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Tesla service manager in Dublin CA told me that aftermarket wheels void the warranty?

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Can this be true? Basically he said that Tesla might not cover issues since they have been burned before?
Sorry 1 week old owner of a P90D trying to figure out if I want to get aftermarket 20s of find a set of used Tesla 21s.
 
Not true of course unless they can prove they the after market modification caused a specific issue which is usually hard to prove. Even then they can only void a specific item. They can't void the entire warranty. For instance, if you installed a wheel they shreds the wheel well, they don't have to cover it. If you have issues with your tpms, they don't have to cover that either.
 
Biggest worry I have with aftermarket wheels, is the higher than average weight of a Tesla.

I know that Tesla engineers and tests their wheels to handle the weight and extreme torque of their cars, but do not know if the aftermarket builds their wheels to tesla engineering specifications, or does their own testing to assure the strength that is needed is there.

I know that their are a few, super high quality aftermarket wheel manufacturers that build their wheels for extreme use on a race course. These have much higher engineering standards than the much more typical China manufactured cheap stuff.

While some of the wheels that are available are just their run of the mill wheels, sized for Tesla. Not sure how bulletproof they would be on a Ludacris equipped Tesla.

When I raced Vipers, there were several well respected aftermarket wheel manufactures that gain the respect of the community. Others were just producing bling wheels at cheap prices. Nothing that the racers would trust their lives with.
 
Earlier this forum posted pictures of aftermarket wheels that would bolt onto a Tesla, but were machined improperly and were only centered by the low tolerance lug nuts instead of a factory hub centric fittment. I believe that manufacturer changed their production methods to make a factory type fitment, but the Service center mechanics refused to rotate them or replace tires on them due to the obvlous inherent safety issues with a poor fitting wheel.

Tesla takes the safety of their cars as one of the cornerstones of their mission. Their vehicles are highly integrated. Changing just one critical item can cause unintended concequences.
 
Does not void the warranty. I purchased used set of 21" OEM rims and the SC mounted and balanced them for me as long as they were Tesla rims. They would not mount or balance non-OEM rims.


That's correct-- the service manager said if I bought a used set of Tesla OEM 21 rims -- the SC would mount and balance them for me as well. He just said if they were aftermarket wheels -- that Tesla can't stand by them and if something happened to the car the point of failure may be due to the aftermarket wheels -- and Tesla could say there was some issue. He also mentioned there are counterfeit Tesla wheels out there as well and the interior stamping of the wheel with the serial numbers being very defined as one way to tell if they are legit.
 
That's correct-- the service manager said if I bought a used set of Tesla OEM 21 rims -- the SC would mount and balance them for me as well. He just said if they were aftermarket wheels -- that Tesla can't stand by them and if something happened to the car the point of failure may be due to the aftermarket wheels -- and Tesla could say there was some issue. He also mentioned there are counterfeit Tesla wheels out there as well and the interior stamping of the wheel with the serial numbers being very defined as one way to tell if they are legit.

I'm surprised they'd even do this. Who knows if the wheels have been bent and repaired and are not weaker because of it. I bought my 21" wheels second hand from a refurb company and it's the one thing that gave me pause. If one my wheels collapses under the weight during a high speed turn, I could very well be in for it.
 
As others have noted this is so wrong, I have had two sets of aftermarket wheels -- 20" and 19", with a set of 20" ESE carbon fiber wheels set for delivery at the end of April. My SC knows this and has serviced my car with the aftermarket wheels mounted. So don't be the least bit concerned. Way too many Model S owners blow the warranty suspension concern way out of proportion.
 
There was a very similar thread about this issue but concerning the Denver Service Center. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find it using the search option but if you search, you might be able to find that thread and see if there was any resolution.
 
Biggest worry I have with aftermarket wheels, is the higher than average weight of a Tesla.

The cast wheels that Tesla makes both standard and 21" aren't anything special. In fact, they are pretty heavy. Most aftermarket wheels would at least be at par in terms of weight. As for quality, you get what you pay for in this category (just like every other). Wheels can be purchased for cheap as aftermarket cast - the worst being from China typically where the back of the wheel is painted black to tone down the unfinished cast finish...its rough and will capture all sorts of dust and road materials and will be difficult to clean, and in worse cases even difficult to balance.

The more expensive wheels from ADV1 and HRE would be much higher quality than the MFG Model S wheels and have a lower unsprung wheel weight. Plus, if you want the bigger diameter wheel, you can save yourself some money on tires and opt for the 22". The ride quality change (I have air) is minimal and range isn't affected whatsoever. Moreover, I live in California, the land of terrible roadways and no blowouts as many fear on this site.

As for aftermarket parts voiding warranty its 100% illegal to go down this path. This has already passed through the court system and its known as the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Basically, Tesla has to prove a direct link to your swapped part with any failure. The onus is on Tesla proving this, not you pleading your case to Tesla. If they can't make a direct and logical link to the failure and your part, they MUST honor any warranty issue. Its plain and simple - Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia