Tesla won't perform any alignment/wheel/suspension work on car with aftermarket rims/tires

[AWDtsla]

Has anybody had to deal with Tesla not working on their car because they have aftermarket wheels?

Here is what the Tesla Colorado Service Manager emailed to me. Really can't believe they take this stance.

So that you are aware, our policy is that we will not be able to perform any work on the vehicle that involves aftermarket wheels or unapproved tires. Basically what that means is that if you have any issues with the tire pressure monitoring sensors, alignment, suspension work, brake fluid change or any other service requirement that would involve removal of or working with the wheels and tires we would be prohibited from performing that work.

I will have the vehicle ready to be collected shortly.

This is illegal thanks to the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act

 

[rxlawdude]

This is illegal thanks to the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act

Uh, no. If an owner makes a modification to a part or replaces the OEM part, the warrantor (Tesla) indeed may refuse warranty work on those parts. Here, it's the issue of getting to other parts of the car that require (now non-Tesla) wheel removal.

 

[AWDtsla]

Uh, no. If an owner makes a modification to a part or replaces the OEM part, the warrantor (Tesla) indeed may refuse warranty work on those parts. Here, it's the issue of getting to other parts of the car that require (now non-Tesla) wheel removal.

They may not however deny warranty work on brakes or suspension, or even tire pressure monitors if it is the vehicle side that is at fault. While many other non-Tesla owners have pushed the boundaries of this act, Tesla denying warranty work based on tires would be an open and shut case in court. So Tesla should just follow the general rule of "Don't be a dick" and avoid going to court entirely.

edit - and not removing a wheel is a dick move. What's next? Oh you have aftermarket mats in the car, we refuse to work on the seats!

 

[rxlawdude]

Tesla denying warranty work based on tires would be an open and shut case in court.

Except the topic and original post was about WHEELS. WHEELS <> TIRES.

 

[green1]

Except the topic and original post was about WHEELS. WHEELS <> TIRES.

Actually, no, see below:

So that you are aware, our policy is that we will not be able to perform any work on the vehicle that involves aftermarket wheels or unapproved tires. Basically what that means is that if you have any issues with the tire pressure monitoring sensors, alignment, suspension work, brake fluid change or any other service requirement that would involve removal of or working with the wheels and tires we would be prohibited from performing that work.

According to that, even after market tires on the OEM rims would still cause them to deny working on anything that involved getting behind the wheels, including suspension, brakes, alignment, etc.

Clearly illegal, but also par for the course for Tesla, if pushed they'll back down, because they know they don't have a leg to stand on.

 

[rxlawdude]

Actually, no, see below:
According to that, even after market tires on the OEM rims would still cause them to deny working on anything that involved getting behind the wheels, including suspension, brakes, alignment, etc.

Clearly illegal, but also par for the course for Tesla, if pushed they'll back down, because they know they don't have a leg to stand on.

Yes, if that's indeed what was said. I suspect what the Tesla manager was trying to say related to third-party wheels and a tire that does not match OEM size. (Some people have chosen to outfit their MS with 20" wheels, for example.)

So let's recap: Tesla absolutely cannot refuse warranty work based on non-OEM tires (think about how ridiculous that would be). Tesla MAY refuse the portion of warranty work that involves removing third-party equipment substituted by the owner. Tesla WILL and LEGALLY refuse warranty repairs to any part that has been modified, damaged through abuse, or replaced with third party products.

This is no different than any other product under warranty.

 

[dsm363]

Tesla can refuse to mount aftermarket tires on OEM rims. They didn't used to do this but do now. If you have them mounted somewhere else they will put the OEM rims on for you.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

I would seriously doubt that Tesla would decline to perform an alignment, tire rotation, suspension or brake work simply because your tires are Pilot Super Sports and not ProContacts. I doubt that anyone at Tesla even notices the brand and type of tire on any given vehicle.

 

[kevincwelch]

I doubt that anyone at Tesla even notices the brand and type of tire on any given vehicle.

I dunno... But perhaps you were being tongue in cheek.

I dropped off my car a couple years ago and got a loaner with the Sottozero tires and before I left, the tech said he was interested in feedback on how to sottozeros compared to the Xi3s.

 

[supratachophobia]

One of the funnier things they do, is they won't balance or rotate the Michelin ice3 tires at a US service center because it isn't a Tesla approved tire... In north america. But it is a Tesla approved tire in Canada, and they'll service it fine there.

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I dunno... But perhaps you were being tongue in cheek.

I dropped off my car a couple years ago and got a loaner with the Sottozero tires and before I left, the tech said he was interested in feedback on how to sottozeros compared to the Xi3s.

No comparison, the pirellis are crap compared to the ice3. And the comparison only widens the more snow there is around.

 

[JeffS]

Again...not US. Maybe where you are in the US. But not my experience at all.

 

[kevincwelch]

No comparison, the pirellis are crap compared to the ice3. And the comparison only widens the more snow there is around.

No question. I wasn't a mile from the service center before I was slipping all over the place and the traction control light burned a hole through the cluster. Needless to say, my feedback was a big thumbs down.

 

[GHammer]

Since it seems like this "policy" varies from between service centers, anybody have any experience with the Tigard Oregon center. I just bought a P85+ CPO and was hoping to go to 20" wheels.

 

[mscott]

I believe this is where they're headed. At the Houston Westchase service center recently, one of the guys told me that they're coming out with a new form that the customer will have to fill out before service that lists any and all aftermarket parts that are installed on the car. Tesla is supposed to work on the car even with these items installed, but will not be responsible for them if they break or are otherwise damaged.

This includes wheels, tires, dashcams, aftermarket lighting, etc. This is probably a good compromise -- it keeps Tesla non-liable for any of these items and lets the customer have them without Tesla standing in the way.

This is exactly what I had to do at the Denver SvC when I recently (2-3 weeks ago) took my car in for the first scheduled (and pre-paid) service. I signed a waiver for my after-market wheels, but (they said) they still performed the alignment.

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No question. I wasn't a mile from the service center before I was slipping all over the place and the traction control light burned a hole through the cluster. Needless to say, my feedback was a big thumbs down.

I'll 3rd this, but for the Tesla-approved (and older model) Sottozeros. I have the Sottozero 3s on my MS and they're pretty impressive. Far better than the ones that were on my loaner.

 

[FlatSix911]

Interesting discussion ... can someone post a copy of the waiver form?

 

[luvnMyTS]

Has anybody had to deal with Tesla not working on their car because they have aftermarket wheels?

Here is what the Tesla Colorado Service Manager emailed to me. Really can't believe they take this stance.

So that you are aware, our policy is that we will not be able to perform any work on the vehicle that involves aftermarket wheels or unapproved tires. Basically what that means is that if you have any issues with the tire pressure monitoring sensors, alignment, suspension work, brake fluid change or any other service requirement that would involve removal of or working with the wheels and tires we would be prohibited from performing that work.

I will have the vehicle ready to be collected shortly.

I can only say what I know. They did the full service on my car, including alignment and tire rotation and it had custom wheels. They never said a word about it having custom wheels.

 

[Zybane]

"Unapproved tires". LOL that service manager is a moron. He thinks a car manufacturer can direct you which tires you can and cannot put on a car?

Quickly regretting ordering a Tesla, so many idiots in this company.

 

[LuckyLuke]

Interesting discussion ... can someone post a copy of the waiver form?

My story: In november 2015 a wheel nut broke off when I was changing my summer wheels (Vossen 20") for winter wheels. The nut literally fell off on first touch of my socket, no force was applied at all.
Although the service at Tesla was generally ok (they helped me same day) they required me to pay for the parts (wheel hub was replaced) because in their opinion the cause of the stud thread breaking were the aftermarket wheels/nuts. The labor was on their expense.
In my opinion the cause was either 1) a material defect of the wheel stud or 2) a wrongly tensioned nut during last service visit. Mind you last time the Vossen wheels were fastened Tesla did this during service in april 2015, I had not touched the wheels in the meantime.
You can see pictures of the broken wheel stud and nut in my posts here and here.
Sadly Tesla's service manager wouldn't budge and insisted that I payed for the parts. It was only a couple hundred €'s so I just payed up without making a fuss.

When I picked up the car they required me to fill in a "Deed of Release from Liability, Europe" document number SC-14-00-013 R1

 

[Brown_Rocket]

Hello all,

Thank you for contributing to this thread!

Here is an update. Colorado Tesla Service Center will ONLY let me put on the Michelin Primacy MXM4 P245/45R19. I asked if I could put on the Continental ExtremeContact DW. Response was NO, he replied:

"I have seen that tire cause vibration and pull issues historically. The Michelin in our collective experience is going to be your best bet."

I asked it I could put on the Bridgestone S-03. Response NO, he replied!

"The Michelin MXM4 family of tires has been around for quite a while, and has been subject to continuous improvement. The one that Tesla has selected is a fairly recent update to that family of tires, and has the ability to withstand the weight and performance of the Model S.

The Bridgestone is not an approved tire by Tesla, and I personally have no experience with it. As an unapproved tire, we wouldn’t be able to service it nor would we be able to service any aspect of the wheel that would require us to mount or dismount the tire – such as the TPMS sensors or valve stems. We also would not be able to source them nor install them."

So along with only using Tesla wheels, there is only one tire I am allowed to put on 19" approved Tesla wheel. What are peoples experience with the Primacy? I have been running 21 inch wheels and am switching to (Tesla only!) 19inch wheels and tires with all the snow and potholes here in Denver.

Thanks!!

 

[jaguar36]

That seems a bit silly to me, but its not completely unreasonable that they won't want to take the tires off the wheel if they aren't approved tires. Shouldn't really matter any decent tire shop is going to be able to do that far cheaper than the service center anyway.