are these misalignments acceptable?

[dark]

Hi All,

I want to get some references from your Model X. to check if any of you have these alignment issues. I took my X to service twice, each visit my X was there for 1 week to align the FWD, bumper, garnish and chrome bell.

After spending 2 visits, total of 2 weeks. I was told that this is the best they can do which are still pretty mess up.

Are all Model X like that? should I accept this or go back to service?

 

[D.E.]

If this is a new car you have every right to expect panels to fit properly, to align properly, gaps to be even and symmetrical.

Whether or not they all are like this isn't germaine.

You bought a high end automobile. Fit and finish should be consistent with that high end class of cars. If your service center cannot bring your car up to the standard, then they'll need to look into other options to provide you with a car that does measure up.

If the panels cannot be made to properly fit, there may be an underlying cause.

If this is not a new car, if it has been repaired in the past, then all bets are off.

 

[BerTX]

I have pretty limited Service Center experience (knock on Figured Ash Wood), but I have noticed that if you have a list of issues, they sometimes don't all get addressed. Go in with JUST the panel alignment as the issue.

Also, there are only a few technicians (or maybe only one) that are really good at correcting these issues at a particular SC. If that person was busy or out the day you took your car in, then it likely didn't get looked at. Or maybe they spent all the allotted time working on the doors.

 

[outie]

If this is a new car you have every right to expect panels to fit properly, to align properly, gaps to be even and symmetrical.

Whether or not they all are like this isn't germaine.

You bought a high end automobile. Fit and finish should be consistent with that high end class of cars. If your service center cannot bring your car up to the standard, then they'll need to look into other options to provide you with a car that does measure up.

If the panels cannot be made to properly fit, there may be an underlying cause.

If this is not a new car, if it has been repaired in the past, then all bets are off.

When I asked them to fix my quarter panel glass (passenger side) because it's sticking out compared to their side, this was their reply after several replacements:

After replacing it it's good but after the silicon dried it's sticking out again. Tried twice same thing. So we checked the other vehicles on the lot and we observed that all cars are like that, with the exception that your driver side quarter glass is the ONLY car that looks aligned compared to others.

Uh ok?

In my experience SC doesn't really treat these cars as high end cars.

 

[D.E.]

If the car wasn't designed to have the passenger side glass sticking out and misaligned, then they need to get it installed properly. If it is initially aligned then misaligned when the silicon cures, it is probably shifting. It should be possible to hold the glass in position as it cures.

I'm not involved so I may have a bad take on things, but I do some woodworking and I am familiar with things moving if they aren't clamped. There are a lot of ways to hold things in position. There is tape. If one needs to pull the glass in toward the center of the vehicle as the adhesive cures, one could use 2 suction cups, one on the drivers side glass and one on the passenger side glass. A rope can pull the suction cups toward one another. The point is that there are ways to achieve various types of clamping pressure if that is the problem. To see the Tesla technicians throw up their hands and give up without thinking about how to fix it properly isn't best for you. Maybe there is a better skillset present at another SC. Maybe it is worthwhile to consult a non Tesla glass specialist. Perhaps there is someone more skilled further up the Tesla repair chain of command.

I can't believe it is in Tesla's best interest to have cars with glass that isn't installed properly. People look at things like that. Future customers look at fit and finish of cars that they see out and about. Ever seen a Lexus with glass that isn't installed perfectly? So that future customer thinking Tesla vs Lexus, then he sees your slipshod glass installation, he'll think Tesla has some refining to do before he spends his hundred grand. In 10 years or so, Lexus will have a powerful electric SUV. So will BMW. And Audi, Porsche, Nissan, Hundai, and every other manufacturer. Their glass won't be crooked. Yours shouldn't be, either.
Perhaps those technicians have so many other responsibilities that their glass installation skillset isn't the best. But there is skill somewhere. You just need to find it. BTW, ill fitting glass commonly causes whistling at high speed. That is another reason to have it installed skillfully and properly.

 

[rjdoc74]

What a disaster. I am so sorry OP. This is clearly unacceptable. I can not believe new cars are still rolling off assembly line like this.

 

[dark]

so.. are you all saying you don't have this type of issues with your X and the fitment is flawless?

 

[D.E.]

I don't have an X. My S fitment is good.

 

[buttershrimp]

"If the gap doesn't fit, you must acquit!" I believe was the famous quote made by that fancy Jimmy Cockring during the Apple Juice Trial I think....

Seems to apply here clearly.

 

[UG2BKdnMe]

I have a similar misalignment on the spine. However, I almost don't want to get it fixed because my FWDs work perfectly, so I'm afraid it may cause problems if they aligned the doors

 

[Pandamoanium]

When I see these posts, I start to wonder how many people local to me have complained about this. Mine has some spots worse than what's posted here and I haven't brought it up. The last thing you want is for the SC to know and purposefully avoid you... Customer service with Tesla is unfortunately not up to par with other high end car makers; but it feels like Tesla knows and doesn't care.

 

[dark]

When I see these posts, I start to wonder how many people local to me have complained about this. Mine has some spots worse than what's posted here and I haven't brought it up. The last thing you want is for the SC to know and purposefully avoid you... Customer service with Tesla is unfortunately not up to par with other high end car makers; but it feels like Tesla knows and doesn't care.

I owned a S since 2014, customer service is getting worse every year, but they pretend to care.

 

[Pandamoanium]

I owned a S since 2014, customer service is getting worse every year, but they pretend to care.

It's bad enough that they don't even pretend anymore. Even the simple things which benefit them seems like an annoyance.

One thing which is surprising, is that my past manufactures would welcome an early drop off or work out of their way to send someone to pickup and drop my car off, all while being happy about it (money is a strong motivator). With Tesla, mention an early drop off and they'll be annoyed and avoid it!

 

[KarenRei]

Misalignment affects aero. Aero affects range. I wouldn't accept it.