My 2014 Model S died again… needs a 3rd HV battery! (No warranty left)😩

[sloman61]

I am a fairly new Tesla owner and new member of this forum. I bought a 2014 Model S 8 months ago and was excited to be part of the EV revolution. it was the cheapest one I could find with 200k kms on it, but the main battery had already been replaced so I felt like I had scored and as per the forecast of many pundits I thought I would have many worry-free miles of emissions-free driving ahead.

Tesla certified the vehicle, but only after insisting I replace the suspension, despite telling them the previous owner had just done that months earlier. I even upgraded the MCU2 after struggling with the navigation during my first long trip into the US.

Now 8 months later it is sitting at the Tesla Service dept after it died on my wife 30kms out of town. I convinced Tesla to send a mobile tech who replaced the 12v battery and was maybe more surprised than me that it was still dead and had to be towed.

Days later Tesla told me the main battery, now almost exactly 3 years old, would need replacement and it was 20k kms out of warranty. Having now sunk $50k into this car I am looking at another $20k. My appeals for some leniency on the warranty period seem to have fallen on deaf ears and now 3 weeks on, with no loaner by the way (should I be surprised?) I feel they are just waiting me out…

I thought the newer batteries were supposed to be much improved over the older ones, yet the replacement lasted only half as long as the original. Tesla plans to use a refurbished battery and recycle the dead one, which is great to hear, but should that not mean it’s less expensive?
Why are they not able to offer any other options, too, such as battery repair - perhaps referal to a 3rd party for that service if they aren’t willing to do it in-house?
What about costs being pro-rated vs full coverage suddenly ending and leaving you hung out to dry?

Does anyone here have some helpful advice?

Thanks for listening..
A

 

[gaswalla]

Having the original battery replaced does not equal having a newer battery.
you likely have a car with a refurbished battery that lasted 2-3 years (expected)
there was a reason the car was sold at that price
there are folks that offer battery replacement as third party vendors: wk057 and recell come to mind

 

[sloman61]

So, you’re saying one should expect the life expectancy of a replacement battery to be less than what the pundits and experts, like Elon Musk himself, say you can expect..?!?

How Much Does It Cost to Replace the Battery on a Tesla? - Tesloid Canada
Tesla is a pioneer in the modern EV space, and their batteries are known for their long-lasting performance. While there aren’t many resources on Tesla battery life expectancy, Elon Musk stated on Twitter that they should last 300,000 to 500,000 miles which is roughly 480,000 to 800,000 kilometres.

 

[glide]

So, you’re saying one should expect the life expectancy of a replacement battery to be less than what the pundits and experts, like Elon Musk himself, say you can expect..?!?

Tesla isn’t making any “new” battery packs for a 2014 Model S.

In fact, you purchased a vehicle with probably the worst battery technology they had.

New batteries, such as those found in the 3/Y/Refreshed Model S *may* have the type of longevity you refer to but no one can truly say since they have not been around that long. Even your 2014 battery is less than 10 years old at this point….

Also, Musk is not an expert on battery technology. He is a hype man. And you bought into the *should* last xxx miles. Ask yourself; what data does he have to back that claim up?

 

[Konicom04]

OP is bringing a legitimate issue here. No need for hostility.
All is correct. Tesla is a pioneer in this technology, no one really has data because it hasn't been long enough etc etc.

However - it does no favors to anyone ( tesla brand or otherwise) to allow such phenomenon to wait out. The car isn't even 10 years old

 

[SO16]

As gaswalla mentioned, check with wk057.

Contact | 057 Technology

057 Technology, LLC

057tech.com

 

[father_of_6]

@sloman61 - sorry this happened to you.

I don't mean to pour salt in the wound, but you paid $50k for an 8 year old vehicle. I would've strongly recommended spending $50k on a brand new vehicle (e.g. a Model 3). Tesla has made a lot of improvements since 2014.

Moving forward... it's possible that this car could be a money pit. If I were you, I'd probably get the cheapest replacement battery possible (e.g. wk057 or recell) and then sell the car for as much as possible, and then buy something new.

For sure you'll still take a loss... but at least the new cars rolling off the production line have up to a $7,500 federal credit. On Jan 1st the federal rebate becomes a point of sale discount.

 

[father_of_6]

Here's a relevant post:

The old ones are continuous money pits. I feel sorry for owners that bought them used cheap and thought they were making out like bandits because of the savings in gasoline. They will break the backs of those on tight budgets.

What else can break on my 2014 Model S?

We're the 3rd owners of a 2014 Model S 85. We got the car in late 2020. The previous owner replaced the battery and fixed the suspensions in 2018. We bought it with 180,000 kms and now it has 200,000 kms. A few months after we bought the car, we had a control arm break. When Tesla fixed the...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[SO16]

@sloman61 - sorry this happened to you.

I don't mean to pour salt in the wound, but you paid $50k for an 8 year old vehicle. I would've strongly recommended spending $50k on a brand new vehicle (e.g. a Model 3). Tesla has made a lot of improvements since 2014.

Moving forward... it's possible that this car could be a money pit. If I were you, I'd probably get the cheapest replacement battery possible (e.g. wk057 or recell) and then sell the car for as much as possible, and then buy something new.

For sure you'll still take a loss... but at least the new cars rolling off the production line have up to a $7,500 federal credit. On Jan 1st the federal rebate becomes a point of sale discount.

I assume 50K CAD which is ~37K USD. But that is still a bit too high.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

So, you’re saying one should expect the life expectancy of a replacement battery to be less than what the pundits and experts, like Elon Musk himself, say you can expect..?!?

How Much Does It Cost to Replace the Battery on a Tesla? - Tesloid Canada
Tesla is a pioneer in the modern EV space, and their batteries are known for their long-lasting performance. While there aren’t many resources on Tesla battery life expectancy, Elon Musk stated on Twitter that they should last 300,000 to 500,000 miles which is roughly 480,000 to 800,000 kilometres.

The thing about the battery is that it will last for 300,000 to 500,000 miles. But the problem is the _age_ of the battery. Good for taxis, not so good for a garage queen, especially the earlier batteries.

 

[Rice&Curry]

@sloman61 - sorry this happened to you.

I don't mean to pour salt in the wound, but you paid $50k for an 8 year old vehicle. I would've strongly recommended spending $50k on a brand new vehicle (e.g. a Model 3). Tesla has made a lot of improvements since 2014.

Moving forward... it's possible that this car could be a money pit. If I were you, I'd probably get the cheapest replacement battery possible (e.g. wk057 or recell) and then sell the car for as much as possible, and then buy something new.

For sure you'll still take a loss... but at least the new cars rolling off the production line have up to a $7,500 federal credit. On Jan 1st the federal rebate becomes a point of sale discount.

Good advice

 

[father_of_6]

I assume 50K CAD which is ~37K USD. But that is still a bit too high.

Oops, I didn't even realize this is the Canada subforum (these show up on "new" posts)... I'll try to be more careful about that next time.

Still, a Model 3 can be had for ballpark $50k CAD. I'd rather buy a small house that's in great condition that I know I can afford than a mansion at the edge of my budget that might need a multi-million dollar roof in a few years.

 

[brainhouston]

Tesla isn’t making any “new” battery packs for a 2014 Model S.

They do, the 14 module 350v 90kW pack (from 100d type modules)... but its ~20k USD...

 

[sloman61]

To clarify, I bought this car for $40k CAD. Only after taking it to Tesla to certify did I find it still needed the suspension done and the MCU2 upgrade - both things I was told were already done. Then the door handles stopped presenting, etc, etc..

Thanks everyone for taking the time to weigh in. It is easy to read a ‘tone’ into comments here, made in haste or otherwise. Let me just say, your replies, whether helpful or not - sympathetic or not, are appreciated.

I did already know about 057, but not re/cell, so thanks very much for that helpful bit of advice.

I expect aftermarket repair options will only improve and take up the slack from Tesla service, which maybe is their plan. Even the towing service took a couple attempts before they were able to figure things out.

It has certainly been an interesting, even educational experience so far..

Cheers!
A

 

[Big Dunc]

I am sorry to hear your tail of woe. I have an interest as I also have a 2014 Model S. I purchased ours 3 years ago and it was on its second battery. I am aware that it probably wasn't new, but refurbished.
My question to you (for my own piece of mind) is what did they say the mileage (km) limit was for the replacement battery? We have done a relatively low mileage in ours, so I am hoping we still have some warranty.
My second question, if you will be so kind to answer, is were there any warning signs that the battery was about to die?
I take on board other peoples comments that the car is a potential money pit, and I knew that when I bought it. However, buying an early used M3 at that time would have been significantly more expensive, and even now, if we sold the MS, an early M3 is similar money, but already half way through its drive train warranty. As an aside, my wife works with dogs so a M3 won't work for us and we cannot afford an X or Y. The S meets our needs perfectly. Providing, that is, it doesnt cost the earth with one expensive battery or drive train failure.
As an aside I tried to book it in last week for the MCU2 update, but apparently there is no parts availability in the UK for six months.

 

[gaswalla]

As noted above, with the Model 3 and Y being sold new at the same price as a 8-10 year old Model S, it should be obvious to get the new car.

 

[Big Dunc]

Not in the UK. I could get a 4 year old 3 (not a Y) for about the same value as my 9 year old S.
Not wishing to start any arguments here, but for our personal needs (carrying dogs etc) the Model S is better. The 3 won't don't what we need and won't cut it.
If we could get a brand new 3/Y for the same value as our S, we would, and common sense would say that would devalue all old Model S's, by a certain amount.

 

[MP3Mike]

esla is a pioneer in the modern EV space, and their batteries are known for their long-lasting performance. While there aren’t many resources on Tesla battery life expectancy, Elon Musk stated on Twitter that they should last 300,000 to 500,000 miles which is roughly 480,000 to 800,000 kilometres.

I think that quote from Elon was about the Model 3 pack. Not the original Model S packs. (The old Model S packs seem like they can last for a lot of miles, but time kills them, especially if you are in an area that salts the roads.)

 

[bolero]

cut your loses and by a new one..

 

[russelltim2020]

I am a fairly new Tesla owner and new member of this forum. I bought a 2014 Model S 8 months ago and was excited to be part of the EV revolution. it was the cheapest one I could find with 200k kms on it, but the main battery had already been replaced so I felt like I had scored and as per the forecast of many pundits I thought I would have many worry-free miles of emissions-free driving ahead.

Tesla certified the vehicle, but only after insisting I replace the suspension, despite telling them the previous owner had just done that months earlier. I even upgraded the MCU2 after struggling with the navigation during my first long trip into the US.

Now 8 months later it is sitting at the Tesla Service dept after it died on my wife 30kms out of town. I convinced Tesla to send a mobile tech who replaced the 12v battery and was maybe more surprised than me that it was still dead and had to be towed.

Days later Tesla told me the main battery, now almost exactly 3 years old, would need replacement and it was 20k kms out of warranty. Having now sunk $50k into this car I am looking at another $20k. My appeals for some leniency on the warranty period seem to have fallen on deaf ears and now 3 weeks on, with no loaner by the way (should I be surprised?) I feel they are just waiting me out…

I thought the newer batteries were supposed to be much improved over the older ones, yet the replacement lasted only half as long as the original. Tesla plans to use a refurbished battery and recycle the dead one, which is great to hear, but should that not mean it’s less expensive?
Why are they not able to offer any other options, too, such as battery repair - perhaps referal to a 3rd party for that service if they aren’t willing to do it in-house?
What about costs being pro-rated vs full coverage suddenly ending and leaving you hung out to dry?

Does anyone here have some helpful advice?

Thanks for listening..
A

I feel for you, there is no easy way out. From what Im seeing here, you are not alone in feeling like Tesla is turning its back on people driving the original model S. There should be an option from Tesla to buy extended warranty’s. Also the price of the refurbished batteries is ridiculous. Should be a price for a new battery and a much lower cost for refurbished. Also strange there is no advance warning when there is a going to be a battery failure. Its not a slow linear progression of deterioration that gives you time to plan your next move. I feel like those of us that are driving out of warranty cars are driving ticking time bombs. I guess there is third party insurance options but most of us didnt realize we needed it until the car fails. Tesla should offer support in cases like yours where a three year old battery fails. Maybe not full warranty but something like, “ok, your only 20k over the milage limit, how about we charge you the srvice fees and we will supply the battery” . Otherwise, no one should buy an old model S, despite all the videos to the contrary. Worst of all, these cars will have no resale value! COME ON TESLA MAKE IT RIGHT