Anyone get this message: Power Train Problem Service required

[RoadsterWarrior]

Anyone get this message: Power Train Problem Service required

It won't start.

I turned it off and turned it on again; same message.

I called Tesla and the very nice guys will come get it tomorrow at my office and tote it back to NYC for an evaluation.

I don't see anything here about power train problems.

 

[Eberhard]

thats error messag #1144? its the blower from the PEM. you have to hit from underneath against the spot, where the fan is located. Then the blower may start to spin again.

 

[dsm363]

That certainly doesn't sound good but at least you're close enough to a service center that if it's gone, hopefully it won't be long.

 

[Slackjaw]

Oh dear RW, sorry to hear about this! Hopefully a quick fix.

thats error messag #1144? its the fan from the PEM. you have to hit from underneath against the spot, where the fan is located. Then the fan may start to spin again.

This sounds a bit scary. Nobody likes to hit their Roadster... And in my car the biggest fan is located in the driver's seat <groan>.

Reminds me of something: My Father used to carry a hammer in the car, right by the hand brake, and told me (and any policeman who asked) that it was because he "had to tap the carburettor sometimes, as it sticks". It seemed plausible at the time. He told me later that it was really to hit someone in the face if they tried to mug him at a stop light in London.

 

[Doug_G]

"had to tap the carburettor sometimes, as it sticks". It seemed plausible at the time.

I didn't have a hammer when mine stuck, but seeing as I was accelerating uncontrollably at the time that wasn't my primary concern.

 

[samcarney]

I got this error message when I tried charging at an RV campground. The VDS was showing 256 volts @ 40 amps. I tried 40, 32, 24, 16, and 12 amps, same error. I found another place to charge (236volts@40amps) with no problem. It must have been the high voltage (256) that the roadster did not like.

Anyone get this message: Power Train Problem Service required

It won't start.

I turned it off and turned it on again; same message.

I called Tesla and the very nice guys will come get it tomorrow at my office and tote it back to NYC for an evaluation.

I don't see anything here about power train problems.

 

[S-2000 Roadster]

I got this error message when I tried charging at an RV campground. The VDS was showing 256 volts @ 40 amps. I tried 40, 32, 24, 16, and 12 amps, same error. I found another place to charge (236volts@40amps) with no problem. It must have been the high voltage (256) that the roadster did not like.

I'm not sure this is on-topic unless you got "Service required" ... I hope you didn't literally get a "Power Train Problem" message for a charging issue, but here goes:

The Tesla Roadster is probably designed to measure a maximum of 256 volts. This seems like a reasonable limitation, considering that no standard outlets are rated for anything more than 250 volts. You're really "supposed" to get 240 volts, but the 250-volt rating is to allow some overhead. I do actually get 245 to 247 volts in my garage, but more than 250 volts should signal a serious problem, like perhaps you're actually connected to 440 volts.

(after all of these stories, I don't think I'm ever going on a road trip without my trusty Fluke meter - and I wouldn't want to plug in my Roadster without double-checking the voltage ahead of time)

 

[RoadsterWarrior]

I'm not sure this is on-topic unless you got "Service required" ... I hope you didn't literally get a "Power Train Problem" message for a charging issue,


But I wasn't charging!
It was just parked at work.
It's going to be (I hope) my commuter car.

 

[S-2000 Roadster]

But I wasn't charging!
It was just parked at work.
It's going to be (I hope) my commuter car.

I think Sam Carney's report is probably completely unrelated to your experience. That's why I suggested that it might be off-topic.

I'm actually quite surprised that a Roadster 2.5 would have such a serious problem. I remember stories back in 2009 about various surprises when the first Roadster 1 models were delivered, but nothing terribly serious. I fully expected that the "new" roadsters would not have anything as bad as a no-start situation. I've had my roadster suggest that I take it in to be looked at, but never a "power train" error message or anything that actually stopped the vehicle from functioning properly.

Good luck! Keep us posted with your outcome.

 

[Doug_G]

I got a weird situation today. I tried to start up the car, and all that happened is the D/R/N/P lights lit up. That's all.

Cycled the key a few times. Gave up and got out and cycled the charge port door a few times (it also didn't light up).

Got back inside and now the VDS was responding, but claiming "Security Mode Enabled" with a big lock symbol on the screen. Eventually I figured out that using the FOB to lock and unlock the car would clear that.

Weird stuff.

 

[tep1]

Had the same problem on my 2.5

When I took it in, the Tesla ranger quickly discovered that it was the UMC that actually caused the problem. There is a chip in there that went bad on a small batch of cables. Replaced the UMC under warranty and I was back on the road.

When I saw that same message, I was very disheartened as the Roadster was only 6 months old at the time.

A quick test they had me do was to try and charge it again, and if the charge light alternated between white and red (IIRC) that was one of the tell tale signs of the problem.

In any case, I was told that the PEM goes into protection mode in case it receives a bad signal from the charge cable. Better protection mode than PEM meltdown mode...

Hope this helps calm the nerves a little...

 

[RoadsterWarrior]

Thank you!

 

[vfx]

... Gave up and got out and cycled the charge port door a few times...

Got back inside ....

You can open the charge port door while seated.

 

[Doug_G]

You can open the charge port door while seated.

I'm not sure my back can deal with reaching that far around, although I have closed it from the seat.

 

[tdevince]

Anyone get this message: Power Train Problem Service required

It won't start.

I turned it off and turned it on again; same message.

I called Tesla and the very nice guys will come get it tomorrow at my office and tote it back to NYC for an evaluation.

I don't see anything here about power train problems.

Yes, I got that error when my PEM died. Not the blower, but the PEM. They replaced my PEM and everything has been fine since

 

[Doug_G]

Yes, I got that error when my PEM died. Not the blower, but the PEM. They replaced my PEM and everything has been fine since

It may not necessarily be that serious. When I first got that car, I occasionally got that message within 30 seconds of powering up. I had to wait for the car to fully shut down, then cycle the key and start up again. It turned out to be a timing problem related to bus polling, and was fixed in firmware.

 

[RoadsterWarrior]

Tesla came and got the car on a flatbed, and is keeping my #1316 for the long weekend and replacing the battery.

Hope that is the problem.

Missed out on taking my far-flung family for thrilling rides this 4th of July!

 

[Doug_G]

Youch... at least it was something, uh, minor.

 

[doug]

That sucks. No loaner?

 

[RoadsterWarrior]

No, Tesla very nicely offered to pay for a rental car. But I don't need it.
I hope to see it back late Friday night.....