Believe me, it is not a fluke. You have maybe 500 miles left. Happened on my model X, one of the first 1k made. Guy at Tesla said it was installed by hand. But if this happened to a model 3 then it has to do something with the motor and not the VIN. Is it the performance motor? Or normal?
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Rear motor failure on road trip.
- Thread starter 233.3
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dhanson865
Well-Known Member
So how do you get the car back when it is fixed. Do you have to fly back to get your car or are they shipping it to you?
So, this happened to me:
“Please wait while car powers up”, then “car needs service”. Several loud clunks from the rear or the car. After 2-3 minutes, car started normally. Tesla service advised me to take the car to a SC immediately. Diagnosis: failed rear drive assembly. 4 weeks in the shop, the first 3 waiting delivery of the rear drive assembly from Cali to Texas. Bright spot was they gave me a S P90D with Ludicrous as a loaner. My worry is residual damage to the battery unit. Any thoughts?
“Please wait while car powers up”, then “car needs service”. Several loud clunks from the rear or the car. After 2-3 minutes, car started normally. Tesla service advised me to take the car to a SC immediately. Diagnosis: failed rear drive assembly. 4 weeks in the shop, the first 3 waiting delivery of the rear drive assembly from Cali to Texas. Bright spot was they gave me a S P90D with Ludicrous as a loaner. My worry is residual damage to the battery unit. Any thoughts?
Update: My car came to life for a short time on Friday morning and I was able to connect with my Tesla app. The location showed the car was at the Tesla SC, instead of on the side of the hwy where it died, and it was inside the building. That was encouraging. Later I got a txt saying the car was getting some hands-on diagnostics. Hopefully on Monday, I'll learn more about what the problem was and the who, what, where and when regarding the repair.
R1Bill
Member
Your experience is why I typically rent a car when I go on a long road trip. That way, if anything at all goes wrong with it, including a flat tire, it's not my problem, I call Hertz, or Enterprise, or etc. and the come bring me a new car. Worst case, I lose a day. Sucks not being able to drive your own car but the hassle if something goes wrong is just not worth it.
They will ship it to my local SC where they will give it a final check and I will pick it up there. Or perhaps they will deliver it to my house since I do not have a rental or loaner to return. But I will not be expected to travel back there to get it.
eustachio
Member
Interesting... I've taken countless road trips, over the last 30 years, no issue driving my own cars.
Somewhat ironically, the two biggest problems I had with this experience were inability to contact anyone at Tesla and inability to get a rental car.
I agree with the SC problems. Each time I call, leave messages, or email - I get ignored. By the 3 writers, by Tesla, and whoever else monitors the SC's. The only way is to drive 20min to the SC. Once there, everything works fine. The helpful writer has given me phone numbers, text numbers, emails. None really work. He even showed me his 2nd computer, with the screen in portrait mode. He has all his service emails on it, and monitors it all the time. But until I'm there, and get an appt - I get nothing. After that, service is quick and prompt.
And for my 2 minor service appts, they always talk about Uber. But when I get there, they say it will only take 90 min, and ask me to wait. I'm retired, so it's not an issue. As long as I come prepared.
(so far, they have replaced a fog light and a missing panel on the windshield camera - which I didn't even know was missing)
And for my 2 minor service appts, they always talk about Uber. But when I get there, they say it will only take 90 min, and ask me to wait. I'm retired, so it's not an issue. As long as I come prepared.
(so far, they have replaced a fog light and a missing panel on the windshield camera - which I didn't even know was missing)
'Family member's Benz's computer systems all died on the road, has been in the shop for a month or more. Based on that experience, all Benzes are unreliable...'
We looked at Mercedes, and liked them. But the repair record for ALL German cars was horrendous! We got a Lexus. It's 13yo, and has never needed to visit the shop for repairs. Since 95, we've only bought Japanese. I drove a Nissan van for 20 years. It also never needed repairs. I finally gave it to a friend, in need.
Is Tesla reliable? Here's hoping. Time will tell. And money?
We looked at Mercedes, and liked them. But the repair record for ALL German cars was horrendous! We got a Lexus. It's 13yo, and has never needed to visit the shop for repairs. Since 95, we've only bought Japanese. I drove a Nissan van for 20 years. It also never needed repairs. I finally gave it to a friend, in need.
Is Tesla reliable? Here's hoping. Time will tell. And money?
The car is driving fine without an alignment. Putting it back to factory would be $350 and wouldn't make sense (to me) just to get a tesla alignment and then drop it back down for another $350 and have it aligned again ($75). If it was pulling one way or another, I'd have it done again at the shop that did it after I had it lowered. Very happy with the whole process!
The entire recently implemented can't-talk-to-anybody policy is ludicrous (so-to-speak). There are sham email contacts. Their service center employees are not trained to industry standards.
If my coffee maker breaks, I can call customer service to help me return/repair, etc. and speak to a helpful human. This is a CAR company for crying out loud! People depend on their cars for their life and living. How could you continue to run an automobile business when the customer, even in a dire situation, basically doesn't exist in their service business paradigm. Sure, they'll get you and your dead car to a SC and then you become invisible to them. I own an LR RWD and It's a great car. I too have experienced frustrations with their service, but lucky to not have been in a long distance, life disrupting scenario. Elon is so quick to communicate with the fan boys on twitter, how about giving the same respect by the service business to their investors/owners. It's just bull crap that MUST CHANGE.
Agreed with you on all counts! Wasn’t sure how much work it was but $775 just isn’t worth it. Even if your tires wear unevenly a bit, that cost alone will almost buy you a new set.
Glad Tesla did right by you. I think they’re starting to get stuff together - once they’re firing on all cylinders, look out!
DopeGhoti
Active Member
Once Tesla starts firing on cylinders, or indeed having cylinders upon which to fire, they will lose much of their appeal to me.
Hahaha - so true! What an anachronism. Sometimes it’s easy to use a common phrase and forget where it comes from!
You caught me. ;-)
New LR AWD owner here. Thought I would post my observations based on your parts list. It seems important to note that the rear MOTOR did not fail, but the drive unit - the electronics responsible for regulating the voltage / current applied to the rear motor. Without these electronics functioning properly, it seems logical that the battery (12V and HV) could be damaged from unregulated current from the rear motor's BEMF...just speculation on my part.
Not sure what to make of the audible noises emanating from the rear of the car though...
Daniel in SD
(supervised)
The drive unit includes the motor, the motor controller, reduction gearing, and differential. The whole thing is one part number and is not serviceable at the service centers.
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