Dispute Resolution - Ncds / Screen Defects / Anyone Ever Try This?

[re04586]

Hey all - I just disputed this with Tesla's third party arbitration program. I just opted to do it over a phone hearing at home. They ruled in my favor! They were given 30 days to fix it with no delay. Amusing since they had me argue against their managing council of product liability. hahaha. ( Ryan McCarthy with Tesla ) He tried to pull a stunt and lie - claiming they were rolling out a healing fix currently. He also tried to claim it was only visible when the car was off, not when in use. Stupid arguments but be careful of the slick corporate attorney. ( of course when I called Tesla Service later, curious about their fix they are currently rolling out - they said they were months away from a "firmware fix." )

I called the service center to have it replaced today - they of course interrupted me and went on for a minute about how they have a firmware fix coming in a few months and it is a cosmetic issue - blah blah

Felt good telling her they are forced to replace it after she was done blabbing! They're ordering my screen and scheduled an appointment for replacement.

Glad I don't have to sue them ... This is a cosmetic issue? You're going to fix it with firmware? Can you repaint my car with a firmware fix too? Give me a break ...

From this thread:
Update from Tesla service on screen yellowing

 

[re04586]

Agreed.

Having said that, hypothetically speaking, let me take Tesla attorney in a made to believe arbitration process.

Mr./Ms. Arbitrator: Mr. Tesla, you stated the yellowish screen is a cosmetic issue and thus not covered u dear warranty then why did Tesla replaced those previously?

Mr. Tesla: Sir/Madam, we’re truly sorry but we made a mistake previously by replacing those. The error was due to our lack of in-depth know how back then of that particular item. Our engineers however recently discovered, after exhausting testing, that it is indeed just a cosmetic issue and it will not interfere with normal daily use of said item.

Mr./Ms. Arbitrator: Ahhh, I see. Well, then I rule for you Mr. Tesla.

I have never been through an arbitration process, but I would hope and expect more depth to the dialogue than in your example.

Followup questions/rebuttal:
- Let's talk about this cosmetic issue, is this issue not from a "material defect"?
- The warranty explicitly state that it covers "material defects."
- Additionally, the warranty explicitly excludes cosmetic defects only for surface or cosmetic corrosion
- Is Tesla's stance that if my white seats turn orange, my red painted car turned blue, none of these would be covered because they could be considered cosmetic?

 

[ACA Man]

I have never been through an arbitration process, but I would hope and expect more depth to the dialogue than in your example.

Followup questions/rebuttal:
- Let's talk about this cosmetic issue, is this issue not from a "material defect"?
- The warranty explicitly state that it covers "material defects."
- Additionally, the warranty explicitly excludes cosmetic defects only for surface or cosmetic corrosion
- Is Tesla's stance that if my white seats turn orange, my red painted car turned blue, none of these would be covered because they could be considered cosmetic?

I typed up my previous post prior to you posted the link to the now-resolved case so I’d say we now have a precedent so any arbitration of the same screen situation from now on is in the customers’ favor.

 

[P100D_Me]

Their position is as long as it's cosmetic, they don't need to fix it but they did fix these mismatched door colors below so their position is very a contradiction:

How on earth does that even leave the assembly line, yet alone get past visual quality inspections, dealer pre-delivery checks? Are things really this bad at Tesla?

 

[Ken7]

How on earth does that even leave the assembly line, yet alone get past visual quality inspections, dealer pre-delivery checks? Are things really this bad at Tesla?

Is that picture real or photoshopped? I too find it hard to believe that got passed inspectors...unless they’re now hiring the blind.

 

[Droschke]

Maybe that's all true but that is not what Tesla's position.

Its position is very clear: "a cosmetic anomaly, which has NO impact on performance, function, or reliability".

Their position is as long as it's cosmetic, they don't need to fix it but they did fix these mismatched door colors below so their position is very a contradiction:

I've a hard time to believe this is real. Also a $78,000 model 3? Something not right with the story. Can it be a temporary panel installed by SC till the right part comes in?

 

[Tam]

I've a hard time to believe this is real. Also a $78,000 model 3? Something not right with the story. Can it be a temporary panel installed by SC till the right part comes in?

I don't see why it's hard to believe.

Most likely, Tesla does not want to admit that it's the deliberate system to prioritize in a production number and to keep churning out cars at the expense of quality.

 

[Tam]

Is that picture real or photoshopped? I too find it hard to believe that got passed inspectors...unless they’re now hiring the blind.

We are human so mistakes happen.

It's a public tweet and Tesla admitted the mistake and fixed those doors but it never promised to fix the system (quantity versus quality).

 

[Droschke]

Tesla admitted the mistake and fixed those doors

OK. I missed that part.

 

[Tam]

OK. I missed that part.

That's why Tesla is still installing the problematic displays that leaked glue for prior S / X and turned to yellow border for recent S / X.

If Quality Department has a say in it, it would shut down the factory line until these display problems are corrected.

Since the Productivity Department can overrule the Quality Department, Tesla just goes ahead and delivers as many as possible then let the owners, Service Centers, Arbitrators, Courts... figure it out afterward.

 

[Droschke]

That's why Tesla is still installing the problematic displays that leaked glue for prior S / X and turned to yellow border for recent S / X.

If Quality Department has a say in it, it would shut down the factory line until these display problems are corrected.

Since the Productivity Department can overrule the Quality Department, Tesla just goes ahead and delivers as many as possible then let the owners, Service Centers, Arbitrators, Courts... figure it out afterward.

I'm not sure they have a QA team anymore

 

[Mary Starfnbu]

How on earth does that even leave the assembly line, yet alone get past visual quality inspections, dealer pre-delivery checks? Are things really this bad at Tesla?

This made me laugh. I grew up near Detroit when you ordered your car EXACTLY like you wanted. When you got the call with the date it was scheduled to come off the assembly line, if it was Monday or Friday, you cancelled the order. Monday and Friday cars were notorious for assembly errors. The rest of the days of the week were not that great either. Planned obsolescence was something I learned about in HS Econ, and Detroit was the example. I've always felt it wasn't until the arrival of the Volkswagen Beetle that Detroit started taking an interest in reliability. In a way, I was sort of prepared for some problems with a developing technological marvel when we bought the Tesla. So far so good.

 

[P100D_Me]

Is that picture real or photoshopped? I too find it hard to believe that got passed inspectors...unless they’re now hiring the blind.

It'll be real, I've experienced similar myself with a certain Detroit brand about 4 or 5 years ago. Certain parts of an interior upgrade package got left out and different ones installed, I got a full refund on the package and got to keep some of the mismatched upgrades....I quickly overcame the disappointment. Actually that car was terrible, panel alignment and paint match on par with a Russian built Lada.

 

[BPeter]

How is it so hard to believe that someone might not notice this?

When you're looking at hundreds or even thousands of cars a day, are you REALLY going to notice that the color on one side is different from the color on the other side? I know this would slip right past me.

 

[trm2]

I'm not sure they have a QA team anymore

I'm not sure they ever had one.

 

[Droschke]

I'm not sure they ever had one.

They definitely did when I bought the car 4 years ago. The sw quality was decent (v6, v7, or even the early v8).

 

[Gixx1300R]

Here is another theory. Tesla uses the Innolux G170J1-LE1 LCD Display Panel, The Innolux corporation Headquarters are in Zhunan, Miaoli and Taiwan. It is possible that tariffs are going to cost Tesla a lot of money to replace the screens unless Innolux also eats some of the cost to replace under warranty.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

How on earth does that even leave the assembly line, yet alone get past visual quality inspections, dealer pre-delivery checks? Are things really this bad at Tesla?

Yes, things are this bad at Tesla. They've always been this bad. A Model S owner was given a brand new car with a hole—A F'ING HOLE—in the passenger side A-pillar a few years ago. If you want a vehicle manufactured to a very high quality standard, run away from Tesla and wait for the German competition.

Quality has never been one of Tesla's top priorities. But video games, they're super important...

 

[jdking]

I think there would be many of us interested in your results, please keep us updated.

A Model X owner has an affirmative response from NCDS on this issue today. I am trying to reference their case and will post the information.

 

[jdking]

The arbitration is a joke.

First, you’re required to be there but Tesla is not and thus the process is done via conference call to Fremont.
And the arbitrator is not technically knowledgeable enough about EV and Tesla and so he/she will take whatever Tesla presented to him/her as the final say.

It’s a waste of time.

Not true. A Model X driver just received a favorable outcome through this process today (6/24). Search under the Model X section