Multiple system failure / Wiring Harness Recall

[victorgse]

Unhelpful reply from Tesla service telling me to call roadside assistance to arrange recovery. It is not an emergency as the car is parked up (albeit very broken) on my driveway. List of users with similar problem:

@bjbrown
@CMc1
@Surf-Edinburgh
@pacman65
@Beaurobyn

Also @tesladriverinsta over on Instagram.

You can add me to the list.

It all started with intermittent "Steering assist reduced" warnings as I was driving on Saturday. Then (as I was parking the car) I got warnings on the screen about multiple systems being disabled. The notifications went away after a complete "power off", as per advice I got from Tesla Roadside Assistance. I drove the car for another 20 miles on Sunday and the multiple system failures issue reappeared as I was driving. "Power off" no longer helped, the warnings would reappear as soon as I switched the car back into drive gear. I was advised by Tesla Roadside Assistance to try driving the car to the Edinburgh SC without an appointment as soon as I could. I got into my car this morning with the intention of driving to the Edinburgh SC (35 miles away from my home), but I quickly realised that the steering wheel was completely blocked and that I couldn't even make a turn to get the car out of my driveway.

Tesla are now arranging to have the car towed away in the next 2 hours. They've also tried arranging a rental car for me through Enterprise Rent-A-Car, but apparently there isn't one available at the moment. I was told that I would most likely need to collect one from an Enterprise Rent-A-Car location tomorrow morning. I am taking the train to work today, which surprisingly appears to be more reliable

Vehicle details

Model 3 SR+

VIN: 463xxx
Age / Mileage: 5 months / 5700 mi
Location: Glasgow

 

[pgkevet]

You can add me to the list.

It all started with intermittent "Steering assist reduced" warnings as I was driving on Saturday. Then (as I was parking the car) I got warnings on the screen about multiple systems being disabled. The notifications went away after a complete "power off", as per advice I got from Tesla Roadside Assistance. I drove the car for another 20 miles on Sunday and the multiple system failures issue reappeared as I was driving. "Power off" no longer helped, the warnings would reappear as soon as I switched the car back into drive gear. I was advised by Tesla Roadside Assistance to try driving the car to the Edinburgh SC without an appointment as soon as I could. I got into my car this morning with the intention of driving to the Edinburgh SC (35 miles away from my home), but I quickly realised that the steering wheel was completely blocked and that I couldn't even make a turn to get the car out of my driveway.

Tesla are now arranging to have the car towed away in the next 2 hours. They've also tried arranging a rental car for me through Enterprise Rent-A-Car, but apparently there isn't one available at the moment. I was told that I would most likely need to collect one from an Enterprise Rent-A-Car location tomorrow morning. I am taking the train to work today, which surprisingly appears to be more reliable

Vehicle details

Model 3 SR+

VIN: 463xxx
Age / Mileage: 5 months / 5700 mi
Location: Glasgow

OK SO mine is an S and just a steering/parking warning came up. When i rang roadside assistance and they asked me to do a power off I had already pointed out that whether that worked or not i wasn't going to be trying to drive the car without a thorough checkover. It had happened in the driveway and that steering was seriously heavy. My sympathies to anyone who has that fail on a motorway.

I just had a call from SC Digbeth: car just got off-loaded there and they wondered why - as in lack of co-ordination with Roadside Assistance. Apparently due to backlogs (a lot related to failed heaters apparently - not sure which heater on S/X) it's going to be 2 weeks (tesla time?) before mine gets done. As it happens I had put a note re all problems, PIN No etc and a note book of all issues over the last 3 mths in the cup-holder.....

 

[navt]

@victorgse @pgkevet Sorry to hear of your similar troubles.

Dropped my M3 off this morning at Dartford SC. Managed to drive it there despite warnings. Estimated repair one to two weeks, but they won't be able to look at the car for a couple of days. I could care less. I just wanted it off my driveway.

 

[pgkevet]

@victorgse @pgkevet Sorry to hear of your similar troubles.

Dropped my M3 off this morning at Dartford SC. Managed to drive it there despite warnings. Estimated repair one to two weeks, but they won't be able to look at the car for a couple of days. I could care less. I just wanted it off my driveway.

One doth start to wonder whether this is a high precentage of Tesla breaking down or a low percentage of techs......?

 

[victorgse]

One doth start to wonder whether this is a high precentage of Tesla breaking down or a low percentage of techs......?

It sounds like a major design issue and not a few isolated incidents. The person from the third party vehicle recovery company who came to collect my car this morning said that he "yesterday picked up another one of those".

I got contacted by the Edinburgh SC letting me know that they now have my car, and that they'll most likely be able to provide me with an update on its condition tomorrow.

This afternoon I was given a diesel Mercedes C-class loaner through Enterprise. It feels like going back to the stone age compared to my Model 3, but I guess it's better than nothing.

 

[RichOB]

This afternoon I was given a diesel Mercedes C-class loaner through Enterprise. It feels like going back to the stone age compared to my Model 3, but I guess it's better than nothing.

Yabba dabba doo!

 

[navt]

Update from Tesla.


“Your vehicle entered the workshop this morning and we found that there was water ingress into the steering rack harness and connector. We do have the required parts in stock and will update you as the repairs progress.”

Can’t readily find said part in parts catalogue although it is for LHD model.

 

[victorgse]

Update from Tesla.


“Your vehicle entered the workshop this morning and we found that there was water ingress into the steering rack harness and connector. We do have the required parts in stock and will update you as the repairs progress.”

Can’t readily find said part in parts catalogue although it is for LHD model.

I got a call today that my car is fixed and ready to be collected. All in all it took about a day from the time it was received in the service centre. I was told that this won't happen to my car again.

A bit more detail on the issue and the work carried out:

"Traced fault to excessive moisture in Frunk harness connector. Replaced affected section of wiring harness and re-positioned. Operation of vehicle now as designed with no further issue or alerts."

@navt It sounds like your car has the exact same issue as mine. I hope they get around to fixing yours as quickly as they did mine. Good luck!

 

[navt]

Got a text message saying my car was ready for collection.

 

[OfficialMark_H]

Got a text message saying my car was ready for collection.

Pleased to hear it’s ready for collection l.

Do you think the cars entering the UK now will have this issue fixed or will it take months for them to implement these changes.

 

[Plagued]

You can add me to the list as well. My car has now been sat in the midlands SC for over two weeks, it's "5th in the queue" for unscheduled vehicles, so they "should be able to get round to looking at it next week"
The fault happened when my wife was driving and it went away after parking the car up for a couple of hours but then came back three times. Cleared the next day with a full reset but roadside assist said to drop it with the SC as they couldn't guarantee it was safe to drive. SC sorted me out with a hire car, which I was ok about with it being a Merc C220d until I realised it appears to have one of the worst automatic gearbox/traction control combination I've ever had the misfortune to drive.
Seems like a fairly simple fix, but the SC is bogged.
I'm fairly sure ABS is a legal requirement, so your car may not be road legal if you drive it knowingly without ABS?

 

[Andy_T_73]

I've lost cruise control (TACC) and Autopilot, hope this isn't the start of it. Will try a re-start at lunchtime.

 

[OfficialMark_H]

I’ve emailed Bristol SC and asked if new cars have the new wiring port to stop the water issue, I’ve been told they should all be fine.

 

[Dangerous Fish]

It's been confirmed elsewhere that this is an issue only affecting RHD cars and a fix has been in place at the factory for some time.
Also, a software fix is due which will give a warning but not disable TC/SC/Regen etc.

Despite several owners being affected in a short time (probably because of all the storms we've had recently) this isn't as big a problem as some are making out, although I do sympathise with those who have had to wait a long time for the repair.

 

[Plagued]

It may not be a big technical problem, but if it's effectively a design flaw that affects all early RHD model 3 cars, which in wet weather may cause the loss of ABS, Traction control and power steering, they should really recall and replace these connectors.
If they can release a software patch to stop it disabling all these safety features then that might "solve the issue" while they recall the cars, but right now it's dangerous.

 

[Dangerous Fish]

It may not be a big technical problem, but if it's effectively a design flaw that affects all early RHD model 3 cars, which in wet weather may cause the loss of ABS, Traction control and power steering, they should really recall and replace these connectors.
If they can release a software patch to stop it disabling all these safety features then that might "solve the issue" while they recall the cars, but right now it's dangerous.

It's not affecting all early RHD 3s though is it? There may have been a small number with that early loom where the connector is more vulnerable for some reason. Who knows? I've been through massive stretches of standing water at speed with no issues.

As for the level of "danger", there are plenty of cars on the roads which don't have power steering, ABS, TC or SC. They are called 'older cars'. It's not dangerous to drive a Model 3 with those systems turned off. I know, I've done it. You just need to be aware of the limitations and respond accordingly.

This is really not such a big issue as some make out. It's managable and Tesla are managing it well IMO.

 

[Plagued]

there is no way that the average person could safely emergency stop a heavy car like a model 3 on the motorway in the wet with no ABS or stability control in the same distance it could with all the safely features enabled. ABS is a legal requirement because cars without ABS are more likely to crash, especially in the event of an evasive maneuver, ABS and stability control are mandatory to reduce the number of people that die, and when it was introduced the number of fatalities of drivers/pedestrians/cyclists fell notably and that was with people used to driving with no ABS. You also used to be able to drink and drive and could drive as fast as you liked on the motorway.
Unless the water ingress is caused by badly fitted guttering then the fault will be present on all cars before the fix was put in place by the factory, and is only a matter of time before it fails.
I drove through plenty of rain storms in my Model 3 for 5 months before it suddenly happened without warning while driving down the road.
If it happened to me, maybe it's not that much of an issue, I've had some fairly fast cars and driven without ABS. My wife on the other hand could not turn the wheel properly and had never driven a car ever without ABS.

 

[Dangerous Fish]

there is no way that the average person could safely emergency stop a heavy car like a model 3 on the motorway in the wet with no ABS or stability control in the same distance it could with all the safely features enabled. ABS is a legal requirement because cars without ABS are more likely to crash, especially in the event of an evasive maneuver, ABS and stability control are mandatory to reduce the number of people that die, and when it was introduced the number of fatalities of drivers/pedestrians/cyclists fell notably and that was with people used to driving with no ABS. You also used to be able to drink and drive and could drive as fast as you liked on the motorway.
Unless the water ingress is caused by badly fitted guttering then the fault will be present on all cars before the fix was put in place by the factory, and is only a matter of time before it fails.
I drove through plenty of rain storms in my Model 3 for 5 months before it suddenly happened without warning while driving down the road.
If it happened to me, maybe it's not that much of an issue, I've had some fairly fast cars and driven without ABS. My wife on the other hand could not turn the wheel properly and had never driven a car ever without ABS.

I'm not suggesting you or your wife carry on driving it with those systems disabled the whole time, but it's possible to drive the car without crashing and many have in order to get it home or to a SC.

If you're too nervous about it, stop and call recovery. It's always an option.

if my connector exhibits this problem at some point, I'll return to this thread and you can say "told you so".

 

[navt]

It's been confirmed elsewhere that this is an issue only affecting RHD cars and a fix has been in place at the factory for some time.
Also, a software fix is due which will give a warning but not disable TC/SC/Regen etc.

Source please.

 

[navt]

You can add me to the list as well.

Saw your post on the 'other' forum.