Infinite Mile Battery Warranty [Now] Being Honored By Tesla [Issue Resolved]

[HMARTINPT]

I have been a loyal Tesla owner since 2013. My family currently owns a 2012 Tesla Model S 85, 2016 Tesla Model X 90 and just most recently purchased a 2018 Model S 100. The most important reason we continue to purchase from Tesla is the infinite mile battery and power train warranty.

My 2012 Tesla Model S was purchased in 2013 and therefore the warranty doesn't expire until 2021. Tesla has replaced the power train 3 different times since 2013 for the Model S without any problems in honoring the warranty. In January of 2019 we broke down on the side of the highway with 16 miles left on the range indicator and only 139 miles on the current trip being taking. The only warning the car gave me at that time was "battery very low, needs charging" once we had broken down. I had been having problems for years with the decreasing battery range and Tesla just saying it is degradation or the way I drive it. I drive all of the vehicles the same. The only difference is the amount of miles the 2012 actually gets when driving. The battery capacity was getting around 175 miles per trip charge before the most recent break down. Tesla is not wavering on not replacing the battery. The Houston North service center actually responded that the warranty clearly states degradation isn't covered. My argument was this is clearly more than degradation but they said this is what upper management has told me to say. I told them that i have read in other articles that batteries have been replaced for the same issues that I am having but the response I got was still they would not replace the battery. I asked how low the battery has to get for them to honor the warranty and the response i got was if it isn't a hardware issue that they wouldn't replace the battery. I responded by saying so the car could get down to 50 miles of battery range and you could say it is just degradation. The response was, “yes”.

I desperately would appreciate any suggestions to get Tesla to honor the warranty and to warn others about Tesla's new policy on battery replacement.

*Content edited by moderator to make it more legible and eliminate the "all caps"

 

[Az_Rael]

It may not help much, but you can use the escalate issue option in your My Tesla account.

You can also try a different service center. See if you can get someone more helpful.

If all those options fail, you can try to escalate through a local news channel that does those "consumer getting screwed" sorts of pieces.

 

[mongo]

Was the car diagnosed at the service center, or over the air (OTA)?

If not, try calling the service number and seeing if they will check battery health OTA.
If they won't. you might be able to find a local TMCer who can check the individual cell block voltages. If one (or more) have a failed cell, that should be covered.
(also, don't use all caps, it's considered shouting).

 

[HMARTINPT]

It may not help much, but you can use the escalate issue option in your My Tesla account.

You can also try a different service center. See if you can get someone more helpful.

If all those options fail, you can try to escalate through a local news channel that does those "consumer getting screwed" sorts of pieces.

THANKS FOR THE INPUT. I HAVE TRIED GOING TO THE REGIONAL SUPERVISOR BUT THEY WILL NOT DISCUSS WITH ME. I WILL TRY MY TESLA ACCOUNT AND NEWS IF NEED BE. THANKS AGAIN.

 

[HMARTINPT]

Was the car diagnosed at the service center, or over the air (OTA)?

If not, try calling the service number and seeing if they will check battery health OTA.
If they won't. you might be able to find a local TMCer who can check the individual cell block voltages. If one (or more) have a failed cell, that should be covered.
(also, don't use all caps, it's considered shouting).

 

[AudubonB]

YOU'D GET A LOT BETTER RESPONSES if you wouldn't shout. All caps is considered a rude, and very annoying, way of posting

 

[HMARTINPT]

YES WE HAD IT IN THE SERVICE CENTER FOR ALMOST A WEEK AND NO DEFINITE SOLUTION THAT TESLA WAS WILLING TO ADMIT THAT IT WAS THE BATTERY. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH THE SERVICE CENTER FOR OVER A MONTH AND TRIED TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE CHAINS OF COMMAND. THEY AREN'T BUDGING. I KNOW CAPS IS CONSIDERED SHOUTING. SORRY IF IT OFFENDS ANYONE BUT I DO WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON. ALL TESLA OWNERS SHOULD BE CONCERNED IF THE COMPANY ISN'T GOING TO HONOR THEIR WORD. IT EFFECTS EVERY ONES VALUE OF THEIR CAR. THANKS

 

[mongo]

YOU'D GET A LOT BETTER RESPONSES if you wouldn't shout. All caps is considered a rude, and very annoying, way of posting

Hey! what's wrong with my response???
(beside the possibility that you didn't read it...

(also, don't use all caps, it's considered shouting).

ok... they posted with more all caps, I'm out...

 

[ucmndd]

I KNOW CAPS IS CONSIDERED SHOUTING. SORRY IF IT OFFENDS ANYONE BUT I DO WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.

If you want the world to know what's going on you should communicate in a way that encourages people to read your posts. I didn't even bother with the first post. Giant wall of all-caps text? No thanks. Good luck with your issue.

 

[David99]

There has to be more to the story. There are many people who have gotten a replacement battery without much hesitation from Tesla. If you happen to be in the Los Angeles area, I can plug in my CAN bus reader and have a look at the battery and BMS. My guess is that some cells or a module is failing. THat's not degradation, that's a defect that should be covered by the warranty.

 

[ACA Man]

There has to be more to the story. There are many people who have gotten a replacement battery without much hesitation from Tesla. If you happen to be in the Los Angeles area, I can plug in my CAN bus reader and have a look at the battery and BMS. My guess is that some cells or a module is failing. THat's not degradation, that's a defect that should be covered by the warranty.

David,

May I ask for your help please.
Thanks

 

[HMARTINPT]

YOU'D GET A LOT BETTER RESPONSES if you wouldn't shout. All caps is considered a rude, and very annoying, way of posting

I HOPE PEOPLE WOULD BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT TESLA NOT HONORING THE WARRANTY AND HOPE THIS NEVER HAPPENS TO YOU. IF IT DID I WOULD DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION IN USING ALL CAPS SO EVERYONE COULD HEAR YOU. THANKS,I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL TESLA OWNER SINCE 2013. MY FAMILY CURRENTLY OWNS A 2012 TESLA MODEL S 85, 2016 TESLA MODEL X 90 AND JUST MOST RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2018 MODEL S 100. THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON WE CONTINUE TO PURCHASE FROM TESLA IS THE INFINITE MILE BATTERY AND POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. MY 2012 TESLA MODEL S WAS PURCHASED IN 2013 AND THEREFORE THE WARRANTY DOESN'T EXPIRE UNTIL 2021. TESLA HAS REPLACED THE POWER TRAIN 3 DIFFERENT TIMES SINCE 2013 FOR THE MODEL S WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS IN HONORING THE WARRANTY. IN JANUARY OF 2019 WE BROKE DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WITH 16 MILES LEFT ON THE RANGE INDICATOR AND ONLY 139 MILES ON THE CURRENT TRIP BEING TAKING. THE ONLY WARNING THE CAR GAVE ME AT THAT TIME WAS "BATTERY VERY LOW, NEEDS CHARGING" ONCE WE HAD BROKE DOWN. I HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS FOR YEARS WITH THE DECREASING BATTERY RANGE AND TESLA JUST SAYING IT IS DEGRADATION OR THE WAY I DRIVE IT. I DRIVE ALL OF THE VEHICLES THE SAME. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE AMOUNT OF MILES THE 2012 ACTUALLY GETS WHEN DRIVING. THE BATTERY CAPACITY WAS GETTING AROUND 175 MILES PER TRIP BEFORE THE MOST RECENT BREAK DOWN. TESLA IS NOT WAVERING ON NOT REPLACING THE BATTERY. THE HOUSTON NORTH SERVICE CENTER ACTUALLY RESPONDED THAT THE WARRANTY CLEARLY STATES DEGRADATION ISN'T COVERED. MY ARGUMENT WAS THIS IS CLEARLY MORE THAN DEGRADATION BUT THEY SAID THIS IS WHAT UPPER MANAGEMENT HAS TOLD ME TO SAY. I TOLD THEM THAT I HAVE READ IN OTHER ARTICLES THAT BATTERIES HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOR THE SAME ISSUES THAT I AM HAVING BUT THE RESPONSE I GOT WAS STILL THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE BATTERY. I ASKED HOW LOW THE BATTERY HAS TO GET FOR THEM TO HONOR THE WARRANTY AND THE RESPONSE I GOT WAS IF IT ISN'T A HARDWARE ISSUE THAT THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE THE BATTERY. I RESPONDED BY SAYING SO THE CAR COULD GET DOWN TO 50 MILES OF BATTERY RANGE AND YOU COULD SAY IT IS JUST DEGRADATION. THE RESPONSE WAS YES. I DESPERATELY WOULD APPRECIATE ANY SUGGESTIONS TO GET TESLA TO HONOR THE WARRANTY AND TO WARN OTHERS ABOUT TESLA'S NEW POLICY ON BATTERY REPLACEMENT.

There has to be more to the story. There are many people who have gotten a replacement battery without much hesitation from Tesla. If you happen to be in the Los Angeles area, I can plug in my CAN bus reader and have a look at the battery and BMS. My guess is that some cells or a module is failing. THat's not degradation, that's a defect that should be covered by the warranty.

Sorry but there isn't much more to the story. I greatly appreciate your offer but I live in Houston,TX. I have 239,000 miles on the car but this is why I bought the car with the infinite mile warranty. I do expect degradation but being broke down on the side of the road with my family after only going 139 miles is definitely more than degradation. The car should be covered just like when the powertrain went out on three different occasions. Everyone should be concerned over this issue. It effects everyones value on their vehicle when Tesla doesn't honor their word. Thanks for your response.

 

[MP3Mike]

I RESPONDED BY SAYING SO THE CAR COULD GET DOWN TO 50 MILES OF BATTERY RANGE AND YOU COULD SAY IT IS JUST DEGRADATION. THE RESPONSE WAS YES.

That is correct. If the battery capacity gradually decreases to 50 miles then that is not a failure covered under the warranty. However if the battery suddenly lost 10% of it's capacity that would be covered. (And I have seen someone that got Tesla to replace a battery after they showed evidence of a sudden large drop in capacity.)

I do expect degradation but being broke down on the side of the road with my family after only going 139 miles is definitely more than degradation.

That depends on the conditions of that drive. 139 miles may have been perfectly reasonable. What SoC did you start with? What speed were you driving? Was the heat on? Uphill? What wheels/tires? etc.

 

[David99]

I have 239,000 miles on the car but this is why I bought the car with the infinite mile warranty. I do expect degradation but being broke down on the side of the road with my family after only going 139 miles is definitely more than degradation.

My 2014 85 Model S has 200k miles. I get 240 miles of range on a full charge. 139 miles on a full charge is not degradation, there is a defect for sure. There are many high mileage cars and none of them has such a high degradation. I don't understand why Tesla is so reluctant in your case. A simple look with the diagnostic tool would definitely show the issue. Have they done that?

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

It's not just the caps. It's the lack of formatting of text. It makes you look mental, and destroys credibility.

 

[MP3Mike]

My 2014 85 Model S has 200k miles. I get 240 miles of range on a full charge. 139 miles on a full charge is not degradation

You get 240 miles of actual driving in the same conditions he was driving in? Or is the 240 miles the reported range? (Because he was talking miles driven not miles reported.)

 

[markb1]

I can't even finish reading these all-caps posts. Mix case is so much easier to read. Even all lowercase would be much better.

 

[HMARTINPT]

I started with 209 miles. I was driving the speed limit of 75 mph on the highway. No heat was on and yes it wasn't a flat service the distance of the trip. I have the 21 inch wheels/tires. So as you can see it was much more than 10% with the change and that is why I thought for sure they would be honoring the warranty. People need to be aware of what is going on. It effects all of us who own as well as new buyers. Thanks for your input.

 

[Lump]

Last week both my Service Adviser & a Mobile Ranger informed me normal degradation is 5% the first year & then 1-2% for each year after. My 2013 S85 with 84k miles has 11% degradation (always babied the battery).

 

[Kuhz]

Whew. Thanks for toning it down. I was getting a headache