Damage from tire rotation, Tesla's fault!!

[tessy_ftw]

After Tesla mobile service came to rotate my tires. I see the trim is damaged. Not sure how to fix it, if Tesla will fix it and not sure if the battery is damaged...

Very upsetting because I paid 2-4x normal tire rotation price to avoid risk of damage. But the tech didn't use jack pads and just balanced it all on the middle of the car to save time.

 

[Resist]

What?!!!!!

 

[jmaddr]

You car needs a wash, but it appears the issue is just the trim having a gap to the body panel? If so have you tried just slamming it back in?

 

[TMThree]

My local tesla mobile techs also do not use jack pads.

 

[03DSG]

If that’s the black plastic lower rocker trim it appears one of the fastening clips has popped out. Bang it back in with your hand.

I bought my own set of jack pads and keep them in the trunk.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

What a maroon!

The less a "pro" touches your car, the better. Ridiculous to not use the factory specified jack points on any car, much less one with a very expensive battery at risk.

 

[polyphonic54]

It's one thing to not use jack pads, but another entirely to disregard Tesla's jacking instructions and use the middle of the pack. There are only 4 points this car can be lifted from.

In the future, get the pucks and use discount tire (or other). Ask them to jack up the car on the pads.

 

[RC2785]

May want to report it to Tesla, because the tech will probably do it to others as well until they're stopped.

 

[MidwestM3P]

This is why I do my own work, at least as much as I reasonably can. Even the "pros" will try to take shortcuts.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

This is why I do my own work, at least as much as I reasonably can. Even the "pros" will try to take shortcuts.

They all absolutely have to take shortcuts due to their pay structure. They try to take the shortcuts that you can’t see or prove. It’s that way at every dealer, which is why dealers do some of the worst repair work and often charge for things they don’t do like brake fluid changes. You’ll only know they didn’t do it if you change the brake fluid right afterwards and they know you won’t or you wouldn’t have paid them to do it in the first place. And you’ll never pin a brake system failure on them years down the road.

It’s a very bad system that promotes bad behavior for increased profits. If you don’t do your own work, you’re getting scammed guaranteed. Lots of youtube videos of undercover cameras proving it happens all the time.

Plus there is absolutely no checks and balances. No independent inspectors to review work in progress and most make sure you aren’t able to confirm what they are and aren’t doing even if you know what you’re doing.

 

[Webeevdrivers]

If that’s the black plastic lower rocker trim it appears one of the fastening clips has popped out. Bang it back in with your hand.

I bought my own set of jack pads and keep them in the trunk.

Where did you get them.

Thank you.

 

[tvad]

May want to report it to Tesla, because the tech will probably do it to others as well until they're stopped.

Agree with reporting it so the tech can be educated to the proper jack technique, or admonished for his shoddy work. It costs the company money to fix technician errors.

IMO, if one has access to a trusted tire and alignment shop (that has worked on Tesla cars) then that’s where alignments and rotations should be performed.

Forget Tesla for now. They’re just getting up to speed on service quality, whereas established shops have years, if not decades of experience.

 

[lynnpt2001]

Did your sentry mode record the event?

 

[lynnpt2001]

Agree with reporting it so the tech can be educated to the proper jack technique, or admonished for his shoddy work. It costs the company money to fix technician errors.

IMO, if one has access to a trusted tire and alignment shop (that has worked on Tesla cars) then that’s where alignments and rotations should be performed.

Forget Tesla for now. They’re just getting up to speed on service quality, whereas established shops have years, if not decades of experience.

Agreed, the last tech that came to the house was a newbie from an Audi dealer...

 

[polyphonic54]

IMO, if one has access to a trusted tire and alignment shop (that has worked on Tesla cars) then that’s where alignments and rotations should be performed.

I want to add that you still have to follow the manual. My discount tire said they work on Teslas all the time, but they wanted to use crossbar lifts. I absolutely believe them, but they have been doing it wrong. I showed them the manual and they brought out floor jacks.

It's not a big deal for them, but you've got to specify (and bring pucks).

 

[ry-ballz]

The trim should pop right back on

 

[dmurphy]

They’re just getting up to speed on service quality, whereas established shops have years, if not decades of experience.

Do you mean service quality like the Nissan dealer who left his stethoscope sitting on the valve cover?

or the Ford dealer who forgot to tighten the lug nuts on my left rear wheel?

Time in business has zero correlation with service quality.

 

[Mrcarcrazy]

Mine had a clip not seated (on both sides of the car) when I got the car I assume. The first time I put it on the lift I noticed. Pushed on the trim and both went right to where they should. Zero issues since.

 

[03DSG]

Where did you get them.

Thank you.

Here’s a set identical to mine at a much lower price than I paid 18 months ago. Amazon.ca:

https://www.amazon.ca/Seven-Sparta-...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[PianoAl]

Actually, this is another reason to buy a spare tire. If I get a nail, I'll remove the tire and either put the spare on to drive to a tire shop or use the spare to hold up the car while I take the bad tire to a tire shop.