Service says $22k for new battery on 2012 Model S

[alexkram]

That's exactly it. People are shocked at the $22k price, but they should be even more shocked that the $22k price is after the unstated core return. The "junk" battery would still be worth many thousands of dollars, and Tesla keeps it. In reality the cost is north of $30k, with $22k being cash, and the rest being the value of the failed pack. Granted, not everyone has the means or desire to sell or reuse the dead battery. It's a shame that Tesla doesn't acknowledge that they are getting cores for refurbishment for "free."

14 modules, let's say one is bad so 13 good modules sell for about $13k on ebay, that is indeed a huge core charge.

 

[alexkram]

The problem for Tesla is that their old cars are just that old cars. There really is no way for them to win here since neither trying to make money or losing money supplying parts for old cars at the expense of new car sales makes much sense.

I think the difference between Tesla and the other luxury makes is Tesla presents itself as more of a sustainable, environment friendly option. If a Tesla is essentially junkyard fodder after 8 years that changes the image and all it would take is a Michael Moore doc to expose it.

 

[electricar]

I think the difference between Tesla and the other luxury makes is Tesla presents itself as more of a sustainable, environment friendly option. If a Tesla is essentially junkyard fodder after 8 years that changes the image and all it would take is a Michael Moore doc to expose it.

Good point. I agree but Junkyard is so politically incorrect. Recycler goes down much better in polite society and, who knows, JB Stauble may make Redwood Materials battery recycling company an important part of the sustainability equation. I know that I will buy some stock when and if there is an IPO.

 

[Electric700]

Badpenny, Tesla told me that they can replace small battery components (perhaps for less than $1,000). You shouldn't have to replace the whole pack.

I see you haven't responded to the many people who have tried to assist you. Also another club member posted a similar message last month and never responded to my request for an update as to the decision they decided to move forward with. With something so serious and zero responses, I am wondering if these posts are fraudulent, to make Tesla look bad? That other member was R3dstang66 (see the last few posts in the link below). Can you post your Tesla official paperwork / response and the exact store location you're working with? You can cover your personal information.

Infinite Mile Battery Warranty [Now] Being Honored By Tesla [Issue Resolved]

 

[DarkMatter]

I think the difference between Tesla and the other luxury makes is Tesla presents itself as more of a sustainable, environment friendly option. If a Tesla is essentially junkyard fodder after 8 years that changes the image and all it would take is a Michael Moore doc to expose it.

If these failures were widespread I would be right there with you. However it sounds as if battery failures are fairly rare, and the aftermarket is already stepping in, in the form of Jason's services and such.

 

[ucmndd]

Badpenny, Tesla told me that they can replace small battery components (perhaps for less than $1,000). You shouldn't have to replace the whole pack.

This sounds like yet another installment in a long series of half-truths, misinformation, and misrepresentation that people have heard from random Tesla service center employees.

I've heard here and there that SOME service centers can replace a few specific "small battery components" like the contactors, but certainly nothing at the level of a full tear-down to replace modules, BMBs, etc.

 

[toddkageals]

It sure sounds like they should have made the pack "modular" so that individual pieces could be replaced. What's the consensus on the availability of aftermarket battery packs at some point in the future?

 

[gaswalla]

as Tesla moves to structural battery packs, wonder if modules are planned?

 

[badpenny]

Thanks for all the comments guys. I wasn't really trying to be doomsday, but I did want to warn people as their warranty's expire that their car could be worth $20-30k one day and then if the battery dies for some reason it is worth much less.

Badpenny, Tesla told me that they can replace small battery components (perhaps for less than $1,000). You shouldn't have to replace the whole pack.

I see you haven't responded to the many people who have tried to assist you. Also another club member posted a similar message last month and never responded to my request for an update as to the decision they decided to move forward with. With something so serious and zero responses, I am wondering if these posts are fraudulent, to make Tesla look bad? That other member was R3dstang66 (see the last few posts in the link below). Can you post your Tesla official paperwork / response and the exact store location you're working with? You can cover your personal information.

Infinite Mile Battery Warranty [Now] Being Honored By Tesla [Issue Resolved]

I wasn't trying to be too negative about Tesla in my comment. I was really hoping to make sure everyone that was about to be out of warranty knew what they were getting into and not be so surprised as me. I can assure you that I am real and my VIN is real and I don't hate Tesla. I can't imagine having to drive a car with a transmission again and I'm contemplating whether my next S is used or the newest long range. The Tesla service center gave no option to repair the battery even with the amount of frustration I portrayed to them.

As far as the car, it is still sitting at the Tesla. I spoke to Gruber Motors in Phoenix and I'm going to send it to them to repair. I do appreciate the feedback.

 

[Electric700]

Thanks for all the comments guys. I wasn't really trying to be doomsday, but I did want to warn people as their warranty's expire that their car could be worth $20-30k one day and then if the battery dies for some reason it is worth much less.



I wasn't trying to be too negative about Tesla in my comment. I was really hoping to make sure everyone that was about to be out of warranty knew what they were getting into and not be so surprised as me. I can assure you that I am real and my VIN is real and I don't hate Tesla. I can't imagine having to drive a car with a transmission again and I'm contemplating whether my next S is used or the newest long range. The Tesla service center gave no option to repair the battery even with the amount of frustration I portrayed to them.

As far as the car, it is still sitting at the Tesla. I spoke to Gruber Motors in Phoenix and I'm going to send it to them to repair. I do appreciate the feedback.

My apologies. I hope Gruber Motors does a good job for you. Thanks for the update.

I would like to talk to Tesla about this issue and what they told me the next time I need service. I think refurbishing and fixing / replacing small battery components should be a standard offering at Tesla since they've sold more than a million EVs already. I'm with you in wanting a low-cost solution. Less than $1,000 to fix this type of problem is much better than a $20,000+ full battery replacement.

 

[omarsultan]

I think refurbishing and fixing / replacing small battery components should be a standard offering at Tesla since they've sold more than a million EVs already.

I'd imagine their interest in doing this is quite low, which I can kinda understand--it would be nice, however, if they supported 3rd-party folks in this kind of repair.

 

[Adri]

Badpenny, Tesla told me that they can replace small battery components (perhaps for less than $1,000). You shouldn't have to replace the whole pack.

Tesla doesn't offer this service to paying customers.
They will try to sell you a complete battery pack, keep the failed core and then make the small repairs, so they can sell you 'free' core as another remanufactured pack.

 

[DarkMatter]

My apologies. I hope Gruber Motors does a good job for you. Thanks for the update.

I would like to talk to Tesla about this issue and what they told me the next time I need service. I think refurbishing and fixing / replacing small battery components should be a standard offering at Tesla since they've sold more than a million EVs already. I'm with you in wanting a low-cost solution. Less than $1,000 to fix this type of problem is much better than a $20,000+ full battery replacement.

Even at $5k I could see that being a reasonable customer proposition. In line with a replacement transmission for a commodity car, rather than the cost of an AMG long block.

 

[dark cloud]

. I can assure you that I am real and my VIN is real and I don't hate Tesla. I can't imagine having to drive a car with a transmission again ....

There is much debate about what to call the "stuff between the axles" in a Tesla. Is it a transmission? a differential? or just a gearbox?

But we know what you mean. No more ICE.

 

[specialgreen]

If one in 1000 Teslas needs a new motor or battery between years 5 and 20, and the mean cost to repair is $20k, then the average cost is $1.30 per vehicle per year for those 15 years. Charging $0 to the first 999 customers and then $20,000 to unlucky customer #1000 will create customer-nightmare stories that get featured in the news. And it doesn't really save Tesla any money either.

The only reason I can think of for Tesla not to cover these out-of-pocket is that a "forever warranty" is going to produce many claims unrelated to failure ("my motor squeaks" or "my range is now only 238, give me a new battery"). I'd say that this could be countered by charging something substatial, like $5k (people understand having to cough-up $5k for an engine or transmission).

 

[dark cloud]

Even at $5k I could see that being a reasonable customer proposition. In line with a replacement transmission for a commodity car, rather than the cost of an AMG long block.

speaking of Mercedes, I was having a conversation with the mobile mechanic last time he was at my house. He was a former Mercedes mechanic (technician) and was saying that it was not that uncommon for him to witness some owners who didn’t treat their blutec engines properly and were welcomed with a 30,000 replacement cost. So if that is in a vehicle with fair market value of $25,000 the decision is obvious.

 

[bigsmooth125]

As much as I loved my P85, this is the reason I got rid of it before it was out of warranty this summer.

Luckily, there are now some 3rd-party options including @wk057 , Rich Rebuilds, and Gruber Motors

Regarding the side-thread: Tesla replace my HV pack last year for excessive degradation. It was replaces with a reman pack and my battery warranty was not extended beyond the original 8-year/unlimited miles. This is pretty typical that repairs done under warranty do not extend beyond the original vehicle warranty terms.

How bad was your degradation? What did you do to convince Tesla to replace your battery? I have a 2013 Model S with 140k miles that gets 210 miles on a full charge. I've complained numerous times over the years about my battery's degradation to no avail. Anyone have any advice?

 

[omarsultan]

How bad was your degradation? What did you do to convince Tesla to replace your battery? I have a 2013 Model S with 140k miles that gets 210 miles on a full charge. I've complained numerous times over the years about my battery's degradation to no avail. Anyone have any advice?

I wish I had a good answer for you. I had been steady at ~245 miles rated range for a few years and then 2019.16.x knocked me down to ~225. Then over the next 6 months or so, I saw progressive degradation to 180 miles, at which point it triggered the message below. The trigger seemed to be the 180 miles 70% which is or the same as is codified in the new warranties.

Tesla replaced the pack with a reman B pack which got me back to 245 miles again.

I feel for you--there are quite a few folks in battery purgatory where they have bad range degradation but not enough to trigger a replacement--you end up in this weird place where you end up hoping for more degradation.

 

[gnxs]

Thanks for all the comments guys. I wasn't really trying to be doomsday, but I did want to warn people as their warranty's expire that their car could be worth $20-30k one day and then if the battery dies for some reason it is worth much less.



I wasn't trying to be too negative about Tesla in my comment. I was really hoping to make sure everyone that was about to be out of warranty knew what they were getting into and not be so surprised as me. I can assure you that I am real and my VIN is real and I don't hate Tesla. I can't imagine having to drive a car with a transmission again and I'm contemplating whether my next S is used or the newest long range. The Tesla service center gave no option to repair the battery even with the amount of frustration I portrayed to them.

As far as the car, it is still sitting at the Tesla. I spoke to Gruber Motors in Phoenix and I'm going to send it to them to repair. I do appreciate the feedback.

Not sure about others, but I found your thread very interesting and very timely.

We own 2 Model S. My wife's high mileage 2013 P85 will be coming out of warranty shortly and your situation is exactly what we worry about. Like you, we will likely pursue aftermarket options if our battery fails after the warranty expires.

For those not believing these things happen with any frequency, I'll add another data point to the mix. Our 2013 P85 (bought in 2015 when they started the CPO program) currently has 244k miles on it. The battery has been replaced twice, once at 190k and again at ~220k. The first time was because the car would basically say we were out of juice and shut off, yet the gauge still showed 40+ miles of range. Tesla checked it out and determined a replacement was needed. The second replacement came when the car started to throw various warnings, the regen brakes stopped working and I was able to limp it to the Service Center.

We also own a 2019 Raven Performance model that I drive. It's battery just failed last week at 52k miles. I was at a Supercharger and completed charging. I got back into the car to drive away and warning messages started scrolling on the center screen one after the other and the car was beeping at me constantly for each new warning. Before I even got off the phone with Roadside Assistance, the battery showed 0 miles (it was at 299 after the SC session ended). Tesla just confirmed a day ago that they were ordering a reman pack (G revision) for me. I am also lucky that my 2019 was bought a few months before they changed the battery/drivetrain warranty from unlimited miles to 150k miles, so at least I know I'm covered for another 6 1/2 years. The 2019 has taken over the road trip duties once handled by our 2013, so I anticipate adding many more miles to it over the next 6.5 years.

Like you, I am not complaining at all about Tesla. What other company would replace such a major component for us, TWICE, when our mileage was north of 175k? However, our 2013 is in excellent condition and we will shortly need to decide whether to sell it now or hope that if the battery goes that the aftermarket will offer a reasonably priced solution. It was our first Tesla and my wife really loves the car.

Please update the thread with your experience with Gruber when the repair is completed. It is one of the leading options for us if we wind up being in a similar situation and I'd love to hear your experience with them.

 

[SigNC]

I have some concerns about how the pack in the 3 is tougher to rebuild and service.

Then you are REALLY going to hate the 4680 setup.