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Have you paid out-of-warranty repair costs?

Have you paid any out-of-warranty repair costs?

  • Yes (add details in comments)

    Votes: 8 14.5%
  • No

    Votes: 38 69.1%
  • No - it wasn't covered and I left it unfixed

    Votes: 3 5.5%
  • No - Tesla covered it despite being out-of-warranty

    Votes: 6 10.9%

  • Total voters
    55
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hi guys

is there a list somewhere of what people paid for various repairs?

I, too, am at 48,800 miles and debating. an AC compressor would be more than the cost, and the door handles are about $1K each.

anything else that is really pricey?

would brake pistons and suspension be covered under the extended? I ask since there have been some reports of suspension issues and I read one report of frozen pistons (but east coast driver)

time to roll the dice.
 
hi guys

is there a list somewhere of what people paid for various repairs?

I, too, am at 48,800 miles and debating. an AC compressor would be more than the cost, and the door handles are about $1K each.

anything else that is really pricey?

would brake pistons and suspension be covered under the extended? I ask since there have been some reports of suspension issues and I read one report of frozen pistons (but east coast driver)

time to roll the dice.

Well, an MCU (17" touchscreen) runs close to $4,000 installed.

Headlights are almost $1,000 installed each (pre-latest, I should note).

Rotors are approximately $1,400 for a full set installed, but if you haven't had rotor problems by now, you're probably fine. Same with the brake pads.

The above includes labor and tax at CA rates.

I don't know how the current ESA verbiage adequately defines suspension parts that are covered versus those that are not, nor how consistently that verbiage is applied or interpreted across SvCs/regions.

For me, opting out of the $4,000 ESA was a matter of mileage over time. It would have only covered the car for 18 months or so. Nothing like an 18-month dice roll during which there will already be 2 more annual services at $900 and $400/$600 respectively.
 
I believe you'll find it depends when you purchased the ESA. IIRC 12V is an exclusion in the more recently changed language for owners that didn't buy before the more recent language change, compared to e.g. my contract that I purchased with my new MS back in October '15 where the 12V is not listed in the exclusions, so IMHO would be covered, but would still unfortunately have a $200 incident charge (unlike most other mfgr premium-level extended warranty agreements that have zero deductible, but where a 12V is called out even in the owner's manual as a consumable item like wiper blades -- but the 12V in my MS is not stated like that in my original owner documents, so I technically consider it as part of the vehicle, especially as the 12V specs are not identified, and it's not easily accessible for owner replacement like every other luxury vehicle I've ever owned). ;)

IMHO, MS isn't built to be cheap for those that want it to last forever. It is new tech, from a new company, without a long track record in such things, and unlike every other auto mfgr, Tesla does not (presently) want to make money off of service -- only new car sales which is their primary focus. I also believe most would agree that with Tesla's present policies of providing parts only via SC and authorized repair shops, and without making repair manuals available except in one State that legally requires it, longer-term cost of repair will be a consideration on all MS and MX. Let alone our MS, I wonder with design points like the massive sweep-over MX windshields that require special jigs at SCs just to replace the windshield, how that will also impact longer-term repair and insurance rates. As much as I love my MS, IMHO Tesla just isn't yet at the point of caring a lot about design for long-term (cost-effective) ownership and insurance rates with the things that an owner considers for "total cost of ownership" unless all you're doing is flipping your car every 3-4 years on a lease, or have enough disposable cash so you just don't care and flip vehicles any way... But M3 and MY will hopefully begin to evolve what Tesla has to be concerned with, just as it has with other mfgrs over the years.

@BertL,

What state legally requires the Service Manual to be made available?
And how do you get it?

Ski
 
@BertL,

What state legally requires the Service Manual to be made available?
And how do you get it?

Ski
The Tesla site you can start with is Welcome | Tesla Service. I've not personally tried to sign up, but I believe that is the official starting point. From what I've read in other threads here on TMC, IIRC Mass. is the State that requires it be provided. I'll let others respond with more anecdotal references or specifics they may have.
 
As we share more DIY tips, like I have for door handles... we'll discover $5 solutions to what Tesla would charge as a $1000 new handle and potentially a ranger fee / per mile charge to visit.

This is what I'm hoping this forum starts turning some more attention to.

Recently, a 12v battery DIY posted.

And tips on doing your own drive unit lube fluid change...

Can be found in threads on this site.

Keep em coming!

...
 
I'm banking on the number of scrapped Model S out in the wild to be my source of replacement parts for DIY service. That should work for a lot of things (not all). I wonder, for example, if I brought a salvage charger or main display to the service center if they would install it.
 
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good question about salvage parts. maybe they wouldn't install if not new? they may want to limit the DIY's

just picked up my car after a 2nd drive unit was swapped and I upgraded to 4G. in talking to the service coordinator, I realized that many of the replacement parts have to be recalibrated with the car via their software. he did not actually promote the warranty, so at least they're not making commissions off selling warranties.

guess it's the cost of having a high tech luxury car from a new manufacturer. I bought the warranty. we'll see how it works out.

thanks for people's experiences.
 
This thread is a little scary for someone like me who has ordered an S but hasn't yet taken delivery. A little wary not to overreact though since this thread is after all a list of complaints. We don't hear from satisfied Tesla owners who are out of warranty but don't post on this forum (or do post on the forum but didn't see this thread). It would be more helpful to know what percentage of out-of-warranty cars actually need substantial repair. Also would be helpful to see the percentages for each build year. From data I've seen offhand, it seems like reliability has increased over the years and so the '16 builds should be solid. Might be wishful thinking on my part.
 
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I'm banking on the number of scrapped Model S out in the wild to be my source of replacement parts for DIY service. That should work for a lot of things (not all). I wonder, for example, if I brought a salvage charger or main display to the service center if they would install it.

It's pretty rare that a manufacturer's service would install anything other than what they know is a new part from their inventory.

Even some indie repair shops will say "no" if you walk in with a part to install it. They simply can't take the liability of a part fail and having to do the job a second time (for free) because you complain... or not.. and they just want to keep a good reputation. I pre-bought a timing chain for my Mercedes and took it to an indie to install. He said "we need to source the part since this is a critical component for engine"... but then I showed him the box and it had a holographic Mercedes logo seal on both ends, intact. So he knew it was genuine and untampered... then said "OK we'll take this one".

However, if YOU installed the part and took the car to a SC and said "something is wrong in this area of the car and it happened after powering off the car / changing the 12V battery could you please check the module is working..?" you'll get the module re-linked in the process of figuring it out. You may pay for that hour of time to do the diag.

Many modern makes of vehicle parts these days have the VIN (or equivalent identifying key) baked into the part's electronics so the car "knows" when a module has been swapped. It will simply reject the part and not let it function until the key is matched. Some may view this as a kind of extortion.

It's safer to stick with uncoded parts on the used market. Like a headlamp assembly for Tesla S, which can be found whole on ebay for $100. These are better DIY targets.

But it is possible in some cases to venture into coded parts and still not do a dealer visit. I have moved a coded part recently for my Subaru, the main ECU. A replacement ECU caused the "immobilizer" to kick into action, in other words, car wouldn't start. Found the EEPROM chip on the original part, unsoldering it, and replacing the EEPROM on the newly source part. Car then started with the original key. Voila! Going the dealer route for this one would be ~$2000 for the whole job, including new part from Subaru. An ebay used part and 2 hours of my time, and car was running again for about $150. For this repair, given the age and value of the car, many people would have stopped and said "end of life" for the car and sold it as parts, or have it towed away by a scrapper. It is so sad when that happens, terrible waste.
 
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On my '12, the wiring harness on one of my doors has failed so that the door speaker only works when the door is open (the harness is flexed straight). I haven't paid to replace it yet, but this happened just a few months after the 4 year mark. Oh and I had 2 door handles fail just a few weeks apart from one-another - also just after the warranty expired - fixed one thanks to the DIY thread here on TMC, the other I can live with until I find a solution because the cost is just too damned hi!

Passenger Seat Fuse - replaced by me (post warranty) - I wonder what THAT would have cost at the SC? ($3.99 Amazon replacement fuse!)

Stuff that was replaced under warranty over the years:
  • Center console (leaky glue)
  • Speedometer console screen (died)
  • All 4 door handles (Yes, I know, the replaced door handles failed AFTER the warranty - booo!)
  • 12V battery
  • Lug-nuts
  • Windshield(body flex caused crack)
  • Cooling louver motor
  • keyfob
  • battery contactor

Other than that - nothing "important" to prevent me from driving the vehicle has failed.

Oh, wait - slacker keeps resetting the song from the beginning whenever I close one door and walk around to open another. How do software defects get handled post warranty????
 
...Oh, wait - slacker keeps resetting the song from the beginning whenever I close one door and walk around to open another. How do software defects get handled post warranty????
Your question is likely rhetorical, but if not:
  • From my experience, firmware failures don't necessarially get fixed even during warranty as many of us have experienced. IMHO, it's worse odds than going to Vegas to see timely resolution if a firmware problem is not related to safety, a high-profile AP defect, or highlighted in the press as a negative issue.
  • Having a Tesla SvC document a solid acknowledged failure on the service record as something that will be resolved in a future firmware update is the norm, but there is never an ETA or FUP with the owner after you leave the SvC with such concerns. If the problem will ever really be resolved, is any of our guess.
  • If you run into a problem that isn't reproducible on-demand so the SvC can recreate it, the owner has the same problem as with most mfgrs of automobiles or other products which I completely understand -- it may get documented into some internal Tesla database, but if it's ever used we can only hope. For the owner, these type of issues are likely documented and closed in your service record as not being reproducible, and the problem may persist and never be addressed from your POV.
  • To the degree Tesla elects to continue sending updates to MS post-warranty for some period of time (which realistically, won't be forever), you may receive some number of changes and improvements, but that is because Tesla is being good to you -- not because it's contractually or legally required that I've read in any of my documents (assuming it's not safety or recall-oriented). Even though I have an 8-year ESA, now that HW2 is out and M3 will hit the streets hopefully before too long (with a different IC/CID construct than present MS and MX), I fully expect my 16-month old HW1 MS will begin receiving less substantial updates as time progresses, much as Classic MS have seen when HW1 AP was all the rage. ;). We'll just have to see how that plays out.
 
Not sure if you meant to include tires, but if so, I paid for a tire replacement when I picked up a screw. $351 at the Tesla service center (19" Michelin). Happened in my first year of having the car (leased). And yes, I might have saved some $ elsewhere and I wish I had gotten a road hazard warranty with it. But the Sc took me in promptly and had me on my way, and I was confident they would have the correct tire and do the work correctly. So, peace of mind.
 
Your question is likely rhetorical, but if not:
  • From my experience, firmware failures don't necessarially get fixed even during warranty as many of us have experienced. IMHO, it's worse odds than going to Vegas to see timely resolution if a firmware problem is not related to safety, a high-profile AP defect, or highlighted in the press as a negative issue.
  • Having a Tesla SvC document a solid acknowledged failure on the service record as something that will be resolved in a future firmware update is the norm, but there is never an ETA or FUP with the owner after you leave the SvC with such concerns. If the problem will ever really be resolved, is any of our guess.
  • If you run into a problem that isn't reproducible on-demand so the SvC can recreate it, the owner has the same problem as with most mfgrs of automobiles or other products which I completely understand -- it may get documented into some internal Tesla database, but if it's ever used we can only hope. For the owner, these type of issues are likely documented and closed in your service record as not being reproducible, and the problem may persist and never be addressed from your POV.
  • To the degree Tesla elects to continue sending updates to MS post-warranty for some period of time (which realistically, won't be forever), you may receive some number of changes and improvements, but that is because Tesla is being good to you -- not because it's contractually or legally required that I've read in any of my documents (assuming it's not safety or recall-oriented). Even though I have an 8-year ESA, now that HW2 is out and M3 will hit the streets hopefully before too long (with a different IC/CID construct than present MS and MX), I fully expect my 16-month old HW1 MS will begin receiving less substantial updates as time progresses, much as Classic MS have seen when HW1 AP was all the rage. ;). We'll just have to see how that plays out.

I'll admit, my question had some rhetoric in it :). You provided some good data - which begs the further question regarding firmware updates. When a firmware update is applied that breaks previous functionality, without a warranty, what recourse does an owner have? (Probably not much less than an owner with a valid warranty). For example, the slacker problem was introduced as a result of a mandatory firmware update. Now, I could see driving over the the SC and complaining to them to fix it if my car was shiny new and still under warranty, but now, if I show up, I am told it will cost at least $100 just to look at it. I can understand that a SC cannot be evaluating every problem anybody ever comes in with for free, but if SW updates are mandatory, then there should be some period of "warranty" after it is installed, and some option to roll back without penalty.
 
Our 2014 (picked up in July) was one of the last vehicles built on the original factory line and has had almost no issues. We just crossed the 50,000 mile point and we decided not to purchase the extended warranty. Our fingers are crossed but I'm watching threads like this one closely! I am expecting the 12V battery to need replacement at some point but hoping that we're spared from most of the issues found in the 2012 and 2013 models. Time will tell -
 
I'll admit, my question had some rhetoric in it :). You provided some good data - which begs the further question regarding firmware updates. When a firmware update is applied that breaks previous functionality, without a warranty, what recourse does an owner have? (Probably not much less than an owner with a valid warranty). For example, the slacker problem was introduced as a result of a mandatory firmware update. Now, I could see driving over the the SC and complaining to them to fix it if my car was shiny new and still under warranty, but now, if I show up, I am told it will cost at least $100 just to look at it. I can understand that a SC cannot be evaluating every problem anybody ever comes in with for free, but if SW updates are mandatory, then there should be some period of "warranty" after it is installed, and some option to roll back without penalty.
I'm not a lawyer, and these sort of legalities tend to sometimes vary by state, so you'll have to likely investigate what the situation is in NY where you live. Good luck.