Maximum battery charge level reduced - warranty about to expire

[David71201]

Useful info:
2015 Model S 70
177k miles
I bought used Jan 2020 with 147K miles
Battery warranty expires Dec 3 2023

About a month ago, with my battery warranty about to expire and the capacity in the vicinity of 70%, I decided that I needed to know as well as possible if I had a claim.

I read that to recalibrate, one should charge to 100%. I had never done that before, so I did charge to 100% at a supercharger. I was then going to drive it to about 5%, charge it up to about 95%, and see how many kwh it took. If it added less than 70*0.70*0.90 = 44.1 kwh, I was going to pursue exercising the warranty.

About a week later, I was down to 5% and hooked it up at the supercharger to get my data. But at 28%, it stopped charging and the "Maximum batter charge level reduced. Okay to drive. Schedule service soon." alert popped up. With my warranty expiration arriving soon, I scheduled the first available date and time - Friday 24 8am. Today (Wednesday, Nov 22) I was notified that my appointment has been pushed back to Jan 1, 2024.

If it turns out that the battery pack does have to be replaced, am I naive to hope that Tesla will honor that warranty if they don't get to see it until Jan 1? Also, is my method of estimating my capacity the way most people do it? Seeing how far it drives never made sense to me because one's range is so dependent upon weather, how one drives, is one using climate control, etc.

 

[spsheridan]

I don't have any experience with exercising a warranty like this, but I recommend documenting your charging issues as much as possible including taking screenshots that clearly identify your car and include date/time stamps.

 

[Yelobird]

Not an expert on this vintage like others but for one I don’t think that’s the process to recalibrate and while I may be wrong the warranty on your car vintage battery I believe is only 125k miles.

Google response:
Your vehicle's Battery and Drive Unit are covered under this Battery and Drive Unit Limited Warranty for a period of: Model S and Model X - 8 years (with the exception of the original 60 kWh battery manufactured before 2015 that is covered for a period of 8 years or 125,000 miles/200,000 km, whichever comes first).

 

[dmurphy]

Strongly suggest you document it in the app. Respond to the appointment with a message indicating that you’re having a battery error, the vehicle’s warranty is about to expire, and you want to make sure this will still be covered under warranty even though your appointment date changed. I’d even ask if there’s any way they can squeeze you in before the expiration date.

Then screenshot the hell out of their reply.

 

[brkaus]

I’d get it into the shop if they won’t acknowledge the issue and say, in writing, that it was reported prior to the warranty expiring and will be covered if it’s a battery or drive unit issue.

 

[Tam]

...I did charge to 100% at a supercharger...

Not a good way to do 100% charge. It's best to do 100% charge limit at home, not Supercharger.

About a week later, I was down to 5% and hooked it up at the supercharger to get my data. But at 28%, it stopped charging and the "Maximum batter charge level reduced. Okay to drive. Schedule service soon."

Not a good sign.

Can you charge your car at home and set it at 100%?

If it turns out that the battery pack does have to be replaced, am I naive to hope that Tesla will honor that warranty if they don't get to see it until Jan 1?

I wouldn't trust that Tesla would honor the warranty when you show up AFTER it expires.

Also, is my method of estimating my capacity the way most people do it?

My method is to charge to 100% at home and it should say 240 miles when new.

At 100% and it says 168 miles, that's 70%.

Seeing how far it drives never made sense to me because one's range is so dependent upon weather, how one drives, is one using climate control, etc.

It's not the actual drive. It's the EPA formula: 100% is 240 miles on the battery gauge, not the actual travel distance on the road.

If I can't charge at a decent percentage at home, I would take my car to the Service Center as an emergency situation, like right now, and not waiting for the warranty to expire.

 

[David Harvey]

"Maximum battery charge level reduced. Okay to drive. Schedule service soon."

Sorry to hear this. This is one of the usual messages that suggests that you need a new HV battery I'm afraid.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/...ouid=101367879314455822316&rtpof=true&sd=true
Is there an alternative Service Centre that can book you in before December 3rd? As others have said, you need to keep screenshots of all error messages and particularly keep a backup of every single message exchanged via the app, especially once you have secured Tesla's written confirmation that your potential warranty claim has been registered before the expiry date. You will also need to track down the 8-year warranty small print for your S70 as I think it unlikely that Tesla will replace the HV battery purely because of degradation.

Don't forget that your car would not have a capacity of exactly 70 kWh: Tesla’s hacked Battery Management System exposes the real usable capacity of its battery packs

Can you tell from the service records if your car had the HV battery resealing service bulletin carried out? Good luck, please keep us posted.

 

[NV Ray]

@David71201 everyone's previous advice germaine. Which BMS alert did you get? 029 or 018?

 

[Rascoe]

I had something that needed to be fixed right before the warranty expired and the 1st appointment was after the warranty. I took pics, uploaded them in the app to show the issue and they said no problem. It was fixed at the next service appointment. I think once documented Tesla will do the right thing (At least I am always hopeful).

I would also continue to check the next available service appointment as things frequently open up. You might be able grab something earlier.

 

[Electricfan]

Have you asked them using the app if warranty will still apply to this problem if seen after the warranty period expires? It certainly should, since it was documented by the car itself during the warranty period. You might also consult an attorney in your state as to state laws on the matter. But my guess is you're going to be covered. Personally I'd drive to the service center even without an appointment and talk to the highest up person there that I could get to. They will remember you better that way. If the first time they see you in person is after the warranty period they might have a tendency to try to deny coverage even though that would be wrong. Tesla service is erratic, so better safe than sorry.

 

[Galve2000]

If it turns out that the battery pack does have to be replaced, am I naive to hope that Tesla will honor that warranty if they don't get to see it until Jan 1?

If I were you I would do whatever you needed to do to make sure Tesla sees your car prior to the expiration of the warranty.

If you alert them to the issue prior to the expiration, their policy is to honor the warranty as the issue arose prior to the expiration of the warranty.

However, As you are the second owner of the vehicle, Tesla may be less inclined to cover you as you are not their original contractual partner.

 

[esg94]

If I were you I would do whatever you needed to do to make sure Tesla sees your car prior to the expiration of the warranty.

If you alert them to the issue prior to the expiration, their policy is to honor the warranty as the issue arose prior to the expiration of the warranty.

However, As you are the second owner of the vehicle, Tesla may be less inclined to cover you as you are not their original contractual partner.

I agree with this… I would do absolutely everything I could to get that car in before the warranty expires. Call the service center directly, plead with them on the phone. Tell them your situation. And as a last resort, take the car in and make a service center rep come out and take a look at it.

 

[ucmndd]

1) your battery has no capacity warranty, so the 70% thing is not relevant. That said it doesn’t matter because it looks like you’re getting a new one.

2) you don’t have anything to worry about regarding the warranty as the issue clearly happened within the warranty period, the car logs will confirm that, and you’ve reported the issue and scheduled service.

3) All the same I would not wait until January, even if it meant walking into the service center in person and talking to a human, which it probably will.

 

[islandbayy]

Do not wait for your appointment. Drive directly to the service center and drop it off. That is a covered item. While you bring it to their attention while in warranty, they will fight tooth and nail to not honor it of you wait until Jan. Go in NOW. They will need to provide you with a Loaner while waiting for replacement battery. DO NOT WAIT.

Further, BATTERY FAILURES ARE AT HIGHER PRIORITY THAN OTHER NORMAL SERVICE! Drive right in. Vehicle is technically not usable. Also a max charge reduced usually means cell or brick failure. Potentially a fire issue. If you go in, and they turn you away, make sure you ask IN WRITING that it is safe to drive. If the car does burn, they are possibly liable.

 

[houstonian]

First off sorry to hear about the battery issues, but if was destined to fail, at least it failed now under warranty coverage.

If doable you may want to go by your SC, let the rep know - in person - about your concern, and ask him/her to document the ticket (again in person).

From a logistical standpoint I don't think there's any reason for an employee to deny warranty coverage given the circumstances outlined above BUT you've got to give the Tesla employee the cover to do so.

Strongly suggest you document it in the app. Respond to the appointment with a message indicating that you’re having a battery error, the vehicle’s warranty is about to expire, and you want to make sure this will still be covered under warranty even though your appointment date changed. I’d even ask if there’s any way they can squeeze you in before the expiration date.

Then screenshot the hell out of their reply.

I’d get it into the shop if they won’t acknowledge the issue and say, in writing, that it was reported prior to the warranty expiring and will be covered if it’s a battery or drive unit issue.

 

[maximizese]

Do not wait for your appointment. Drive directly to the service center and drop it off. That is a covered item. While you bring it to their attention while in warranty, they will fight tooth and nail to not honor it of you wait until Jan. Go in NOW. They will need to provide you with a Loaner while waiting for replacement battery. DO NOT WAIT.

Further, BATTERY FAILURES ARE AT HIGHER PRIORITY THAN OTHER NORMAL SERVICE! Drive right in. Vehicle is technically not usable. Also a max charge reduced usually means cell or brick failure. Potentially a fire issue. If you go in, and they turn you away, make sure you ask IN WRITING that it is safe to drive. If the car does burn, they are possibly liable.

I agree. When I had a "Car will not restart, regenerative braking system disabled, top speed and acceleration reduced, etc" warnings, Tesla Roadside advised me to drive the car directly to my nearest Service Center in the event that the car doesn't restart. It'll save me the hassle of towing a 4,700lb brick. The Service Center was probably the busiest in the world at the time (Costa Mesa). I arrived just before 3pm on a Saturday and they immediately searched the data logs and told me they were going to need the car for a few days. 5 minutes into my job home (I live 2 miles from the Service Center), they call and tell me the drive unit and HV battery contactors will replaced under warranty and the car should be ready by Tuesday.

I've scheduled appointments there in the past that were 10-14 days out and so going there in person with such a critical failure can get you done much faster.

 

[GazMav]

You've hit the jackpot really. Battery replacement just as warranty ends, perfect

 

[Galve2000]

o not wait for your appointment. Drive directly to the service center and drop it off. That is a covered item. While you bring it to their attention while in warranty,

While I was figuring out what to do with my battery repalcement (3rd party refurb vs "new" 90 KW pack with a 48 month, 48,000 mile waranty from Tesla) and I was going back and forth with the Tesla reps, they told me I could "drop the car off at any time." I had an appintment for Nov 8th and was already out of warrany but I dropped the car at the service center in Redhook and the car was returned to me a few days later.

to the OP.. I would do whateveer you can to get this covered under warranty. Although having read your message a second time, you are in the clear as it sounds like it was Tesla that pushed your date back. find out if they have a replacement pack in stock, get a repair estimate (it should say something like $200 warrantee deductible, assuming of course that your car has the Tesla 4 year extended warranty == Im not sure what this would cost without the extended warranty.. the battery replacemenrt is freem but there are other assoicated costs that may not be included.

if you have the "check enjine " light you can drop off your car for service at any time. do so before Dec 3rd. you don;t want your car to run out of range and need a tow.

 

[Yelobird]

As the OP has disappeared on the topic I guess I don’t understand the suggestion that he/she will get a new battery? They have 177k miles, how would that be a warranty replacement? Was battery warranty different in 2015 not including miles or years whichever come first back then? Curious.

 

[brkaus]

As the OP has disappeared on the topic I guess I don’t understand the suggestion that he/she will get a new battery? They have 177k miles, how would that be a warranty replacement? Was battery warranty different in 2015 not including miles or years whichever come first back then? Curious.

8 year unlimited miles.