Anyone else extremely frustrated with getting Model S in for service?

[Gizmotoy]

So I've had my car almost three years now. We love it, but I'll readily admit there's been a string of problems with it. It's certainly been far more trouble than any other car I've ever owned. Fortunately, even that's been mostly tolerable because the service experience was so good. I didn't mind taking it in. You dropped it off, got a loaner... easy.

Recently, though, things have gotten bad. Really bad.

My Model S makes a metal-on-metal grind + clunk you can hear and feel throughout the car if you turn the wheels close to lock when going downhill. Where I live I park in a garage where this situation is unavoidable. I waited 2.5 months to get the car in, and was happy to hear they were confident to have fixed the issue. 2 days later the problem returned. It sounded like they could get it back in soon to look at it, but I needed something with large interior volume for some moving and since they don't give out loaner Model S anymore, I had to delay a bit until I no longer needed it. In attempting to get back in for service, the wait is another 2 months.

That's 4.5 months waiting to resolve an issue. And not something trivial, either, a malfunction in the steering mechanism.

Is anyone else having this much trouble? Should I try going to a different service center?

 

[ohmman]

You can probably blame the flurry of Model X deliveries for this. Our service center is loaded with Xs needing many man hours of service. As factory quality control increases, the SCs should start to move more quickly. It's annoying though. My S and X are both slated for an appointment.. 6-8 weeks from now.

 

[Xminus6]

Since when do they not give out loaner Model Ss? I got a loaner Model S a couple weeks ago at Dublin.

 

[liuping]

Since when do they not give out loaner Model Ss? I got a loaner Model S a couple weeks ago at Dublin.

They still give them, but there are not enough, so the chances of getting one are much lower than before.

I got a cheap Hyundai as a loaner last time. It sucked for a week, but it made me appreciate my Model s even more when I got it back

 

[Gizmotoy]

You can probably blame the flurry of Model X deliveries for this. Our service center is loaded with Xs needing many man hours of service. As factory quality control increases, the SCs should start to move more quickly. It's annoying though. My S and X are both slated for an appointment.. 6-8 weeks from now.

I'm sure that's playing a large role. I spoke with the Service Manager last time I was in and it sounded like the factory just dumped a pile of them in their lap and said "have fun." So you're right, I don't think it's solely the SC. This is what's making me wonder if I should go to a different SC. I wonder how well the others in the area are doing.

Since when do they not give out loaner Model Ss? I got a loaner Model S a couple weeks ago at Dublin.

Probably SC specific. My last 4 or 5 visits to Sunnyvale have all been Enterprise. I haven't had a loaner since late 2014 right after the Autopilot hardware launch. Last time I asked if I could wait for a loaner, and they said to not bother. They only have a couple, they can't guarantee them, and I'd be unlikely to get one even if I waited longer.

How long did you wait in Dublin? Maybe I should try there. I figured it would have been hardest hit by the Model X influx.


Growing pains, I think. In contrast, we bought a Volvo V60 this weekend. Yesterday I called and got it scheduled for a service visit tomorrow, and we get a Volvo loaner. I wish we had that kind of response time.

 

[Xminus6]

At Dublin I had my Model S in for service a couple times in two weeks (addressing the same issues). Both times I got a Model S loaner within 15 minutes. But I also set my appointment for their opening time and show up right then (if not a bit early). Dublin doesn't seem to be as busy as some other spots. I've test driven the X there a couple times and had my Model S in service there twice now. It's also the close SC to my home, so that obviously makes it that much more convenient.

I used to go to Fremont as it was almost the same distance as going to San Rafael.

I will say, though, that Dublin was the most cautious about promising a Model S loaner. When I asked them about it the first time they said that they don't actually have many loaner Ss there and that I'd have better luck getting an S at Fremont. Maybe I just got lucky but I've seen a number of folks there getting and returning loaner Ss.

 

[Kipernicus]

Burlingame is not much better. Earlier in the year my appointment wait was 1.5 months, and then they had to keep my car for a week to do the annual service. Drove a Cadillac SRX (it was kind of nice to have lots of cupholders). In over 3 years I have only gotten a Tesla loaner once.

My car also had a bit of a clunk when going to full steering lock (but maybe not as bad as what you describe) which they fixed under warranty. Been ok since.

 

[brantse]

I actually have a loaner at the moment, but certainly understand the frustration. I had some non-pressing issues that needed repaired for 3-4 months as well, until they were able to circle back and get to them. In my case, I was fine with having the repairs pushed out, although I feel like Tesla sometimes fails to prioritize repairs appropriately. Perhaps that's just because the workload at SvC's varies so much (both in quantity and type), but I think it's something Tesla needs to work on.

 

[Gizmotoy]

Burlingame is not much better. Earlier in the year my appointment wait was 1.5 months, and then they had to keep my car for a week to do the annual service.

I mentioned it in another thread, but I had my car in (late) for annual service in April. They pulled it into the garage for 15 minutes, then it sat in the parking lot for 5 or 6 days untouched. Then on Easter morning some poor tech pulled it into the garage and started work on it. I felt bad.

 

[JPP]

Dublin is very busy and short on S loaners. Schedule well in advance and be sure to list every item that needs to be looked at so that they can allocate resources/time.

 

[blc1017]

I called Monday to bring my car in for a service issue. I first called Dublin...the earliest they could get me in was July 26th. They were very apologetic. I then called Fremont SC on a whim and got the car in the following day (they apparently had a cancellation). I have to say the service at Fremont is phenomenal and I so appreciated the "can do" attitude, including informing me even though I didn't have any other issues than the one that brought me in, they were going to do a "courtesy check".

I would say it is worth calling the various SC's if they are within your comfortable driving range.

 

[mkspeedr]

I had to wait 5 weeks to have new tires installed. 5 weeks for new tires...I know they must be super busy.

 

[theatwar99]

I have a 4+ week wait to examine rusty liquid that's leaking out from behind the front grille. We need a loaner in order to bring the car in, as the fix will take more than 1 day, and that's the first date that a loaner will be available. When I asked if I could get a rental instead of an S or X (hoping to get seen sooner), I was told that the service center (in Burbank, CA) does not offer rental loaners, which was surprising to me, as I thought rental loaners were standard for Tesla service centers when they run out of S and X loaners.

 

[Kensiko]

I think service centers do not follow the increase in customers. Tesla is increasing its production rate every year, centers need to follow.

In my situation it was a matter of a 1-2 weeks delay for my defective rear door handle.

 

[sorka]

Since when do they not give out loaner Model Ss? I got a loaner Model S a couple weeks ago at Dublin.

They've given me an Enterprise rental for the last 3 visits. Not a big deal. They pay for all the gas but I of course prefer an S loaner.

My first 2 S loaners were P85+'s. Next two times I got an 85. Next time after that a 60. I was fully expecting an un upgraded 40 after that ....but instead have been getting carbon produces.

My situation is similar. I've been in 8 times total. All minor things. Creaks, rattles, wind noise, drivetrain shake on acceleration, 3g issues, 12v battery, etc.

My 7 year old 226K mile Prius was in once for a water pump recall but not because anything was actually wrong with it. My 334K mile Lexus was never in for a repair and my current 2007 Lexus SC430 with 40K miles has never been in for a repair.

 

[Chopr147]

I had to wait 5 weeks to have new tires installed. 5 weeks for new tires...I know they must be super busy.

Curious, why wait for Tesla SC just for tires? Surely you can get tires anywhere, Is there a valid reason? I am waiting for delivery of an S and some of this SC problems have me a bit worried. I sure hope not to have issues of course but waiting months for a fix is unacceptable, X problems or not.

 

[xav-]

When I read stories like this I keep myself wondering.. These guys are planning to ship 500k cars in 2018. How is this even remotely going to happen?

 

[twonius]

When I read stories like this I keep myself wondering.
. These guys are planning to ship 500k cars in 2018. How is this even remotely going to happen?

It's not

 

[Gizmotoy]

It's not

That's old. 2 months ago Tesla moved up their 500k guidance from 2020 to 2018.

I'm not sure I believe them, but that's what they're saying now.

 

[Chopr147]

Yea, delivery problems now? When "only" some tens of thousands are being ordered and delivered. It appears Tesla will not make their 100,000 sales target this year. HAving said that it still is pretty cool custom ordering a car and getting delivery in 6-8 weeks. But they need to really ramp it up big time in the next year and a half. I sincerely hope Tesla can somehow accomplish 500,000 by 2018