Power Steering falling apart

[TrackDayHookey]

Follow up: I followed the suggestion to do an executive escalation and it paid off. Two days after I escalated, Tesla found a steering rack for me and did the repair under good will. They also replaced the carpet in the back that was moldy from rain filling the rear hatch on occasion, and lots of other wear items were replaced. So "go ugly early" is how you get results, sadly. I still recommend that anyone with a recall-era S get the issue resolved ASAP.

Additional follow up: A year after the rack was replaced, the power steering has gone stupid again. Sometimes works, sometimes doesn't when you get in the car. A software update came along which caused the dead steering to start working again for another week, then dead again. This doesn't appear to be the failed bolt problem. Turning the car off for a while and back on again, or getting a software update doesn't cause bolts to grow back together, but it does sometimes cause the power steering to work again. The car only has 33K miles on it at this point, and has had many things on it replaced, some of them at great expense. I have a 25 year old Miata with 250K miles on it, and the steering still works just fine, so this seems like a problem the car industry as a whole has solved.

I tried Tesla support, no answer in over a week. Trying the direct approach with the service center than replaced the rack a year ago. I expect indifference and the irritating need to escalate the issue, unless they got a new culture and all new people in the last year. The quality and service seem to be in a race to the bottom.

 

[Kalud]

This vastly differ from my experience. Beside the failed bolt on the ZF (or Bosch) power steering unit. Your issue seems unrelated, maybe an isolated wiring / connector issue ?

 

[mspohr]

Additional follow up: A year after the rack was replaced, the power steering has gone stupid again. Sometimes works, sometimes doesn't when you get in the car. A software update came along which caused the dead steering to start working again for another week, then dead again. This doesn't appear to be the failed bolt problem. Turning the car off for a while and back on again, or getting a software update doesn't cause bolts to grow back together, but it does sometimes cause the power steering to work again. The car only has 33K miles on it at this point, and has had many things on it replaced, some of them at great expense. I have a 25 year old Miata with 250K miles on it, and the steering still works just fine, so this seems like a problem the car industry as a whole has solved.

I tried Tesla support, no answer in over a week. Trying the direct approach with the service center than replaced the rack a year ago. I expect indifference and the irritating need to escalate the issue, unless they got a new culture and all new people in the last year. The quality and service seem to be in a race to the bottom.

Sorry you're having problems but not my experience.
Only a few early minor issues fixed under warranty with no wait for service or parts.
Recently, had mobile service replace the steering bolts, airbag and door handle... only two days wait for service. Mobile service is fantastic.
Now at 75,000 miles and 4+ years... best car ever.

 

[Kalud]

This ^ is more in line with my experience. Now a 112k miles after 5.5 years. Best car ever too. Still looks and drives as day 1.

 

[AWDtsla]

Additional follow up: A year after the rack was replaced, the power steering has gone stupid again. Sometimes works, sometimes doesn't when you get in the car. A software update came along which caused the dead steering to start working again for another week, then dead again. This doesn't appear to be the failed bolt problem. Turning the car off for a while and back on again, or getting a software update doesn't cause bolts to grow back together, but it does sometimes cause the power steering to work again. The car only has 33K miles on it at this point, and has had many things on it replaced, some of them at great expense. I have a 25 year old Miata with 250K miles on it, and the steering still works just fine, so this seems like a problem the car industry as a whole has solved.

I tried Tesla support, no answer in over a week. Trying the direct approach with the service center than replaced the rack a year ago. I expect indifference and the irritating need to escalate the issue, unless they got a new culture and all new people in the last year. The quality and service seem to be in a race to the bottom.

Maybe they forgot to secure the wiring hardness and it's coming out?

 

[TrackDayHookey]

Additional update: The recall-replaced power steering rack died completely (after being intermittent), a bit over a year and 6000 miles since it was replaced. Tesla wants $4,000 to replace it again! Gotta make up for all the cash that Tesla is bleeding somehow. Correction: $4,745.63 out the door.

 

[Apostle]

Well, I just got an email back from the service center. I am disappointed.
He thanked me for the pictures and information. He suggested the gasket may be compromised, this may happen again, and they recommend replacement. (Right, big surprise.)

The rest of the email was essentially a quote:
$1920 steering rack
$30 tie rod ends, 2 @ $15
$175 one hour labor (estimate, parts)
$175 one hour labor (alignment, alignment, test, firmware)
$2300 + tax.

I was hoping to find out if this was a common occurrence, or if maybe they should be looking for this in other cars. Best case, I was hoping they'd say something like, "We're going to get you a new rack and all the hardware, and we're going to check with the engineers as to how this could happen." I knew that first part was a long shot, but maybe at least the 2nd half.
Why are the bolts shearing off? Is 4 years really that old for a steering rack? The rack internals work fine, it's the structural assembly I worry about.

This is not unlike a year ago when they told me I needed to replace my front calipers, rotors all around, dust shields, and pads all around, to the tune of about $3500; when all that was wrong was a pad stuck to a caliper. I freed it up and cleaned it off in a couple of hours. Rotors are all smooth, calipers all work fine, pads have little wear. But I digress.

Well, I'm still hoping for another few hundred thousand miles. It may not be as smooth as I'd hoped though.

I just got quoted $3,429.95 for a new steering rack. This brings my total to almost $6,500 in the last 10-months. Have you had any other expensive repairs? I cannot believe how expensive it is to own a Model S.

 

[Apostle]

Newer cars have non-aluminum blots, so hopefully supplier is using that on replacement units also. Could request a coat of silicone over the seam between motor and rack.

The estimate for a steering rack that I just got mentions steel bolts and wax. Do you think that will protect the bolts?

Do you think that replacing the bolts during the steering bolt recall 10-months ago could have caused the need for the new steering rack? A saw a YouTube video about replacing a steering motor. The poster said to mark the parts so that they are lined up properly. If they aren't marked and aren't lined up properly, the splines can brake the gears on the steering motor.

Does your sc replace parts of the steering rack? I saw a post that said his sc replaced the steering motor. My sc won't replace just the steering motor. I have to replace the complete steering rack.

 

[mongo]

If the bolts and interface stay dry, then there won't be corrosion,so wax can be effective.

I wouldn't expect the bolt swap to have caused future issues, by replacing one at a time, alignment is preserved.

I don't have an sc (waiting on pickup), but I would expect that they would not do sub part replacements on a steering rack.

You could check into haveing a 3rd party do the swap with a used rack.

 

[Brass Guy]

Have you had any other expensive repairs?

Well no, but I do have a minor bubble issue with the MCU screen and a major bubble issue with the IC. I am not planning on replacing them as they are still functional and I'm sure it'd be outrageous.

The rack was replaced under the recall so I didn't have to pay for that either.

 

[MP3Mike]

Well no, but I do have a minor bubble issue with the MCU screen and a major bubble issue with the IC. I am not planning on replacing them as they are still functional and I'm sure it'd be outrageous.

My understanding is that the goo leaking out of the screens is corrosive, so if you aren't going to replace it you need to make sure you keep it cleaned up and off of any connectors or it will cause other failures in your car.

Has your MCU ever been replaced? If not, the eMMC is likely getting to the end of it's life. And replace the whole MUC, w/screen, only costs about $700 more than replacing just the screen. (And would come with a 4 year warranty.) So that is something to think about.

 

[nuronce]

Definitely get real bolts when you can.
And let Tesla know about problem.
Armchair toot csuse: If the bolts get loose, the rotational force turns into shear instead of only having tension on the bolt. Over cycles it fatigues and shears. Over torqued could have failed and then the helical gear was pushing the assemblies apart half the time. Gears may be damaged.

Had my steering column replaced ‘17s about 10k miles after numerous complaints

 

[ShawnA]

Hi All,

I apologize for not re-reading all 16 or 17 pages of posts here...
There was a recall NHTSA Recall Code: 18V-204 to replace the corroded aluminum
bolts that held the power steering together.
Many earlier (including me) have replaced the 3 visible bolts with stainless steel.
What those of us that replaced the 3 visible bolts did not know was that there were
2 more bolts below the power steering actuator.
Performing the recall:
Mobile service replace the 3 bolts to hold the actuator together and aligned.
Then he removed another bolt or two which dropped the actuator and replace bolts 4 and 5.

I had the recall performed earlier this summer - 2019...

Check what is happening because I think a recall goes beyond the warranty.............

Many others have had the power steering actuator replaced at no cost if it was
damaged by the failure covered in the recall...

Shawn

 

[AZbba]

2014 S 85 Power steering failed last week along with warning that steering assist may be reduced. Drove it home and then to SC. The steering would sometimes kick back in for a bit then out. But on the drive to the SC it didn't kick back in at all.

SC says it needs a whole new Steering rack (surprise surprise) and will run $3860. They swore up and down it wasn't related to the recall. I had the bolts replaced about 6 months ago.

Seems quite ridiculous that they have an existing recall and are trying to avoid paying to fix things that shouldn't be breaking after 100k miles. Especially since it sounds like from this post that the tightening of the new bolts could be problematic... Random steering popping noise after steering motor bolt recall

What has anyone done to try and get this covered? A friend suggested to pay it and then file in small claims.

 

[AZbba]

2014 S 85 Power steering failed last week along with warning that steering assist may be reduced. Drove it home and then to SC. The steering would sometimes kick back in for a bit then out. But on the drive to the SC it didn't kick back in at all.

SC says it needs a whole new Steering rack (surprise surprise) and will run $3860. They swore up and down it wasn't related to the recall. I had the bolts replaced about 6 months ago.

Seems quite ridiculous that they have an existing recall and are trying to avoid paying to fix things that shouldn't be breaking after 100k miles. Especially since it sounds like from this post that the tightening of the new bolts could be problematic... Random steering popping noise after steering motor bolt recall

What has anyone done to try and get this covered? A friend suggested to pay it and then file in small claims.

 

[mongo]

2014 S 85 Power steering failed last week along with warning that steering assist may be reduced. Drove it home and then to SC. The steering would sometimes kick back in for a bit then out. But on the drive to the SC it didn't kick back in at all.

SC says it needs a whole new Steering rack (surprise surprise) and will run $3860. They swore up and down it wasn't related to the recall. I had the bolts replaced about 6 months ago.

Seems quite ridiculous that they have an existing recall and are trying to avoid paying to fix things that shouldn't be breaking after 100k miles. Especially since it sounds like from this post that the tightening of the new bolts could be problematic... Random steering popping noise after steering motor bolt recall

What has anyone done to try and get this covered? A friend suggested to pay it and then file in small claims.

If it was related to the recall then the motor would be detached or the belt stripped. There are other electrical failure modes that are are not recall related. Given the warning message, I'd be inclined to think it is not the bolt issue.
Any noises to accompany the failure?

 

[Brass Guy]

2014 S 85 Power steering failed last week along with warning that steering assist may be reduced. Drove it home and then to SC. The steering would sometimes kick back in for a bit then out. But on the drive to the SC it didn't kick back in at all.

SC says it needs a whole new Steering rack (surprise surprise) and will run $3860. They swore up and down it wasn't related to the recall. I had the bolts replaced about 6 months ago.

Seems quite ridiculous that they have an existing recall and are trying to avoid paying to fix things that shouldn't be breaking after 100k miles. Especially since it sounds like from this post that the tightening of the new bolts could be problematic... Random steering popping noise after steering motor bolt recall

What has anyone done to try and get this covered? A friend suggested to pay it and then file in small claims.

If you're still driving it, the rack is probably fine mechanically. It'd be a lot less expensive it they'd just change that motor - 3 bolts and a connector and you wouldn't even need an alignment. Less parts and much less labor.
But they probably won't. Wouldn't it be nice if there were a chain of 3rd party shops for this stuff.

 

[mongo]

If you're still driving it, the rack is probably fine mechanically. It'd be a lot less expensive it they'd just change that motor - 3 bolts and a connector and you wouldn't even need an alignment. Less parts and much less labor.
But they probably won't. Wouldn't it be nice if there were a chain of 3rd party shops for this stuff.

If the motor came loose, then the belt is likely damaged. If the bolts snapped, then that is pain to get out. Either way, Tesla would not service a supplier's component to that level.

 

[Brass Guy]

If the motor came loose, then the belt is likely damaged. If the bolts snapped, then that is pain to get out. Either way, Tesla would not service a supplier's component to that level.

If the motor came loose or bolts snapped, then it'd be covered under the recall.
@AZbba indicated the bolts were recently replaced, so I highly doubt they're snapped or loose; and didn't mention it was making noise - just working intermittently.

I agree, Tesla won't service the rack; only replace it. If this happened to mine, I'd find a used motor and swap it out myself. It's too easy a repair to spend $3860 on.

 

[mrElbe]

Sounds like when the bolts were replaced during the recall the motor tension on the belt was compromised. Therefore the cog belt would wear and give you that warning message.