Confirmation - you can add accessory or towing package after delivery

[ecarfan]

So yeah, retrofitting a tow hitch for an European Model X is possible, if you are willing to drive to Austria.

Those Austrians are so helpul!

I thought that you wanted Tesla to produce a document saying that a non-factory hitch installed onto your car could tow a certain amount of weight.

My apologies for misinterpreting your post!

It does seem reasonable that, for an X without a factory tow hitch, if Tesla installs a factory hitch the owner could ask for a formal document from Tesla about what the car can then tow. But that information is already in the Model X user manual, right?

 

[Zuikkis]

Those Austrians are so helpul!

I thought that you wanted Tesla to produce a document saying that a non-factory hitch installed onto your car could tow a certain amount of weight.

My apologies for misinterpreting your post!

It does seem reasonable that, for an X without a factory tow hitch, if Tesla installs a factory hitch the owner could ask for a formal document from Tesla about what the car can then tow. But that information is already in the Model X user manual, right?

In the US it works like that.

But in the EU, Tesla has for some reason different "type approval" for cars without factory hitch. All official papers say "0kg allowed towing weight" for such cars. Most service centers just say "the approval can't be changed, it is what it is".

Now I got a document which essentially says that Tesla has now fitted all parts and software to make my car match the cars with factory hitch, and the type approval can be changed.

 

[Mulstad]

Turns out you were wrong.

Tesla Austria Linz service center retrofitted the hitch and ordered an approval document directly from Tesla Fremont... Can't be more official than that. It has the new EU type approval number and the new allowed weights, with my name and VIN so it applies specifically to my car only.

So yeah, retrofitting a tow hitch for an European Model X is possible, if you are willing to drive to Austria. They don't give the paper unless you do the installation there.

But, there are far worse excuses for a few weeks family road trip..

Now the bigger question is, why don't other sevice centers offer this, if Fremont really is able to provide the support? To my understanding Tesla Austria is the only country that currently does this, and even in there it's probably only the Linz/Traun SeC ..

This is really interesting!!

I've managed to buy a 2017 MX here in Norway without the towbar and hitch, and my service center are not willing to offer any solution for a retrofit.
They claim it's due to different VIN approval documentation, separating the one model with, and the one without the bar/hitch. This correlates with what you mentioned earlier.

I have found a North American service bulletin (SB-16-90-003) that states the following:
Additionally, the Full Tow Package is available as a retrofit for customers who did not originally order a tow package or Accessories Hitch with their vehicle.
The bulletin even includes the parts with part number required for the installation.

It further divides this into two part numbers:
1 : The ones who had pre-installed trailer hitch, and wants to upgrade to Full Tow Package:
Part: 1111274-00-A

2 : The vehicles who has standard bumper assembly, and wants to upgrade to Full Tow Package:
Part: 1111273-00-A

The heading of the service bulletin is named with large fonts: Towing Package Retrofit, which for a brief moment made me ecstatic, but further reading shows Country/region North America, so I guess it only applies there.
I wonder if there's ever been a service bulletin that states/gives the same options for Europe?

Could you by any chance give me the part number you got on the installation in Linz.
Having a European part number should get me one step closer to a solution.

Best
Mulstad, Norway

 

[Zuikkis]

There is an older version of the same document which includes the European part numbers. I attached it here.

I'm sure they won't do it in Norway, just like they didn't in Finland. You can prove me wrong.

Just drive to Austria like I did, it's a beautiful country.

I'm not sure about Norwegian approvals though, are they happy with EU documents?

 

[Zuikkis]

I actually wrote a blog about my trip to Austria:

tesla:vetokoukku [Teemun turailut]

zuikk.is

It's in Finnish, but you can use Google translate.

At the end there's blurred scan of the Tesla document. You could show this to your local SC and ask what they think.

Then go to Austria when that fails. It makes a great story, I was interviewed by Finnish car magazine.. they asked Tesla for a comment but Tesla failed to reply.

 

[Mulstad]

I actually wrote a blog about my trip to Austria:

tesla:vetokoukku [Teemun turailut]

zuikk.is

It's in Finnish, but you can use Google translate.

At the end there's blurred scan of the Tesla document. You could show this to your local SC and ask what they think.

Then go to Austria when that fails. It makes a great story, I was interviewed by Finnish car magazine.. they asked Tesla for a comment but Tesla failed to reply.

Thank you so much for our reply.
Norway er obligated to use the same document certifications and directives that EU uses for towing hitch, due to the EØS agreement. This in addition to a Norwegian law, regulating the terms and conditions.
You managed to get a great trip out of the needed towing bar install!!
I've sent an email to Tesla Linz, and are waiting for reply.
They have moved to a new location i Linz, but hopefully so did the the persons making your install...

 

[Mulstad]

I actually wrote a blog about my trip to Austria:

tesla:vetokoukku [Teemun turailut]

zuikk.is

It's in Finnish, but you can use Google translate.

At the end there's blurred scan of the Tesla document. You could show this to your local SC and ask what they think.

Then go to Austria when that fails. It makes a great story, I was interviewed by Finnish car magazine.. they asked Tesla for a comment but Tesla failed to reply.

Tesla Norway is not willing to help with anything regarding a retrofit of the tow unit. They claim that the service bulletin with revisions are old, and the newer revisions only apply for North America and Asia. In short, they do NOT retrofit the towing package here in Norway.

Sent an email to sales_linz but so far no reply.

Quite frustrating, but I'm not giving up just yet.
How did you find Linz to be the one service institution that actually could be pragmatic enough to perform this service btw?

 

[Mulstad]

I actually wrote a blog about my trip to Austria:

tesla:vetokoukku [Teemun turailut]

zuikk.is

It's in Finnish, but you can use Google translate.

At the end there's blurred scan of the Tesla document. You could show this to your local SC and ask what they think.

Then go to Austria when that fails. It makes a great story, I was interviewed by Finnish car magazine.. they asked Tesla for a comment but Tesla failed to reply.

Hi,
I tried to message you in reply , but it seems I’ve got to few posts, to be allowed to do so. I get only error, referring to possible spam or illegal content
Anyways, thanks for all your help my friend!!