Model S 2017 - Behind Back Seat Open Panels - Quality Fail

[Sir Guacamolaf]

@Mattzilla nice that they took care of everything for no cost. However,
- At any point tesla could start not honoring their warranty as well as they have in the past, in fact, it's already happening.
- Good luck being out of warranty
- Still a very shoddy build, and the inconvenience to boot.

 

[Mattzilla]

I think the types of people they end up hiring for a car manufactured with this level of quality are people who deny problems and blame you. They did that to me, rudely, at my first service center (I've since found a much nicer service center). It turns into a how can you prove it game.

The cold feet problem (feet get cold at extended higher speeds in cool weather) I had was a show stopper, and they refused to fix it, but I finally found multiple threads here on TMC about it (because every Model S has the problem), and some member solutions worked.

Things I can prove I bring in. Everything else I try to go elsewhere. It makes the whole process easier and more deterministic.

I'm actually enjoying the body repair shops in comparison: the problems are easy to identify, and they don't treat me crazy either; they just explain it in a nice human way and write a quote. Repairs work out well.

I think it's a dealer vs competitive shop experience; of course the monopoly will mess with you. The private shop wants your business, and knows you could go elsewhere. (It helps that there are dozens of Tesla certified body shops in California.)

If you don't mind my asking, how did you remedy the cold feet issue?

 

[Ulmo]

If you don't mind my asking, how did you remedy the cold feet issue?

I'm wanting to finish some more experiments which I think will solve it, but for now, I'm using a band-aid. That's why I didn't explicitly already post my solution.

Here's what I think will solve it, written in English as a second language, so I'm still trying to figure out what they mean:

My feet are freezing!

What I ended up doing was getting an electric blanket that plugs into the cigarette output (lots on Amazon). The problems with the electric blanket, though, are:

1. I have to be extremely careful not to let it interfere with the pedals (brake and accelerator).
2. I can't get it wet.
3. The cord could easily tangle up my legs; it has to be kept down, out of the way.
4. The one I got is way too large.

But, with careful blanket management, I've found this band-aid to actually work, except on the longest and coldest of journeys. It's night and day, though, so it's not a bad band aid as a first step.

What I want to do is remove that aluminum plate mentioned in the message above, put in the insulation strips (I already have some insulation strips for that sort of thing), put the plate back, caulk around it if necessary, and then get a smaller electric blanket which will fit underneath the matt and under the brake and accelerator pedals and attach it down with some sort of velcro. I haven't done any of that. It's a work in progress. If you do get the electric blanket, be SURE it will not interfere with the pedals, or cause you to trip getting in or out of the car.

The reason I think the message above is accurate is that I have measured the air temperatures just the way he did, and came up with the same result and the same conclusion without actually seeing any plate there. The fact that he found a plate, insulated it, and solved it just confirms my hypothesis (and his). I think that is step #1 in any real permanent solution. (Yes, this points to bad design by Tesla!)

 

[Az_Rael]

What I want to do is remove that aluminum plate mentioned in the message above, put in the insulation strips (I already have some insulation strips for that sort of thing), put the plate back, caulk around it if necessary, and then get a smaller electric blanket which will fit underneath the matt and under the brake and accelerator pedals and attach it down with some sort of velcro.

Sorry for the thread jack, but instead of an electric blanket, you might find a small heating pad of the sort used for pet beds. They are small and thin and the wire could be concealed as needed. You would have to change the power to 12V DC, but a trip to radio shack should be able to remedy that. They are also designed to never heat up too much and aren't on timers.

 

[Sir Guacamolaf]

Re: Electric blankets/pads .. great idea! But, I wonder what kind of extra load will that put on the 12v battery. It's not like Tesla handles the 12v battery very well to begin with.

Tesla should just add heated footwells as an option. Bentley Mulsanne has it, and it's heavenly!

PS: This pad would be a great idea I think.

Hey @artsci .. idea for aftermarket improvement ;-)

 

[busaman]

if you think about it you buy a £100.000 car and it cant even have hot air ducted to your feet yet it is able to steer itself...

 

[houdini]

Do you think BMW/Audi/Mercedes would deliver a car with these basic fit and finish issues?
"You're buying into the revolution in automotive design," and "You're buying a crown jewel of technology" is enough for some. But I don't think "You're also buying a very expensive car" should be overlooked on the way to the revolution.
Robin

Yes absolutely. I broke the adjuster handle off my drivers seat in my Mercedes, took it in and they fixed it under warranty. Broke again. Found out it was a known manufacturing issue and they had simply designed a handle that put a lot of force on a plastic bit instead of a metal bit. I just used it very carefully after the third replacement until a mechanic broke it when the car was in for service. They fixed it again for free. I took it home and manufactured my own metal stem and drilled and screwed until I had a solid handle instead of the dodgy one Mercedes had designed. Being under the seat I didn't ever see my shoddy job but at least I had a workable seat adjuster. Or how about the beautiful Audi TT. Looked great, spun off the road with no warning because of a design flaw.

No manufacturer is perfect.

 

[JRMW]

A couple of weeks ago, I was at a Supercharger station and was talking to another X owner. He was quite happy with the car.

He was shocked and LIVID.

I don't want to be with you anywhere near my car!

It's the philosophical question of the thread

Is it better to know about all the QC deficits or not?

My mirror doesn't unfold.
Turned it off and now I'm happy again.

I'm not sure my charge port works right. Sometimes I get the dreaded yellow or orange flashing light and I have to try 4-5 times before it turns blue or green. I'm getting better at this. Have to angle just right and push in very quickly but not hard.

I hear wind noise on all glass roof above 70 and I think the car vibrates slightly.
So I turn up the radio.

Interestingly the thing that bothers me most is that my handles do not auto present when I approach the car from the back. I have to walk up an tap the front door handles. Sometimes twice. They auto present perfectly if I approach from the front. This is issue for me as I approach from rear 99% of the time

I'll ask the SC about it some day when I get a chance. But I'm a very busy person who doesn't have the time to get worked up over a car.

But I understand why these issues drive others crazy. I know I'll go crazy when the car starts making rattles and squeaks. I've never been able to ignore that!

 

[jcaspar]

Mine is very tight. No crack at all and can't slip my pinky in. Did you hit it with something? There is a nasty looking spill in your photo. 2013 P85

 

[Darren Donovan]

Have you seen the BMW i3 "frunk"? It's basically a plastic storage container nail-gunned to the car.

Having said that, my Model S, purchased at the extreme limit of my financial ability, has numerous little quality issues that I do my best to ignore because of my overall fondness for the vehicle.
A little more QC would go a long way.

I would think that if you stretched financially to get the car, you'd be more critical of everything, and NOT so willing to look the other way. A person with cash to burn may not care too much about a panel gap.

 

[jcaspar]

I don't want to be with you anywhere near my car!

Interestingly the thing that bothers me most is that my handles do not auto present when I approach the car from the back. I have to walk up an tap the front door handles. Sometimes twice. They auto present perfectly if I approach from the front. This is issue for me as I approach from rear 99% of the time

Fix is here. I wish Tesla would implement this but at least we can.

 

[ClyffeWarden]

I just checked my model S and found the same 1 cm gap on both sides. I'm outraged! Tesla has had 4 years to get this thing right! If I had known there would be a gap I would have bough a Chevy. Oh wait--that means I would be driving a gas guzzling, air polluting, noisy dinosaur that goes 0-60 mph in 8 sec.

 

[JRMW]

I would think that if you stretched financially to get the car, you'd be more critical of everything, and NOT so willing to look the other way. A person with cash to burn may not care too much about a panel gap.

I don't think this is true. I think it has more to do with personality style and whether or not you're a car person.

The "car people" tend to care more. (not always) So they will care more about trim and fit issue.

there are also people who get more aggravated over things, and people who get less aggravated over things. I think you can see what type of person I tend to be with my above quote.

that said: although I easily ignore cracks and scratches and gaps and mirrors that don't unfold... creaks and weird sounds drive me CRAZY. my last car made this noise that they could never figure out. It drove me insane and was one of the reasons I sold the darn thing. (also it had 125k miles)

 

[JRMW]

Fix is here. I wish Tesla would implement this but at least we can.

Thanks. Is there anybody here on TMC who would be willing to do this for me!?
I am not a car guy, and I do not have free time.
That project is way beyond my capabilities!

 

[Newscutter]

May 2014 pre-AP, one of the last batches on the original production line-- the fitment is paper-tight on the driver side all along that panel. Passenger side there is no gap but the panel does flex slightly, though not enough to see behind it. Noted a thumb-grab hole on the top of the panel, but can't imagine what it's there for?? Not sure if visible in OPs pic or not. Didn't have camera/phone with me but could take pic later if really desired.

 

[EV-lutioin]

These are just secret stash spots that are purposely added by Tesla. When I was in high school these kinds of stash spots were very handy.

 

[ucmndd]

I think many Tesla owners have simply bought the wrong brand. Perhaps a Bugatti would be more to their standards.


Each Bugatti Chiron goes through incredibly intense testing before it can be delivered - The Verge
Each Bugatti Chiron goes through incredibly intense testing before it can be delivered

Tesla's biggest QC issue appears to be a relatively frequent high-pitched whine emanating from the drivers seat.

 

[SarahsDad]

Looks like they've changed the design slightly but no gaps in my mid-2013 Model S.

 

[SocalMS]

I can tell everyone that all new S models appear to have these ugly gaps..

In showroom cars as well..

Some are worse than others... and perhaps 5% are ok.. (i don't know)

The sales/service techs and Fremont confirms it's "within their margin of acceptability"

I for one, am not apologetic to Tesla and do not find this acceptable. It's NOT OK.

There are too many trim/fitment issues they need to GET RIGHT.

 

[Mattzilla]

Here's how mine looks (May 2016 refresh):

Looks fine to me, minus the horrible job I did running a USB cable to the back of the car for a USB powered fan for the jump seats.