Hi all first post as this is the first Tesla I’ve bought. Just bought a P90D Model S last week and have started stripping it down when it arrived home yesterday (4/7/19). It has some front damage but fairly high up not affecting the front bumper reinforcement bar or chassis legs. Air bags deployed no surprise. It still turns on and has almost 200 mile of range but will not drive forward or back. I was playing around with the screen yesterday and swapping back and fore between driver settings. Then put it into valet mode and have don’t have the pin to get back out of it, only learning but silly mistake. The family business is a car dismantlers so have a good knowledge of fixing cars and working on them. This is the first time working on a full electric car (worked on hybrids in the past). I now have most of the front off and roof bags removed after the first day. I am going to attempt to remove the dash today but I cannot get the glove box opened as it in valet mode. Have both keys but no details of the previous owner which makes me think I have to contact Tesla to get the previous owner details removed and add the car to the app on my iPhone? Ordered a new dash with airbags, seat belts and airbag module, won’t arrive until next week. Anyone with any advice on what to check so I can get it driving? Should have taken better photos before stripping. Other photos show current state when I finished stripping. Thanks in advance
Tesla won't give you app access or support your salvage car in any way. You really need to search threads here; you'll find a lot more information. You should pull the SIM card from the MCU (or the whole MCU until you search how) as soon as possible because if it is updated over the air to the newest version, rooting your car will be difficult if not impossible (according to other threads here). And you will need to root your car. Teslas are not like any other car you've repaired in the past so do not rely on what has worked in the past. Good luck and please keep us updated on your progress!
Solid advice, but probably too late. There's a video on 'the tube' where a guy just bought a helicopter. He was waiting for the instructor to arrive, when he just could not wait. The guy was Ok, and maybe, -maybe- he learned something... The airbag module (deep in the dash in front of the center console at the bulkhead) has faulted and probably blown the pyro-fuse (right frunk up at the bulkhead), which prevents main pack voltage. You must somehow get airbags (illegal to sell except by Tesla, which won't), get all blown seatbelt retractors rebuilt (eBay), get the module reset (hacker), replace the pyro (eBay), and root it. (use your imagination)
Thanks for the replies. Today I removed the dash, airbag module and the MCU. I understand the rookie mistake as you guys say it may be to late! I have posted the seatbelt to get rebuilt and the airbag module to get reset. The car is 2015 and have figured out which one is the pyro fuse, will check it tomorrow. Now time to understand 'rooting it'.
Rich Rebuilds in Mass is the expert on salvage cars. Watch his videos, call or email him. He has disassembled a lot of wreaks. I think his url is www.richrebuilds.com.
I wonder how much you got it for. It can't possibly be cheap enough to make up for all the work and parts that needs to go into it. Sounds more like a hobby project? It will be very impressive if you can end up doing it
Quick update, haven’t did much to the car since my last message. Had the car driving today after replacing all above as listed by rooter that arrived yesterday. Drove about half a mile within our private yard. Range dropped to 188 miles. I tried a quick factory reset on the airbag light but it didn’t remove it. I had the MCU out and pulled apart for a little look, see attached photo. Will give an update end of the week or next week
Maybe you missed their policy change late last year, there are criteria, but most of them are reasonable. Unsupported or Salvaged Vehicle Policy They will support salvage cars, even repairing them for you. (Work on the HV system requires paying for, and passing, a HV inspection first.) They do disable Supercharging, which hopefully they will change their policy on that in the future. (Though I'm pretty sure I have seen that people can get app access and they are no longer disabling CHAdeMO charging.)
Sourcing and waiting on parts to arrive. Didn’t get anything else done this week. Couple of photos shows it’s current state. Just put the airbags in place to get the light out and have the car driving for now. Anyone in the UK know a timescale for a response from Tesla regarding changing the ownership? Chancing my arm to see if I can get app access now I have no warning lights
Making arrangements to travel and collect the parts myself. Don't want to risk these getting damage by a courier. Have to travel from Northern Ireland to mainland UK for the parts. The fixing of this car is dragging on more that I wanted but I hope to have it ready over the next few weeks.
Happy to say got app access today and have had the car out for a short drive including a few launches Now I just need to get the frontal parts and get it finished. Two photos show after I spent almost an hour on the phone giving off saying I hadn’t received a reply in 2 weeks, 2 minutes later I received this email
Unless something has changed really recently Tesla has a no reenabling of Supercharging ever. Even if pay to have it inspected and pass.
I will be getting the Tesla inspection once finished. I do believe here in the UK once approved by Tesla, supercharging is reenabled but I may be wrong. Most of the progress on this car has been self explanatory, reading from other people in the past it was made out to be a big challenge. To be honest I haven't found it anymore demanding than any other car I have fixed before (maybe I have just got lucky) and I personally encourage anyone considering to fix a Tesla to go for it (provided they have sufficient experience). Once I have this car finished it will be for sale, I will look for another damaged Tesla and start again
Given that Tesla are unlikely to re-enable supercharging, it may be worthwhile seeing if you can get a CCS adaptor and conversion.
