Review of my first service experience at Costa Mesa Center, CA

[bobM3P]

Everyone,

Before I begin I want everyone to know I am simply here to share my experience and hopefully help others with their experience at service centers. This is a personal experience, while it was less than satisfactory, it is not indicative of quality at the Costa Mesa, CA service center. In fact, I want to thank all the Tesla employees who helped me out there that turned a bad experience into a manageable one.

Key things to remember

• Wash and wax your car before service (makes any existing or lack of damage easier to see)
• Take pictures or walkaround videos before handing over the car
• Insist doing a walkaround with the service advisor, even if he is busy, wait.
• If anything sounds off, ask for the reason. Everyone makes mistake especially when they are swamped.

Reasons for the service

• Noticed suspension creaks under light acceleration and regeneration
• Rear windshield cracked from internal stress

The Bad

• Was given a dirty Model S loaner with ants infestation.
• Was mistaken asked to pay for suspension adjustment on the rear suspension to address creaking noise mentioned above. SA thought my 2018 Tesla, which I took delivery 4/2019, was over 12,000 miles when it had 2000, and the problem was reported at 200 miles. It took almost month and half to get the car into the shop.
• Nickle size paint scratch during service appointment.
• Mechanic unplugged my dash cam thumb drive during service and conveniently I found "really" high battery usage while car is in service (700-900 wh/mi) Test drive? I do not know, how. Even with brief pedal to the metal after service, I cannot get usage up to that level. They must have really test drove the car after service.

 

[Lasttoy]

It is impossible to adjust rear suspension. Hit a pot hole last week in Virginia while visiting, broke the RR upper suspension arm. Number 3 in pic. Got a rollback to the house. Jacked up car and removed the arm.
Went Service Center in Vienna. Met by 20ish service person (they were all very young). Showed him arm , told him I needed one.
Oh, I forgot we customers are NOT allowed to go to the parts department. This sucks, have to deal desk clerk.
He asked parts department via chat. Its 20 feet away. I can see it.
Back to your rear adjustment. There are zero adjusting mechanisms on this car as seen in parts picture.
The idiot asked me if I was bringing car in for them to install? I just shook my head.
Then he said I needed a rear alignment. I said I would do it myself.
The service centers are going downhill fast. Swamped with broke 3s. There at least 20 there i could see.
Good from now on.

 

[kengchang]

Unplugging dash cam and USB drive is standard procedure

 

[bobM3P]

Unplugging dash cam and USB drive is standard procedure

Thanks, nice to know!

 

[bobM3P]

It is impossible to adjust rear suspension. Hit a pot hole last week in Virginia while visiting, broke the RR upper suspension arm. Number 3 in pic. Got a rollback to the house. Jacked up car and removed the arm.
Went Service Center in Vienna. Met by 20ish service person (they were all very young). Showed him arm , told him I needed one.
Oh, I forgot we customers are NOT allowed to go to the parts department. This sucks, have to deal desk clerk.
He asked parts department via chat. Its 20 feet away. I can see it.
Back to your rear adjustment. There are zero adjusting mechanisms on this car as seen in parts picture.
The idiot asked me if I was bringing car in for them to install? I just shook my head.
Then he said I needed a rear alignment. I said I would do it myself.
The service centers are going downhill fast. Swamped with broke 3s. There at least 20 there i could see.
Good from now on.

Here is the exact note from service

Concern: #VSC Customer States: creaking noise under acceleration or deceleration with regeneration on normal.
Acceleration is set to chill mode, audible under light input.
Technician's verified creaking noise. Technician's torqued suspension. Test drove and did not hear creaking noise.
Correction: General Diagnosis

Pay Type: Goodwill - Service

I smirk when I see "goodwill" when it's clearly a warranty item. It's not clear exactly what is adjusted? Maybe just retorqued those bolts?

 

[MXWing]

I would rather have taken your loaner than mine.

Leaving some Terro overnight would have fixed the ants. My problem took a week to clear up.

PSA: Smell your loaner before you accept it.

I think you are nitpicking on the goodwill code. They didn’t change you.

I’m not going to say Tesla has the best service on the planet but they are pretty hot so I’m willing to put up with some crazy.

 

[bobM3P]

I think you are nitpicking on the goodwill code. They didn’t change you.

Yes, it was least of my worries. The worst offense was probably scratching the paint while in service. My last car over 8 years was Lexus so I suppose I am used to the Lexus service.

 

[Cmos2000]

It is impossible to adjust rear suspension. Hit a pot hole last week in Virginia while visiting, broke the RR upper suspension arm. Number 3 in pic. Got a rollback to the house. Jacked up car and removed the arm.
Went Service Center in Vienna. Met by 20ish service person (they were all very young). Showed him arm , told him I needed one.
Oh, I forgot we customers are NOT allowed to go to the parts department. This sucks, have to deal desk clerk.
He asked parts department via chat. Its 20 feet away. I can see it.
Back to your rear adjustment. There are zero adjusting mechanisms on this car as seen in parts picture.
The idiot asked me if I was bringing car in for them to install? I just shook my head.
Then he said I needed a rear alignment. I said I would do it myself.
The service centers are going downhill fast. Swamped with broke 3s. There at least 20 there i could see.
Good from now on.

In the picture bolt 4 and the washer 8 both look eccentric and I would think would be used to adjust the rear toe. I have not looked under my car to verify.