Two Thirds of Early Model S Drivetrains May Fail By 60,000miles

[TNEVol]

Responded to survey 58k with several long road trips in 2013 P85 no issues. One thing I added to survey is I have not balanced battery.

 

[tomsax]

Responded to survey 58k with several long road trips in 2013 P85 no issues. One thing I added to survey is I have not balanced battery.

Is there a good page with instructions for balancing the battery that I could link to on the survey form?

 

[dogphlap]

For what it is worth: I mentioned to the Tesla tech who flew up to check my seat belt anchorage (and those of others Model S owners) that I seldom fully charged so the battery had not had an automatic balance and he responded that any charge of over 60% will result in a battery balance being done as part of the charge cycle. Bottom balancing was not discussed.
It is such a shame that so little technical detail is formally shared with the owners of these vehicles and we are left to gather little pieces of informal and possibly incorrect information as best we can.

 

[lolachampcar]

Yes it is but then I have seen owners take technical tid bits from the factory and then turn around and hold Tesla's feet to the fire based on some of the data the company shared. I suspect they were bitten a few times with Roadster and decided on a little less sharing. In addition to that, there is so little communication with the field (Service Centers, Stores) on run of the mill normal day to day stuff that it would seem impossible to allow real useful information to disseminate via that channel.

 

[jerry33]

Is there a good page with instructions for balancing the battery that I could link to on the survey form?

The best information appears to be in this thread.

In testing with a salvage vehicle and pack, the balancing circuits would never enable until the car was at the constant-voltage stage of the charge cycle, around 93+%. Afterwards they would stay on regardless of charge/discharge for some set period of time calculated to bring that particular cell group down to where it needed to be.

 

[tomsax]

The best information appears to be in this thread.

That link doesn't work for me. It looks like a search link using a transient ID as opposed to a permanent thread link.

 

[JRP3]

Try this http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/show...battery-pack?p=1221160&viewfull=1#post1221160

 

[TNEVol]

Also I recall a post by Mario Kadastik in which he detailed experience with balancing. Mario is truly a research scientist.

 

[gjunky]

@islandbayy I am amazed about how you are taking all this. I am usually a patient person when it comes to service (as long as the service is good and they are trying to make things work) but I am not sure I would have been this patient. At this point I feel they should at least install a new drive unit (not a refurbished one) if they of course still have those. I think if it was me, I would have called on the lemon law or sold the car already. Again, very impressed with your patience.

It is interesting to see that people have multiple replacements or no issues at all. It sure makes it sound like there is another issue in the car causing the problem which would almost be confirmed if they installed a truly new DU.

Perhaps it is time to trade up to a 90D :frown:

 

[dlingle]

1 was a intermittent failure, inverter. Almost got hit by a semi when power cut out in a intersection. Then it kicked back in as I frantically smashed at the accelerator and it blasted full speed just in time to NOT test the safety rating of the car. That was drive unit #3. Drive unit #1, my original, developed the clunk, which progressively got worse to the point it would Echo between my house and my neighbors house(I've posted video/audio of this). #1 also had some "safety" issues that resulted in loss of control on one occasion (long story). Drive unit #2 developed the Milling noise, which became loud enough where my neighbor across the street from me could hear it IN her home as I drove by (Yes, doors and Windows closed). I also got a email from someone that was Supercharging at the service center. Said they were pulling a black Model S around, and he was taking a nap. The loud noise (The milling noise) was enough to wake him up INSIDE his closed vehicle. Looked again and saw it was mine. His words, "Holy Schnit Was that loud)". Replace the one word with a more colorful one. I'm keeping this family friendly.

#4, went to pick up the car from having a fresh unit installed to fix the Pending Inverter Failure in #3. I live 60.1 miles from the service center. Between leaving service center and making it home, it developed the Milling Noise. Within 500 miles of install, it developed the Milling noise Worse, and a Drone noise accompanied by Vibration at above 75mph.

Which of these would you not call a failure, or pending failure waiting to happen? To me, Eminent Failure is Failure, just caught before leaving me stranded over and over again.

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Havent updated that in a while. Once #5 is installed in my car within the next week or so, that will be the cars 5th drive unit. All installed in 2015. Original DU, which developed the Clunk, that progressively got worse, the clunk started toward the end of 2013, at approx 25,000 miles on the car roughly. Pushed for a resolution for the worsening clunks, they applied many fixes, including shims, grease, re-torque etc... Finally, had a incident at the end of 2014 which prompted to finally just replace the unit. That was ordered, then replaced beginning of 2015. DU #2 was replaced in Beginning of June if I remember correctly, DU #3 was replaced in august I believe, #4 in September/Early October (Not looking up the exact dates...) and #5 is going in within the next few weeks. Need to call for appointment tomorrow.

I will say they are really taking care of me, and given the parts numbers, they are going through a lot of DU Versions or fixes. Since all swapped DU's are Refurbished units (I asked about just getting a NEW unit and being done with it), Potentially some issue with the Refurbishment process???


And current Mileage is 75,000 as of 12/10/2015

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Given my cars overall service record, I would lean toward either another problem thats causing DU Failure, or Just plain bad luck. Or possibly a problem with Drive Unit refurbishment process.

Almost the entire history of my car is all on video on my youtube channel. Pushing around 400 videos on my Model S since Delivery. Just about everything is recorded, and on record.

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I'm sorry if you took it to sound like I am implying that all these issues will lead to failure. That was not my intent. Part of the problem with the Model S, is lack of ability of the owner to access diagnostics, or even service the cars accept for the most basic of things (Brakes and tires come to mind as the most serviceable item on the car). This in turn, means no real way to diagnose any issues. At least on a ICE, you can plug a OBD2 reader in, and get usually get a trouble code of some sort if something isn't working or sounding right. When my truck started making a strange engine noise, and then had some mild vibration, guess what, that reader told me cylinder 6 was mis-firing. Turned out to be a defective spark plug. Replaced, done. Avoided getting stuck, needing a tow.

I am saying, in a case where the potential is of high risk or increased risk of a "stranded failure", the pro-active replacement of drive units is a good thing. So you do not like that I am praising Tesla for taking Initiative?

Yes, I encourage people to have their cars checked. Would you prefer me to say, no, just keep driving it, worry about it if/when it leaves you stranded. When being stranded could have been prevented with a short service visit?

I'm sorry you believe I am a Chronic complainer. I purchased a vehicle that was advertised to me as High Reliability, Low maintenance, and the price I paid for my car should reflect that. Door handle fails, of course I'm going to complain, cooling fan fails allowing the radiator to get hot enough to cause steam to come from the front of my car, of course I'm going to complain, cooling pump fail, of course I'm going to complain, water intrusion into my trunk, over and over and over and over and over again, of course I'm going to complain. Key not in Vehicle, over and over and over and over again, of course I'm going to complain. Should I continue? I document everything. I take no joy in going to the service center so often. I love when my car is working as intended. It's pure joy to drive.

Charity for replacing my drive units? Sure, safety issue & extreme echoing noise, milling loud enough for neighbors to hear inside their homes with the windows and doors closed, intermittent inverter failure almost causing myself, and my two small children the opportunity to test out the safety rating of the model s by inviting a semi to slam into us, 60 miles on a DU for it to start milling, ~500 for it to mill louder, drone and vibrate the car above 75mph. Yes, I am getting Charity for expecting a vehicle that does not have the issues mine has in 2 1/2 years of ownership.



EDIT: what leads to articles like Jalopnicks, are website owners that don't give a rats backside about what they wright, as long as it's FUD, "Shocking" or some other stupid thing that nets them large quantities of page views. That is all. How do you think they make their money? Sure, they could wright a article saying "Tesla Drive Units are Fast". Everyone knows that, no one is going to read it, they will not make money. Wright a article, incorporate some FUD, and "Shock", such as "Two Thirds of Early Drive Units Will fail before 60,000 Miles", then you get people saying, WTF, I better check this out. It's called Click Bait. You know what... It works. Otherwise this thread would not be here.



I still praise Tesla service. It is top notch unlike any other!

if there was a newer different version, i would pay for it even if it was under warranty. because if they put in the same defective old design, it will just happen again, very soon.

 

[GHammer]

if there was a newer different version, i would pay for it even if it was under warranty. because if they put in the same defective old design, it will just happen again, very soon.

You're posting to a thread that is 7 years old. They have redesigned the motor
in question and do install it in case of a failure. Mine is going after first replacement for ovee 100k miles.

 

[KJD]

if there was a newer different version, i would pay for it even if it was under warranty. because if they put in the same defective old design, it will just happen again, very soon.

You need to spend some time reading

Out of Warranty Drive Unit Replacement and Cost