CPO - Drive Unit Replacement

[Rudr]

I put down the payment for a MS 85 CPO on 06/02. At that time I was told that it would take about 4 weeks for the car to be ready for delivery. I did ask for an early delivery if possible, as I wanted to take a road trip when my parents visit at the end of the month. There was radio silence for a couple of weeks after I put down my order, with very little information on either the car or the progress (I did receive pics of the car). I was also told that the the pano roof would be replaced and that was taking some time.

Earlier this week, it was finally confirmed that I might be able to pick up the car tomorrow (06/23). However there was no progress on my loan application and it was a scramble to get everything lined up in time. Now, this morning, I was told that the drive unit needs to be replaced and this is going to delay the delivery by about 2 weeks.

Having reviewed other threads on this forum, I had very low expectations to start off with. It is a hit or a miss with Tesla CPO, and I guess it is a miss in my case. The whole process has been fraught no or incorrect communication. On the other hand, should I feel re-assured that they are atleast attempting to be thorough in the re-furbishment process?

Now that I am done venting, my question is - any other CPO buyers in a similar situation? Is the drive unit replacement a common feature or does it indicate additional underlying concerns?

 

[Cyclone]

A drive unit replacement is not a cause for concern. There are a myriad of reasons why it could be done, with most of them NOT related to catastrophic failure, but to nuisances. Mine has been replaced two or three times due to slack and a myriad of noises. None of those would have left me stranded.

 

[Zaphod]

What model year and what does your VIN end in? I am assuming it is a 2013.

 

[Boourns]

Everything you have experienced is normal. DU replacements are maybe the most common repair on early cars. I had mine done under CPO warranty with no issues. Even though the CPO process needs improvement, Tesla service has been exemplary in my experience.

 

[MP3Mike]

Now, this morning, I was told that the drive unit needs to be replaced and this is going to delay the delivery by about 2 weeks.

If you need the car now, ask them if the DU is good enough and if you can take delivery of the car now and then bring it back once they have the necessary parts in stock. (The most common reason for a DU replacement is noise, but it should still be perfectly drivable.)

 

[Fusion]

You should be happy they are giving you a new drive unit right away. You are basically getting a car with a new engine per say.

 

[Rudr]

Mine has been replaced two or three times due to slack and a myriad of noises.

- Wow - 2 to 3 times - that is very interesting. Maybe it is a function of electric cars and no big deal - this is my first electric car - so I guess I will get used to the concept!

What model year and what does your VIN end in? I am assuming it is a 2013

Yes, it is a 2013 model - VIN is P27XXX. The car was a loaner earlier - I am not sure how to interpret that info though!

If you need the car now, ask them if the DU is good enough and if you can take delivery of the car now and then bring it back once they have the necessary parts in stock

I asked about this option, but I was told that they would really prefer not to drive the car until the refurbishment process is complete. As the car is local, I had a chance to inspect it and from what I could see, it was in a very good state considering the miles (34K).

You should be happy they are giving you a new drive unit right away. You are basically getting a car with a new engine per say.

Thats true. I do appreciate the work they are doing - if only the communication was more accurate.
It looks like it is going to be a couple of weeks more before delivery. The SA did mention that they are reaching end of month and all hand are usually on deck for new deliveries.

Thank you all for your input - I really appreciate your comments.

 

[cardoe]

Tesla identified an issue with DU's from 2013/2014 vehicles. I also purchased a service loaner CPO. Looking through the service history of the car it was identified and never replaced so it seems like they deferred this maintenance until the car was purchased. I wouldn't be too terribly concerned.

 

[bharned3]

When I bought my CPO i had about a 2 week delay for transportation issues and then they said they wanted to replace the drive unit cause it was noisy. I was more than okay with that. I would prefer that it was in good shape before i took it. After that things went smooth and i love the car. Good luck

 

[Haymaker]

I am currently on my second cpo model S. My first (2013 60kwh) didn't make it out of chicago before it left me stranded. (one of the worst experiences of my life. I'd be glad to write it all out if anyone is interested.) They replaced the drive unit and I didn't have any issue for the duration that I owned the car. I think it had about 65,000 miles on it when the unit was replaced. My current CPO model S 85 is a late 2013 model bought last summer. Last weekend it went into "limp mode" where the car limits how much power is put to the motor and repeatedly tells you to call tesla service. Didn't strand me on the side of the road but was not drivable for any distance. Heard from tesla service yesterday that they are replacing the drive unit. The car has about 81,000 miles on it. So, that's 2 cpo cars from 2013 and 2 drive units due to failure, not just noise.