Tesla Service Centers, Sending Us Out with worn tires

[George L Parrott]

As an FYI, apparently Tesla Service Departments, SHOCKINGLY, may not at least always, check the tires on the loaners they send out. When I dropped off my P85D for upgrading last week at the FREMONT FACTORY SERVICE CENTER, they sent me out in a beautiful blue P85+ which they carefully did a "walk around" to check for cosmetic issues. They did NOT CHECK THE TIRES! Very quickly as I headed back to Sacramento, I felt the car was "loose" on traction, and when I got home I checked the rear tires--BOTH WERE BALD ON THE INSIDE AND WORN DOWN TO THE CORD !!!!! YIKES and terrifying IMHO. I called the Fremont SC, reported this and they said to get the car to the ROCKLIN SC (about 35 miles from my house" for tire replacement. I had the tires rechecked at my nearby America's Tire which was on the way to Rocklin but only a mile from my house and they confirmed how DANGEROUS and dicey it was to even get the car to ROCKLIN. I drove literally white-knuckled in the slow lane to Rocklin and LOST a total of FOUR HOURS OF MY LIFE getting the car back to safe driving status!

So, be WARNED....Tesla SC staff appear to be negligent at least at times about the safety of the "loaner cars" they send us back out with.

 

[George L Parrott]

As an FYI, apparently Tesla Service Departments, SHOCKINGLY, may not at least always, check the tires on the loaners they send out. When I dropped off my P85D for upgrading last week at the FREMONT FACTORY SERVICE CENTER, they sent me out in a beautiful blue P85+ which they carefully did a "walk around" to check for cosmetic issues. They did NOT CHECK THE TIRES! Very quickly as I headed back to Sacramento, I felt the car was "loose" on traction, and when I got home I checked the rear tires--BOTH WERE BALD ON THE INSIDE AND WORN DOWN TO THE CORD !!!!! YIKES and terrifying IMHO. I called the Fremont SC, reported this and they said to get the car to the ROCKLIN SC (about 35 miles from my house" for tire replacement. I had the tires rechecked at my nearby America's Tire which was on the way to Rocklin but only a mile from my house and they confirmed how DANGEROUS and dicey it was to even get the car to ROCKLIN. I drove literally white-knuckled in the slow lane to Rocklin and LOST a total of FOUR HOURS OF MY LIFE getting the car back to safe driving status!

So, be WARNED....Tesla SC staff appear to be negligent at least at times about the safety of the "loaner cars" they send us back out with.

 

[techmaven]

Didn't you check the tires before you left? You are the driver, right?

 

[wk057]

Didn't you check the tires before you left? You are the driver, right?

You can't expect people to take responsibility for something like that... not when there are fingers to be pointed!

But yeah, I always do a once over on the loaners, rental cars, etc before driving off. Never found any issue like the above with a Tesla loaner, though...... although I did return one with two damaged rims and two damaged tires once due to a nasty pot hole.

 

[George L Parrott]

I trusted that when the SC agent did his walk around HE had checked everything, and not just the cosmetic things. Yes @techmaven I understand it is the driver's responsibility, BUT you are telling ALL of us that you fully check the tires of every car you take out? I am sorry, but that is just a little "hard to believe," but YOU might be that thorough. YES, I am not, and I was "more trusting" of the Tesla SC people ....before this.

 

[msnow]

You can't expect people to take responsibility for something like that... not when there are fingers to be pointed!

But yeah, I always do a once over on the loaners, rental cars, etc before driving off. Never found any issue like the above with a Tesla loaner, though...... although I did return one with two damaged rims and two damaged tires once due to a nasty pot hole.

Did they let you slide on the rims/tires?

 

[jerry33]

I always check the pressures the next morning after anyone does anything to the car. There are a lot of myths out there and you never know when one will bite you. I don't check the loaners but I'm not that far from the SC so it's not much of an issue. I'd look more carefully if I had any distance to cover.

 

[techmaven]

Picking up a service loaner is no different than picking up any other rental car. I do check the tires on a rental car and a service loaner, as well as other basic checks.

 

[Andyw2100]

As an FYI, apparently Tesla Service Departments, SHOCKINGLY, may not at least always, check the tires on the loaners they send out. When I dropped off my P85D for upgrading last week at the FREMONT FACTORY SERVICE CENTER, they sent me out in a beautiful blue P85+ which they carefully did a "walk around" to check for cosmetic issues. They did NOT CHECK THE TIRES! Very quickly as I headed back to Sacramento, I felt the car was "loose" on traction, and when I got home I checked the rear tires--BOTH WERE BALD ON THE INSIDE AND WORN DOWN TO THE CORD !!!!! YIKES and terrifying IMHO. I called the Fremont SC, reported this and they said to get the car to the ROCKLIN SC (about 35 miles from my house" for tire replacement. I had the tires rechecked at my nearby America's Tire which was on the way to Rocklin but only a mile from my house and they confirmed how DANGEROUS and dicey it was to even get the car to ROCKLIN. I drove literally white-knuckled in the slow lane to Rocklin and LOST a total of FOUR HOURS OF MY LIFE getting the car back to safe driving status!

So, be WARNED....Tesla SC staff appear to be negligent at least at times about the safety of the "loaner cars" they send us back out with.

Obviously it's not good that the service center allowed a car with bald tires to be loaned out. No one here is going to question that. Thanks for sharing your experience.

But I have to ask: what was the point of stopping at the America's Tire if you weren't going to take action based on what they told you? It seems if you were as concerned as they indicated you should be, the more prudent thing to do would have been to call Tesla from there (or even from back at home, since home was only a mile away) and ask Tesla to come bring you another loaner and take the one you had away on a trailer.

 

[DFibRL8R]

I'm guessing the tires on a loaner especially a P see some pretty heavy use. Honestly I'm surprised Tesla uses the performance version for loaners and the added cost of frequent tire replacement on these beasts (I mean beasts in a good way) can't help their bottom line.

 

[lolachampcar]

George,

It is a bit of poetic justice that even Tesla has to deal with inside shoulder wear on the rear of earlier cars. Of course, that is normal; just ask the service center.

 

[MikeBur]

Sorry to hear George. I think we all too often drive away without checking everything and whilst it may be an implicit that we expect to be given a safe car, mistakes do happen.

I once received a loaner with significantly low pressure on one of the tires. I went to a nearby gas station as soon as I noticed it and topped it up. I drove to my work appointment, calling my SC on the way, and they offered to send another loaner if it was a puncture and apologized.
I couldn't has asked for better result, though I agree, there should be a basic check for road worthiness done - whether this is a rental agency, loaner, etc.

Driving on illegal and dangerous tires was something I would never have done. Although potentially inconvenient for them to bring a car to you, the alternative was a lot riskier and unnecessary. If you called your SC, after you found out the state of these tires, and they couldn't help then I understand your frustration and my next step would have just called the roadside assistance number and have Tesla take on the burden. Two times I've needed their service (both due to punctures btw ;-)) and they are second to none imo. They will even Uber you to your destination if interrupted whilst they transport the car to the SC.

My suggestion would be to write an email to ServiceNA and recount your story in a constructively critical way, ie. what would you have expected to have happened differently. In future any car you drive you should inspect to your satisfaction as mistakes do happen and an accident from a mistake is something which would be bad for everyone. As more pressure occurs on the service centers for loaners and quick turnarounds, we have to ability to help imo. Repeat offending service centers will be noticed and corrected.

Cheers, Mike

 

[TexasEV]

My suggestion would be to write an email to ServiceNA and recount your story in a constructively critical way, ie. what would you have expected to have happened differently. In future any car you drive you should inspect to your satisfaction as mistakes do happen and an accident from a mistake is something which would be bad for everyone. As more pressure occurs on the service centers for loaners and quick turnarounds, we have to ability to help imo. Repeat offending service centers will be noticed and corrected.

Cheers, Mike

To the OP, I suggest you turn off the all caps when you do so.

 

[wk057]

Did they let you slide on the rims/tires?

They tried, but since it was two rims and two tires they could not. Deeply discounted them though, and no labor.

 

[CarlK]

I'm guessing the tires on a loaner especially a P see some pretty heavy use. Honestly I'm surprised Tesla uses the performance version for loaners and the added cost of frequent tire replacement on these beasts (I mean beasts in a good way) can't help their bottom line.

I think they try to give you the faster version for loaner to remind you what you have missed.

 

[BrianC]

I trusted that when the SC agent did his walk around HE had checked everything

*buzzer sound* NEVER trust other people when getting a loaner or rental. Check everything out yourself and force them to write down anything you deem worthy to be down.

I had a place (no names) that told me "not to worry" about what looked like someone threw a few hand fulls or nails into the car, I told her that I WILL worry about whatever I want and demand it was written down.... When I returned? yup!! They said something about the marks!

 

[GoTslaGo]

Now where can I buy one of those mirrors that police use to look under the car? Getting a little too old and creaky to stoop down to check the inside of the tires on a car.

Can't remember the last time I or any service people ever looked at the inside of the tires on a rental/loaner, Tesla or non-Tesla. And yes I've used plenty of loaners from BMW. Good thing you noticed and nothing bad happened. Thanks for posting, will keep this in mind for the future, especially with P versions.