Salvage cars: Tesla permanently disabling SC from supercharger

[Signature]

Not sure the nature of your question, but yes, they are banning all salvage/branded titled Teslas from using superchargers, forever. No reason has ever been given, it is just the way it is. This one size fits all policy also bans hail damaged cars that have been totalled, and does not look at each situation on a case by case basis.

Thanks for the info. I will confirm with the used car dealership n Tesla tmrw.

 

[ATPMSD]

Here is an interesting twist, if they open up SuperChargers to non-Tesla cars they might have to allow so called Salvaged cars to access their SuperCharges since they will not be able to determine if a non-Tesla was a salvage. It will then be discriminatory to only ban salvaged Teslas. Maybe.??

 

[MP3Mike]

Now, after 3 years of frequent SC use with no issues, I have been banned because they did a big audit of their VINs and I got caught. That is just plain wrong.

Why is it "just plain wrong"? Tesla has a policy, and they enforce it. Their responsibility to support salvage vehicles ends the second they are declared a total loss by insurance, or the title is branded. (With the exception that they still have to perform applicable recalls on them.)

Tesla is very clear on this policy and it is plainly posted on their web site: Additional Resources | Tesla

Well, if it is true that they don't care about their customers, then let's get the word out.

And just to make a point here, if you bought a salvage Tesla you're not really a Tesla customer.

With all of that said, I do agree that they should have a process where you can pay to get an physical/HV inspection and if you pass paid Supercharging would be reenabled. (They have an HV inspection process but it is only for enabling you to pay Tesla to perform HV related repairs; it doesn't reenabled Supercharging.)

 

[Krash]

Here is an interesting twist, if they open up SuperChargers to non-Tesla cars they might have to allow so called Salvaged cars to access their SuperCharges since they will not be able to determine if a non-Tesla was a salvage. It will then be discriminatory to only ban salvaged Teslas. Maybe.??

No. When Tesla disables supercharging they also disable all fast charging (DC charging), so those cars that can’t supercharge also can’t CCS charge at a supercharger.

Otherwise I would think the easier battle would be to get just CCS charging enabled, not supercharging, even though it requires retrofitting some hardware. But the fact that Tesla is using the same mechanism to prevent both means Tesla is likely to argue that by having a safety reason to disable high speed charging to protect their superchargers Tesla may also have reason, maybe even an obligation to protect other vendors CCS chargers.

 

[MP3Mike]

No. When Tesla disables supercharging they also disable all fast charging (DC charging), so those cars that can’t supercharge also can’t CCS charge at a supercharger.

I thought that at least on Model 3s they only disabled Supercharging, you could still use the CHAdeMO adapter for fast DC charging. I haven't seen if anyone has tried CCS charging on a Supercharging disabled Model 3.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Why is it "just plain wrong"? Tesla has a policy, and they enforce it. Their responsibility to support salvage vehicles ends the second they are declared a total loss by insurance, or the title is branded. (With the exception that they still have to perform applicable recalls on them.)

Tesla is very clear on this policy and it is plainly posted on their web site: Additional Resources | Tesla

Thanks for posting this, funny how there are people that misleading posted that Tesla doesn't mention this legally, but there it is. I guess that explains why there have been no legal challenge to this.

I do agree with your point they should have an inspection process to reenable it.

I should also mention it may be a fair point if Tesla uses a update to enforce it, that may legally be a problem anyways (arguing about unauthorized modification of car). However given the car has to connect to Tesla's servers to get the cost of the session (plus idle rates), it should be fairly trivial for Tesla to just disable it that way. I guess that only leaves the cars that had free supercharging for life.

 

[Krash]

I thought that at least on Model 3s they only disabled Supercharging, you could still use the CHAdeMO adapter for fast DC charging. I haven't seen if anyone has tried CCS charging on a Supercharging disabled Model 3.

I may be wrong. I didn’t think about the 3/Y being a different mechanism. It would have been interesting for Tesla to separate the two. I wonder if the new S/X mechanism is separate?

 

[jjrandorin]

I will continue to make noise about it until the policy is changed.

You are likely to be making noise for a long time, as you can see you are no where near the first to bring this up. I dont particularly care one way or another myself, as salvage vehicles are not my thing (in the slightest), but this complaint has been going on for some time.

 

[MP3Mike]

I may be wrong. I didn’t think about the 3/Y being a different mechanism.

@BritneySpears has confirmed that they can use the CHAdeMO and Setec CCS adapter on a Model 3 even though their Supercharging has been disabled:

The chademo and chademo emulating setec CCS1 adapter still work on my salvage 3, limited to 50kw. Back in mid-August Tesla flubbed and granted SC to some salvaged vehicles for a few days when supposedly updating software to allow for 3rd party DC charging with their new CCS1 adapter. That got shut down quickly and I'm guessing it's an easy software switch to disallow. I'm aware of Tesla's "no DC fast charging" on salvaged vehicles but to my knowledge they never cut the use of their chademo adapter for use on salvage cars, mine included, so the accuracy of their T&Cs are questionable.

 

[MP3Mike]

It will then be discriminatory to only ban salvaged Teslas. Maybe.??

What is your point? Most discrimination isn't illegal... For example EVgo disseminates based on two things: EVgo Privacy Policy | Electric Vehicle Charging Policies

• EVgo prohibits the use of all home-built electric vehicles, home-built onboard chargers, and vehicles that contain personally modified chargers (“Unauthorized Vehicles and Chargers”).
• For your safety, EVgo only permits the use of automaker-manufactured charging adapters on EVgo charging stations or with EVgo’s charging network (“Authorized Adapters”).
  • So using the Setec, or Ukraine, CCS adapter are against the ToS at EVgo stations.

I'm surprised that they don't prohibit salvage vehicles, but that will probably come after the first incident.

 

[ucmndd]

I love that we’re using Twitter and a complete misunderstanding of what the first amendment actually protects as a basis for this absurd argument.

Tesla don’t care. They are protecting their reputation and infrastructure. Even one fire/catastrophic malfunction from supercharging a wrecked car would do far more reputational damage than hurting the feelings of ALL the people driving wrecked cars.

 

[saflak]

Here is an interesting twist, if they open up SuperChargers to non-Tesla cars they might have to allow so called Salvaged cars to access their SuperCharges since they will not be able to determine if a non-Tesla was a salvage. It will then be discriminatory to only ban salvaged Teslas. Maybe.??

Not only do they not know anything about other brands and models of cars, not only do they not know if they are branded, tampered with, modified or whatever, but they also don't know what has happened to a Tesla. The Tesla may have been modified by the owner, had the battery damaged or in other ways not known to Tesla, may be a risk at a SC. Knowing that he may be condemned by Tesla for a branded title, the Tesla owner can find a myriad of ways to not have it branded such as not reporting it, making friends with the insurance adjuster, etc.

 

[saflak]

I love that we’re using Twitter and a complete misunderstanding of what the first amendment actually protects as a basis for this absurd argument.

Tesla don’t care. They are protecting their reputation and infrastructure. Even one fire/catastrophic malfunction from supercharging a wrecked car would do far more reputational damage than hurting the feelings of ALL the people driving wrecked cars.

Then why don't they ban Chevy Bolts that have a reputation for fires and that could kill others and damage infrastructure? Have there been any salvaged Teslas that have caught on fire at SC? Mine has safely used SC stations for 3 years while branded, and no incidents. It should be handled on a case by case basis. One size does not fit all.

 

[WhiteWi]

Then why don't they ban Chevy Bolts that have a reputation for fires and that could kill others and damage infrastructure? Have there been any salvaged Teslas that have caught on fire at SC? Mine has safely used SC stations for 3 years while branded, and no incidents. It should be handled on a case by case basis. One size does not fit all.

Why don’t you try call customer support and ask them all this questions?

 

[jjrandorin]

Why don’t you try call customer support and ask them all this questions?

Because they know whey wont get anywhere with that. Also, they said:

I will continue to make noise about it until the policy is changed.

So this is their version of "making noise", irregardless of the fact that this website is not affiliated with Tesla in any way, and "making noise" here isnt going to change anything. People expecting tesla to change this "out of the goodness of their heart" are going to be waiting a long (long long long) time.

The people who feel they have legal grounds to stand on should do that, and see where they get to with that. Its my belief it would be "nowhere" but I am not a lawyer, so dont know.

 

[ucmndd]

Then why don't they ban Chevy Bolts that have a reputation for fires and that could kill others and damage infrastructure?

Tesla most definitely bans all Chevy Bolts from using superchargers.

Of course, a Chevy catching fire has no particular negative reputational effect on Tesla, but I recognize we’re not exactly trying to make rational arguments here.

It should be handled on a case by case basis. One size does not fit all.

Tesla has decided it is not worth their time to handle it on a case by case basis. Which is, of course, their prerogative as it’s their infrastructure.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Tesla most definitely bans all Chevy Bolts from using superchargers.

Of course, a Chevy catching fire has no particular negative reputational effect on Tesla, but I recognize we’re not exactly trying to make rational arguments here.

Tesla has decided it is not worth their time to handle it on a case by case basis. Which is, of course, their prerogative as it’s their infrastructure.

I was going to mention this. If they don't even have the time/personnel disable to salvage all at once, but rather having a semi-automated process that may take years to disable some cars, what makes people think Tesla will want to deal with this on a case-by-case basis (which will only require more people working on this)?

 

[Barryg56]

No other manufacturer of electric cars does this. It has more to do with the salvage market and the extremely high repair costs of Teslas, I'm afraid. Safety is just a bad excuse. How many salvaged Teslas have ever caught fire?

The HV recertification should come with a reenabling of DC charge, if the issue were safety.

Agreed. My local service center actually said I would get supercharging ack after getting the HV certification. Then after I paid for it and had the service completed they backtracked and said it was not possible anymore. I bought my car after talking with my local service writers to make sure I would have access to supercharging, but I can't. I feel robbed because I made my decisions based on their info. If you know any sources who can "fix" it for me please let me know. The car I bought had very minimal damage, and I did go through the HV safety check, I'm not trying to do anything unsafe, just get what Tesla reps themselves said I would have with my vehicle. Thanks.

 

[BritneySpears]

Agreed. My local service center actually said I would get supercharging ack after getting the HV certification. Then after I paid for it and had the service completed they backtracked and said it was not possible anymore. I bought my car after talking with my local service writers to make sure I would have access to supercharging, but I can't. I feel robbed because I made my decisions based on their info. If you know any sources who can "fix" it for me please let me know. The car I bought had very minimal damage, and I did go through the HV safety check, I'm not trying to do anything unsafe, just get what Tesla reps themselves said I would have with my vehicle. Thanks.

Can you get the CCS1 adapter to work with your car? It would have to have the hardware to have that enabled and possibly the software. I think there are discussions somewhere else here that discuss that. Otherwise, yes, there are "hacks" to enable sc. You can try ingenext.ca

 

[Barryg56]

Can you get the CCS1 adapter to work with your car? It would have to have the hardware to have that enabled and possibly the software. I think there are discussions somewhere else here that discuss that. Otherwise, yes, there are "hacks" to enable sc. You can try ingenext.ca

Thanks for the suggestion. I’m not sure what that means as I’m new to this, but I’m up for a challenge. If you know where to send me for more specific instructions or examples I’d appreciate it. If not thanks for the comment anyway and I’ll do some research!