Has anyone else gotten this notification or know what it is about?

[Smallfootprint]

Got this email this week and I'm not sure what this refers to. Thought I'd come here and get informed before following up.

If anyone has any idea I'd appreciate the insight.

 

[Thumper]

I learned of this parts upgrade from my service center before I got a note from the company. It is an upgraded replacement of the main relay inside the battery pack. You will be glad to have the newer part. While the original wasn't a big problem, the new one will be more reliable. Enjoy and be glad you have a Tesla.

 

[spentan]

What model do you have? What year and when did you buy it?

 

[Smallfootprint]

What model do you have? What year and when did you buy it?

2012 Signature Performance delivered November 2012 - original owner.

Thank you Thumper! I'll schedule the update. Any idea how involved a process it is?

 

[spentan]

Hmm ok,

I find my 2014 p85d has less of a clunk than my old P85s.

I presume that's what was replaced

 

[FlasherZ]

2012 Signature Performance delivered November 2012 - original owner.

Thank you Thumper! I'll schedule the update. Any idea how involved a process it is?

It takes about a day. Give them the car with less than 50% charge in it (30% is better), or they'll spend a good amount of time draining the battery. They drop the battery pack, swap the contactors, then perform a leak-down test on it. If it passes, they put the pack back in and send you on your way. If the test fails, they install a loaner pack and give your car back while your pack is shipped to Fremont to be repaired.

Either way, it should be < 1 day.

 

[apacheguy]

Tesla Battery Center? How is that different than a SvC?

 

[artsci]

Tesla Battery Center? How is that different than a SvC?

Same thing, probably a mistake by the concierge (that's the first time I've heard that term used by SC staff). Maybe it's a New York thing

 

[pgiralt]

Yep - this is a contactor replacement. For whatever reason, they don't want to use the word contactor but that's what they'll be replacing. I had it done and it took a day.

 

[TexasEV]

Tesla Battery Center? How is that different than a SvC?

I think only certain service centers can repair batteries, the rest have to ship them back to the factory. It would make sense for Tesla to have a site on the east coast that could do this.

 

[pgiralt]

I think only certain service centers can repair batteries, the rest have to ship them back to the factory. It would make sense for Tesla to have a site on the east coast that could do this.

The Raleigh, NC service center can do it. Not sure what others on the East coast can.

 

[rlang59]

Same thing, probably a mistake by the concierge (that's the first time I've heard that term used by SC staff). Maybe it's a New York thing

I think Queens is only doing battery repairs now so they have been "re-named", in fact they are not even on the "find us" page anymore.

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The Raleigh, NC service center can do it. Not sure what others on the East coast can.

Queens as well.

 

[apacheguy]

I think Queens is only doing battery repairs now so they have been "re-named", in fact they are not even on the "find us" page anymore.

Wow. That's concerning that they need to dedicate an entire center just to perform battery repairs. Suggests they have a lot of work to do, which isn't what I'd expect if the failure rate is so low.

 

[kjl]

FYI i was told by my service advisor that this fix would fix the embarrassing balloon squeal fart noise that some people get, and it did for me. So if your car suffers from that, it's a nice upgrade.

 

[rlang59]

Wow. That's concerning that they need to dedicate an entire center just to perform battery repairs. Suggests they have a lot of work to do, which isn't what I'd expect if the failure rate is so low.

Well right now they seem to have a lot of cars that need the contactors replaced so I'm sure that factors into it. I had mentioned in another thread when mine was in for the annual service and at that time it wasn't on the list, almost two months later Queens contacted me to have them replaced, so I get the feeling it is a ever changing list.

Here is the exact wording from my work order:

"Concern: As part of providing peace of mind and a great ownership experience, Tesla
vehicles are equipped with telematics systems to provide remote diagnostics support. We
have been notified this vehicle has been remotely diagnosed that the Power Switch and
Power Supply would benefit from the latest generation components."

For what it's worth they did open a new larger service center in Syosset so it probably wasn't that big of an issue to keep this one but have it dedicated to battery work. This way they have a place on the East Coast that has the equipment and training to do battery repair without having to send it to the factory.

 

[mknox]

I never got the note, but was informed that my car was also on the list for this work. Unfortunately, I had the failure occur before the recall work was done. In my case, it took my Service Center about a week to complete the work, but it was more about scheduling a technician to come in and do the work than the actual effort involved. I had a loaner P85 for the duration, so it was no skin off my nose.

Curious that the note says it's "non-safety related". When the failure occurs, you get a loud bang and lose all traction power. GM got into a lot of hot water when essentially the same thing happened with their ignition switch problem.

 

[tga]

GM got into a lot of hot water when essentially the same thing happened with their ignition switch problem.

The GM ignition switch issue was worse - the key would turn off, killing power, but also locking the steering column. Coasting to the side of the road isn't the worst thing in the world. Not being able to steer while coasting is pretty bad. :wink:

 

[rlang59]

Curious that the note says it's "non-safety related". When the failure occurs, you get a loud bang and lose all traction power. GM got into a lot of hot water when essentially the same thing happened with their ignition switch problem.

The email I got said the same thing but they "strongly recommended getting it done as soon as possible" when I spoke to them after I got the first email.

The difference between this and the GM issue is that in this case you don't lose your airbags as well when it happens.

 

[FlasherZ]

The difference between this and the GM issue is that in this case you don't lose your airbags as well when it happens.

This was the primary reason people were killed and why it was such a critical failure.

 

[mknox]

The GM ignition switch issue was worse - the key would turn off, killing power, but also locking the steering column. Coasting to the side of the road isn't the worst thing in the world. Not being able to steer while coasting is pretty bad. :wink:

My understanding was that it was an electrical connection problem, and with the key still in the "Run" position, the mechanical steering interlock was not affected. I knew someone who had the problem, and they could get the car going by "wiggling" the key to restore the connection, but the steering never locked.

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The difference between this and the GM issue is that in this case you don't lose your airbags as well when it happens.

Yes, I suppose if the connection broke and the car thought it was "off" you might lose airbags.

My concern with the Model S failure is that it seems to typically happen when you accelerate briskly, for example, to enter a freeway. This leaves you stalled in an area with high speed traffic whizzing by. I know I was a bit concerned where I was even though I did get to the side of the road. There was also a gentleman from Toronto who had the failure in the middle of an intersection, which is not ideal either.