I can't decide whether to be sad or angry, (probably both) but my new Tesla model S has a glaring quality problem worthy of a 1970 K car. Actually the doors fo the Plymouth wagon that I had during the K car era fit much better. (It had other problems, though, that were much more serious)
So far my new S has also dumped the front skid plate on the ground when the compressed air suspension failed, leaving two palm-sized scars on the skid plate.Tesla says compressor failure, but it looks more like a software bug to me, and yesterday a new software package was downloaded that says "your car might raise and lower during the upgrade". This is a tender section of the anatomy of a car that had a notorious fire when debris went through this area after the car hit debris on the highway. A savvy Tesla buyer will look at these scars and ask about hidden damage, then move on to another car to buy. Understanding this problem, Tesla has agreed to replace the skid plate.
Don't get me wrong-- I love the car. The Tesla is 95% wonder car. It's the closest thing to flying I have found. But that last 5% should never have happened in a car this expensive, and I am so far not impressed by Tesla's understanding of quality programs--or their willingness to treat it as a serious defect. They need to do whatever it takes--including bringing the car back to the factory for analysis--to get to the bottom of this. So far it looks like the door and the opening are different sizes/shapes.
The Tesla S driver's side door is worst: it bangs when it closes, and fits so poorly that you must slam it to get it to close all the way. The inner door panel pops off and a 1/2" crack opens up between it and the window. There is a bad air leak in the upper window and the door is visibly misaligned on the outside. I hate to look in the left side rear view mirror because it reminds me of the problem. The wind noise is so bad that the voice recognition software can't understand simple numbers at highway speed. There is a bad air leak right next to my left ear. Long trips are almost painful.
It has been this way since I received it brand new a month or so ago. Tesla sent a technician up, who worked on the car all day one Saturday. She was polite, friendly and worked very hard to fix it. But didn't improve the problem. The noise level is actually worse.
This would be totally unacceptable in a Ford or Chevy. In a very expensive luxury car it's an unbelievable quality failure.
Tesla passes this off as "a minor service issue". This is a little like passing a crack in the wing spar of a 787 off as a "minor cosmetic flaw"...
This is not a problem to be addressed by a service call. It is a glaring quality failure in a car that came directly from the factory this way. I fear that Tesla does not understand how bad this kind of quality performance will get when they begin the ramp for Model 3. A long time ago my wife had a Datsun 1600 that had these kinds of problems. We unloaded it as fast as we could, because other problems came in waves: antifreeze leaks, oil leaks, rips in the upholstery, etc.
The Datsun story eventually had a positive outcome, including a name and image change for the company who made it. Japanese auto makers in general subsequently made quality a high priority and cleaned up their act, and cleaned up in the market.
These are different times. Car companies do not get the leeway they got in the era of smog pumps and peeling paint. Has Tesla learned anything from the near-demise of the American car industry?
Has anyone had similar problems? Can anyone help me get Tesla's ear? I'm seriously considering using the Lemon Law to get them to replace my new car.
Disillusioned in Boise....
So far my new S has also dumped the front skid plate on the ground when the compressed air suspension failed, leaving two palm-sized scars on the skid plate.Tesla says compressor failure, but it looks more like a software bug to me, and yesterday a new software package was downloaded that says "your car might raise and lower during the upgrade". This is a tender section of the anatomy of a car that had a notorious fire when debris went through this area after the car hit debris on the highway. A savvy Tesla buyer will look at these scars and ask about hidden damage, then move on to another car to buy. Understanding this problem, Tesla has agreed to replace the skid plate.
Don't get me wrong-- I love the car. The Tesla is 95% wonder car. It's the closest thing to flying I have found. But that last 5% should never have happened in a car this expensive, and I am so far not impressed by Tesla's understanding of quality programs--or their willingness to treat it as a serious defect. They need to do whatever it takes--including bringing the car back to the factory for analysis--to get to the bottom of this. So far it looks like the door and the opening are different sizes/shapes.
The Tesla S driver's side door is worst: it bangs when it closes, and fits so poorly that you must slam it to get it to close all the way. The inner door panel pops off and a 1/2" crack opens up between it and the window. There is a bad air leak in the upper window and the door is visibly misaligned on the outside. I hate to look in the left side rear view mirror because it reminds me of the problem. The wind noise is so bad that the voice recognition software can't understand simple numbers at highway speed. There is a bad air leak right next to my left ear. Long trips are almost painful.
It has been this way since I received it brand new a month or so ago. Tesla sent a technician up, who worked on the car all day one Saturday. She was polite, friendly and worked very hard to fix it. But didn't improve the problem. The noise level is actually worse.
This would be totally unacceptable in a Ford or Chevy. In a very expensive luxury car it's an unbelievable quality failure.
Tesla passes this off as "a minor service issue". This is a little like passing a crack in the wing spar of a 787 off as a "minor cosmetic flaw"...
This is not a problem to be addressed by a service call. It is a glaring quality failure in a car that came directly from the factory this way. I fear that Tesla does not understand how bad this kind of quality performance will get when they begin the ramp for Model 3. A long time ago my wife had a Datsun 1600 that had these kinds of problems. We unloaded it as fast as we could, because other problems came in waves: antifreeze leaks, oil leaks, rips in the upholstery, etc.
The Datsun story eventually had a positive outcome, including a name and image change for the company who made it. Japanese auto makers in general subsequently made quality a high priority and cleaned up their act, and cleaned up in the market.
These are different times. Car companies do not get the leeway they got in the era of smog pumps and peeling paint. Has Tesla learned anything from the near-demise of the American car industry?
Has anyone had similar problems? Can anyone help me get Tesla's ear? I'm seriously considering using the Lemon Law to get them to replace my new car.
Disillusioned in Boise....
