HV battery is dead less than two months after delivery

[ray168]

Hi,

My model Y LR was delivered on May 19, 2023. Last Sunday, while driving on the highway, I got BMS_a107 and BMS_a050 alerts, and the car could not be charged anymore. The service center inspected it and said the HV battery is dead but can't provide any ETA for the fix. Since the car is very new, is it possible to request a new car? Does anyone have the experience to deal with this situation that the HV battery is dead so soon for a brand-new car?

Thank you

.

 

[Sophias_dad]

You can request whatever you like, but the chances of you getting a new car because the battery failed are essentially zero.

If you are >lucky< they'll give you a truly-new HV battery.

 

[jcanoe]

At least with a Long Range Model Y the battery pack can be quickly, efficiently changed without having to disassemble the inside of the passenger cabin as is the case with the structural 4680 battery.

 

[jcanoe]

I would be polite but aggressive in requesting a Tesla loaner vehicle as soon as one becomes available at the local service center.

 

[Chewy13]

You can request whatever you like, but the chances of you getting a new car because the battery failed are essentially zero.

If you are >lucky< they'll give you a truly-new HV battery.

Is there a history of them replacing them with used batteries??

 

[Sophias_dad]

Is there a history of them replacing them with used batteries??

They are only obligated to replace it with a battery(refurbished or not) with similar capacity as your used battery.

 

[Chewy13]

They are only obligated to replace it with a battery(refurbished or not) with similar capacity as your used battery.

Interesting. Are there documented cases of this happening?
When I was at the service center the other day, I heard the SA tell a customer that some of his batteries were out of balance, and they'd have to get a new battery, which could take up to 2 weeks just to arrive.

Now that you say it though, I guess it doesn't surprise me that they'd put a like-health/degradation battery in as a replacement. But in a car that's 2-months old, I would expect that they'd just source a new battery.

 

[MP3Mike]

At least with a Long Range Model Y the battery pack can be quickly, efficiently changed without having to disassemble the inside of the passenger cabin as is the case with the structural 4680 battery.

Wrong. The interior on all Model 3/Ys has to be town apart to get to the bolts under the carpet that attach the HV battery to the car. Book time for non-structural pack Model Ys is 4.02-5.2 hours depending on configuration. Book time for structural 4680 pack configurations is slightly more at 5.2-5.52 hours. (So really not much difference.)

 

[Sophias_dad]

Interesting. Are there documented cases of this happening?

Definitely, although at only two months old it may not apply. There's certainly nothing in writing saying "Must replace with new if less than N months old".

Remember the warranty is only that the HV battery maintains 70% of its capacity for however many miles. They aren't going to replace a 69% capacity battery with a 100% capacity battery... ever.

 

[jcanoe]

At least with a Long Range Model Y the battery pack can be quickly, efficiently changed without having to disassemble the inside of the passenger cabin as is the case with the structural 4680 battery.

So is this Electrek article wrong?

Tesla structural battery pack is removable, but it is quite an ordeal

 

[MP3Mike]

They aren't going to replace a 69% capacity battery with a 100% capacity battery... ever.

They will if there isn't a compatible refurbished pack available.

 

[qdeathstar]

Wrong. The interior on all Model 3/Ys has to be town apart to get to the bolts under the carpet that attach the HV battery to the car. Book time for non-structural pack Model Ys is 4.02-5.2 hours depending on configuration. Book time for structural 4680 pack configurations is slightly more at 5.2-5.52 hours. (So really not much difference.)

4.02 hrs? They really sorting the pepper from the flee *sugar* aren’t they.

 

[mongo]

4.02 hrs? They really sorting the pepper from the flee *sugar* aren’t they.

Tesla rolls up all sub processes in their work time estimates. So they are not saying 4.02 versus 4, they are saying the sum of all step and sub-steps (like rear seat R&R, carpet R&R) add up to 4.02.
0.02 hours equates to one minute.

 

[GBMaryland]

Definitely, although at only two months old it may not apply. There's certainly nothing in writing saying "Must replace with new if less than N months old".

Remember the warranty is only that the HV battery maintains 70% of its capacity for however many miles. They aren't going to replace a 69% capacity battery with a 100% capacity battery... ever.

That makes no sense whatsoever. If the battery prematurely fails during the warranty period, I would absolutely expect them to replace the battery with one that meets the specifications for a new battery. Doesn't matter if it’s refurbished or not it needs to be the same as a new battery.

 

[mongo]

That makes no sense whatsoever. If the battery prematurely fails during the warranty period, I would absolutely expect them to replace the battery with one that meets the specifications for a new battery. Doesn't matter if it’s refurbished or not it needs to be the same as a new battery.

https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/downloads/tesla-new-vehicle-limited-warranty-en-us.pdf

If your Battery or Drive Unit requires warranty repair, Tesla will repair the unit, or replace it with a new, reconditioned or re-manufactured part at the sole discretion of Tesla. The warranty replacement may not restore the vehicle to a "like new" condition, but when replacing a Battery, Tesla will ensure that the energy capacity of the replacement Battery is at least equal to that of the original Battery before the failure occurred while taking into consideration other factors, including the age and mileage of the vehicle.

 

[ucmndd]

That makes no sense whatsoever. If the battery prematurely fails during the warranty period, I would absolutely expect them to replace the battery with one that meets the specifications for a new battery.

You know the old saying, fill one hand with your expectations and the other hand with your excrement… see which one fills up first.

You probably should have calibrated your expectations to the written warranty doc you agreed to when you took delivery of your car.

 

[GBMaryland]

It’s interesting how you didn’t put the entire post that I made…

But anyway, in the state of Maryland, one can easily assume that Tesla is violating the law if they don’t replace the battery with one that meets the original specifications. As I said doesn’t matter but refurbished or knew, so long is it meets the original specifications…

The battery system is part of the emissions system so far is the law is concerned.

At some point, this will be tested in court and it won’t matter what you supposedly agreed to with the warranty when you purchased your card. And it’s not like Tesla is giving you an extended warranty that you’re paying for…..

 

[jcanoe]

Tesla would claim that the battery, original or replacement, was within spec as long as the capacity was >= 70% as compared with a new battery, per the new vehicle battery warranty (8 years or 120,000 miles from date of purchase.)

 

[CuriousWren]

Whether it’s a day old, month old or year old car…it’s still a “used” car once you take delivery. They are not going to give you a new car as replacement for your used car.

 

[mongo]

The battery system is part of the emissions system so far is the law is concerned.

That is incorrect.
Tesla's don't have emissions, they are not tested in Maryland
VEIP - General Requirements - Pages

Nor any other state:
Alternative Fuels Data Center: Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) Emissions Inspection Exemption

BEVs are exempt from state motor vehicle emissions inspections. For more information, see the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Vehicle Emissions Testing Program website.

Further, batteries are not listed emissions equipment:
https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/A....mde.state.md.us/assets/document/warr95fs.pdf

But the EPA is looking to change that:
EPA Proposal Would Mandate Automakers to Warranty EV Battery Durability

Batteries installed in light-duty program vehicles must meet a Minimum Performance Requirement such that measured usable battery energy is at least 80 percent of the vehicle’s certified usable battery energy after 5 years or 62,000 miles, and at least 70 percent of certified usable battery energy at 8 years or 100,000 mile

Were this implemented (2027), replacement packs that meet the limit... would meet the limit...