Model S "Subframe adjustment"

[visionik]

Hi - a question for the forum:

My Model S was just at the body shop to have very minor paint/plastic damage repaired (a victim of the pre-creep mode profile fix; i am used to creep mode off, my wife drove the car and turned creep mode on, and that setting didn't stay with the driver profile until a recent firmware update)

As part of the Tesla Process, the car went from the body shop to the local Tesla service center for "final inspection". During this inspection Tesla found that the subframe was "out of alignment" and is charging $872 for the subframe alignment.

My understanding that the subframe is holds the motor. What I don't understand is how a ~2mph creep-mode bump (the other car literally didn't have a scratch) can misalign the subframe.

They said that the fix was that they had to re-torque the bolts on the subframe. I could of course be wrong, but it seems like more likely it would have been an issue from the factory or from the 6 months of driving that's been put on the car.

Anyone have any ideas or opinions on this?

Thanks

-V

 

[Tennisballer]

No way could a 2 mph crash cause the subframe to be out of alignment. If it were that is not a hard thing to do that price is insane lol

 

[visionik]

That is certainly my opinion (both on cause and cost); but I would love to hear from some more TMC folks on this one . . .

 

[lolachampcar]

When I was developing new upper links for the rear, one of my cars' rear toe would come into spec while the other would not. The alignment tech and I loosened the four bolts that held in the sub frame and, on loosening the last bolt, the frame "snapped" into position. We could then get toe equal on both sides of the rear. This was on a sub 5k mile car that had never been hit.

 

[CHG-ON]

Sounds like warranty issue to me. I think you ought to fight it. If @lolachampcar had this issue, that should be good enough reason to argue it.