REALLY??? [Problems with Supercharger Billing]

[smartypnz]

Why, while on a trip, will Tesla halt charging. I got notified of non payment for charging fees? My card was American Express. I checked their site and all charges were paid except the last 2 days which show pending. AMEX said pending can take several days. Fine... but I can be stuck out on the road because Tesla wants money immediately? I have $40.000 credit limit at AMEX - I have a positive balance of $1000 which I setup weeks ago before this 3 day trip. They can't help... so I just switched to another card. But will that solve your problem? I am about to go on a 48 state tour in my Tesla... I hope I don't get stranded because you guys can't wait 2 days for a payment to be processed. We have bought 3 Teslas over the last 8 years and expect better from you guys.
The only reason I posted here is... WE CAN'T GET IN CONTACT WITH YOU GUYS !!!

 

[stopcrazypp]

Why, while on a trip, will Tesla halt charging. I got notified of non payment for charging fees? My card was American Express. I checked their site and all charges were paid except the last 2 days which show pending. AMEX said pending can take several days. Fine... but I can be stuck out on the road because Tesla wants money immediately? I have $40.000 credit limit at AMEX - I have a positive balance of $1000 which I setup weeks ago before this 3 day trip. They can't help... so I just switched to another card. But will that solve your problem? I am about to go on a 48 state tour in my Tesla... I hope I don't get stranded because you guys can't wait 2 days for a payment to be processed. We have bought 3 Teslas over the last 8 years and expect better from you guys.
The only reason I posted here is... WE CAN'T GET IN CONTACT WITH YOU GUYS !!!

It's pretty worthless posting here as Tesla does not monitor these forums.

It's usually pretty easy to reach them with Chat (at least in my experience):
Customer Support

As for payment methods, a criticism in the past is Tesla only allowing one payment method at a time (many companies allow multiple cards just for your above situation).

You can however remove and add a new card to your account yourself:
Tesla Account Support

 

[RayK]

It's pretty worthless posting here as Tesla does not monitor these forums.

I'm pretty sure that @smartypnz already knows this. The post seems to be a pressure relief valve. How many times have you screamed at someone that cuts you off in traffic? Whatever you say / said is not going to be heard by that person but it does make you feel better doesn't it?

 

[smartypnz]

It's pretty worthless posting here as Tesla does not monitor these forums.

It's usually pretty easy to reach them with Chat (at least in my experience):
Customer Support

As for payment methods, a criticism in the past is Tesla only allowing one payment method at a time (many companies allow multiple cards just for your above situation).

You can however remove and add a new card to your account yourself:
Tesla Account Support

Only had one card on Tesla

 

[SlimJim]

Wait a minute.
48 state tour?
Where do I sign up?

 

[KenC]

Tesla needs to fix that. IN fact, they need a 24/7 emergency hotline where someone answers immediately.

 

[smartypnz]

I'm pretty sure that @smartypnz already knows this. The post seems to be a pressure relief valve. How many times have you screamed at someone that cuts you off in traffic? Whatever you say / said is not going to be heard by that person but it does make you feel better doesn't it?

Yes, I know this... but occasionally, (rarely), something we discuss here gets to the powers that be.

I was more concerned that this happened to a few others the last few days. And the more that it affects, probably means Tesla was diddling with their money collecting software. This has happened before (several years). We blamed the credit card and switched it then.
But, rarely take long trips - multiple SpCs, so looks like a lot of money but just a lot of small dollar charges. I seriously doubt that after charging up to $30 - $50 of charging - a card company is cutting you off on the next charge of $7. When you get a set of tires, it thinks nothing of paying out close to $2000 or collision damage of thousands.
Planning a 3-4 week trip end of next month, all the states, and as much as we all like Kansas, I dont wanna get marooned there because my $4.00 charging bill is rejected and I have no cell phone service.

 

[smartypnz]

Wait a minute.
48 state tour?
Where do I sign up?

yup, son challenged me to do all 50 in one calendar year. Started this weekend by knocking out Oregon and Washington (3 day tour). That leaves 47 left - not counting home state California, And Alaska/Hawaii will be by air. So 45 starting end of May - just me and the M3.

 

[RayK]

@smartypnz Which route are you taking? I found several here: images route for 48 state tour - Google Search

edit: Ah, never mind. I thought this was going to be a continuous trip.

 

[jjrandorin]

Yes, I know this... but occasionally, (rarely), something we discuss here gets to the powers that be.

I was more concerned that this happened to a few others the last few days. And the more that it affects, probably means Tesla was diddling with their money collecting software. This has happened before (several years). We blamed the credit card and switched it then.
But, rarely take long trips - multiple SpCs, so looks like a lot of money but just a lot of small dollar charges. I seriously doubt that after charging up to $30 - $50 of charging - a card company is cutting you off on the next charge of $7. When you get a set of tires, it thinks nothing of paying out close to $2000 or collision damage of thousands.
Planning a 3-4 week trip end of next month, all the states, and as much as we all like Kansas, I dont wanna get marooned there because my $4.00 charging bill is rejected and I have no cell phone service.

While this website is not affiliated with Tesla (we all know this) I can tell you with 100% certainty that on occasion, some from tesla monitor social media sites, including this one. What they do with the information, I dont know, and I also dont know how they choose what threads they read, etc. I just know for a fact (with 100% certainty) that there are tesla employees that read this site, at least occasionally.


Back on thread topic, its entirely possible that your $7 charge could get rejected, and not even be teslas fault. If you dont put a travel notice on your credit card, charges from outside your normal area trigger fraud alerts, and your card will start declining on charges that are outside of your area.

Not saying that has anything to do with what you are reporting here, but you NEED to go through and put a travel notification on your credit card, with the dates, etc. I would recommend calling your CC with the number on the back of your card, vs doing it on the CC companies website, since you will be in so many different states etc.

You should do this with any card you plan on using while you are on the road. CC companies are pretty quick on the "this might be fraud" trigger, and if they dont know you are traveling you will run into that somewhere... and murphy's law says it will be in the most inconvenient place / time possible.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Only had one card on Tesla

Yes, I understand that, it's a criticized limitation of Tesla. Only way around it is to swap out the payment method yourself online. However, I do realize if you are at a place with no cell service that may not be possible.

As mentioned by others, the rejection of the card is not necessarily Tesla's fault. Many CCs have fraud alerts when you use the card in places you don't normally use it on, which unfortunately is what happens in cross country trips.

 

[TunaBug]

My M3 is just two weeks old so I have no wisdom to offer regarding superchargers or Tesla's billing. But I learned a lot time ago that when taking trips it's good to alert the credit card companies before hand so that they don't cut you off mid trip. I would certainly do that if I was going to do a tour of the whole country (which sounds awesome!)

 

[SMAlset]

Here’s a thread started a few days ago with a Model 3 owner also having supercharging payment issues but over weekend when there wasn’t anyone around to speak with at Tesla.

Supercharging unavailable Add Payment method

Took a trip to California this weekend and the 3rd time we supercharged, it locked us out after it finished. My account online doesn’t show an unpaid balance, my card was charged for all 3 supercharges, and I have 2 credit cards on file. Anyone know how to fix this? I can’t get a Tesla service...

teslamotorsclub.com

I posted there as well about an experience I had a few years ago when I was blocked from supercharging. My situation turned out to be an expired credit card and date needed to be updated. In yours and his case I wonder if it’s more Tesla computer related. Like system was down when the charge was to be processed so couldn’t complete. But then again if others were able to charge around you, not likely. Database updating then and your account in that batch?

Good luck on your roadtrip, sounds great. Be safe.

 

[Shelburne]

Why, while on a trip, will Tesla halt charging. I got notified of non payment for charging fees? My card was American Express. I checked their site and all charges were paid except the last 2 days which show pending. AMEX said pending can take several days. Fine... but I can be stuck out on the road because Tesla wants money immediately? I have $40.000 credit limit at AMEX - I have a positive balance of $1000 which I setup weeks ago before this 3 day trip. They can't help... so I just switched to another card. But will that solve your problem? I am about to go on a 48 state tour in my Tesla... I hope I don't get stranded because you guys can't wait 2 days for a payment to be processed. We have bought 3 Teslas over the last 8 years and expect better from you guys.
The only reason I posted here is... WE CAN'T GET IN CONTACT WITH YOU GUYS !!!

Your problem could be with American Express. I've had an Amex card for over 35 years. Every once in a while I have had a charge questioned because I was in some place I had never been before. I live on the east coast. The first time this happened I was in Hawaii on business and the card was rejected. I called Amex customer service and was told it was rejected because I had never been there and the flight wasn't booked using my Amex card. I understood the logic in that and we had everything fixed in that one 5 minute phone call. So I would suggest calling Amex customer service and asking them if they can put a priority on any charges that are Tesla-related.

 

[smartypnz]

To all that mentioned... I did alert my credit cards of my quick out of state 3 day travel plans.
And will definitely do so for the 'big' one end of May - when I do the 45 state loop.

 

[smartypnz]

Which route are you taking?

Was originally going to do all 48 (reachable by Tesla) states.. but thought I would knock out those 2 during a 3 day break I had.
The 45 states left will be in one trip end of May. Route keeps changing as with Supercharger availability being a factor.

Basically starting from here thru Nevada, Idaho, bottom tip of Montana, Wyoming, S and N Dakota, Minneapolis (also cross river to Wisconsin.
Then back thru Minnesota to western edge of Iowa, heading down river to get Missouri and Kansas. Head to southeast edge of Missouri to touch Arkansas, Illinois, and Tennessee. Then north thru Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan to Pennsylvania (northwest corner) then NY and cross to Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine. Head down the coast thru Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware , Maryland (my home state).
D.C, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas. Western edge of Oklahoma, New Mexico. Then Four Corners to knock out Colorado, Utah, Arizona.

Alaska, and Hawaii.... Not doing Tesla - but I will fly to Anchorage airport, change planes to Hawaii.
Yeah, I know - off topic

 

[NorthStar7]

Alaska, and Hawaii.... Not doing Tesla - but I will fly to Anchorage airport, change planes to Hawaii.

Anchorage via Hawaii... Interesting route! Sounds like an ol' mileage run to pad the frequent flier miles.

 

[bedoig]

I just know for a fact (with 100% certainty) that there are tesla employees that read this site, at least occasionally.

Those are just the sales advisors coming here to try to figure out when the refreshed S/X will be available.

 

[smartypnz]

Anchorage via Hawaii... Interesting route! Sounds like an ol' mileage run to pad the frequent flier miles.

Haha... cashed those in years ago almost 2 mill - gave most away. Never could understand why anyone who flies a lot would want to do it for fun.

 

[Jim R]

A long non-essential trip during a pandemic wouldn't be my choice.