Model S Technical / Mechanical Issues

[mknox]

When I was at the service center last week I asked if I could see the door handle mechanism (engineer in me...). They kindly got a new one off the shelf to show me.

I happened to be in the Service Center when they were unpacking a large shipment of parts. Some for customers and some for "inventory" I was told. A couple of door handle assemblies were in the mix, and you're right... it's a fascinatingly complex piece of machinery. I still contend overly complex for the intended purpose, but fascinating nonetheless.

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I have been having an issue with my intermittent wipers.

Nope. I've had somewhat the opposite experience. Auto wipers start out working fine, then it's as if the sensitivity has dropped and they don't wipe enough. At that point, I click it up to the second setting which works for a while until eventually I don't get enough wipe with that setting.

 

[JohnQ]

Nope. I've had somewhat the opposite experience. Auto wipers start out working fine, then it's as if the sensitivity has dropped and they don't wipe enough. At that point, I click it up to the second setting which works for a while until eventually I don't get enough wipe with that setting.

+1 on this. Though I've only had one day of drizzle so need to replicate before having a firm opinion.

 

[jerry33]

ope. I've had somewhat the opposite experience. Auto wipers start out working fine, then it's as if the sensitivity has dropped and they don't wipe enough. At that point, I click it up to the second setting which works for a while until eventually I don't get enough wipe with that setting.

Mine work the same way yours do. I've taken to either having them on, or pushing the button because the intermittent settings just don't work well. A couple of fixed intermittent speeds would be far better.

 

[dlmorgan999]

Mine work the same way yours do. I've taken to either having them on, or pushing the button because the intermittent settings just don't work well. A couple of fixed intermittent speeds would be far better.

Agreed (unfortunately).

 

[Cirrus]

I've had both problems on the same drive. The intermittent is often not good enough even on the second setting. Two days ago, I had the fast runaway wiper syndrome while it was on intermittent. I turned them off and back on and they reset.

 

[Mnlevin]

I got my car last Friday and haven't really been able to find a complaint. But some people tell me when we talk on the phone with the Bluetooth, there is an echo on their side of the conversation. I don't hear it, but I have checked with almost everyone and they say yes there is like a bad connection. Any others and is there a fix?

 

[Todd Burch]

Wednesday morning I went out to my car and it had a foot-long stress crack in the lower-right region of the windshield--same one that other early VINs encountered--and that Consumer Reports encountered on their vehicle. (Crack wasn't there when I parked--and there were no signs of damage from impact). A bit odd that this didn't show up until over 4 months and 6,500 miles into ownership.

I called Tesla Wednesday morning to report it, and also sent an email to my local service manager. Here we are, almost Friday morning, and I haven't received a call back.

Granted, the service folks are understaffed right now, and my problem is not preventing me from driving the car--but the crack grew another 6 inches today--so would like to hear back soon...

 

[pilotSteve]

I got my car last Friday and haven't really been able to find a complaint. But some people tell me when we talk on the phone with the Bluetooth, there is an echo on their side of the conversation. I don't hear it, but I have checked with almost everyone and they say yes there is like a bad connection. Any others and is there a fix?

As other have reported, I tried placing my iPhone5 in the cubby under the center screen. That seems to clear up 80+% of the distortion that my callers report when I leave the phone in my pocket or place in the cup holder area.

Makes the culprit a BlueTooth issue rather than microphone IMO.

 

[Todd Burch]

End of day 2. Another call in, no answer, left message. Crack continues to grow. Knock knock, Tesla service!

 

[Todd Burch]

Update: Exchanged emails with my service center this evening--I'm all set for them to pick up the car soon and get a replacement approved and installed.

 

[PatP]

I have been having an issue with my intermittent wipers. Wanted to see if anyone else had experience it. When I put the intermittent (rain sensing) wipers on they work well (even better after the last few software updates). Eventually (after say 2-3 minutes) the wipers suddenly go into high speed mode and stay there. The only way to stop them is to click back to the wiper's off position then reset them to the setting I wanted. The software is gung-ho on running the wipers at high speed and no setting will convince it otherwise except turning the wipers off. This happens every time however it takes a few minutes to go into this rapid mode. Clearly it is not dirt on the sensor because adjusting the knob has no effect and when I reset it works again for a while. The tech hadn't heard of the issue so he recommended that I post here and that I record the next time it happened so they could pull the logs. Very minor issue but surprised I has not seen it on these boards. Now I am waiting for rain...

Yes. Happened to me recently for the first time. However after 30 sec. they went back to normal.

 

[kinddog]

As other have reported, I tried placing my iPhone5 in the cubby under the center screen. That seems to clear up 80+% of the distortion that my callers report when I leave the phone in my pocket or place in the cup holder area.

Makes the culprit a BlueTooth issue rather than microphone IMO.

correct. i keep my iPhone 5 in the cubby and have no connection problems whatsoever.

 

[daddygo]

Media Screen went blank. No air conditioning, radio or access to any system controls. Called Tesla three times over three days. Tech asked me to push both toggle buttons for 20 seconds to reboot the media screen. Didn't work. Told me to hold the two top buttons above the toggle buttons to reboot the driver screen. Didn't work. Told me service would call. Pulled out the manual, located the fuse for the media screen, pushed on it and it "clicked" in. Now the screen works.

Read another post that indicates the fuses will back out on their own.

 

[radinator]

I would echo what pilotSteve and kinddog are seeing with the BT connection while the phone is in the cubby working far better when I am on a call. Thanks for the tip pilotSteve!

 

[mknox]

Read another post that indicates the fuses will back out on their own.

I had read that the fuses may not have been pushed in firmly at the factory. I pulled off the cover and checked both fuse boxes and sure enough, many were not fully seated.

 

[Suzieq]

I had read that the fuses may not have been pushed in firmly at the factory. I pulled off the cover and checked both fuse boxes and sure enough, many were not fully seated.

Based on this post, I decided to check mine as well. Sure enough, I found the same situation. At least four or five seemed to "click" in a little when I pushed down on them. Interestingly, while checking the owners manual for the procedure for opening the fuse boxes, I noticed that there were three. Number one box is supposed to be only for Tesla service, and while it's location was noted right next and to the left of #2 and #3, I could not find it. Looked carefully too. Anybody know where it is? Am I just blind?

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

My first real mechanical issue after 4 months (not counting the sporadic TPMS warning that goes away).

And, of course, it has to be the door handles! The passenger rear handle goes in and out okay but, pulling it doesn't unlatch the door which can then only be opened from the inside. Removed and plugged back in fuse 40 (I think) from the fourth column in fuse box #2; that resolved it a couple of days ago but, the symptom is back again today.

Off to the service center for me...

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Sheesh, no appointment at Menlo Park till Thursday, June 6th! They'd have to replace the handle assembly apparently.

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A little better luck with Fremont; Friday, May 31st. Cannot guarantee a Model S loaner, it seems, as they are apparently selling out quick as soon as they are put in service Let's see what Enterprise has in store for me

 

[Kaivball]

A little better luck with Fremont; Friday, May 31st. Cannot guarantee a Model S loaner, it seems, as they are apparently selling out quick as soon as they are put in service Let's see what Enterprise has in store for me

My first time in Fremont I got a Prius, second time a Ford F150...

 

[ChadS]

Ha! Maybe next time you will get a Porsche...perhaps they are hoping the loaners will all average out to something like a Model S.

My local shop also has no idea when they will get Model S loaners, or what I will get if I take a loaner from Enterprise. Fortunately I live just a few miles away...I will walk home.

 

[znino]

Out of the blue, tonight I noticed that my center console screen did not automatically switch to night mode. It is set to Auto as it always has been. Manually switching it to Night does flip it to the dark scheme but as soon as I put it in Auto it goes into Day mode. It was pitch black outside. I've read that the auto function is controlled by a sensor. where is this sensor? I would think it is the same sensor used for the headlights and those seem to be functioning correctly when set to Auto.

I have rebooted both screens twice but still the same behavior. Strange....

Has anyone ever had this happen to them and what fixed it?