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Drive unit damaged after driving in heavy rain -- SC won't cover under warranty
- Thread starter MS1994
- Start date
MS1994
I have the exact same issue occuring right now with my 2019 Model 3. The service center is saying I drove it through water - I can assure you I did not. I also argued that this is a design flaw and not a driver issue, therefore a warranty issue. My car is still in the shop and I'm not expected to get it for another week (if that is accurate) which will mean they have had the car for almost a month. I am beyond frustated at this point. If there is any weak link in the Tesla model it is their service centers. How can I get in touch with you and your attorney.
As we have seen in some recent law suits, the warranty only covers defects in materials and workmanship. It does not cover design defects/flaws. (An exception to that would probably be if it is a safety issue that would prompt a recall.)
edit: The drive unit warranty wording is different, so it might be more inclusive. Though it could fall into the normal wear/deterioration exclusion. (If it is because of a seal failing over time with wear, which is the likely cause.)
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I am an Australian owner, and have owned my 2016 P85D for 5 years. My only need for repairs so far have been collisions on country roads, once with a kangaroo, and the once with a wombat. We have had widespread flooding in eastern NSW the past 2 weeks, and on the south coast we have had in excess of 2 feet of rain. On Tuesday, March 8th, I drove the highway 100 miles from Sydney to home. Very heavy rain, but no flooded roadways. En route, I noted a warning light that the car might not restart after stopping, so was careful to keep driving straight home. Sure enough, after getting home and unloading the car, the car shut down, and would not restart, respond to key or phone messages, and the car would not accept the charger. I am as yet waiting for it to be towed back to Sydney for service and repair, so don't know the fault, but was interested to read your account above of "drive unit damage". I note on my app that the warranty on the vehicle covers the battery and the drive unit till Sept 26, 2024,
I will return to this forum when I have more info to share, but would not expect that driving on water affected roads--a normal condition of normal driving--could disable a Tesla. If that is an expectation, it is a game changer.
I will return to this forum when I have more info to share, but would not expect that driving on water affected roads--a normal condition of normal driving--could disable a Tesla. If that is an expectation, it is a game changer.
Doesn’t help after the fact but…
“So the moral of the story is that if you happen to own a Tesla (specifically an earlier Model S) then get it inspected prior to the end of your warranty coverage and make sure that the speed sensor and its associated hardware/seals are in good condition so that water intrusion into the motor and potential motor failure can hopefully be avoided.”
insideevs.com
“So the moral of the story is that if you happen to own a Tesla (specifically an earlier Model S) then get it inspected prior to the end of your warranty coverage and make sure that the speed sensor and its associated hardware/seals are in good condition so that water intrusion into the motor and potential motor failure can hopefully be avoided.”
Beware: Older Tesla Model S Motor Might Fail If Driven In Rain
Elon Musk says Teslas can function like boats for a while, but this 2014 Tesla Model S failed when exposed to heavy rain with no flooding.
Wol747
Active Member
Yes please put any information back here as well as the Oz section - as you say there's been a bit of a damp these last two weeks.....
Yeah I don't recommend teslas to my friends and family anymore. I only recommend it to my enemies and people I hate. Anyways in the past one would be scared to sue tesla because they might band you from buying another. But now with plenty of choices, albeit lack of supply, you can easily jump ship if tesla screws you and you successfully sue them and they band you from buying another. I would definitely get a lawyer and maybe even start a class action. You might end up easily affording a better made EV.
It probably has nothing to do with driving in rain/water. It is probably from an internal leak in the cooling system. (Fairly common on the old large rear drive units.)
KArnold
Active Member
For USA folks, anyone try the arbitration route? It's binding on Telsa but not you, geared specifically to warranty items. I did so early in the "yellow screen" fiasco and won. Didn't take much time and there's nothing to lose except your time in documenting the facts and attending the hearing. See details in post #1 at Yellow screen? Force Tesla to Replace it!
This is one reason to lawyer up. it will be hard though to prove the the water came from rain on the top, not flood from the bottom.
roblab
Active Member
I've seen people drive through deep water in a gas car and get the engine flooded. I've also seen spark plugs short out. I don't know why people think that just because the car doesn't have spark plugs it can now be operated as a submarine. People that get water in their carburetor and thence into the pistons can completely ruin their engines, and believe me, it ain't covered.
YOU CANNOT DRIVE THROUGH DEEP WATER. You cannot drive fast through shallow water. In any car. In my experience, if you're not familiar with the road, and can't see it because of deep water, don't drive on it. It's just common sense. Gas cars have carburetors ON TOP of the engine, so might have a little leeway factored in, but just because electrics don't have a carburetor doesn't change things.
Sheesh. When I was learning to drive, I learned this and many other things. Nowadays I think that the licensing bureaus figure if you got to their building, you just have to be fit to drive. 'Tain't necessarily so.
YOU CANNOT DRIVE THROUGH DEEP WATER. You cannot drive fast through shallow water. In any car. In my experience, if you're not familiar with the road, and can't see it because of deep water, don't drive on it. It's just common sense. Gas cars have carburetors ON TOP of the engine, so might have a little leeway factored in, but just because electrics don't have a carburetor doesn't change things.
Sheesh. When I was learning to drive, I learned this and many other things. Nowadays I think that the licensing bureaus figure if you got to their building, you just have to be fit to drive. 'Tain't necessarily so.
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
Pay no attention to the apologist troll who apparently missed the proclamation in this thread that nobody actually drove through deep water.
We have a 2015 Model S P85D. It rained 3 times in Bay Area California since Dec 2021 to March 2022 (just normal rain, not even heavy). All 3 times my Tesla stopped driving after driving in the rain, and needed to be towed to service center! The first incident happened in Dec 2021. Tesla told us that the issue was something with the break module and the problem was resolved. Two weeks ago, we had some light rain in the area and my car stopped driving. It was towed to service center for diagnosis. They kept my car for two weeks and still could not find any issues with it. Apparently the car started working the very next day on its own when it dried up. They told me to pick up my car today and keep observing for the issue. Coincidentally, it rained today. We picked up the car from service center, drove it home in drizzles, left it in my drive way. 3 hours later we found the car not driving again! It just got towed to service center again. This is extremely frustrating, and right now we don't have any confidence with their service team to diagnose and repair the car properly. This car is like a flower, can't even drive it in the rain?!
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