Tesla Roadster recall

[graham]

Tesla Recalls 75% Of Its Roadsters

Tesla is recalling 345 of its Roadsters, made between March 2008 and April 22, 2009 due to an issue with the rear hub.

 

[walk_n_wind]

Wow, shame they'll have a ding in their reputation due to Lotus assembly. Worse still, it's simply an under-torquing of crucial bolts? What a cheap-shot they've been dealt!

 

[AnOutsider]

ouch indeed

 

[Grin]

I've been told by Tesla that letters and emails will be sent out later today to those affected.

 

[doug]

Do they really have to fly out technicians? Can't they contract with local shops (perhaps Lotus dealers)? I guess it's hard to guarantee the work that way, though.








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[DaveD]

Seattle owners won't need a technician to fly up here. Tesla's Seattle Service Manager is a hands-on guy that can take care of this. I had a minor trunk latch problem happen to me on Memorial Day. I called his cell number and left a voicemail, expecting him to get back to me the following day. Instead, I got a call back from him just a few minutes later. He came over to where I work the next day, and had the issue resolved in a few minutes. I have no complaints about Tesla's Seattle service! :smile:

The first time I met him was about a week ago, when I was visiting another Roadster owner. Yet another Roadster owner lives near to the one I was visiting. The Service Manager had finished helping the nearby owner with some issue, and stopped by to introduce himself to us (and to get a quick charge for the Roadster he was driving). He was eager to discuss any problems or nits we had with our Roadsters.

 

[SByer]

All cars have reca- uhm, service campaigns. This one sounds pretty darned minor compared to most. Sounds like a fairly quick and easy fix.

 

[rolosrevenge]

Shouldn't Lotus have to pay all of the expenses for this recall since it was their manufacturing facility that screwed it up?

 

[SMCM]

Minor details... I am impressed with how Tesla going to take care of the owners. This above and beyond service and quick action is not common among manufacturers.

 

[graham]

A little more information:

Lotus Recalls 2009 Elise and Exige After Tesla Roadster Problem Reported

In other documentation filed with the federal government, the link with the Tesla Roadster becomes clear.

On April 6, "Tesla informed Lotus that the owner of Tesla Roadster VIN 236 had complained that the car 'felt wobbly' during turns," according to documentation by Lotus Cars USA, Inc. "Tesla informed Lotus that, on investigation, its technicians found that the bolts securing the rear wheel hubs to the suspension had not been correctly tightened."

It added: "Tesla carried out audits on vehicles prior to delivery to customers and reported that it had found a further six vehicles affected (i.e., with all rear hub bolts not correctly tightened).

 

[AnOutsider]

most of the comments on the source article seem to see through the sensationalism

 

[vfx]

It's a Lotus problem that Tesla found and told them about it. Now Lotus is recalling cars as well.

Tesla are the heros here.

 

[Palpatine]

I wonder if Lotus will have to reimburse Tesla for the costs of fixing this issue.

 

[SuperB]

I have a Tesla as well as a Ford GT. The GT had an issue with bolts as well and Ford took a year to do anything, basically trying to wait until the cars were out of warranty, but they eventually fixed them.

Tesla appears to be on the ball here, just wish they had fixed this when they were out just a couple days ago so I didn't have to wait again.

Tesla hired Lotus, so it lands on Tesla to fix the Roadsters. Same thing with the Ford GT, Ford didn't make the bolt that failed, but it was up to them to correct the issue.

 

[graham]

Not really much new information:

Tesla Motors recalls 345 Roadster sports cars - Los Angeles Times

But it is interesting:

Lotus is recalling 27 of its 2009 Elise and Exige sports cars with the same suspension problem, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Why does it effect 27 Lotus cars and 345 Tesla cars? Is the suspension that Tesla uses uncommon for Lotus? Or are Lotus cars not selling well these days?

 

[NEWDL]

The question was not WHO will fix the car, but who was responsible for the cost of fixing the car. I believe it would come down to the contract wording between Tesla and Lotus.....

 

[malcolm]

I believe it would come down to the contract wording between Tesla and Lotus.....

The clause which states that key Lotus personel are required to stand in line and get their nuts tightened.

Honestly. What a screw-up!

...Or not enough of one.

 

[billarnett]

Why does it effect 27 Lotus cars and 345 Tesla cars? Is the suspension that Tesla uses uncommon for Lotus? Or are Lotus cars not selling well these days?

Tesla is just being super-cautious and making sure everything is 100% OK. They knew that only a handful of the cars were likely to be affected but decided to recall them all anyway just to make sure. And sent a tech to your home to do the job to further reduce the inconvenience to the owner. That's the kind of customer support that makes me really happy to be a Tesla customer!

 

[PeterW]

Tesla recall: Good for the electric car industry? | Cleantech Group

 

[AnOutsider]

Tesla recall: Good for the electric car industry? | Cleantech Group

“Tesla is almost the poster child for the battery and electric vehicle movement,” Gott told the Cleantech Group. “These things happen, and the fact that Tesla is responding to it in an exceedingly professional manner can only speak good for the industry as a whole. In fact, if Ford and Chrysler had been this responsive to defects in the ‘70s, they wouldn’t be in the position they are in now.”

i agree that what Tesla has done is quite good, but... what?