetical, BMW didn’t claim you had to pay a fee to inspect the car to make any determination whatsoever. Tesla sending out these inspection estimates is that. We’re not talking about whether something is covered under warranty. We’re taking about making that determination.

In fairness I’ve never heard of Tesla actually charging the estimate inspection fee. It’s just obnoxious that they even send it.

There are no goal posts in life.

 

[Sunny5280]

You just moved the goalposts. In your hypothetical, BMW didn’t claim you had to pay a fee to inspect the car to make any determination whatsoever. Tesla sending out these inspection estimates is that. We’re not talking about whether something is covered under warranty. We’re taking about making that determination.

In fairness I’ve never heard of Tesla actually charging the estimate inspection fee. It’s just obnoxious that they even send it.

My assumption is that Tesla will only charge me the fee if they determine the work is not covered under warranty and waive it if it is. However I scanned the cost estimate and I did not see anything which stated as much. Therefore I have no choice but to assume the fee will be charged regardless. At least they were kind enough to throw in a complimentary tire pressure and tread depth check. There's also a no charge line item for resealing the front upper control arm ball joints. Not sure where this came from as I didn't mention (or know) this was necessary.