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Check your facebook page Pete, I'll send you a private message.... time for us honest citizens to fight for the truth
jeffro01
Active Member
Yes, that's exactly what I'm doing. Call it what you will but something isn't lining up here.
Jeff
I'm waiting for someone to explain the sliced wheels.
Sliced Wheels
Is it a special feature of Teslas?
Sliced Wheels
Is it a special feature of Teslas?
TaoJones
Beyond Driven
I will have my Model S' ball joints and a handful of other things checked at ~41,000 miles next week as preparation for an extended travel period.
Fwiw, the car has never been garaged and lives less than 100 yards from the Pacific Ocean. While salt air is ubiquitous, the car is less than 18 months old and spends at least some of the time inland since that's where most of the roads are to get to the other coasts.
That said, a datapoint it shall constitute. A cursory visual inspection sans lift has not revealed much that's alarming aside from the usual rusty rotors and visible scoring (I've long suspected a bad caliper but evidently that view is not shared by those who have replacement calipers). 5th set of rotors and counting. Happily, the tires are holding up great at 41K+, but would prefer to have them replaced before upcoming travel just so I don't have to deal with that on the road.
Fwiw, the car has never been garaged and lives less than 100 yards from the Pacific Ocean. While salt air is ubiquitous, the car is less than 18 months old and spends at least some of the time inland since that's where most of the roads are to get to the other coasts.
That said, a datapoint it shall constitute. A cursory visual inspection sans lift has not revealed much that's alarming aside from the usual rusty rotors and visible scoring (I've long suspected a bad caliper but evidently that view is not shared by those who have replacement calipers). 5th set of rotors and counting. Happily, the tires are holding up great at 41K+, but would prefer to have them replaced before upcoming travel just so I don't have to deal with that on the road.
TaoJones
Beyond Driven
Yep. I recall after TACC launched, there were a couple of updates that led to more aggressive TACC behavior, and *maybe* there could have been something misaligned after factory pickup, but that would only mean being on set #3 - not #5.
As well, to be fair, it appears that Tesla replaces the full set even though the rears have been not that bad - at least lately.
So next week I do hope to have a more substantive conversation about actually solving the problem rather than continuing to band-aid it. I've never shredded rotors in such a manner in any other car, and the OEM tires have worn very evenly (frankly I think they've held up great, and probably would exceed the 45,000 mile warranty if they weren't getting replaced in the next couple of weeks), so I hesitate to point the finger at my driving habits. My first thought for a fix being to replace the right front caliper (the right front being where most of the scoring happens).
One of the service advisors said they do replace a lot of rotors, but my interpretation of that comment was that this was only in the context of AP cars. While I have met a couple of AP drivers who also drive their cars more than, say, 8000 miles a year who have also had rotors replaced, I haven't met a single pre-AP owner who's had anything but their original rotors - and some of them were in the 80,000-90,000 mile club. So at least that's encouraging. I'm almost certain there has to be something up with the right front caliper. Either that or I'm the worst driver ever, starting with this car and not the previous 12 or so.
Hi Pete
I suggest you contact Mike Ramsey at the Wall Street journal he is VERY interested in this subject.
If there is really not a problem then Tesla and all of its supporters have everything to gain by having the suspension failures properly investigated.
On the other hand if there IS a problem (and judging by all the crashed Teslas in the wrecking yards I would say there is) then lives could be at risk.
Your snapped suspension could easily have killed someone.
I checked my FB page and did not see any message. my email is [email protected]Check your facebook page Pete, I'll send you a private message.... time for us honest citizens to fight for the truth
TaoJones
Beyond Driven
*eyeroll*. Without judging the core issue one way or the other, of *course* it would be the WSJ interested in negatives. Their headlines have become laughable.
For that reason alone, I question whether, anymore, the WSJ can be associated with anything that resembles truly proper investigation with regard to anything Tesla.
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Thanks Pete
I'll be in touch
Skotty
2014 S P85 | 2023 F-150L
This shouldn't be happening. I've driven a lot of old cars, some of which I owned and drove for well over 10 years, and lots of things have failed, but I've never had to replace a rotor accept for one case where the brake pad ran out and the rivets dug into the rotor. With the S, the rotors are huge, and the brakes don't get used much. It believe it should be possible for the original set of rotors on a Model S to last for millions of miles.
I would guess one of three things are happening in your case:
1) You are being overly picky about your rotors and there has been nothing wrong with them, but Tesla replaced them anyways due to your concern.
2) Your brake usage is so incredibly low (maybe possible with a careful driver that minimizes brake use and has creep turned off) that rust is sticking to the rotors for too long and unhappy rust happenings are going on. This is a bit of a guess as it's not a scenario I have any experience with. The easy fix for this would be just to make sure you actually press on your brakes from time to time, especially after rain or a car wash (both immediately after to help clear off the water and a few hours afterward or next day to clear the thin surface rust).
3) There is something seriously wrong with something on your car. Maybe a bad brake caliper, but that only makes sense if you are just having a problem on one rotor.
4) Something else beside Galvanic Corrosion is causing the Tesla rust issues.
Possibly an induced electrical current from the drive system, stray currents from the HV battery or from the 12 Volt battery.
Brake rotors on the Tesla (huge lump of ferrous metal) are rusting much faster than other cars.
This can lead to stuck on brake pads that release with a loud crack.
It might also be contributing to "snap-off axles"
Still waiting for a polite and rational explanation for the sliced wheels.
(thread archived for future reference)
TaoJones
Beyond Driven
See responses inline below:
In the end, it's frustrating I'm sure from multiple perspectives. For example,
as a shareholder I cringe a bit thinking about the definition of "a lot". On the other hand, I don't like the feel of increasing brake shudder and having to have it dealt with every other time the tires get rotated (more or less).
In the end, it's frustrating I'm sure from multiple perspectives. For example,
as a shareholder I cringe a bit thinking about the definition of "a lot". On the other hand, I don't like the feel of increasing brake shudder and having to have it dealt with every other time the tires get rotated (more or less).
I can Google Image "Mercedes suspension damage" and get similar pictures to what have been posted here.
So a bunch of random damaged Model S photos proves little unless you know the back story.
Returning to the OP it would seem that there has been a failure of a ball joint whilst the suspension was at its maximum height on a rough surface. This failure caused further damage to other parts of the suspension and perhaps wheel and body work.
For a car with this mileage I can see Tesla's point of view and your own and its a pity a compromise can't be reached but there could be a third resolution. Some car insurance policies would cover the resulting damage that occurred as a direct result of the mechanical failure. So you would pay to replace the ball joint and your insurance company would pick up the tab for the strut and other damaged components. I recommend that you lodge a claim for consideration by your insurer.
As a Model S owner I am no more worried about the structural integrity of my cars suspension than normal but I might postulate why a Model S is more likely to damage suspensions than a regular car and this comes down to its high weight (2108Kg to 2239Kg) and low centre of gravity. So in a loss of control situation a Model S is less likely to roll and more likely to slide sideways into an object like a curb, resulting in wheel, suspension and frame damage.
So if there really are more pictures of Model S with suspension damage on the internet than other cars this may explain it.
For my part I will keep an eye on all mechanical aspect of my car just like I have every other one I have owned with possibly particular emphasis on tyres and suspension due to the weight.
So a bunch of random damaged Model S photos proves little unless you know the back story.
Returning to the OP it would seem that there has been a failure of a ball joint whilst the suspension was at its maximum height on a rough surface. This failure caused further damage to other parts of the suspension and perhaps wheel and body work.
For a car with this mileage I can see Tesla's point of view and your own and its a pity a compromise can't be reached but there could be a third resolution. Some car insurance policies would cover the resulting damage that occurred as a direct result of the mechanical failure. So you would pay to replace the ball joint and your insurance company would pick up the tab for the strut and other damaged components. I recommend that you lodge a claim for consideration by your insurer.
As a Model S owner I am no more worried about the structural integrity of my cars suspension than normal but I might postulate why a Model S is more likely to damage suspensions than a regular car and this comes down to its high weight (2108Kg to 2239Kg) and low centre of gravity. So in a loss of control situation a Model S is less likely to roll and more likely to slide sideways into an object like a curb, resulting in wheel, suspension and frame damage.
So if there really are more pictures of Model S with suspension damage on the internet than other cars this may explain it.
For my part I will keep an eye on all mechanical aspect of my car just like I have every other one I have owned with possibly particular emphasis on tyres and suspension due to the weight.
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Can I please ask in the most polite way how you explain the sliced wheel in this image.
Subject Model S is sideswiped by another vehicle and loses control, then 'runs under' another ICE causing the petrol\diesel tank to catch fire. Fire consumes front of Model S including LHF tyre and part of the wheel.
But you are right this is complete speculation.
SLICED wheels.
Lots of them.
Sliced Wheels
Can only be cause by something digging into the wheel whilst it is still rotating.
Now go and search for images of Mercedes Toyota, Ford Ferrari...anything you like and see how many sliced wheels you can find.
Some awfully clever Tesla enthusiasts have suggested it is because the car ran over a sharp object on the road!
I don't THINK so!
Perhaps someone keeps leaving a live chainsaw in front of the Teslas?
Two dead in sudden swerves over cliffs.
(Tesraelites insult the memory of the victims by alleging suicide or incompetence)
I dead from unintended acceleration into a swimming pool - one of many unintended acceleration incidents.
I dead in single vehicle accident after car failed to slow for an intersection and slammed into a culvert.
(There are many reports of brake failures.)
2 dead in Honda after Tesla suddenly swerved into oncoming traffic.
I dead many injured after joyrider lost control when the wheels fell off..
3 killed when a Tesla slammed into the rear of their Toyota.
1 cyclist killed when Tesla suddenly swerved across the road.
That's more than 5.
Happy now?
(Tesraelites insult the memory of the victims by alleging suicide or incompetence)
I dead from unintended acceleration into a swimming pool - one of many unintended acceleration incidents.
I dead in single vehicle accident after car failed to slow for an intersection and slammed into a culvert.
(There are many reports of brake failures.)
2 dead in Honda after Tesla suddenly swerved into oncoming traffic.
I dead many injured after joyrider lost control when the wheels fell off..
3 killed when a Tesla slammed into the rear of their Toyota.
1 cyclist killed when Tesla suddenly swerved across the road.
That's more than 5.
Happy now?
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