Noise as "Get Out of Extended Warranty Free" position?

[Gizmotoy]

I was wondering if others had experienced this.

My 2013 has had a persistent issue with a loud clunk that can be heard and felt in the steering wheel when transitioning between acceleration and regen at low speeds. Tesla has in the past replaced control arms and steering bolts to address the issue without luck, but did replace the entire motor assembly and that worked for a few years. At the time I was asked to bring the car back in if it recurred because this was an issue Engineering was tracking.

So I have an extended warranty, and the issue has returned, so I scheduled an appointment. Apparently since there is a noise component, there is a non-refundable $390 diagnostic fee, plus any resulting work will not be covered by the extended warranty because a noise is involved. My ESA specifically does exclude "adjustments necessary to correct sqeaks, rattles, water leaks, or wind noise," but this is none of those. I asked about this, and the SC's position is that if the vehicle is making a noise, noises aren't covered and the defect isn't covered by the extended warranty.

Has anyone encountered anything like this before? I'm a little baffled given the vehicle's service history for this exact issue, which I mentioned in the visit notes.

 

[Chaserr]

Tesla has become too "cheap" to honor its warranty. Press them, they can't dodge repairing the cause of the thunk just because it makes a thunk.

 

[kavyboy]

I was wondering if others had experienced this.

My 2013 has had a persistent issue with a loud clunk that can be heard and felt in the steering wheel when transitioning between acceleration and regen at low speeds. Tesla has in the past replaced control arms and steering bolts to address the issue without luck, but did replace the entire motor assembly and that worked for a few years. At the time I was asked to bring the car back in if it recurred because this was an issue Engineering was tracking.

So I have an extended warranty, and the issue has returned, so I scheduled an appointment. Apparently since there is a noise component, there is a non-refundable $390 diagnostic fee, plus any resulting work will not be covered by the extended warranty because a noise is involved. My ESA specifically does exclude "adjustments necessary to correct sqeaks, rattles, water leaks, or wind noise," but this is none of those. I asked about this, and the SC's position is that if the vehicle is making a noise, noises aren't covered and the defect isn't covered by the extended warranty.

Has anyone encountered anything like this before? I'm a little baffled given the vehicle's service history for this exact issue, which I mentioned in the visit notes.

Ridiculous.
Say that you can feel it now as well.

 

[Gizmotoy]

I've said as much. Engineering actually specifically asked I check back in if the issue returned, which they noted on the request, but said it wouldn't change anything.

I got a call from Tesla, though, and it's actually slightly worse than posted above. My charge port is cracked, and I've been waiting months for parts. It's a 2-3 day repair job. You all may be more in the loop on this, but apparently they've cracked down on loaner vehicles. I actually can't get a loner, rental, or Uber credit because my visit contains a noise complaint. So even if you have other valid warranty concerns, simply having a noise complaint as part of the same visit disqualifies you from receiving any transportation credit.

They also said the Palo Alto Service Center now has 2 loaner vehicles and that's it. They don't do rentals at all anymore, and only give credits for services lasting multiple days that do no include a noise complaint. That's a huge change from what we were promised when I bought my car years ago.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Most all auto companies have a fee to diagnose an issue. If the repair is not covered, they will do the repair, and usually waive the fee. If the service is covered under warranty they will also waive the fee. If you get the diagnosis, but decide not to pay to have it repaired, then you are responsible for the fee.

This keeps customers from bringing the car in for every little thing, and if not covered they will not pay for the fix.

The fee is usually justified as the diagnosis ties up a slot and the time of a technician, plus the communication back and forth with the owner.

 

[ucmndd]

Most all auto companies have a fee to diagnose an issue. If the repair is not covered, they will do the repair, and usually waive the fee. If the service is covered under warranty they will also waive the fee. If you get the diagnosis, but decide not to pay to have it repaired, then you are responsible for the fee.

This keeps customers from bringing the car in for every little thing, and if not covered they will not pay for the fix.

The fee is usually justified as the diagnosis ties up a slot and the time of a technician, plus the communication back and forth with the owner.

You would be well served to actually read these threads before issuing your standard blanket defense of Tesla.

 

[Gizmotoy]

Most all auto companies have a fee to diagnose an issue. If the repair is not covered, they will do the repair, and usually waive the fee. If the service is covered under warranty they will also waive the fee. If you get the diagnosis, but decide not to pay to have it repaired, then you are responsible for the fee.

This is usually how it works (though high at quadruple what the Volvo dealership next door charges) but this is not how Tesla told me it would work. The $390 is literally their hourly labor rate ($195) times 2 hours. The labor is spent and will be billed regardless of outcome.

If after diagnosis they find a failure caused by a part covered under warranty, they'll issue Uber credits at that time. But it doesn't change the diagnostic fee. Additionally, they were careful to warn that noises are not covered under warranty, and any warranty claim would likely be denied on that basis - particularly if there is a suspension-related failure (which was the cause of this at least once in the past - this is my third failure for this exact issue in 6 years).

 

[Uncle Paul]

This is not my standard blanket defense. I have specific defenses I use to defend Tesla for different complaints

Agreed however, that it is easy for me to come to the defense of Tesla when it is not my car that is having the issues.

 

[Gizmotoy]

Minor update here with some general advice: those with extended warranties should, under no circumstances, ever mention a noise when scheduling service unless absolutely necessary.

Even though my issue can be felt as a thump in the steering wheel and seat, and even though I mentioned that in the service request, the mere fact an associated noise was mentioned dropped it into a "likely warranty denial" bucket that invalidates your ability to get a loaner/Uber credits and triggers the non-refundable-under-any-circumstance 2 hour diagnostic fee. Had I simply described the other symptoms and not mentioned the noise at all, this wouldn't have happened.

Additionally, you might consider scheduling any noise-related issues as part of a separate visit. I actually have multi-day pre-approved warranty work being performed at the same time, and the noise complaint actually eliminates the loaner/Uber credits I would have otherwise received.

It's also frustrating the advisor suggested this is now an urgent safety-related matter. They've been rescheduling me the day before my appointment month-by-month since my original appointment in early November, and efforts to even get them to look at the thing has failed. The earliest appointment is now mid February. The SC system is broken.

 

[Alysashley79]

I wonder if this is a service center by service center thing. I had a “noise” (ie:death rattle) they said they’d charge me up to one hour of labor that is not refundable. “Unless we find an issue, then there will be no charge”

the clunk you describe sounds like the old clunk that the RWD drive unit put off with the old mounts for said drive unit. I also had that in my 2013 p85 back in the day.

something else In regards to your cracked charge port. I had one of these swapped out in my garage on my old p85 and it took less than 2 hours. So...how are they justifying 2-3 days.

 

[Gizmotoy]

I wonder if this is a service center by service center thing. I had a “noise” (ie:death rattle) they said they’d charge me up to one hour of labor that is not refundable. “Unless we find an issue, then there will be no charge”

the clunk you describe sounds like the old clunk that the RWD drive unit put off with the old mounts for said drive unit. I also had that in my 2013 p85 back in the day.

something else In regards to your cracked charge port. I had one of these swapped out in my garage on my old p85 and it took less than 2 hours. So...how are they justifying 2-3 days.

Probably true.

Based on past experience, they justify the 2-3 days by "your car will sit untouched in the queue for a few days, and then we'll wrap up the work in a few hours." A visit last year my car sat unmoved for 9 days and then was completed in an afternoon. But they gave a loaner for that one, so it wasn't as big a deal.

 

[ej25]

Are they not just shimming the gap between the steering rack and the subframe anymore? The clunk you're hearing is because the surface where the steering rack and subframe meet has a small gap, even when bolted down and torqued properly.

They used to just shim it up with a small .05mm shim and replace the bolts. The problem as these vehicles age is that the aluminum rubbing together has probably caused it to wallow out a bit making that gap worse and causing the noise and clunk to return.

 

[kavyboy]

Are they not just shimming the gap between the steering rack and the subframe anymore? The clunk you're hearing is because the surface where the steering rack and subframe meet has a small gap, even when bolted down and torqued properly.

They used to just shim it up with a small .05mm shim and replace the bolts. The problem as these vehicles age is that the aluminum rubbing together has probably caused it to wallow out a bit making that gap worse and causing the noise and clunk to return.

That's really good info.
Off topic: Is this really your first post in 7.5 years? If so, post more; you're on a roll!

 

[ej25]

That's really good info.
Off topic: Is this really your first post in 7.5 years? If so, post more; you're on a roll!

Apparently so. Lol I don't own a Tesla but I worked for the service department for years. I made this account I'm the early days of my career and only really posted thanking the owners at my local SC when I got fired.

I only replied here because someone sent me the post and I feel for OP. He shouldn't have to pay for something thats been a documented TSB and was never properly addressed on his vehicle. The problem is Tesla never does proper RCA on these things. The rack and the sub frame move and it's literally soft metal rubbing against a soft metal and over time can cause major problems. It's borderline a safety issue tbh.

I'll bet a beer that's what the SC comes back with after taking $400 from OP.

 

[ej25]

I should also note it's likely that it's related to drive unit clunk that was prevalant for so long but most of those have been replaced by now I'd hope? Either case, it was covered by a Tesla TSB and OP shouldn't be paying for it.

 

[Gizmotoy]

I should also note it's likely that it's related to drive unit clunk that was prevalant for so long but most of those have been replaced by now I'd hope? Either case, it was covered by a Tesla TSB and OP shouldn't be paying for it.

I did have nearly the exact same clunk in the past, and Tesla did replace the drive unit. Back in 2015 or maybe 2016.

Before they replaced that they did the steering rack shim work, but it didn't resolve the issue.