Passenger restraint system fault rendering car unsafe with passenger

[Peg Robledo]

Hello fellow Tesla owners.

Wondering if anyone has the same issue.

I purchased my Tesla Model 3, 2022 RWD, brand new last year in November. About a month later, I received my first error of “Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault,” with error code RCM2_a636. This results in the passenger airbag often going off, rendering it unsafe, and not detecting any passenger, such as my son who is 200lbs and 6’ tall, with seatbelt on or off. We have visited the SC, in Santa Fe, NM, over 8 times since them, with one mobile ranger visit. Since then, we have had 3 OCS filter module replacements, 2 full seat replacements, 2 times a crimped wire, and the most recent time, we were told it was caused by electromagnetic interference from my phone being plugged in. All of this was within one year and nothing they have done or said has fixed the problem. We drive long distances to work and back and are constantly in the car, and the error message is constantly there, sometimes cycling on and off within 3 minutes to 15 minutes. It even alerts us when we are parked. We have contacted a lawyer about lemon law because we are running out of patience but before we go down that path, we were wondering if anyone had a similar experience or could help.

 

[Candleflame]

contact them again for a definitive fix or ask to return the car as unsafe to drive.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Seems like seat replacement or harness replacement (entire harness not just a repair) or adding a harness extension and filter (OCS rework) is the most common fix. You said "2 times a crimped wire" does that mean they didn't replace the harness?

Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault
Recurring issue with Front Passenger Safety Restraint...

There was one case that it was the seat belt sensor wire that was installed incorrectly and being pinched:
Safety restraint system fault - Fixed

Other cases people spilled liquids on the seats and the seat heaters would fix it by drying out the liquid:

https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaModelY/comments/ndzqhu

If they replaced everything in the system (including the seat, harnesses, making sure all connectors are fully seated, and checking belt for issues like crimped sensor wires), then it's hard to see what else would be the cause (unless you are regularly spilling liquids onto the seats).

But given how many attempts they made to fix it and how long the issue has persisted, you are well within you rights to pursue a lemon law case.

 

[jjrandorin]

We have visited the SC, in Santa Fe, NM, over 8 times since them, with one mobile ranger visit.

We have contacted a lawyer about lemon law because we are running out of patience but before we go down that path,

This is pretty much what the circumstances the lemon laws in various areas are for. 8 times in a year for the same thing, that is a safety issue, is plenty of opportunity allowed for the "dealer" (manufacturer in this case) to fix it

Requesting tesla buy back the vehicle as a lemon is the correct action at this point. whether you need a lawyer or not depends on what the response is, and if you made sure that all the 8 visits you went in were for the same thing, and that tesla actually stated it was for the same thing.

 

[kerneroptical]

I've experienced the same issue with my Model 3 and they replaced the front passenger seat, but that was after trying to locate the correct seat for the better part of a week because Tesla stopped production of this seat to help reduce costs.

I'm submitted a buyback request for the car, with almost 20 service I just question the reliability and safety with so many issues cropping up, not to mention the constant wheel jerking and collision alerts when nothing is remotely in our path or close to the sides, it's alarming. If they don't offer a full buyback then we're going to get lawyers and lemon it.

 

[jkdman123]

If they've degenerated to claiming it was interference from you phone, they've officially reached the end of their rope. Time to punt. I would demand they buy it back under lemon law. Tell them you're in contact with your state's consumer affairs. Don't take no for an answer. Sticking it to them hard is the only way Elon will ever decide that it's cheaper to build a car that works the way it's supposed to than to have to buy back lemons.

 

[David.85D]

I don't know if it matters, but OP should be aware that people have reported that Tesla has banned some customers after a lemon law buyback and refused to sell them another vehicle.

 

[danarcha]

I don't know if it matters, but OP should be aware that people have reported that Tesla has banned some customers after a lemon law buyback and refused to sell them another vehicle.

Are there not any laws against that practice?

 

[David.85D]

Are there not any laws against that practice?

I don’t know and suspect most legislators wouldn’t have imagined it was something that needed to be spelled out in legislation.

 

[stopcrazypp]

I don't know if it matters, but OP should be aware that people have reported that Tesla has banned some customers after a lemon law buyback and refused to sell them another vehicle.

I believe that was only for the cases of people who made their cases very public. It may also make a difference if you are requesting a replacement vehicle vs a full vehicle buyback (usually in most states either can be an option).

Are there not any laws against that practice?

I know of no laws that forces a seller to sell to someone they don't want to sell to (other than for laws against discriminating against protected classes, which this case doesn't fall under). You don't generally have a "right" to buy something (while the seller generally does have the right to refuse service).

 

[jkdman123]

I don't know if it matters, but OP should be aware that people have reported that Tesla has banned some customers after a lemon law buyback and refused to sell them another vehicle.

That would be most likely illegal and you could probably get a lawyer to take the case on contingency. Add the media to that and that would be a lose/lose scenario for Tesla.

I believe what they’ve done in the past is if you bought a car and refused delivery of it due to perceived defects you couldn’t order another car for 6 months. That’s a different situation than a lemon law return since the deal isn’t done until you accept delivery.

 

[stopcrazypp]

That would be most likely illegal and you could probably get a lawyer to take the case on contingency. Add the media to that and that would be a lose/lose scenario for Tesla.

What law would they violate? You don't generally have the "right" to buy a product. Tesla have done it in the past, usually to people that make their cases very public. In that thread people mentioned other vehicle makers also have done the same in lemon law case (banning customer from buying from them again).

Tesla banned me from purchasing another Tesla after vehicle buyback

I believe what they’ve done in the past is if you bought a car and refused delivery of it due to perceived defects you couldn’t order another car for 6 months. That’s a different situation than a lemon law return since the deal isn’t done until you accept delivery.

 

[afadeev]

I purchased my Tesla Model 3, 2022 RWD, brand new last year in November. About a month later, I received my first error of “Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault,” with error code RCM2_a636. This results in the passenger airbag often going off, rendering it unsafe, and not detecting any passenger, such as my son who is 200lbs and 6’ tall, with seatbelt on or off. We have visited the SC, in Santa Fe, NM, over 8 times since them, with one mobile ranger visit. [...] We have contacted a lawyer about lemon law because we are running out of patience but before we go down that path, we were wondering if anyone had a similar experience or could help.

We are 100% behind you.
8 failed attempts at fixing safety defect in a vehicle is about 5 too many.

Lemon law your clunker, given that NM has provisions for just such an eventuality:

New Mexico Lemon Law (57-16A-1 - 57-16A-9) | Albuquerque Consumer Rights Lawyer

Free Case Review - Call (888) 565-3666 - Weisberg Consumer Law Group is dedicated to providing our clients with legal services in Consumer Rights and Lemon Law cases. New Mexico Lemon Law (57-16A-1 - 57-16A-9) - Albuquerque Consumer Rights Lawyer

www.carlemon.com

I don't know if it matters, but OP should be aware that people have reported that Tesla has banned some customers after a lemon law buyback and refused to sell them another vehicle.

I don't think it matters, as there is no way I would personally agree, or advise other to do so.
If an automaker retaliates for being held accountable by consumer protection (aka Lemon) laws - don't hold back on publicly shaming them!

Either way, there are other (higher quality) EV options on the market these days.

Good luck!

 

[rshine]

Front Passenger Safety Restraint System....that came up on my screen about two months ago. Tesla at first said that they would send someone out to my house to fix it. The day before they were to come to my house they canceled the appointment, and said that I have to take my 2022 Model Y to the service center in Aurora, CO. I took my car to the service center yesterday, and was pleasantly surprised that they fixed the restraint system within 40 minutes.

 

[afadeev]

Front Passenger Safety Restraint System....I took my car to the service center yesterday, and was pleasantly surprised that they fixed the restraint system within 40 minutes.

... and the fix was ... ?

(seat / buckle sensor, I presume)

 

[rshine]

... and the fix was ... ?

(seat / buckle sensor, I presume)

They fixed the Front Passenger Safety Restraint System yesterday at the Aurora, CO service center. Well.....the restraint system is again is not working today. I tried to get the service center in Aurora, CO to allow me to bring the car back in tomorrow....they want me to wait almost two weeks to bring it back in. I have read all the bad reports about Tesla's service. I think I am getting the same run around with this company. I love my Y....but Tesla needs to do something about how they handle their service.

 

[MYPMando405]

My MYP '22 has a "Rear left safety restraint" error. Details of my nightmare are here:

Safety restraint system fault - Fixed

Just had this happen and tells wants over $500 to fix it. The worse part is that they already fixed it 2 time prior. One time under warranty and another time out of "good will". Now they want me to pay for something they should have fixed the first time. My car is in the Tesla service center...

teslamotorsclub.com

Love my car. HATE this issue!!!!

 

[WilsonWilbur85]

HI -

I have a 2019 Model 3 that is out of warranty as of April 20th.

Last year, I got the "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault" and it was fixed under warranty. They fixed it by adding "Part - Service Kit OCS REWORK 1479982-00-C) which was described as "Instal Occupant Classification System Filter Module"

I had no issues until late last week when the alert returned again.

The estimate is $1260 and the item charges are as follows:
Replace Front Passenger Seat OCS Component while servicing subcomponents: Labor $195, Parts $185
Parts: 1st Row Assembly Harness - 148906096-F, 1st Row Occupancy Sensor - 1099592-00-F, and !R SBR Box Clip - 1130363-00B.

Update Front Passenger Airbag to Maintain Compatibly with front passenger seat. Labor $310, Parts $490
They are wanting to put a new airbag in the car.

I reached out to service center to clarify why I needed a new airbag. They said "the airbag must be replaced in sequence with the other seat component that needs to be fixed as these two components rely on each other and require compatibility for the SRS system to function as intended"

They claim the issue is different than the issue the car had last year. I am trying to get the airbag half (~60%) waived, so it would be about $400 to fix the issue. I don't want to pay almost $1300 just to get a sensor to turn off but I also want the passenger (should there be one) to be safe.

Has anyone else had a similar issue? Any advice on how to proceed? I thought that Tesla would have to cover the airbag half for sure if they were changing something about the car because it is safety related.

 

[afadeev]

I thought that Tesla would have to cover the airbag half for sure if they were changing something about the car because it is safety related.

Tesla does NOT have to do anything out of warranty that you are not paying them to do. Safety argument means nothing, unless there is something in your state's laws that claim otherwise.
Your only options are to:

1. Leave thing unrepaired
2. Pay up
3. Find a lawyer who finds a way to make Tesla pay up through the court system.

Roughly in the order of what it will cost you.

 

[WilsonWilbur85]

Tesla does NOT have to do anything out of warranty that you are not paying them to do. Safety argument means nothing, unless there is something in your state's laws that claim otherwise.
Your only options are to:

1. Leave thing unrepaired
2. Pay up
3. Find a lawyer who finds a way to make Tesla pay up through the court system.

Roughly in the order of what it will cost you.

I am not arguing paying for the sensor repair which is ~$400, I am arguing that the seat sensor then causes the need for airbags to be replaced.