Tesla Powerwall II Performance Notice - turn off, we will replace

[TomDiego]

It's been a couple of months now, but back on 10/16/18 I received an e-mail from Tesla asking me to turn off one of the two Powerwall IIs that were installed in December last year. Here's the message:

"Subject: Tesla Powerwall Performance Notice: INQ20181009-xxx

My name is Jestee and I'm reaching out from Tesla's North America Tier I Energy Support team.

Tesla's remote diagnostics team has identified that Powerwall TG11732500xxxx is no longer performing to Tesla’s quality standards. We have opened a proactive replacement case and will be sending a replacement Powerwall to your installer as soon as we are able.

In the meantime we ask that you switch your Powerwall to the OFF position using the switch on the right side of the Powerwall. If you have multiple Powerwall units, please call us so we can instruct you on shutting off the correct unit. There is no safety concern with the Powerwall but we would like to have it switched off to prevent any further issues with the unit."​

There was some additional contact instructions including the number to call. I was out of town, so my wife called when she got home from work. Fortunately, she picked the correct one first.

We had a lot of things going on in the last couple of months, including several out-of-town trips, so there wasn't a lot of follow-up on my part. I did call Tesla about a month later. I was told that they would call me back and that didn't happen. (This is the second time a phone call to Tesla with a promise of a call-back didn't happen.) This was prompted by an e-mail from our installer indicating that they had 41 units coming in at were offering "Black Friday" pricing on them. This weekend marked two months since the unit was turned off and I have plenty of time this week so I sent an e-mail to Tesla and cc-ed my installer. My installer replied saying that they could only replace my unit with one that was specifically assigned to me as a replacement, so they couldn't just use one from stock or set aside one that was on order. He said that they had been contacted by Tesla shortly after I received the e-mail confirming that a replacement would be sent but hadn't heard anything since. He said that he was going to call their Tesla rep and get back to me.

Well, suddenly a replacement unit will be shipped to our installer and they have scheduled the installation for Monday, 12/31. I wish I had been able to follow up sooner...

TL;DR: Tesla is finally replacing our defecting Powerwall II after two months, but only because I forced the issue.

 

[Brovane]

I had the same issue with my PW2. One of the units stopped working shortly after install and I wasn't aware of it. Even after the RMA it took over 2-months to get the replacement. I had to remind Tesla that under the CA Song-Beverly act which applies to all consumer goods. Under section 1793.2 Tesla has 30-days of first reporting of the issue to repair the issue.

Codes Display Text.

Where those service and repair facilities are maintained in this state and service or repair of the goods is necessary because they do not conform with the applicable express warranties, service and repair shall be commenced within a reasonable time by the manufacturer or its representative in this state. Unless the buyer agrees in writing to the contrary, the goods shall be serviced or repaired so as to conform to the applicable warranties within 30 days. Delay caused by conditions beyond the control of the manufacturer or its representatives shall serve to extend this 30-day requirement. Where delay arises, conforming goods shall be tendered as soon as possible following termination of the condition giving rise to the delay.

 

[TomDiego]

Wow! I was not aware of that! I would have thrown that at them a month ago had I known. Thanks!

 

[TomDiego]

Someone from Tesla called me earlier this evening to give e an update. They are searching for a replacement unit.

I gave er the update I got from my installer, indicating that my installer had called his Tesla rep, had a replacement unit and that I had an install date for the replacement on 12/31.

"Hmmm", she replied, "it doesn't show that in the response record...'"