Tesla on the least reliable cars list - owners agree?

[N5329K]

While Tesla stores are really nice places to hang out compared to the typical auto dealership, having to make an appointment, get the car there, have it fixed, go back and see if it's really fixed, then, if it is, take it back home is an evolution most owners would just as soon skip.
The frequency of those unplanned maintenance trips, not just the seriousness of the fix, is a big factor in how we rate our cars for reliability.
My local Toyota dealership is a place just this side of purgatory. Or maybe the far side. I hate it. The sales force is especially inexperienced with the value of truth. Good thing I have had exactly one non-scheduled visit to their repair shop in 13 years and 248,000 driving miles split between a Gen 1 Prius (inverter cooling pump failed at 196,000 miles), and a Prius V (no unscheduled visits).
My experience meshes with Consumer Reports awarding Toyota #1 for reliability.
Now, Tesla is not Toyota. Nobody is. But they are going to have to seriously up their game (which they have shown they can do with the Model S) or pay a terrible price. I'd love to see the Model 3 buoy TM up into the top five.
Robin

 

[Tony8489]

I consider a "defective" drive unit to be a serious problem. Tesla may have been proactive replacing them before "failure," but no way can Tesla afford a defect rate on an expensive component like they had on 2012-13 drive units at current sales volume. Thankfully that problem seems to be behind them now.

 

[JeffK]

I consider a "defective" drive unit to be a serious problem. Tesla may have been proactive replacing them before "failure," but no way can Tesla afford a defect rate on an expensive component like they had on 2012-13 drive units at current sales volume. Thankfully that problem seems to be behind them now.

It was a spline greasing problem... that step has been since automated to eliminate natural human variation.

 

[qadaemon]

I'm glad there are very happy people with their X & I really hope mine is one of the few awful ones. It has spent ~35% of its life at the SC since we took possession in late June. It's left me stranded five times I remember--probably some I don't. It is awaiting four additional repairs if parts ever arrive including non-functional front turn signals/fog lights and a middle row seat stuck in an unusable position. Oh yeah, and the windshield problem if they ever get a fix for that.

When it's working though, this thing is awesome. Other than part availability, service has been blown-away amazing compared to every dealer I've had experience with.

 

[Garlan Garner]

I can't believe this thread has made it this long. I thought it would have been strewn with dislikes and retorts.

I'm impressed.

 

[wdolson]

I've had three issues with my 2014 P85: drive unit needed replacement, sunroof failed to open, and charge port magnet fell off. (Oh, and of course both vanity mirror covers snapped off within the first month -- but since the mirrors aren't illuminated anyway, good riddance.)

I don't know whether CR distinguishes between major failures (drive unit replacement) and minor ones, but to me they're all the same. Tesla fixes everything under warranty in my experience, so whether they replace a button or the entire car, the impact on me as an owner is identical: it's just the time spent dropping off and picking up the car. What matters to me is frequency of repairs, and that has been about average compared to my previous Lexus GS400 or my wife's BMW X3.

CR does rank severity of problems, though their system is a bit off for EVs. They rank a drive unit replacement on an EVs at the same scale as replacing the entire engine in an ICE. Replacing the engine in an ICE is a huge project that would only be done in the absolute worst failure condition. Tesla chose to replace many drive units because they wanted to analyze the problems to make fixes and it was quicker and cheaper to replace the DU than fix it in place.

If an ICE had been making noises like a lot of the DUs, the dealer would have done everything it could to prevent replacing the motor. CR would not have ranked that problem as severe with an ICE car.

 

[Texas]

I am a dedicated Consumer Reports reader. I was so impressed by the original Consumer Reports road test that I sold my low mileage Lexus LS460 and ordered a P85D. Three months later, Consumer Reports raised the road test score to 103 out of 100, so I felt pretty good about my new car. Total trouble in the first two years: 1 minor squeak, 2 minor rattles, and a squeaky sunroof, all promptly and permanently fixed. The car is quiet and incredibly powerful, even more so after the Ludicrous upgrade. I opted for 19" wheels and consequently have avoided the blowouts and bent rims some owners with 21" low-profile tires have experienced on Houston's many corrugated and chugholed streets. I am even getting good tread wear. I'm still on the original 12v battery, and miscellaneous misfortunes other owners have experienced such as bad door handles haven't appeared in my case. It has simply been a great car.