Taken 2021 Model Y in to service center 4 times in last month for "Powertrain needs servicing,", still unresolved - Anyone on the other side of this?

[ZeroY]

Started with DIR_a149 error, and limited speed to anywhere from 71-50 mph. The first time we took it in, the service center said they found the problem and it was a sensor. Fair enough.

Same message popped up a day later. The next two times they replaced the oil pump in the rear motor.

The fourth time they dug deeper and replaced the RCfront module saying it was having some problems, but the issue still is unfixed, popping up again today.

The service center has been accommodating, and has given us loaner vehicles each time, but the issue still hasn't been fixed properly. Wondering if anyone has been through the mill for this problem and actually gotten to the bottom of it, hoping to point my techs in the right direction.

 

[andaconda]

I would mention that you're considering invoking the lemon law very soon if they don't fix it.

Montana's Lemon Law must be initiated within two years after the date of the vehicle's original delivery to a consumer, or the first 18,000 miles of operation. We are talking about a car that is a March 21 build. I like the car too much to give up on it anyway. I figure that I have a 5 year bumper to bumper warranty, and even longer on the drive train. I'm confident they'll get it figured out. BTW, they did message me back this afternoon to see if I had any more faults occur today. I've taken the car out 4 times today without any problems whatsoever. I suspect that they are looking at the logs now.

 

[andaconda]

NEW UPDATE:
Back in for repair again. This time they replace the rear oil pump again - but at the same time they found a burnt connector as
jschnee21 noted in post 12. Wiring harness parts are on order and it will be about a week. I must say that the Liberty Lake service center has bent over backward to accommodate us Glad they gave me a loaner. I'm sure glad I didn't have to pay the 300 mile tow charge. Will go back next week to pick it up and then hope this matter will be closed! It's been such a good car over the past 3 years and 25k miles. Can't lose my faith in it.

 

[andaconda]

Got my car back last night. The Eatontown, NJ SC is so much better than Princeton! So much better follow up, pro active communication, thoroughly investigating issues.

So it turns out there was a burnt connector pin and a loose connector pin in the oil pump wiring harness. It sounds like they spliced in a new connector harness. They separately tested the pump (which was replaced in Sept) and they said it was fine. So fingers crossed.

Separately I had them replace my 2.5yr old 12V. I was starting to see occasional low voltage warnings in the service menu. $113 all in (nice).

I also had them re-align my headlights and high beams. Unfortunately, the high beams aren’t really adjustable. My right one is defective—it lights but points abnormally down. The only option is replacing the entire LED headlight assembly ($1200) as I’m past the 50K warranty. I declined as I rarely use the high beams anyway.

@jschnee21
Don't know if you're still an active member here --- but:
How did you fair out, and did the fix work permanently?
Mine was a burnt connector - so they changed the pump again and replace the 'subframe harness. Ran fine all the 300 miles home...
I'm hoping that this will be the end of it for me.

 

[andaconda]

Alright, for anyone in the future who comes across this with the same problem, here is what was wrong with my car.

The oil pump itself was apparently fine, but there was a damaged terminal at the rear oil pump connector, they replaced the terminal and everything has been working great for 2 weeks, and fingers crossed, for a long time.

Best of luck to anyone reading this.

Can you update. Had the same problem Had it in for the third time. Like yours- it was a burnt terminal. They replaced the rear oil pump and subframe wiring harness. Drove it home the 300 miles without any problems. Were you able to get a permanent fix and did it ever reoccur?

 

[andaconda]

Hi,
We just had this fault yesterday afternoon - “Powertrain needs service” message came on screen and I was limited to 90 km/h top speed!
On way to service centre this morning - car was all normal!
Took it to our local Tesla service centre in Abu Dhabi this morning and they diagnosed either a faulty connection or a faulty oil pump on rear motor.
They changed the pump and got the car back after a few hours wait.
Now need to see if it is properly “‘fixed”
Cheers
Steve

@SteveM3Perf
Did the 'fix' take for you. Did you have any more problems with the same DIR_a149 error showing up?
It looks like the other two members haven't checked in for over a year now. Maybe they dropped out of the forum or moved on to another brand.

 

[andaconda]

New, New update. Hopefully the final resolution!

2021 Model Y DIR_a149 error

Background:

From Jan 11, 2024 ~ Jan 17, 2024 it did not get above zero degrees, with a low of 37 degrees below zero. For several days it remained between minus 10 ~ minus 20 below. We ran the Model Y all those days except for one. After the weather warmed up we took a 300 mile ride to Spokane and Worley ID when it was wet, humid and below freezing during the night. The first indication of the “Powertrain needs service” (DIR_a149) message was on the night of Jan 31. We took the car into the service center on the morning of Feb 1. They replaced the rear oil pump at that time, and also found a coolant leak. They also replaced the front oil pump at the same time and replaced the "super manifold." After giving us a loaner, we returned to pick up the car a few days later and drove home with no problems. The errors started to re-appear a week later, more often in the week that followed, and then would not go away. They towed the car back in on Feb 28 and on Mar 1 replaced the rear oil pump again and found that the connector was burnt, and then also replaced the rear subframe harness.

My thoughts on the subject: Please take it with a grain of salt as I have no intention on second guessing any work that was done by the service center. I'm just brain storming for my own edification.

We park our car under a covered carport in our driveway, and plug it in when we anticipate anything below zero. During that subzero weather, we were in the habit of preconditioning the car for 15~20 minutes before leaving. We did notice that while preconditioning during that period it was a little on the loud side. I'm not sure what the viscosity of the rear or front oil is - but maybe the real cold weather induced a strain on the pump causing more resistance and a higher current flow on the pump terminals. Maybe the first time the rear pump was changed, the technician didn't notice that the connector was starting to fail, and just plugged the pump back in. With a compromised connection, the terminals continued to get worse and then failed by burning the connector. I'm not sure what the coolant mixture is - I presume -40 degrees. I also think that maybe the cold weather also might have caused the coolant leak via expansion and contraction. Perhaps a software update could include a way to keep the battery, coolant and oil flow warmer when plugged in during the below zero temperatures.

Just my thoughts . . .

We haven't had such a long cold snap during the first two years of our ownership and have had no issues with the car up to this point.

I must say that the Service Center had taken extreme measures to take care of our needs, and we commend and thank them!

It's been a couple of weeks now without any more problems. And hopefully this will be the end of the DIR_a149 errors!

Maybe this posting will help someone else that has had the same issue.