Drive unit(s) fluid service required only after 1 year?

[whitex]

The new Maintenance Plans show that the "Drive Unit(s) Fluid Service" is required after the first year, then good for another 3 or more (5 year service not listed). This is new as far as I can tell. Is there some kind of an issue recently discovered that out of the factory the drive units require fluid service after 1 year? Is there some "break in period" during which the drive units pollute their fluids more than later? If it's not changed, what are the risks? Are the older (than 1 year) cars affected and how?

 

[Veritas1980]

When I took delivery of my Model S in December, I ran into a problem with low fluid level and I had to bring it to service.

I was told that it was probably just a bit of air that had been trapped in the system that somehow wasn't removed when filling it. The error only happened after almost 2,000 km, so it must have taken some time to get to low level.

Maybe the part of the new maintenance plan with fluids is to ensure that there is correct level and all air is removed from the system?

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Mine has a 6 year, 100,000 bumper to bumper warranty. I'm not "servicing" a damn thing other than wipers and cabin air filter. If it stops working, it's already on them.

 

[MS16]

The new Maintenance Plans show that the "Drive Unit(s) Fluid Service" is required after the first year, then good for another 3 or more (5 year service not listed). This is new as far as I can tell. Is there some kind of an issue recently discovered that out of the factory the drive units require fluid service after 1 year? Is there some "break in period" during which the drive units pollute their fluids more than later? If it's not changed, what are the risks? Are the older (than 1 year) cars affected and how?

Maybe this is to address the drive unit failure problems?

This first year service doesn't show up in my owners manual, so does it not apply then? Or is there a separate maintenance schedule out there somewhere?

 

[Maximapolak]

When I took delivery of my Model S in December, I ran into a problem with low fluid level and I had to bring it to service.

I was told that it was probably just a bit of air that had been trapped in the system that somehow wasn't removed when filling it. The error only happened after almost 2,000 km, so it must have taken some time to get to low level.

Maybe the part of the new maintenance plan with fluids is to ensure that there is correct level and all air is removed from the system?

Maybe that should be a warranty thing and not maintenance. Why would I be paying for them to make sure it's ok from the factory?

 

[brkaus]

When I took delivery of my Model S in December, I ran into a problem with low fluid level and I had to bring it to service.

I was told that it was probably just a bit of air that had been trapped in the system that somehow wasn't removed when filling it. The error only happened after almost 2,000 km, so it must have taken some time to get to low level.

Maybe the part of the new maintenance plan with fluids is to ensure that there is correct level and all air is removed from the system?

This doesn't sound like a solution to the problem you mentioned. Changing the fluid would risk another air bubble I would think.

Good to know about the low fluid concern.

 

[Don85D]

I plan to ask for transaxle gear oil change during the next service. It's old school thinking but I like removing any contamination as a result of the wear in period. Gears in oil are still gears in oil no matter how wonderful synthetic lifetime fluids may be.

It's good to see that Tesla has added that step to the first service.

 

[BerTX]

As I said in a similar thread -- there was no real reason to do the first year maintenance, since they didn't really do anything. People were skipping it. Now there is something important-sounding to do. Plus they get to raise the price.

 

[Veritas1980]

Maybe that should be a warranty thing and not maintenance. Why would I be paying for them to make sure it's ok from the factory?

This doesn't sound like a solution to the problem you mentioned. Changing the fluid would risk another air bubble I would think.

Both valid points, I guess it wouldn't make much sense for this being the reason for fluid change then.

 

[Sonny Daze]

Why would I be paying for them to make sure it's ok from the factory?

Maybe they assumed since they got tens of thousands of people to pay for EAP/FSD features that don't exist, they could get people to pay for this too.

 

[Max*]

Mine has a 6 year, 100,000 bumper to bumper warranty. I'm not "servicing" a damn thing other than wipers and cabin air filter. If it stops working, it's already on them.

Yeah, I don't do regular oil changes on my ICE cars either. If my engine seizes it's on them!

 

[Max*]

As I said in a similar thread -- there was no real reason to do the first year maintenance, since they didn't really do anything. People were skipping it. Now there is something important-sounding to do. Plus they get to raise the price.

I'm very cynical, but I feel that they added the drive unit flush JUST for this reason. Lots of people on the forums were saying they'll only go in year 2, and 4. And some (like me) said just year 4.

Now with something that's done on year 1 only, it will bring some of the people who don't want to come in, in for service.

Like I said, I might just be cynical, but this is a great marketing gimmick.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Yeah, I don't do regular oil changes on my ICE cars either. If my engine seizes it's on them!

Good to hear. Save some oil

 

[whitex]

As I said in a similar thread -- there was no real reason to do the first year maintenance, since they didn't really do anything. People were skipping it. Now there is something important-sounding to do. Plus they get to raise the price.

This is to be done only once, and after one year, so it sounds like either this is to motivate people to do 1yr service (revenue source), or it's a way to get customers to pay for a non-safety-recall due to a previously unforeseen design flaw (such as unusual wear) and/or production flaw (oups, some cars went out with parts not quite as precisely machined as originally speced, or maybe some went out with less than required amount of fluid for 8 years of operation).

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

I can't find the page on Tesla's site, but this page has basically my point:

Should you buy the Tesla Pre-Paid Service Plan?

"Despite having a service plan option, Tesla still makes a bold statement stating that warranty is not impacted even if you chose to never bring your Model in for service.

Hence, my only plan is to trade it in, Feb 2019 when my warranty runs out

 

[hockeythug]

Mine has a 6 year, 100,000 bumper to bumper warranty. I'm not "servicing" a damn thing other than wipers and cabin air filter. If it stops working, it's already on them.

My thinking as well. This stuff just adds to the to my doubts regarding my Model 3 reservation. Between the lack of reliability and service centers it is now looking like a pass.

 

[182RG]

"Despite having a service plan option, Tesla still makes a bold statement stating that warranty is not impacted even if you chose to never bring your Model in for service.

They are bound by law to make this bold statement. They don't have a choice.

This is because they refuse to live under the rules of the Magnuson-Moss Act in the US. They would be in violation of federal law if they required Tesla routine service to maintain warranty status, unless they provided said routine service for free, or allowed 3rd parties and owners to perform it.

They refuse to provide owners and independent shops with manuals, parts, and tools. It's a Tesla monopoly. You gotta love their transparency and open culture.....

 

[182RG]

Mine has a 6 year, 100,000 bumper to bumper warranty. I'm not "servicing" a damn thing other than wipers and cabin air filter. If it stops working, it's already on them.

I'd do the exact same thing.

 

[Piney999]

When I took delivery of my Model S in December, I ran into a problem with low fluid level and I had to bring it to service.

I was told that it was probably just a bit of air that had been trapped in the system that somehow wasn't removed when filling it. The error only happened after almost 2,000 km, so it must have taken some time to get to low level.

Maybe the part of the new maintenance plan with fluids is to ensure that there is correct level and all air is removed from the system?

What were your symptoms when you had this problem??

 

[Veritas1980]

What were your symptoms when you had this problem??

I was picking up a friend in another city and had done around 100 km at 70-80 kph, we went on the freeway and drove for maybe 15 km at 130 kph. Suddenly I get a warning with "Reduced power, please contact Tesla service" so I suddenly have very limited acceleration.
We get to a supercharger and the error message disappears, but the service guy on the phone says it needed to go in to service which it did 5-6 days after. The error didn't reappear, and the service center topped up the liquid and did three air flushes of the system. Haven't had any problems since.