Tesla nearing 50k miles mark, what preventative maintenance should I have Tesla do?

[YauKwan]

I've had the car since April 2018, I am near 50k miles, maybe another 2-3 months before i go over.

So far, there has been minimal issues

1. Squeaking control arm - replaced
2. Sensors in front seats - replaced
3. Moldy smell from ac - I replaced cabin filters smell goes away.

and that is pretty much it.

Before the warranty expires, is there anything i should have Tesla look at/replace?

After warranty expires, how much would you budget annual for maintenance? How much should I increase that as the car ages?

Thanks

 

[ecarfan]

Before the warranty expires, is there anything i should have Tesla look at/replace?

If I were you, I would go to your local Service Center and discuss that with them. You’ve put a lot of miles on your car in the past 18 months but I don’t think enough time has passed for them to replace the battery cooling system fluid. Other than that, there’s not anything else to do in terms of routine maintenance at that many miles.

At some point the brake system will have to be flushed and refilled with new brake fluid, but that’s not expensive.

Beyond that, not much to be done except tires, wiper blades, windshield washer fluid.

 

[ngogas]

I think your the first few pioneers who are nearing warranty exploration. Tell us all what you learned.

 

[gilscales]

I've had the car since April 2018, I am near 50k miles, maybe another 2-3 months before i go over.

So far, there has been minimal issues

1. Squeaking control arm - replaced
2. Sensors in front seats - replaced
3. Moldy smell from ac - I replaced cabin filters smell goes away.

and that is pretty much it.

Before the warranty expires, is there anything i should have Tesla look at/replace?

After warranty expires, how much would you budget annual for maintenance? How much should I increase that as the car ages?

Thanks

I also have an April 2018 car with over 33k miles and I thought I was driving a lot!
I have had the sensor warning in the front driver seat go off a few times and in for service but they did not find it to be bad (yet)
Curious about the control arm, was it just a bushing?
Also had the A/C smell handled at my only service visit where they cleaned (the coil?) and replaced cabin filters

 

[LM-5]

From the Owner's Manual (Page 128):

• Rotate the tires every 6,250 miles (10,000 km)
• Brake fluid. Every 2 years or 25,000 miles (40,000 km), whichever comes first.
• Battery coolant. Every 4 years or 50,000 miles (80,000 km), whichever comes first.

 

[funkright]

And I thought I drove allot... I'm an amateur compared to you

 

[CharleyBC]

• Change the oil
• Replace oil filter
• Check spark plugs. Gap or replace as necessary.
• Change transmission fluid.
• Check timing belt. Replace if needed.

Oh. This is a Tesla! Brake fluid and battery coolant come to mind.

 

[1.21GW]

I can't wait to see the first model 3 with 500k miles on the original battery pack.

All of my cost savings benefits don't really come into play until 100k+ miles

 

[MTSN]

Definitely time for blinker fluid.

 

[voip-ninja]

From the Owner's Manual (Page 128):

• Rotate the tires every 6,250 miles (10,000 km)
• Brake fluid. Every 2 years or 25,000 miles (40,000 km), whichever comes first.
• Battery coolant. Every 4 years or 50,000 miles (80,000 km), whichever comes first.

Tesla has since removed the battery coolant recommendation, the coolant should be good for the life of the car.

 

[voip-ninja]

I've had the car since April 2018, I am near 50k miles, maybe another 2-3 months before i go over.

So far, there has been minimal issues

1. Squeaking control arm - replaced
2. Sensors in front seats - replaced
3. Moldy smell from ac - I replaced cabin filters smell goes away.

and that is pretty much it.

Before the warranty expires, is there anything i should have Tesla look at/replace?

After warranty expires, how much would you budget annual for maintenance? How much should I increase that as the car ages?

Thanks

What's your range on a full charge as displayed?

 

[tangaroa]

From the Owner's Manual (Page 128):

• Rotate the tires every 6,250 miles (10,000 km)
• Brake fluid. Every 2 years or 25,000 miles (40,000 km), whichever comes first.
• Battery coolant. Every 4 years or 50,000 miles (80,000 km), whichever comes first.

Owners Manual has been updated and simplified for a while (including no more Battery coolant maintenance):

• Brake fluid health check every 2 years (replace if necessary)
• A/C desiccant bag replacement every 6 years
• Cabin air filter replacement every 2 years
• Clean and lubricate brake calipers every year or 12,500 miles (if in an area where roads are salted during the Winter)
• Rotate tires every 10,000-12,000 miles (16,000-20,000 km) or if tread depth difference is 2/32 in (1.5 mm) or greater

 

[LM-5]

Wow, I had no idea they updated the manual. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[lolder]

And the brake fluid doesn't need to be changed in normal driving.

 

[KenC]

Definitely time for blinker fluid.

Nah, the Model 3 uses LED blinkers. Those last 20 years, so you only need to change the blinker fluid once, after 10 years.

 

[YauKwan]

full charge 311

 

[VRUNNER]

I live in NJ too and will be close to your mileage, I drive 30k a year. What mileage did you get out of your original tires? Replaced with OEM or a different brand? PSI? And assuming you do a lot of highway driving what’s your WH/MI? Thanks!!

 

[MP3Mike]

From the Owner's Manual (Page 128):

• Rotate the tires every 6,250 miles (10,000 km)
• Brake fluid. Every 2 years or 25,000 miles (40,000 km), whichever comes first.
• Battery coolant. Every 4 years or 50,000 miles (80,000 km), whichever comes first.

From the newer version of the manual: https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/model_3_owners_manual_north_america_en.pdf (page 137)

Service Intervals
Your vehicle should generally be serviced on an as-needed basis. However, Tesla recommends the following maintenance items and intervals, as applicable to your vehicle, to ensure continued reliability and efficiency of your Model 3.
• Brake fluid health check every 2 years (replace if necessary)
• A/C desiccant bag replacement every 6 years
• Cabin air filter replacement every 2 years
• Clean and lubricate brake calipers every year or 12,500 miles (if in an area where roads are salted during the Winter)
• Rotate tires every 10,000-12,000 miles (16,000-20,000 km) or if tread depth difference is 2/32 in (1.5 mm) or greater Note: The above intervals are based on normal driving behaviors and scenarios. Additionally, the above list should not be considered comprehensive and does not include consumable parts such as windshield wipers, brake pads, etc.

Fluid Replacement Intervals
Your Battery coolant does not need to be replaced for the life of your vehicle under most circumstances. Brake fluid should be checked every 2 years, replacing if necessary. Note: Any damage caused by opening the Battery coolant reservoir is excluded from the warranty.

Note that they now say that the battery coolant is good for the life of your car. And that you only need to check the brake fluid every 2 years to see if it needs replaced.

 

[North75]

What's the expected lifespan of the 12V battery?
Have there been any reports of 12V battery issues similar to the model S and X? or have they figured that out on the model 3?

 

[Nostromo]

I'm curious, when Tesla says the battery coolant is "good for the life of the car" I read that to mean "Foregoing replacement of battery coolant won't cause any problems during the warranty period, so don't clog up our Service Centers with this kind of work". Maybe I'm being cynical, but I'm not sure that it's wise to take their recommendation at face value.