Tesla reliability reputation

[Kensiko]

With the Model 3 coming, people will check Tesla reliability surveys on the web. The Model S will be a good starting point.

I've been relying on TrueDelta for a few years and I fill their surveys. I really like this website to check the reliability of a car. Same for ConsumerReports but this website doesn't have all cars.

So, I invite any Model S owner to register to this website and hopefully increase the reliability score of the Model S.

Thank you!

TrueDelta | Tesla Reliability

 

[CHG-ON]

Thanks for this. I went on and had several problems trying to enter my info. They didn't have my model and due to that, it would not let me get past a certain point. So I wrote them and asked for help. Hopefully they will improve the site.

 

[Kensiko]

Oh that's odd, I'll try. What model do you have ?

 

[Kensiko]

The only model listed is the S for all years. Do you have a X ? Anyway the site manager should respond quickly as he did for me a couple of times.

 

[Kensiko]

Ouch, it really looks bad.

Reliability by Model Generation | TrueDelta

 

[eloder]

Ouch, it really looks bad.

Reliability by Model Generation | TrueDelta

If you think that's bad, just look at top-end Mercedes and BMW models.

 

[STbreaker]

If you delve into the data a bit more, you'll see that most of the issues are with rattles and other small fit/finish niggles. Much like in Consumer Reports, it doesn't really take into account the severity of the problem. In some ways, Tesla works against itself, with no engine noise/vibration, people notice those kind of things a lot more. Also, I think with Tesla being a new company and a pretty responsive one at that, people are quicker to report issues in the hope that it will be quickly improved/replaced - or at least will see a quick aftermarket upgrade (see floormats and trunk lighting). Compare this with large German car companies who probably don't even read your emails. Maybe if you have a great individual dealership, they might try to help you out, but it's not going to fundamentally change the manufacturing process like it might at Tesla.

 

[XXSLAMXX]

Tesla CEO Elon Musk vows to do better

 

[csshih]

with no engine noise/vibration, people notice those kind of things a lot more.

I came from a Chevy Spark EV, a $15k car with an electric motor slipshod in as a California compliance car. That car had fewer creaks and rattles than my Tesla.

Same applies for all other electric drive vehicles... Tesla is simply not good with interiors.

I hope they fix that soon.

 

[jerry33]

No creaks or rattles for 70K miles / 3 years in mine.

 

[thegruf]

Dec '15 12,000 miles not a squeak or rattle here, nor any other issue for that matter other than a coupel of minor nits can be sorted out at the next service. Better than every other car I've owned including Audis and AMG.

 

[kort677]

my early model s came with a few creaks and rattles that took a few visits for them to sort out, my newer car has been just about flawless.

 

[Kensiko]

No creaks or rattles for 70K miles / 3 years in mine.

Good, you can register to the website above and improve the stats

 

[jerry33]

Good, you can register to the website above and improve the stats

Already there

 

[Hengist]

Tesla reliability really is poor. VIN16095, delivered 7/2013 has had:

Passenger seat controls inop because not connected at factory.
UMC failed to be recognized by the car on day 3 and subsequent. Replacement worked fine.
Adhesive for charger door magnet failed.
Charger door release failed, assembly replaced.
Tail light seal failed, water intrusion into structure of trunk lid.
Charger assembly failed, replaced.
Power unit milling, power unit replaced.
12 volt battery replacement, out of warrantee $400
DCDC converter failed, fried the air conditioner. Out of warrantee $4013

To compare, 2011 Volt, VIN 1094 had only two repairs in 5 years: initial failure of OnStar to activate, tail light seal failure, water intrusion, out of warrantee $450.

2001 Prius, 2008 Prius, 2013 Prius, 2007 Highlander hybrid all without anything except routine maintenance.

I'm worried about my Model X already and it won't be delivered until the end of this month.

 

[Kensiko]

You had some critical components failing ! I hate when I see the DCDC converter failing, same thing can happen on other EVs, this should be built like a tank it is really critical.

How come you are out of warranty already ?

 

[nexsuperne101]

Some of the points raised I think most people would remedy themselves if it was out of warranty. Things like squeaks and rattles can be fixed. The fact that the reliability is so much worse than a Land Rover makes me suspicious! I have owned LR's and they have cost me a fortune in repairs. Personally if I can hear the squeaks/rattles then it needs a louder radio

 

[wdolson]

I think a certain degree of problems are owners being finicky about little details they may let slide on a car costing much less. The attitude is sort of "I paid a fortune for this thing so it needs to be perfect!"

For 2015 Model Ss over half the issues on truedelta are body and trim. Similar problems show up in the Consumer Reports survey. Scales that were set up for ICEs don't always work for BEVs either. Consumer Reports ranks a motor replacement as a very severe warranty item, and it would be for an ICE, but Tesla replaced a large number of drive units that were just making noise with no other problems.

Despite the problems people have had with Model Ss, Consumer Reports' survey also reported the highest consumer satisfaction with the Model S of any car surveyed.

 

[artsci]

With the Model 3 coming, people will check Tesla reliability surveys on the web. The Model S will be a good starting point.

I've been relying on TrueDelta for a few years and I fill their surveys. I really like this website to check the reliability of a car. Same for ConsumerReports but this website doesn't have all cars.

So, I invite any Model S owner to register to this website and hopefully increase the reliability score of the Model S.

Thank you!

TrueDelta | Tesla Reliability

I hate to burst this bubble but all of these quality ratings are worthless, as often as they are cited. This includes Consumer Reports, JD Power, and True Delta. The only reliable quality ratings would be based on a true random sample of owners. These are not, so there are unmeasurable built in participation bias samples that skew the results. In reality, the Model S may be better or it may be worse. Just the fact that Tesla ownership tends to be a highly affluent population likely skews the results compared to brands which have a more downscale ownership popluation (the affluent are more likely to bitch and moan about minor problems that the less affluent).

Take me for example. I'm in the survey research business (focused on higher education) and I refuse to participate in any such auto quality rating polls, knowing full well the results are not reliable.

Your original post, "I invite any Model S owner to register to this website and hopefully increase the reliability score of the Model S" suggests the problem - an attempt to stack the deck in favor of the Model S.

I would suspect that Model S reliability over all is probably outstanding. Regrettably there's no way other than a random sample of all owner experiences to know for sure. And even with a random sample the survey design and questions have to be very carefully crafted.

 

[Hengist]

You had some critical components failing ! I hate when I see the DCDC converter failing, same thing can happen on other EVs, this should be built like a tank it is really critical.

How come you are out of warranty already ?

62,000 miles. I do about 70 miles a day.

By the way, the old AC compressor was much quieter than the new one. So something changed, the Model S did not sound like an F51 three ears ago.