New ‘23 Model X, long term Tesla owner. Some questions…

[Dale Fox]

Hey all, new participant in the forum. I’ve owned 4 Teslas (S, S, Y, X) over the past 10 years, so I’m fairly well informed. But I have a few questions and would love to seek the wisdom of the group:

1. We all know the issues with Tesla overstating range at purchase and the range dropping over time. But doing the math on my new ‘23 Model X, I’m rather shocked at the audacity of the difference. This car has a 100kwh battery and a quoted range of 348mis. That would mean an average of 287w/mi. Our actual after 1000 miles is closer to 340w/mi (equating to a ‘real’ mileage of about 294 if charged to 100%). I am wondering if anyone is able to get long term ‘mileage’ anywhere under 300w/mi?

2. When the front doors open, there is strong mechanical resistance for the first two seconds if you try to open the doors fully. The resistance abates after 1-2 seconds, but causes you to have to pause before getting out of the car which is frustrating behavior. Does anyone else experience this and is it adjustable?

3. Compared to our other cars, all of which had various versions of Autopilot or FSD, the perimeter/proximity alarms are overly chatty/cautious. Any parallel parking will trigger a chorus of chimes. Driving into a drive through window is panic inducing. Anyone else?

4. Does anyone have an insights into when the software update may issue to enable FSD on our HW 4.0 car? Right now, we just have limited AP and no Summon, which is frustrating.

Thanks all. Nice to be in the forum!

Best,
Dale Fox

 

[strider]

Hi there and welcome to TMC!

So I assume based on your point #4 that you do not have USS (ultrasonic sensors). Tesla claims that the cameras will provide the same functionality and that they will reenable things like summon but they are still working on it.

#1 Range has been my only disappointment with my MXP. The Refresh S and X do not have a 100kWh battery, it's ~95kWh. Tesla shrunk the battery to increase their margin while claiming "efficiency" to keep the range estimates high. I think the new motors are more efficient at slow speeds but are less efficient at high speeds. This causes the EPA rating to remain high while devastating the real world range. I drive a mix of city and highway with highway done at 74mph. My lifetime Wh/mi over 18,000 miles is 349. I have not had a problem getting rated range in our older Teslas but cannot get anywhere close in the Refresh.

#2 What you are experiencing is as designed. I did not have an older MX but those who did say that the older ones worked much better. No idea what they changed and why but my wife complains about it all the time. You basically have to push the button to open the door, wait for it to stop moving, then move it yourself. If you try to move it while it is still moving it thinks the wind is grabbing it and will fight you. I think it is worse on the non-USS cars as the car has more trouble detecting obstacles and is therefore more conservative in how far it opens the door. But even in my car (I have USS) it almost never opens the door far enough. I do love the auto close though - I wish I could disable the motors on opening but use them for closing.

#3 I always turn off all parking sensor chimes in any car I drive. Again, if you don't have USS it's likely worse than a USS car. It "should" get better over time as the software improves. But for now I would turn off the chimes - it'll still show things in the driver's display but based on reading here on TMC the non-USS cars are WAY off.

#4 No idea (I don't use AP or FSD) but I'm sure some nosing around the forums here will find threads about it.

 

[scottf200]

1. We all know the issues with Tesla overstating range at purchase and the range dropping over time. But doing the math on my new ‘23 Model X, I’m rather shocked at the audacity of the difference. This car has a 100kwh battery and a quoted range of 348mis. That would mean an average of 287w/mi. Our actual after 1000 miles is closer to 340w/mi (equating to a ‘real’ mileage of about 294 if charged to 100%). I am wondering if anyone is able to get long term ‘mileage’ anywhere under 300w/mi?

2. When the front doors open, there is strong mechanical resistance for the first two seconds if you try to open the doors fully. The resistance abates after 1-2 seconds, but causes you to have to pause before getting out of the car which is frustrating behavior. Does anyone else experience this and is it adjustable?

Welcome!

I have a '17 X and 340 wh/mi is my rated/expected range. In the new vehicles it seems the new motors and some oddly crazy suspension tricks were supposed to make that high range. I get the motors but otherwise (suspension) it would seem like lab test would be hard to equal real-world driving.

I think those magic ranges are like driving 60 or 65 mph on flat ground and a consistent speed with great PSI tire settings. Not sure how your driving situation compares?

Regarding the front door, my X does that as well if I'm close to a garage wall or another car. The sensors are detecting and preventing potential absentminded distracted users from banging their doors on something IMO. Does your do that (2 sec) when there is nothing around? If so, it would seem like the sensors are not 'adjusted' correctly. Perhaps service could recalibrated if it could be demonstrated.

 

[DCGOO]

Hey all, new participant in the forum. I’ve owned 4 Teslas (S, S, Y, X) over the past 10 years, so I’m fairly well informed. But I have a few questions and would love to seek the wisdom of the group:

1. We all know the issues with Tesla overstating range at purchase and the range dropping over time. But doing the math on my new ‘23 Model X, I’m rather shocked at the audacity of the difference. This car has a 100kwh battery and a quoted range of 348mis. That would mean an average of 287w/mi. Our actual after 1000 miles is closer to 340w/mi (equating to a ‘real’ mileage of about 294 if charged to 100%). I am wondering if anyone is able to get long term ‘mileage’ anywhere under 300w/mi?

You need an alignment. Teslas are not aligned coming out of the factory. When I got mine, I was getting similar mileage as you. After an alignment, I was typically (around town) sub-250. The difference was huge!

 

[ABC2D]

2. When the front doors open, there is strong mechanical resistance for the first two seconds if you try to open the doors fully. The resistance abates after 1-2 seconds, but causes you to have to pause before getting out of the car which is frustrating behavior. Does anyone else experience this and is it adjustable?

The doors open that way because of no proximity sensors and vision park assist network being in it's infancy. Older cars with ultra sonic sensors know the precise clearance and open wide if space allows - new cars dont have that reliable information and the therefore just crack open. That resistance is to prevent doors from opening wide. Rumors are (from web, this forum, and service centers techs) that once vision network matures, doors will start function same as on older models.

I would strongly advise not to fight open through that resistance and just wait for resistance to subside. I learnt that lesson a hard way with my older X - after so many force pulls, the door actuator failed and needed to be replaced, cost me over $400.

This current door opening functionality is pure crap and annoying to no end.

3. Compared to our other cars, all of which had various versions of Autopilot or FSD, the perimeter/proximity alarms are overly chatty/cautious. Any parallel parking will trigger a chorus of chimes. Driving into a drive through window is panic inducing. Anyone else?

Same as above - vison park assist crap, lack of SSU

4. Does anyone have an insights into when the software update may issue to enable FSD on our HW 4.0 car? Right now, we just have limited AP and no Summon, which is frustrating.

Most, if not all, of us on HW4 are waiting for that new branch release of FSD to be onboarded, which would probably be in .... "two weeks"... if not, then maybe a couple of weeks.. - you know, the usual Tesla/EM time kind of thing since 2016

 

[rpo]

#2 - This is how the doors are now. They used to have sensors. Now they don't, so they open a few inches and stop. It sucks. Return the car if it bothers you enough. They should have just removed the motors if they were going to cripple the automatically opening doors IMO.

 

[rpo]

Regarding the front door, my X does that as well if I'm close to a garage wall or another car. The sensors are detecting and preventing potential absentminded distracted users from banging their doors on something IMO. Does your do that (2 sec) when there is nothing around? If so, it would seem like the sensors are not 'adjusted' correctly. Perhaps service could recalibrated if it could be demonstrated.

This is because your (I think 2017?) MX has the door sensors. Tesla removed them with no backup system in place a year ago and now the doors don't auto open, but they still have the electric motors fighting you. It's ridiculous.

 

[ABC2D]

MX has the door sensors.

What sensor are you talking about here (please dont say ultra sonic)?

I disagree and still think that once vision network advances (it only appears few weeks ago for HW4), the doors will open wide as clearance allows

#2 - This is how the doors are FOR now

FTFY

 

[rpo]

What sensor are you talking about here (please dont say ultra sonic)?

I disagree and still think that once vision network advances (it only appears few weeks ago for HW4), the doors will open wide as clearance allows

FTFY

Correct, the ultrasonic sensors were used for the front doors. When those got removed, the front doors lost the ability to open beyond a few inches.

And the doors have been that way for a year now on new MXs so my comment was accurate. A car maker should never cripple a feature for a whole freaking year let alone at all with no system in place to keep it functional. That's simply incompetence.

 

[Lee_B]

Correct, the ultrasonic sensors were used for the front doors. When those got removed, the front doors lost the ability to open beyond a few inches.

And the doors have been that way for a year now on new MXs so my comment was accurate. A car maker should never cripple a feature for a whole freaking year let alone at all with no system in place to keep it functional. That's simply incompetence.

Could not agree more and could not say it better

 

[IvesSM]

Dale, welcome.

Gee, you only have 4 issues coming from past S's & X's. Your to kind. When you get a chance check out my previous post on: "Refresh X Issues - Why is it Taking So Long?"

I believe Tesla has made some serious mistakes on the refresh of the X and I'm disappointed in myself for failing into their trap BUT I love the car even for all of its faults and keep hopeing for that magical software update that will make all things right with the car. One can only dream.

I to am concerned with the w/mi but I don't remember what in currently at. Please keep us posted if you get any resolution on this. I'm intrigued by one response that said an alignment made what I consider a dramatic change to his w/mi. Sounds to good to be true.

-stew

 

[strider]

Here's my alignment before the Macsboost shims. I still need to take it in for a recheck after doing the shims but there was no Wh/mi change before/after. Could be tweaked a bit but it's pretty good. Unfortunately the shop I went to was only able to check the alignment but not do the alignment due some software issue on their machine.

Would love to see a printout from @DCGOO for their sub-250 alignment.

 

[IvesSM]

You need an alignment. Teslas are not aligned coming out of the factory. When I got mine, I was getting similar mileage as you. After an alignment, I was typically (around town) sub-250. The difference was huge!

@DCGOO your statement of "Teslas are not aligned coming out of the factory." It's hard to believe.

Are you saying that their assembly process is so exact that alignment is not necessary -or- are you saying they leave it to the field to do after the cars tires show uneven wear and the customer pays?

I'll admit I have no knowledge in alignment procedures. I always thought every car needed an alignment when new and periodically depending on many things including potholes.

Thanks.

-stew

 

[DCGOO]

@DCGOO your statement of "Teslas are not aligned coming out of the factory." It's hard to believe.

Are you saying that their assembly process is so exact that alignment is not necessary -or- are you saying they leave it to the field to do after the cars tires show uneven wear and the customer pays?

They build it according to spec, robots whatever. They do get pretty beat up on the trains, trucks, and ships I imagine, so they figure precision is after shipment at the Service Center. I was pretty irritated with the customer pay part though, particularly since it absolutely fixed my problem. I probably should not have told them it drives perfectly straight, just consuming too much energy.

OTOH, my car has been perfect otherwise. No rattles, squeaks, no shudder or any weirdness at all. Heck, even my driver door opens fully 90% of the time. Not the slightest reason for a service center visit at all. Compared to the track record of my 2018, I am thrilled.

If they just could have made it self-cleaning. That would be nearly as good as self-driving!

 

[rpo]

They build it according to spec, robots whatever. They do get pretty beat up on the trains, trucks, and ships I imagine, so they figure precision is after shipment at the Service Center. I was pretty irritated with the customer pay part though, particularly since it absolutely fixed my problem. I probably should not have told them it drives perfectly straight, just consuming too much energy.

OTOH, my car has been perfect otherwise. No rattles, squeaks, no shudder or any weirdness at all. Heck, even my driver door opens fully 90% of the time. Not the slightest reason for a service center visit at all. Compared to the track record of my 2018, I am thrilled.

If they just could have made it self-cleaning. That would be nearly as good as self-driving!

You lucked out getting one before the sensors were removed.

 

[DCGOO]

You lucked out getting one before the sensors were removed.

Not only that, when I ordered, in mid 2021, the X was only 89,900, and Tesla gave me $80,000 trade in for my 2018 w 50,000 miles on it! I don’t get it, but I sure took it! This was during the time no X’es were being produced, which ridiculously goosed the trade-in values. I looked at my wife and said we HAVE to jump on this deal!

 

[cstromme]

2. When the front doors open, there is strong mechanical resistance for the first two seconds if you try to open the doors fully. The resistance abates after 1-2 seconds, but causes you to have to pause before getting out of the car which is frustrating behavior. Does anyone else experience this and is it adjustable?

3. Compared to our other cars, all of which had various versions of Autopilot or FSD, the perimeter/proximity alarms are overly chatty/cautious. Any parallel parking will trigger a chorus of chimes. Driving into a drive through window is panic inducing. Anyone else?

Both of these are related to Tesla removing the ultrasonic sensors and (planning to replace /) replacing them with software functionality based on camera input instead. The proximity alerts were just added a few months ago, so hopefully that should improve rather quickly.

The doors are still our biggest frustration going from a 2016 X to a 2023 X. It is ridiculous that they can actually sell the cars like this, it honestly feels broken, especially when you know how they're supposed to work. Crossing my fingers this will be fixed within the next few months.

 

[rpo]

Both of these are related to Tesla removing the ultrasonic sensors and (planning to replace /) replacing them with software functionality based on camera input instead. The proximity alerts were just added a few months ago, so hopefully that should improve rather quickly.

The doors are still our biggest frustration going from a 2016 X to a 2023 X. It is ridiculous that they can actually sell the cars like this, it honestly feels broken, especially when you know how they're supposed to work. Crossing my fingers this will be fixed within the next few months.

The camera based proximity does not work either. It jumps around showing 12 inches to 40 to 12 to 30 without the vehicle moving.

 

[DCGOO]

The camera based proximity does not work either. It jumps around showing 12 inches to 40 to 12 to 30 without the vehicle moving.

That happens w USS equipped vehicles too.

 

[rpo]

That happens w USS equipped vehicles too.

It never did on my three prior Teslas that had ultrasonic sensors. They were within 3 inches and rock solid. Same with my Rivian.