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[Resolved] Defective cowling Tesla says not fixable - new 2015 Model S
- Thread starter Electricfan
- Start date
Canuck
Well-Known Member
I'm surprised that you didn't complain to Tesla about this speck, especially since you have told us...
The lady doth protest too much, methinks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Agreed. Life's just too short for such nitpickyness.
artsci
Sponsor
If you'll be at TMC Connect Electric Fan I can probably fix that for you. I agree that it's a defect and Tesla should be responsible for it, but like many things Tesla simple solutions of often are not on the table.
Like the moisture problem with the appliqué ends. There's a very simple fix which we use when installing our lighted appliqués but it seems to have escaped Tesla.
Let me know if my offer is acceptable as there are some things I'll have to bring with me on my drive west.
Like the moisture problem with the appliqué ends. There's a very simple fix which we use when installing our lighted appliqués but it seems to have escaped Tesla.
Let me know if my offer is acceptable as there are some things I'll have to bring with me on my drive west.
Have you checked underneath your vehicle to make sure everything is nice and flush? How about your wheel arch liners, have you looked at those? At what point does "ridiculous" become part of your vocabulary? This is a complete non-issue - it's in the frunk for goodness sake! My 2013 build has play between those parts. BFG. You're worried that it's going to come loose and Tesla will charge you down the road for it, even though Tesla told you that it's perfectly fine as-is and functions normally? Have you heard of any similar piece coming loose in the three years Model S vehicles have been on the road?
This thread is ridiculous.
This thread is ridiculous.
Tedkidd
Member
Well wait.
Calling attention to a probably cosmetic, but not publicly visable issue on your car makes sense to me for a number of reasons.
1. It gets logged as an open issue prior to warranty expiration.
2. It's not up to me to decide if it might be a durability or safety issue.
3. Tesla should be made aware of how prevalent the issue is.
4. If a fix is developed, I want to be on the call list.
On the other hand, getting upset that Tesla doesn't drop everything to white glove such an item, then elevating intensity to "critical immediate action better happen or I'm gonna lemon law the car" type intensity is going over the top.
Drop the bone, turn around and walk 10 feet away. Turn around again and look at the bone. Now it's not in your mouth, does it seem so important?
Calling attention to a probably cosmetic, but not publicly visable issue on your car makes sense to me for a number of reasons.
1. It gets logged as an open issue prior to warranty expiration.
2. It's not up to me to decide if it might be a durability or safety issue.
3. Tesla should be made aware of how prevalent the issue is.
4. If a fix is developed, I want to be on the call list.
On the other hand, getting upset that Tesla doesn't drop everything to white glove such an item, then elevating intensity to "critical immediate action better happen or I'm gonna lemon law the car" type intensity is going over the top.
Drop the bone, turn around and walk 10 feet away. Turn around again and look at the bone. Now it's not in your mouth, does it seem so important?
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I knew it was only a matter of time until I had a few Tesla defenders jump on this. Fun stuff.
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Thanks so much for the offer! I won't be able to be there however.
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Thanks so much for the offer! I won't be able to be there however.
SW2Fiddler
We Are Cognitive Dissidents
Wait, what?
I just noticed this week Pearlie May has that 'feature' after the rainy spell we had.
Rick
smsprague
Member
reddy
Active Member
I'm embarrassed that this thread was started by a fellow Texan.
Of all the things to worry about, this one would not be it.
My dad used to say "Pick your battles", and "Focus on the important stuff".
Of all the things to worry about, this one would not be it.
My dad used to say "Pick your battles", and "Focus on the important stuff".
I took a look and my Dec 2103 S has the issue the OP described. I vaguely remember noticing it in the past but never said anything about it to my local service center. I consider it a very minor issue, and it doesn't bother me at all.
breser
AutoPilot Nostradamus
Ok I'll take this thread off topic. What do you do to solve the moisture problem. One of the reasons I haven't even considered in getting the lighted appliqué done is because I didn't want to deal with Tesla on the water issue.
UPDATE:
Picked up my car from the service center yesterday. The cowling was fixed, but they didn't comment on it until I opened the frunk to see it, and the explanation I got from the service center person was simply "yeah, it just clicks in". He pulled it loose and then pushed it back in a couple of times. He didn't explain why I was originally told it could not be fixed, or why they said what I was emailed - shown in my original post in red above. I'm happy its fixed, but mystified why they gave me so many different stories about it.
I suspect they put a new part or parts in. I say this because I did get a call from the regional service manager, Richard DiMarco. He listened to my story, and I sent him a link to this thread because I wanted him to see all the pictures other forum members had posted of their cowlings that are flush, and mine that was sticking up. He said he'd look at the pictures and might have to have new parts sent to the service center, but I didn't hear from him again after that call, so I don't know if he looked at the post or what he thought of the pictures. But he did express that if it was just not flush then there probably was nothing wrong. I assured him it was not just "not flush" but sticking up an inch, as my photo shows. I really didn't care about the "flush" part. My concern from the beginning was that it was not attached on the passenger side. The tab on the top cowling was not inserted into the piece below it, and nothing I could do would get it to snap in properly. So, I think, although I'm not a mechanic, that the parts were defective and needed replacement.
Picked up my car from the service center yesterday. The cowling was fixed, but they didn't comment on it until I opened the frunk to see it, and the explanation I got from the service center person was simply "yeah, it just clicks in". He pulled it loose and then pushed it back in a couple of times. He didn't explain why I was originally told it could not be fixed, or why they said what I was emailed - shown in my original post in red above. I'm happy its fixed, but mystified why they gave me so many different stories about it.
I suspect they put a new part or parts in. I say this because I did get a call from the regional service manager, Richard DiMarco. He listened to my story, and I sent him a link to this thread because I wanted him to see all the pictures other forum members had posted of their cowlings that are flush, and mine that was sticking up. He said he'd look at the pictures and might have to have new parts sent to the service center, but I didn't hear from him again after that call, so I don't know if he looked at the post or what he thought of the pictures. But he did express that if it was just not flush then there probably was nothing wrong. I assured him it was not just "not flush" but sticking up an inch, as my photo shows. I really didn't care about the "flush" part. My concern from the beginning was that it was not attached on the passenger side. The tab on the top cowling was not inserted into the piece below it, and nothing I could do would get it to snap in properly. So, I think, although I'm not a mechanic, that the parts were defective and needed replacement.
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Tesla recruits it's service employees from car dealers, as they need people with automotive experience already. Car dealer personnel have a tendency to "say what comes to mind first" rather than actually do research. This is because their job depends upon the number of cars they put through in a day and real research reduces the number. It will take some time to remove the "say the first think you think will appease the customer so he will go away" attitude.
ArtInCT
Always Learning
After reading (sadly) this thread in its entirety, I wonder if I have just way too much time on my hands.
I have to self asses....
I have to self asses....
breser
AutoPilot Nostradamus
Based on the pictures he posted it looked to me like it wasn't snapped in properly. Not just that the pieces were not laying at the same level. Tesla got it fixed for him. I don't think this was just a matter of being OCD. Something wasn't quite put together right.
Edit: If this post seems strange it's because the post I was responding to was deleted. I didn't bother to quote it.
Edit: If this post seems strange it's because the post I was responding to was deleted. I didn't bother to quote it.
Glad to hear it was fixed Efan. I think jerry33 may be right in that you may have just gotten an off-the-cuff response without much research into the issue. Doesn't necessarily be a result of ill-intent though, just misinformation and the desire to please.
True the first guy I spoke to may have been in error. But how do you explain the emailed response, which I quoted above? That was the consensus of the service center management. They never came off that "officially". I think they want me to believe the piece just snapped in. I assure you, though, it did not. I'm not a mechanic but I can put a plastic snap into the hole it snaps into. It would not go. Now it does. No comment from Tesla.
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