First Tesla - Model 3 SR+ Multiple problems since pickup

[Nozferat]

If Tesla let owners test drive the car prior to its delivery acceptance, you could have detected it prior to paying the final payment.

When paying for a brand new car, owners should not bring home problems that the Quality Assurance missed.

Tesla way just doesn't make sense. This is nuts!

I agree. We picked up ours on 1/31 and frankly I've been very disappointed with both the service and the overall quality of this vehicle. I've been driving EVs for the last 8 years and never seen such quality snags as you see in Teslas. These are not cheap vehicles by any stretch of the word and they should not be having quality problems you'd expect to see on budget American rental cars. Clearly Quality Assurance is not doing what they are supposed to do at Tesla and I can only attribute it to the Laissez-faire attitude that millennials have these days about everything...half asleep, dismissive, and, frankly incompetent. I do not understand the severe cognitive dissonance fanboys have towards these cars. If the wheels fall off while on the freeway, they'll find a way to justify it.

 

[Nozferat]

So I picked up my brand new Model 3 SR+ in October after months of patiently waiting and having my pick-up date pushed back multiple times. As soon as I left the dealership I started running into issues with the software (the proximity lines around the car on the display were completely surrounding the car in red and orange lines, basically telling me the car was colliding with something on all sides. I called Tesla as soon as I got home and they told me they could not see my car until a little over a week later (I was annoyed at this but let it slide, why would they not tell me to bring it right back in?).

So a week later a service member comes to my house and says the camera on the right side of my vehicle is not working and that they would need to replace it. The service technician told me that the camera would take about two weeks to come in so again, I patiently waited another two weeks for the part to come in and for the service technician to come replace it. After he replaces it I am thinking "Wow finally got that issue solved, now I can finally enjoy my car". Wrong again. This did not fix the issue that was occurring. At this point the proximity lines are working, but the display was not. Sometimes it would show a car directly behind me when nothing is there, or it could not detect a car directly next to me.

Again, I contacted Tesla and they told me to bring it in, I did and when I picked it up it was fixed. Tesla was very short with me when explaining what the problems were, but what I got from it was that "there were some indications of frequently blocked B-pillar cameras", which they replaced.

There were a couple other issues where one cold night my car dropped from 85% charge to 70% charge in about an hour, then the rest of the night it only went down to 69% (very concerning and weird).

Now my latest issue is when I get home after driving and I plug in my Model 3, the car starts making a constant horrible "screaming/whistling" noise. I sent the video to Tesla 3 days ago to determine if it needs to be brought in and still have not heard back.

I could not have been more excited and happy to be a Tesla owner, but honestly this experience has drastically changed my views of electric cars and Tesla themselves. I will NEVER recommend a Tesla to someone until they actually start doing quality checks before pick-up. I even told Tesla if someone had just 1. Looked at the car, and 2. Driven the car, then half of the problems would have been noticed and fixed. I paid almost $50k for this car and Tesla wants to act like these problems are my fault and they give me a sour attitude when I only want what I bought. Sorry to rant, this has been a horrible experience, I really thought Elon and Tesla wanted the best for people, but when it comes down to it, its all about the $$$$$$$$$$.

Your attitude towards Tesla (the change) is justified. But don't have the same stance against all EVs. I've had several EVs in the past 8 years and none have been put together as poorly as our M3 SR. What it comes down to is lack of accountability and a fanbase that accepts crap products at any price. You are dealing with a customer base that is largely millennials who are only too willing to make $150k a year as IT "specialists" and pay $4k/month in rent right next to a homeless encampment that smells like urine.

 

[Nozferat]

@Tam is completely right.

My M3SR+ and MY both do the same weird noise coming from the rear drive unit when charging in cold temps and battery is cold, this is absolutely normal. And I'm on a 240V/48A Wall charger.... so I can easily imagine the screaming sound of heating the battery must last a lot longer when charging with 120V.

I do not think that sound is normal.

 

[Nozferat]

The frustrating part was not the car, it was Tesla's attitude towards fixing and dealing with the problems. They wanted to bill me for the first 2 service visits until I put up a fight because the issues were on a brand new vehicle.

They wanted to bill you??? For what? It's under warranty. I mean WTF. It should not even be a question. Unbelievable.

 

[Nozferat]

I agree. That is NOT normal! It sounds like a fan blade hitting something. It's certainly not the motor(s) running inefficiently... because the drive motors are not running while charging.

Mike

That's what it sounds like to me...like something is caught in the fanblade...a piece of plastic, a piece of paper, etc.

 

[Nozferat]

You could go buy a Bentley and it won’t be perfect. Most people stretch their Honda/Toyota budget for a Tesla and expect to get the luxury red carpet treatment. People coming from a Porsche, Mercedes, BMW understand that even luxury cars have issues and treating the service people with decency and respect go a long way. People need to manage their expectations.

Honda's and Toyotas don't start at $45k and up. There are cheaper BMWs than a Tesla and you still get the excellent service if something goes wrong. So I'm not sure what expectations you are talking about.

 

[Amped412]

Honda's and Toyotas don't start at $45k and up. There are cheaper BMWs than a Tesla and you still get the excellent service if something goes wrong. So I'm not sure what expectations you are talking about.

I know. People stretch their budget up to 45k+

 

[Nozferat]

I know. People stretch their budget up to 45k+

So you're making excuses for Tesla's crap quality and service because people "stretch" their budget? Is that what you mean?

 

[Amped412]

So you're making excuses for Tesla's crap quality and service because people "stretch" their budget? Is that what you mean?

No. You should expect good quality from a Honda or a Tesla.

 

[_Redshift_]

When I first sat in a Model S in 2012 with my wife, she remarked - ‘ this car is not really well put together for a ~90K car’. I overrode her opinion and bought one in 2013. My thoughts at the time were- this car feels loosely attached, with larger panel gaps than in other cars, less luxury, and a general feeling of cheapness.

‘No matter’, I said to myself. ‘Tesla are a startup, they will improve over time. Moreover, this is a true electric car with a large touch screen display like absolutely no one else. Kinda like an iPhone for the auto industry.‘

For the next 8 years, I was a tireless, unpaid salesman for Tesla. I simplified what a Tesla was, to many a curious person asking how was my car. “Think of this as an iPhone for the cars, literally the future on wheels”. “How is the service?” “Great!“ I replied. At that time, service was simply unbelievably good.

Numerous major and minor issues with my car did not dissuade me. 2 drive trains units, side window, rear hatch, sunroof, main screen with bubbles in LCD, dash due to creaking, all replaced under warranty. After the warranty ran over, steering wheel switches, BMS pump and front louvres, passenger door handle all replaced out of pocket, probably $1500 in costs.

2018 rolled in, and I bought my second Tesla. The Model 3 felt better put-together, but still less ‘solid’ feeling than my $30K 2008 Acura TSX. Till date, the doors on the TSX close with a satisfyingly solid ‘thud’ sound, as opposed to the cheap, tinny sound of my Model 3. The issues with the Model 3 have been fewer, but the service experience has been eye wateringly bad.

Within a week of delivery I noticed a large number of small pit marks in the windscreen, visible only at an angle in the evening sun. The front door check straps had started creaking loudly. Took it in, expecting to be treated great. Was told ‘door creaking is NVH, and if you read your contract correctly, it says those are out of warranty’.
My response was “but on my 2013 S, they were all fixed under warranty”. Their response - “that was all goodwill, but now, we are just trying to survive as a startup,(this was 2018, mins you) so please, don’t expect this to be free”. They also argued that the windscreen issue could have been after delivery. (Despite me explaining that the pits were only visible at certain times of the day, making it difficult to discover them at delivery).

That turned me off Tesla a bit. I was still a big fan. Then came the issues like taking away the radar, the V11, the yoke with horrible capacitive buttons, the reducing of supercharging speeds on my S (takes 1.5 hours to charge to full now..even 2017 100Ds are affected, AFAIK).

Its enough to turn this huge fan of Tesla into someone who actively discourages people to buy one, now. I have a large group of friends and social network and I was well known in my circles as a rabid Tesla fan. Now, many are following my advise and waiting before buying one. I have basically advised them to wait till Tesla gets their act together.

What a stupid way for a company to behave.. They have basically started acting very arrogant after tasting success. I think Elon is not mature enough to lead Tesla in the long term, to be honest. He is probably very tired, and really wants to focus on the next shiny toy. That is to say, going to Mars.

 

[Tam]

...When I first sat in a Model S in 2012...

When I first got my Tesla in 2012, I immediately thought that it was put together by little kids with their crooked legos.

 

[Willy’sEV]

Reading these kind of posts make me nervous. I live in the NY area and drive 2-3 times per mo to Philly to see my family. I always worry something major is going to happen to the car. Took delivery 5/21, soon after delivery, I had a few error messages on the screen, drove it to the service center near me. I was lucky to get a loaner, they had my car back the next day. Needed a 4 wheel alignment and something with the camber angle adjustment, no problems since. Sure I get the message the regenerative braking is reduced at times and one of the cameras on the left side of the car is blocked, but besides that with 9K miles. I drive it hard at times, on the NJ Turnpike with the cruise control. Love the adaptive cruise control on the car. I can go 40 miles without hitting the brake. Otherwise all OK

 

[_Redshift_]

When I first got my Tesla in 2012, I immediately thought that it was put together by little kids with their crooked legos.

Ha ha! I’m still keeping my Tessie because I have a sentimental attachment. I improved the car so much with added noise insulation and aero wheels, all done by me. If it weren’t for the reduced supercharging speeds, I’d keep it for longer.

However, of all the gripes I have with Tesla, the biggest has to be the _reduced supercharging speeds_. This was done ostensibly to ‘protect the battery’. However, that theory kinda falls flat when I hear even 2017 Model S owners complaining that their supercharging speeds have been reduced.

My worry is, what if they do the same for my beloved Model 3? I love to drive that car, the range is fairly decent (I’d really like a true 500 miler one day) and have spent even more effort than my S on improvements. I’ve added even more extensive noise insulation to my 3 than my S, added a real wood interior, vinyl wrap, and plan on adding a better color leather interior soon.

 

[Nozferat]

When I first sat in a Model S in 2012 with my wife, she remarked - ‘ this car is not really well put together for a ~90K car’. I overrode her opinion and bought one in 2013. My thoughts at the time were- this car feels loosely attached, with larger panel gaps than in other cars, less luxury, and a general feeling of cheapness.

‘No matter’, I said to myself. ‘Tesla are a startup, they will improve over time. Moreover, this is a true electric car with a large touch screen display like absolutely no one else. Kinda like an iPhone for the auto industry.‘

For the next 8 years, I was a tireless, unpaid salesman for Tesla. I simplified what a Tesla was, to many a curious person asking how was my car. “Think of this as an iPhone for the cars, literally the future on wheels”. “How is the service?” “Great!“ I replied. At that time, service was simply unbelievably good.

Numerous major and minor issues with my car did not dissuade me. 2 drive trains units, side window, rear hatch, sunroof, main screen with bubbles in LCD, dash due to creaking, all replaced under warranty. After the warranty ran over, steering wheel switches, BMS pump and front louvres, passenger door handle all replaced out of pocket, probably $1500 in costs.

2018 rolled in, and I bought my second Tesla. The Model 3 felt better put-together, but still less ‘solid’ feeling than my $30K 2008 Acura TSX. Till date, the doors on the TSX close with a satisfyingly solid ‘thud’ sound, as opposed to the cheap, tinny sound of my Model 3. The issues with the Model 3 have been fewer, but the service experience has been eye wateringly bad.

Within a week of delivery I noticed a large number of small pit marks in the windscreen, visible only at an angle in the evening sun. The front door check straps had started creaking loudly. Took it in, expecting to be treated great. Was told ‘door creaking is NVH, and if you read your contract correctly, it says those are out of warranty’.
My response was “but on my 2013 S, they were all fixed under warranty”. Their response - “that was all goodwill, but now, we are just trying to survive as a startup,(this was 2018, mins you) so please, don’t expect this to be free”. They also argued that the windscreen issue could have been after delivery. (Despite me explaining that the pits were only visible at certain times of the day, making it difficult to discover them at delivery).

That turned me off Tesla a bit. I was still a big fan. Then came the issues like taking away the radar, the V11, the yoke with horrible capacitive buttons, the reducing of supercharging speeds on my S (takes 1.5 hours to charge to full now..even 2017 100Ds are affected, AFAIK).

Its enough to turn this huge fan of Tesla into someone who actively discourages people to buy one, now. I have a large group of friends and social network and I was well known in my circles as a rabid Tesla fan. Now, many are following my advise and waiting before buying one. I have basically advised them to wait till Tesla gets their act together.

What a stupid way for a company to behave.. They have basically started acting very arrogant after tasting success. I think Elon is not mature enough to lead Tesla in the long term, to be honest. He is probably very tired, and really wants to focus on the next shiny toy. That is to say, going to Mars.

‘No matter’, I said to myself. ‘Tesla are a startup, they will improve over time. Moreover, this is a true electric car with a large touch screen display like absolutely no one else. Kinda like an iPhone for the auto industry.‘

For the next 8 years, I was a tireless, unpaid salesman for Tesla. I simplified what a Tesla was, to many a curious person asking how was my car. “Think of this as an iPhone for the cars, literally the future on wheels”. “How is the service?” “Great!“ I replied. At that time, service was simply unbelievably good.

Numerous major and minor issues with my car did not dissuade me. 2 drive trains units, side window, rear hatch, sunroof, main screen with bubbles in LCD, dash due to creaking, all replaced under warranty. After the warranty ran over, steering wheel switches, BMS pump and front louvres, passenger door handle all replaced out of pocket, probably $1500 in costs.

2018 rolled in, and I bought my second Tesla. The Model 3 felt better put-together, but still less ‘solid’ feeling than my $30K 2008 Acura TSX. Till date, the doors on the TSX close with a satisfyingly solid ‘thud’ sound, as opposed to the cheap, tinny sound of my Model 3. The issues with the Model 3 have been fewer, but the service experience has been eye wateringly bad.

Within a week of delivery I noticed a large number of small pit marks in the windscreen, visible only at an angle in the evening sun. The front door check straps had started creaking loudly. Took it in, expecting to be treated great. Was told ‘door creaking is NVH, and if you read your contract correctly, it says those are out of warranty’.
My response was “but on my 2013 S, they were all fixed under warranty”. Their response - “that was all goodwill, but now, we are just trying to survive as a startup,(this was 2018, mins you) so please, don’t expect this to be free”. They also argued that the windscreen issue could have been after delivery. (Despite me explaining that the pits were only visible at certain times of the day, making it difficult to discover them at delivery).

That turned me off Tesla a bit. I was still a big fan. Then came the issues like taking away the radar, the V11, the yoke with horrible capacitive buttons, the reducing of supercharging speeds on my S (takes 1.5 hours to charge to full now..even 2017 100Ds are affected, AFAIK).

Its enough to turn this huge fan of Tesla into someone who actively discourages people to buy one, now. I have a large group of friends and social network and I was well known in my circles as a rabid Tesla fan. Now, many are following my advise and waiting before buying one. I have basically advised them to wait till Tesla gets their act together.

What a stupid way for a company to behave.. They have basically started acting very arrogant after tasting success. I think Elon is not mature enough to lead Tesla in the long term, to be honest. He is probably very tired, and really wants to focus on the next shiny toy. That is to say, going to Mars.

Don't take this the wrong way (as I'm not directing it at you) but Tesla "fanboys" like yourself were and still are part of the problem as to why Tesla gets away with what they do. They are very much like Apple where the clientele are cut from the same cloth...younger, elitist-minded, millennials who have very little perception of right/wrong, what is and isn't acceptable, leniency beyond lunacy levels, and so on. The same type who will stand outside an Apple store at midnight to get shafted by Apple for a subpar phone and product. I just don't get it. Something isn't right with this mentality.

Until there is accountability by people and companies....no matter what area or field...nothing will change or improve.

As for Musk wanting to go to Mars...well that really shows how much he really cares about the environment. Going to Mars is truly the dumbest thing I've ever come across...and people suppose he's smart.

 

[bedoig]

@jjrandorin I think this thread needs you again

I'm not dismissing anyone's complaints, but maybe your issues aren't as pervasive as you think and not everyone is a whiny millennial fanboy... Just a possibility.

 

[Nozferat]

@jjrandorin I think this thread needs you again

I'm not dismissing anyone's complaints, but maybe your issues aren't as pervasive as you think and not everyone is a whiny millennial fanboy... Just a possibility.

Is this part of cancel culture?

 

[Nozferat]

Ha ha! I’m still keeping my Tessie because I have a sentimental attachment. I improved the car so much with added noise insulation and aero wheels, all done by me. If it weren’t for the reduced supercharging speeds, I’d keep it for longer.

However, of all the gripes I have with Tesla, the biggest has to be the _reduced supercharging speeds_. This was done ostensibly to ‘protect the battery’. However, that theory kinda falls flat when I hear even 2017 Model S owners complaining that their supercharging speeds have been reduced.

My worry is, what if they do the same for my beloved Model 3? I love to drive that car, the range is fairly decent (I’d really like a true 500 miler one day) and have spent even more effort than my S on improvements. I’ve added even more extensive noise insulation to my 3 than my S, added a real wood interior, vinyl wrap, and plan on adding a better color leather interior soon.

I'm thinking of having a screen protector and sill protection added. Do you know off hand what a reasonable price would be to pay for such things?

 

[jjrandorin]

@jjrandorin I think this thread needs you again

I'm not dismissing anyone's complaints, but maybe your issues aren't as pervasive as you think and not everyone is a whiny millennial fanboy... Just a possibility.

We allow disagreements here on TMC, however we do not allow personal attacks. We also require some amount of decorum. I removed some personal attacks earlier, but dont see anything that rises to that level right now. With that being said, I do see it starting to head that way, so this is a general warning that disagreements need to be respectful, and that this website is not a political one, so please leave the political terms to those websites.

 

[_Redshift_]

I'm thinking of having a screen protector and sill protection added. Do you know off hand what a reasonable price would be to pay for such things?

Screen protectors are quite cheap, I installed one myself. I have no idea how much it costs for a sill protector.

If your response was to my issues with LCD bubbles, those were only caused by a liquid filler layer Tesla added on early cars. Supposedly that aided in viewing from an angle. They removed that layer later on.

 

[FatNate]

When I first sat in a Model S in 2012 with my wife, she remarked - ‘ this car is not really well put together for a ~90K car’. I overrode her opinion and bought one in 2013. My thoughts at the time were- this car feels loosely attached, with larger panel gaps than in other cars, less luxury, and a general feeling of cheapness.

‘No matter’, I said to myself. ‘Tesla are a startup, they will improve over time. Moreover, this is a true electric car with a large touch screen display like absolutely no one else. Kinda like an iPhone for the auto industry.‘

For the next 8 years, I was a tireless, unpaid salesman for Tesla. I simplified what a Tesla was, to many a curious person asking how was my car. “Think of this as an iPhone for the cars, literally the future on wheels”. “How is the service?” “Great!“ I replied. At that time, service was simply unbelievably good.

Numerous major and minor issues with my car did not dissuade me. 2 drive trains units, side window, rear hatch, sunroof, main screen with bubbles in LCD, dash due to creaking, all replaced under warranty. After the warranty ran over, steering wheel switches, BMS pump and front louvres, passenger door handle all replaced out of pocket, probably $1500 in costs.

2018 rolled in, and I bought my second Tesla. The Model 3 felt better put-together, but still less ‘solid’ feeling than my $30K 2008 Acura TSX. Till date, the doors on the TSX close with a satisfyingly solid ‘thud’ sound, as opposed to the cheap, tinny sound of my Model 3. The issues with the Model 3 have been fewer, but the service experience has been eye wateringly bad.

Within a week of delivery I noticed a large number of small pit marks in the windscreen, visible only at an angle in the evening sun. The front door check straps had started creaking loudly. Took it in, expecting to be treated great. Was told ‘door creaking is NVH, and if you read your contract correctly, it says those are out of warranty’.
My response was “but on my 2013 S, they were all fixed under warranty”. Their response - “that was all goodwill, but now, we are just trying to survive as a startup,(this was 2018, mins you) so please, don’t expect this to be free”. They also argued that the windscreen issue could have been after delivery. (Despite me explaining that the pits were only visible at certain times of the day, making it difficult to discover them at delivery).

That turned me off Tesla a bit. I was still a big fan. Then came the issues like taking away the radar, the V11, the yoke with horrible capacitive buttons, the reducing of supercharging speeds on my S (takes 1.5 hours to charge to full now..even 2017 100Ds are affected, AFAIK).

Its enough to turn this huge fan of Tesla into someone who actively discourages people to buy one, now. I have a large group of friends and social network and I was well known in my circles as a rabid Tesla fan. Now, many are following my advise and waiting before buying one. I have basically advised them to wait till Tesla gets their act together.

What a stupid way for a company to behave.. They have basically started acting very arrogant after tasting success. I think Elon is not mature enough to lead Tesla in the long term, to be honest. He is probably very tired, and really wants to focus on the next shiny toy. That is to say, going to Mars

When I first sat in a Model S in 2012 with my wife, she remarked - ‘ this car is not really well put together for a ~90K car’. I overrode her opinion and bought one in 2013. My thoughts at the time were- this car feels loosely attached, with larger panel gaps than in other cars, less luxury, and a general feeling of cheapness.

‘No matter’, I said to myself. ‘Tesla are a startup, they will improve over time. Moreover, this is a true electric car with a large touch screen display like absolutely no one else. Kinda like an iPhone for the auto industry.‘

For the next 8 years, I was a tireless, unpaid salesman for Tesla. I simplified what a Tesla was, to many a curious person asking how was my car. “Think of this as an iPhone for the cars, literally the future on wheels”. “How is the service?” “Great!“ I replied. At that time, service was simply unbelievably good.

Numerous major and minor issues with my car did not dissuade me. 2 drive trains units, side window, rear hatch, sunroof, main screen with bubbles in LCD, dash due to creaking, all replaced under warranty. After the warranty ran over, steering wheel switches, BMS pump and front louvres, passenger door handle all replaced out of pocket, probably $1500 in costs.

2018 rolled in, and I bought my second Tesla. The Model 3 felt better put-together, but still less ‘solid’ feeling than my $30K 2008 Acura TSX. Till date, the doors on the TSX close with a satisfyingly solid ‘thud’ sound, as opposed to the cheap, tinny sound of my Model 3. The issues with the Model 3 have been fewer, but the service experience has been eye wateringly bad.

Within a week of delivery I noticed a large number of small pit marks in the windscreen, visible only at an angle in the evening sun. The front door check straps had started creaking loudly. Took it in, expecting to be treated great. Was told ‘door creaking is NVH, and if you read your contract correctly, it says those are out of warranty’.
My response was “but on my 2013 S, they were all fixed under warranty”. Their response - “that was all goodwill, but now, we are just trying to survive as a startup,(this was 2018, mins you) so please, don’t expect this to be free”. They also argued that the windscreen issue could have been after delivery. (Despite me explaining that the pits were only visible at certain times of the day, making it difficult to discover them at delivery).

That turned me off Tesla a bit. I was still a big fan. Then came the issues like taking away the radar, the V11, the yoke with horrible capacitive buttons, the reducing of supercharging speeds on my S (takes 1.5 hours to charge to full now..even 2017 100Ds are affected, AFAIK).

Its enough to turn this huge fan of Tesla into someone who actively discourages people to buy one, now. I have a large group of friends and social network and I was well known in my circles as a rabid Tesla fan. Now, many are following my advise and waiting before buying one. I have basically advised them to wait till Tesla gets their act together.

What a stupid way for a company to behave.. They have basically started acting very arrogant after tasting success. I think Elon is not mature enough to lead Tesla in the long term, to be honest. He is probably very tired, and really wants to focus on the next shiny toy. That is to say, going to Mars.

Wow! The journey you've had. Thanks for your input and advice. Glad to see I am not the only Tesla owner having mixed feelings with Tesla's solutions to our problems.