Out of warranty concerns about Tesla

[loganss]

Add me to the list of those concerned about out of warranty costs. I recently crossed 44,000 miles and I'm strongly against extended warranties for any product.
I was convinced that this car was a low maintenance vehicle but as I reach 50,000 miles I'm getting a little nervous. I'm guessing early next year is when my warranty will be up.

Tesla parts are way too high and even the service centers aren't privy to some details on how to repair all issues with the car (i.e. main battery pack failure has to be addressed by Fremont folks). I haven't had nearly as many issues as those in this thread though: Main battery failure, 12V replaced, door handle replaced, courtesy FOB replacements, hood repaint from delivery, supercharger hw failure, unbelievably drafty small window.

I hope Telsa gets this under control.

I also almost always charge at 30A and haven't had any issues with my UMC

 

[islandbayy]

I would like to take just a few moments if you all wouldn't mind.

1: I am holding off on some responses at this moment until I hopefully receive a response from Tesla HQ.

2: I am right now in the process of writing a letter to Jerome. I'm doing my best to keep it under 20 pages.... But I am up to 2 pages so far. I'm TRYING to be detailed, yet short. I want to outline both the Good and the Bad that Tesla is doing, and improvements that can be made. I want Tesla to succeed, and WE NEED Tesla to Succeed! I know they can, but us as customers need to keep reminding them, and helping them along the way by pointing out their flaws and where they can improve.


3: Too many people to respond to directly. I have gotten OVERWHELMED with emails to my Personal Email Address, and some PM's here. I just want to say THANK YOU To everyone. I have gotten MANY KIND WORDS! Not just in support of the problems I've had (Of which I was "Living with" but it was the almost going into a lake part that has tipped me over the edge and made me snap here), but I will need to say, I did not realize HOW MANY people really enjoyed my videos, and how many people ended up purchasing only after watching them. I had 25 confirmed sales that I knew about before this just due to my videos, but.... That number seems to have grown to 100+ (According to just the emails I'm getting and feedback from people here over the last day!).
All I can say is that has really made my day. While I always try to keep a positive attitude in every situation, I did go through a difficult separation that dragged on for quite a while, and honestly, the last 2 years have been emotionally difficult. The kind words and support from people just over the past (Gosh, it's only been about 30 hours) day has really lifted my spirits and helped renew the spark I had when I started making all my videos 1 1/2 years ago, and giving me motivation to make many many many more!!!!
So I just want to say, THANK YOU! THE TESLA COMMUNITY IS THE BEST!



I will respond tomorrow to some things, but like I said, I want to hold off until I get official response. Of which, I may or may not be able to share the exact details of depending on the outcome, but either way, I will update everyone.

Cheers! And have a great evening!

 

[ModelX]

Islandbayy, keep the spark alive! Even those of us who didn't make it through the videos appreciated the enthusiasm!

 

[BlueTan85]

I had clunk sounds like that, as well as the loud hum/moaning at 70+ mph, and after complaining about it for about a year, they finally agreed to do a drive unit swap. In the ~4 months since, with the new drive unit, I have had no moan/hum nor any clunk. Fingers crossed that the problem was truly eliminated and won't be coming back.

 

[Red Sage]

3: I had 25 confirmed sales that I knew about before this just due to my videos, but.... That number seems to have grown to 100+ (According to just the emails I'm getting and feedback from people here over the last day!).

It would be a very good idea to include this point in your letter to Jerome. I regularly direct Naysayers to your videos an Bjørn Nyland's whenever someone claims the Tesla Model S is 'useless' in cold weather. Your contribution is great for both Enthusiasts and Owners of the Model S. Invaluable, and real. It is imperative that your concerns be met.

 

[islandbayy]

Islandbayy, keep the spark alive! Even those of us who didn't make it through the videos appreciated the enthusiasm!

I'm going to try. Hopefully this situation ends positively, and I can continue to enthusiastically continue to make more videos. I have lots of ideas, just need the enthusiasm and motivation to continue.

- - - Updated - - -

It would be a very good idea to include this point in your letter to Jerome. I regularly direct Naysayers to your videos an Bjørn Nyland's whenever someone claims the Tesla Model S is 'useless' in cold weather. Your contribution is great for both Enthusiasts and Owners of the Model S. Invaluable, and real. It is imperative that your concerns be met.

Grazie!


Email has just been sent. Was a hard email to wright. I know I could have done better. One of those things where you have everything set in your head, but just cant get it out into a letter the way it is in the head. I think I got my points across.

 

[rdrcrmatt]

Chris, thread jacker!! J/K!!

Your clunk is clearly a bad bushing. My drive unit was swapped for the same reason, it sounded exactly like that, just as loud and all the time. After they fixed it I then had a lighter sounding clunk from the axles "needing to be greased" which reoccured a few times. Then they put shims in to fix it and it hasn't happened for 5,000 miles now.. stay on it and you'll get it resolved.

The bushing clunk, while a very concerning noise, isn't a huge cause for alarm in my opinion. Bushings go out. They are wear items. It just so happens these were not designed as tough as they needed to be in the beginning but it seems now it is a stronger bushing and holding up much better. Mine has been bushing clunk free for a while now, at least 15,000 miles.


As for the rest of of the thread, I'm again thrilled at how many people are concerned about this as well, it is a huge issue. I'm at 48,200 miles today. 50k is coming fast!

 

[islandbayy]

Chris, thread jacker!! J/K!!

Your clunk is clearly a bad bushing. My drive unit was swapped for the same reason, it sounded exactly like that, just as loud and all the time. After they fixed it I then had a lighter sounding clunk from the axles "needing to be greased" which reoccured a few times. Then they put shims in to fix it and it hasn't happened for 5,000 miles now.. stay on it and you'll get it resolved.

The bushing clunk, while a very concerning noise, isn't a huge cause for alarm in my opinion. Bushings go out. They are wear items. It just so happens these were not designed as tough as they needed to be in the beginning but it seems now it is a stronger bushing and holding up much better. Mine has been bushing clunk free for a while now, at least 15,000 miles.


As for the rest of of the thread, I'm again thrilled at how many people are concerned about this as well, it is a huge issue. I'm at 48,200 miles today. 50k is coming fast!

Quite possibly the bushing. The part that has me really concerned is the loss of control and all the errors that popped up, that then magically vanished.

 

[JST]

Chris, thread jacker!! J/K!!

Your clunk is clearly a bad bushing. My drive unit was swapped for the same reason, it sounded exactly like that, just as loud and all the time. After they fixed it I then had a lighter sounding clunk from the axles "needing to be greased" which reoccured a few times. Then they put shims in to fix it and it hasn't happened for 5,000 miles now.. stay on it and you'll get it resolved.

The bushing clunk, while a very concerning noise, isn't a huge cause for alarm in my opinion. Bushings go out. They are wear items. It just so happens these were not designed as tough as they needed to be in the beginning but it seems now it is a stronger bushing and holding up much better. Mine has been bushing clunk free for a while now, at least 15,000 miles.


As for the rest of of the thread, I'm again thrilled at how many people are concerned about this as well, it is a huge issue. I'm at 48,200 miles today. 50k is coming fast!

So if the big clunk is caused by a bushing and the small clunk is caused by the axle grease/shim issue, anyone know what causes the milling sound?

 

[qwk]

Quite possibly the bushing. The part that has me really concerned is the loss of control and all the errors that popped up, that then magically vanished.

I had the same experience, but mine is easily reproduced. The ABS sensor gets a fault, which in turn turns stability control, ABS, and traction control off. This car is one scary ride with those things off(always happens in the winter with snow). The thing that makes this happen is parking the car in slush/wet snow, the temps dropping below freezing, and the tires getting frozen to the ground. Once you get in to drive, it takes a bit more power to break loose, and there is usually a pop when it does, followed by the error messages, and a wild ride. There is a way to clear this; Stop the car, put it in park, and manually shut the car off on the touchscreen. When you press the brake again(about 30 seconds after the car shuts down), everything will be back to normal. Hope this helps someone.

 

[Alysashley79]

Islandbayy - the "clunk" I had sounded exactly like yours! I dropped my car off at a service center in Seattle really just to park there because it's a block from the stadium and mentioned the clunk (for the second time) came back at the end of the game and the entire rear end of the car was torn apart. Drive unit and inverter were replaced!

I also have the key not in car issue and I noticed in your video you'd mentioned you had your iPhone with you. Not sure if this is related to your issue but the iPhone bkocks the signal from the fob if they're anywhere near each other. I have to keep my phone in the glove box!!

Im interested to hear what Jerome has to say. I put a call in to my local SC yesterday to try to get some help!!

 

[glhs272]

Islandbayy - the "clunk" I had sounded exactly like yours! I dropped my car off at a service center in Seattle really just to park there because it's a block from the stadium and mentioned the clunk (for the second time) came back at the end of the game and the entire rear end of the car was torn apart. Drive unit and inverter were replaced!

I also have the key not in car issue and I noticed in your video you'd mentioned you had your iPhone with you. Not sure if this is related to your issue but the iPhone bkocks the signal from the fob if they're anywhere near each other. I have to keep my phone in the glove box!!

Im interested to hear what Jerome has to say. I put a call in to my local SC yesterday to try to get some help!!

I have both my iPhone 5C and my key fob in my pockets every day without issue (although in separate pockets). Early on I had a weak key fob (gave me key not in car errors) and the other key fob never did it. I asked them to give me a replacement key fob for the weak one, and they did. I have not had the issue return.

 

[islandbayy]

Just wanted to note. I got a response back from Jerome at 1:29p.m., Service center called me at 2:15, My car was Valet'd to service center at 4:15 with loaner dropped off. I was told I'd be getting a call at Regional Manager level today or tomorrow, and so far that is that.
Will update!

 

[scaesare]

Just wanted to note. I got a response back from Jerome at 1:29p.m., Service center called me at 2:15, My car was Valet'd to service center at 4:15 with loaner dropped off. I was told I'd be getting a call at Regional Manager level today or tomorrow, and so far that is that.
Will update!

I hope this gets resolved satisfactorily for you islandbayy...

 

[bonnie]

That's the Tesla I know. The only note I'd add is that I doubt the fact that this response has occurred because videos are made or because cars have been sold - in my experience, that does not influence decisions at Tesla (and if it did, I'd have serious doubts about their future as a company).

I like to think that those types of things gets the invites to parties and some nice swag - but all customers are treated equally when it comes to service for the cars. I guess that's the one thing that has bothered me in this thread ... the suggestions from some that because of other activities, one person should be treated differently than others when it comes to service. I don't think anyone actually meant that. It would be a sad day if the only way people could get good service would be because they did above and beyond for Tesla, wouldn't it?

 

[qwk]

.... but all customers are treated equally when it comes to service for the cars. I guess that's the one thing that has bothered me in this thread ...

This is undeniably 100% false, not only for Tesla, but any business. To think otherwise is naive.

I know of people who bought ANY part they wanted for their Tesla(Sig to P+ upgrade they installed themselves). If most try that, the answer would be NO. Then there are the people who upgraded their 60kwh pack to 85kwh. I could go on and on.....

 

[woof]

That's the Tesla I know.

Let's hope it all works out, but I am perturbed it took a direct letter to Jerome to get action on these issues. We've all read and watched about islandbay's car's problems (including the inability to upgrade to an 85kWh pack), and we know Tesla does as well. It should not require Jerome to step in each time...that just doesn't scale. When Model Three comes out will need a Giga-Jerome if that is the case! (Well, perhaps just a Kilo-Jerome, but as far as I know, there is only a Uni-Jerome right now).

So far, Tesla service has been stellar for us. I had no reason to believe it had changed until I read some of these posts. Let's hope for a satisfactory (or better) resolution for islandbay, and for Tesla's service to continue to be the best there is.

 

[rlang59]

The only note I'd add is that I doubt the fact that this response has occurred because videos are made or because cars have been sold

While that may certainly be the case it did take an email to Jerome to get things moving and that should not have been required.

 

[PlanB]

Am I understanding correctly that Jerome and other executive VPs are no longer stepping-in to resolve issues for owners like Islandbayy?

To me, that is the true test of whether or not anything is changing at Tesla. When I bought my car in August of 2013, Jerome and all at his level were very proactive and singularly focused on customer satisfaction. I'd like to know that hasn't changed. Islandbayy, have you escalated to Jerome?

Jerome helped me last week, I would suggest contacting him.

 

[bonnie]

This is undeniably 100% false, not only for Tesla, but any business. To think otherwise is naive.

I know of people who bought ANY part they wanted for their Tesla(Sig to P+ upgrade they installed themselves). If most try that, the answer would be NO. Then there are the people who upgraded their 60kwh pack to 85kwh. I could go on and on.....

All right, point taken. I could have been more precise in my statement. But you know exactly what I meant.

Look, here's my personal experience - I do a lot to support electric vehicles and Tesla in particular. And yes, I know a lot of people and get through easily to many people. But when it comes to service for my vehicle, I neither ask for special favors nor receive special favors. That would be crossing a line. I don't receive some 'friend of Tesla' discount, I don't get special treatment (other than what other Roadster owners experience).

So yeah, of course not every customer is treated *exactly* the same. You're right. Sorry (again) that I was not as precise as I should have been in my words. I thought the intent would be clear, but I was mistaken. There are customers who are total jerks when they come in (I've seen some). They probably have a harder time getting quick appointments, etc. And customers who are trusted for a variety of reasons probably have an easier time of things. But in no case would that be a bargaining chip, as in 'hey, I've helped sell cars for you so you should do these things for me'. THAT was my point.

Fair?

- - - Updated - - -

While that may certainly be the case it did take an email to Jerome to get things moving and that should not have been required.

Absolutely agree. And I also would make the point that Jerome is not swayed by 'what a customer has done for Tesla', but rather by what is the right thing to be done. It is a shame that it reached that point. But Jerome has intervened for plenty of people, based on 'what is the right thing' and for no other reason.