My Pride Shattered!

[Y-Mode-L]

I have my Model Y RWD (Shanghai built), since July 2023. Up untill yestarday, it has been almost flawless.

Yestarday, I reach office with 81% charge remaining, as I had charged it on the previous night and my office is almost 80kms away from home.

All ok, till I try to get into the car at lunch time. Opened the doors and I sat inside, the following two errors popped up:
"Electrical system is unable to support all features"
"Electrical system power reduced, vehicle shutting down"

I was surprised, so I rebooted the system, but same. The car would not got in any Drive or Reverse.
I got out and decided to wait a moment to see if resolves but the car locked.

The phone key or the key car were unable to connect to the car an open it. So I called the Emergency Assistance which arrived 2.5 hours later. Thankfully this was in the office parking lot so I could comfortable work in the office (v/s this happening on the side of the road).

My assumption was that the 12v battery died (which is not so normal for a such a new car). The towing guy shows up and has no idea how to jump start the car (since its a lease car, I have to call the lease assistance first). I show him that the Frunk needs to be opened by giving power to the two cables behind the tow hook cover. It works. I then show him the cable connection behind the plastic filter cover. As soon as we do this, the car powers up with the same errors continuing the pop and a constant bong.

After a few minutes we decide best to tow the car, but the transport mod had somehow locked the drive wheels and the car would not go into transport mode. Thus, the towing company had to bring another truck that has a crane to pick up the car onto the bed. Finally, the Model Y has reached Tesla and I am now waiting to understand what the problem is. I really want to know what went wrong as I take utmost care of the car like a baby!!!

Now, although I am unhappy about the whole episode, I am happy this did not happen next week as I wanted to take the Tesla to London. God forbid, if this happened on the highway with my little baby with me, it would be a very uncomfortable episode.

I know gadgets break down but I fail to understand if it is normal for such a thing to happen within 6 months of getting a new car. I read several instances of such things happening to people with new Teslas.
I am now having trust issues on how to ensure safety of my family on a long drive across Europe, if something like this is to happen in the middle of nowhere.

I used to be super happy and proud driving the Model Y around as it gave me immense satisfaction, I hope this feeling stays and it is not shattered to pieces when I get her back....

 

[Super_Popular]

Things happen, if you dont plan for them and expect everything to be rosey then you will live a sad life. ICE cars break down all the time. Just be prepared and ready for issues to arise and you will be fine. London and Christmas time would be amazing.

 

[Y-Mode-L]

Things happen, if you dont plan for them and expect everything to be rosey then you will live a sad life. ICE cars break down all the time. Just be prepared and ready for issues to arise and you will be fine. London and Christmas time would be amazing.

I agree, however, I have never had an ICE car break down like this, that it becomes unusable (or un-enter-able) within first 6-months.

This, "It can happen to any car" is a bit of a blanket that we cover the quality issues of Tesla (particularly software) with. But it is not true.

Coming from the automotive industry myself, "New" ICE cars do not break down as much as "New" Teslas do.
I know very few ICE cars are as tech laden (software) as the Tesla, but still.

Now going to London in my wife's ICE car!

 

[Y-Mode-L]

Update: Seems the Power Conversion System failed and Tesla have now ordered a new one, which might take upto two weeks to complete the repair.

 

[SO16]

I agree, however, I have never had an ICE car break down like this, that it becomes unusable (or un-enter-able) within first 6-months.

This, "It can happen to any car" is a bit of a blanket that we cover the quality issues of Tesla (particularly software) with. But it is not true.

Coming from the automotive industry myself, "New" ICE cars do not break down as much as "New" Teslas do.
I know very few ICE cars are as tech laden (software) as the Tesla, but still.

Now going to London in my wife's ICE car!

And I’ve never had a major issue with my Tesla after 7 years and 107k miles. But this guy had a brand new BMW transmission fail. Things happen and yes it sucks. Most likely the car will be fine after this and at least it’s covered (as it should be).

Brand New 2024 Drivetrain Malfunction

Brand New 2024 Drivetrain Malfunction

g05.bimmerpost.com

 

[Midnightsun]

Happened to me at the worst of times with the MS when it was around a year old. Was at the funeral home for my mother in law's funeral. After we all were heading to the church following the cortege however the S was dead so the car remained at the funeral home. In my case it was a defective harness.

 

[Parisio]

Unlike ICE cars, if an electric car is going to fail it usually happens in the first year. This is often because of an improperly manufactured electrical part. For example, it is hard to tell if an electrical part has a bad solder joint that is working but going to fail. Ice cars usually are good for the first three years. This is because mechanical part are easier to observe for imperfections. However good electrical part usually last longer than mechanical part.

 

[ForDesign]

I agree, however, I have never had an ICE car break down like this, that it becomes unusable (or un-enter-able) within first 6-months.

This, "It can happen to any car" is a bit of a blanket that we cover the quality issues of Tesla (particularly software) with. But it is not true.

Coming from the automotive industry myself, "New" ICE cars do not break down as much as "New" Teslas do.
I know very few ICE cars are as tech laden (software) as the Tesla, but still.

Now going to London in my wife's ICE car!

Coming from the automotive industry myself, I’d like to ask:

Do you think Teslas overall have better reliability vs legacy EVs? Because data (which admittedly can be very flawed) indicates that Model 3/Y especially has had very few engineering design flaws vs. it’s legacy counterparts.

Also-ICE vehicles in their current configuration (direct injection, turbo charged, 8-11 DCT speed transmissions, hybrid drivetrains, increased semiconductor over site) are over 2 product cycles old (a decade). A lot of ICE cars introduced in 2009-2014 had issues early on in their cycles. Do you think you are ‘balanced’ in your assessment, personal (and unfortunate) experience aside?

 

[Y-Mode-L]

Do you think you are ‘balanced’ in your assessment, personal (and unfortunate) experience aside?

I am sure ICE cars have had their set of issues as well, but technology has advanced today V/S what it was a decade or two decades ago.

Tesla made the first car in 2008 with the Model S around 2012. So we are already 11 years into it. With the amount of Teslas on the road, one would expect better R&D. The forum is full of quality issues, which again, we don't need to take personally.

I love the Teslas no-doubt, but it is far away from being a robust quality product. (Possibly due to the amount of software tech it carries)

It will always have a personal bias somewhere, as I have never had a ICE car, however badly broken, that I am unable to even enter!

 

[SO16]

yup… EV problems CAN be different than ICE problems. Are they typical? No but can happen.

You either accept that this CAN happen and deal with it if it does come up or get rid of the vehicle and go back to what you are used to.

 

[ForDesign]

I am sure ICE cars have had their set of issues as well, but technology has advanced today V/S what it was a decade or two decades ago.

Tesla made the first car in 2008 with the Model S around 2012. So we are already 11 years into it. With the amount of Teslas on the road, one would expect better R&D. The forum is full of quality issues, which again, we don't need to take personally.

I love the Teslas no-doubt, but it is far away from being a robust quality product. (Possibly due to the amount of software tech it carries)

It will always have a personal bias somewhere, as I have never had a ICE car, however badly broken, that I am unable to even enter!

The Model 3 which the Y is based on, was introduced five years ago. It shares almost nothing with the S/X.

Just like an ICE car from 2000 vs 2010 are very different from an engineering POV.

By quick math, over 2 million 3/Ys have been produced to date. I don’t have the data of users that have noted reliability issues (your particular case-a ‘mechanical’ issue vs a ‘quality’ issue, which is more paint/trim etc.) but we have to suspect it isn’t even close to 5%.

Again, by using the same logic, the autos in 2012 era should not have had issues with carbon buildup or outright engine failures because of the millions of ICE products on the road. To say nothing about the DCT transmission failures as manufacturers tried to meet more stringent efficiency standards.

In my experience with new product programs spanning several decades, that hasn’t been the case.

That was my main point here, as you removed the rest of my questions for some reason(?).

 

[Y-Mode-L]

The Model 3 which the Y is based on, was introduced five years ago. It shares almost nothing with the S/X.

Just like an ICE car from 2000 vs 2010 are very different from an engineering POV.

By quick math, over 2 million 3/Ys have been produced to date. I don’t have the data of users that have noted reliability issues (your particular case-a ‘mechanical’ issue vs a ‘quality’ issue, which is more paint/trim etc.) but we have to suspect it isn’t even close to 5%.

Again, by using the same logic, the autos in 2012 era should not have had issues with carbon buildup or outright engine failures because of the millions of ICE products on the road. To say nothing about the DCT transmission failures as manufacturers tried to meet more stringent efficiency standards.

In my experience with new product programs spanning several decades, that hasn’t been the case.

That was my main point here, as you removed the rest of my questions for some reason(?).

Tesla Model 3 Is the Car That Failed the Most in Germany's Mandatory Vehicle Inspection
TESLA OWNER SLAMS THE CAR COMPANY AFTER FINDING A LITANY OF ISSUES WITH HIS $140,000 MODEL S: ‘ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE’

Whatever links I share, I know the answer will be, "But ICE vehicles also fail"

If enough R&D, abuse testing, quality control, pre-post production is done by a company before launching the vehicle or during its lifetime, such problems will reduce drastically.
I am not saying Tesla is not doing that, but clearly not enough.

Frankly, if your family is stuck by the side of the road in a brand new car, statistics and coverup (ICE better or EV) goes out of the window.
So I fail to understand why its always taken personally when someone complains about an issue in the EV.

Everyone is aware it is a newer technology, but it is a forum to discuss its shortcomings in a rational way, especially the product for which people put in their hard earned money!!!

This thread of mine is to share an experience and a concern. I fail to understand why this needs to be taken personally (How dare you say something bad about a Tesla!!!)

 

[pkc415]

it's made in China what did you expect?

 

[ForDesign]

Tesla Model 3 Is the Car That Failed the Most in Germany's Mandatory Vehicle Inspection
TESLA OWNER SLAMS THE CAR COMPANY AFTER FINDING A LITANY OF ISSUES WITH HIS $140,000 MODEL S: ‘ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE’

Whatever links I share, I know the answer will be, "But ICE vehicles also fail"

If enough R&D, abuse testing, quality control, pre-post production is done by a company before launching the vehicle or during its lifetime, such problems will reduce drastically.
I am not saying Tesla is not doing that, but clearly not enough.

Frankly, if your family is stuck by the side of the road in a brand new car, statistics and coverup (ICE better or EV) goes out of the window.
So I fail to understand why its always taken personally when someone complains about an issue in the EV.

Everyone is aware it is a newer technology, but it is a forum to discuss its shortcomings in a rational way, especially the product for which people put in their hard earned money!!!

This thread of mine is to share an experience and a concern. I fail to understand why this needs to be taken personally (How dare you say something bad about a Tesla!!!)

Before we continue this communication, can you point out when I specifically indicated that you ‘shouldn’t say anything bad’ about Tesla?

 

[ForDesign]

I guess the posters response was lost somewhere. For background the ICE Dacia Logan was second with 11.4%. inspection rate failure via Germanys standards. This wasn’t an ICE vs EV discussion at all, rather a more nuanced approach to automotive design, engineering and evolution.

The irony here is when pushed back on, a lot of ‘balanced’ posters seem to look to create narratives that don’t even exist. Interesting, but not really.

 

[Y-Mode-L]

Before we continue this communication, can you point out when I specifically indicated that you ‘shouldn’t say anything bad’ about Tesla?

It is not directly intended to your response only, but in general the tone of talk on these forums. Again, it is strictly my personal opinion and I, in no way mean to judge anyones outlook.

I know EVs are still not legacy, so still improving everyday. Just the fact that in 2023, I did not expect such a massive problem to a brand new car in general. Its also pure luck that I received a defective PCS part.

To balance it out, I know that I am going to enjoy my Tesla as soon as I get her back.

Somewhere, sadly, a seed has now been planted in my mind that what if I get stuck in the middle of nowhere.
A thought like this never crossed my mind, in decades of driving ICE cars. Thats all!

 

[SO16]

It is not directly intended to your response only, but in general the tone of talk on these forums. Again, it is strictly my personal opinion and I, in no way mean to judge anyones outlook.

I know EVs are still not legacy, so still improving everyday. Just the fact that in 2023, I did not expect such a massive problem to a brand new car in general. Its also pure luck that I received a defective PCS part.

To balance it out, I know that I am going to enjoy my Tesla as soon as I get her back.

Somewhere, sadly, a seed has now been planted in my mind that what if I get stuck in the middle of nowhere.
A thought like this never crossed my mind, in decades of driving ICE cars. Thats all!

Understandable. Will take a while to shake that feeling. Hopefully will never experience it again.

 

[leoita]

The EVs can miserably fail while driving on the highway creating a life threatening hazard. There is no any sort of backup system. For example the aircraft can fly on a single engine if one fails. They also have numerous power source backups.

On the other hand the ICE is less likely to fail out of nowhere.

 

[Midnightsun]

I have had 2 ice vehicles lose all power due to transmission failure and they were both less than a year old. Not fun when this happens on an autoroute as it did with mine. My Teslas have never failed while driving. Both ICE and EVs will glide to a stop after most any kind of total failure, not much difference between the two if you ask me.

 

[iloveplywood]

I have had 2 ice vehicles lose all power due to transmission failure and they were both less than a year old. Not fun when this happens on an autoroute as it did with mine. My Teslas have never failed while driving. Both ICE and EVs will glide to a stop after most any kind of total failure, not much difference between the two if you ask me.

Yeah, all kinds of stuff breaks on ICE vehicles too we just don't panic as much when we read about them because they aren't new tech. When I was researching Hyundai Santa Fe hybrids there were a couple of people on reddit that had the car keep dying on them randomly while driving -- it was scary reading about this but obviously this was an extremely rare failure. I don't think either ICE or EVs have much redundancy if a critical part fails (unlike Jets mentioned earlier in this thread).