What to do?!?!? 2013 Model S 60 Battery fail

[Yurand]

?

Arent there some 85 and 90 kwh packs in non air suspension cars? Also I dont have air suspension and I have a 75kwh battery in my S60. I don't really think the weight difference will make be a huge deal.

Yes, there are. I'm not saying you would have to upgrade to air suspension, just stiffer coils. I don't know the weight difference between the old 60kWh and new 75kWh battery. Maybe it's close enough that it doesn't require a suspension upgrade. That is why I wrote "probably."

wk057 states a coil upgrade would be required for 40 kWh to 75kWh cars upgrading to a 90kWh here: Nearly brand new 90 kWh Ludicrous battery pack, v3 - LIMITED TIME

 

[Ostrichsak]

Toyota replacement batteries had a _1 year_ warranty. Didn't seem to do their hybrid sales any harm.

The warranty on the electric drivetrain and battery in new cars is to meet the requirements for ZEV credits.

This difference here is we're comparing Tesla to Toyota so they don't have the same long-term reliability outlook that the general consumer has compared to Tesla. Any misgivings that a consumer has on an EV is quickly overshadowed by the name Toyota. Tesla doesn't have that aside from a very tiny percentage of all consumers who would buy a turd if Elon put a Tesla logo on it.

Also, we're talking about a VERY small battery pack by comparison and the car still drive fine even if they owner didn't replace it so not really apples to apples here.

 

[PWlakewood]

84-month car loan? Good lord. I'd hate to see the bottom line total of interest paid on a six figure car over 84-months. Ouch.

Yup but some people do it. I usually go 60 or less on auto loans.

 

[Ostrichsak]

Yup but some people do it. I usually go 60 or less on auto loans.

I wouldn't even do that. If I can't pay cash for a car I can't afford it. Financing depreciating liabilities is one of the worst financial decisions someone can make & the fact that it's the largest or second largest purchase most people make only magnifies the loss. There's a reason most self-made billionaires drive old clapped-out jalopies.

We're getting off topic though so I'll just leave it at that.

 

[ucmndd]

Thank you. Even with this there is still much confusion as some of us have had discussions and interactions with SC and mobile rangers that state the 60kwh was changed to unlimited.

As this thread and OP's situation should illustrate quite clearly, I'd put about as much value in those "discussions and interactions" as the paper they (aren't) written on.

 

[Ostrichsak]

As this thread and OP's situation should illustrate quite clearly, I'd put about as much value in those "discussions and interactions" as the paper they (aren't) written on.

I see that trend becoming increasingly common where someone talked to a "Tesla [insert title here]" and they said something contrary to what is actually in print so therefore it MUST be fact. I've had enough interaction with Tesla employees to say that the very last thing I would trust is their expertise on ANY matter let alone statements contrary to what we already know. They then come back here and parrot it as fact and after enough people repeat it it becomes public knowledge. Hell, I was guilty of this very thing a few posts back with the mile cap on power train coverage on older 60's so I don't think anyone is immune.

 

[MP3Mike]

That's what Tesla told you directly? If so, Tesla needs to do something about that or it could be disastrous in the court of public opinion. If they're selling replacement battery packs (just one major component that could fail, all of them have two or three of these in terms of pack and single or dual motor) for $11k that are refurbished with ONLY a 4-year/50k mile warranty that's going to look very bad as compared to their ICE counterparts and what the major parts cost to replace (even re-manufactured) versus how long they last or are guaranteed.

That is was is listed on the official Tesla warranty page. Vehicle Warranty

 

[PWlakewood]

As this thread and OP's situation should illustrate quite clearly, I'd put about as much value in those "discussions and interactions" as the paper they (aren't) written on.

I see that trend becoming increasingly common where someone talked to a "Tesla [insert title here]" and they said something contrary to what is actually in print so therefore it MUST be fact. I've had enough interaction with Tesla employees to say that the very last thing I would trust is their expertise on ANY matter let alone statements contrary to what we already know. They then come back here and parrot it as fact and after enough people repeat it it becomes public knowledge. Hell, I was guilty of this very thing a few posts back with the mile cap on power train coverage on older 60's so I don't think anyone is immune.

I completely agree. I don't trust what they say at all.

 

[boonedocks]

Some banks go 84 months or refinance it

The math still doesn't work tho. It would have had to be a 20 year note. LOL LOL

 

[Sherlo]

Originally all Model Ss had a limited mileage warranty on the battery/driveunit. Then they changed it but only for the 85kWh versions. (The 40 and 60 kWh models maintained their limited mileage warranty.)

When they re-introduced the 60kWh version, using a 70kWh battery, it got the unlimited mileage warranty as well.

Elon’s blog post from 2014 (which only mentions the 85kWh):

Infinite Mile Warranty

 

[MP3Mike]

Elon’s blog post from 2014 (which only mentions the 85kWh):

Infinite Mile Warranty

That is only about the drive unit warranty. The extension was made to all Model Ss. But that extension was "The Tesla Model S drive unit warranty has been increased to match that of the battery pack." (Originally the drive unit was warrantied under the 5-year/50k bumper-to-bumper warranty.)

The battery pack warranty was not extended/changed for any Model S.

 

[marlonjm2k]

Do they put in another 60 Kwh pack or another slightly larger pack?

Another refurbished 60w

 

[marlonjm2k]

Is anyone selling used batteries from wrecked Telsa's that could be swapped out? or anyone repairing them? I'm guessing some of the modules could be swapped and get it working

Unfortunately, all the ones I've seen so far are higher than the $11k quoted from Tesla.

 

[Sherlo]

Another 4 years of use of any luxury car for 11 grand seems like a solid value proposition to me.

If it were my car I would repair it. I’m also assuming that the refurbished pack is either likely to have significantly better ultimate longevity from what they’ve learned over the last eight years or ends up being a software locked 70 kWh pack.

Agree. But given an outstanding loan, I’d assume coming up with 11k might be a challenge.

 

[Sherlo]

That is only about the drive unit warranty. The extension was made to all Model Ss. But that extension was "The Tesla Model S drive unit warranty has been increased to match that of the battery pack." (Originally the drive unit was warrantied under the 5-year/50k bumper-to-bumper warranty.)

The battery pack warranty was not extended/changed for any Model S.

Gotcha, makes sense.

 

[marlonjm2k]

According to the Tesla warranty page 4 year or 50k miles.

I would hope that it would be an upgrade to a 75, or 90, kWh pack. (The one YouTuber that had a 60 kWh pack fail, outside of warranty, had it replaced free of charge and they upgraded him to a 75kWh pack. Again no charge. But that may have been before the service centers understood that the original Model S 60s had a limited warranty.)

@marlonjm2k please do keep us updated with any more information you get or how you end up resolving this.

Yes- I asked about that case of goodwill as well Likely done because of the publicity he generates for Tesla with his Youtube page.
Tesla SS confirmed that they would be replacing it with a refurbished 60.

 

[wk057]

Actually, I think the OP just recently contacted me about this (and I responded). They didn't mention the Tesla service cost, though, in that contact. I can't beat the $11k deal for a replacement 60-pack, really, since Tesla's assuming all risk there it seems.

Since I have no way to know what's recoverable from the original pack until I have it out and on my test bench, what has actually failed, etc, the only thing I can do is sell a full replacement pack (60, 70, 75, 85, 90, 100, whatever), and then consign the original for resale of whatever is salvageable and allow the customer to recoup some costs.

We've done a handful of 60 to 85 upgrades for customers with failed/failing 60 packs this year already actually. One of them had moisture incursion into the right side of the pack due to failing check valves in the rails, and others had damaged cell fuses in several modules causing a perpetual imbalance, which seems to be the most common failure it seems. Another was just terribly degraded after over 200k miles of use, heavy supercharging, etc, and the customer wanted more range. We've done a few 60-P85 upgrades, also, which always gets nice reactions from customers on their first post-repair drive.

 

[marlonjm2k]

That's what Tesla told you directly? If so, Tesla needs to do something about that or it could be disastrous in the court of public opinion. If they're selling replacement battery packs (just one major component that could fail, all of them have two or three of these in terms of pack and single or dual motor) for $11k that are refurbished with ONLY a 4-year/50k mile warranty that's going to look very bad as compared to their ICE counterparts and what the major parts cost to replace (even re-manufactured) versus how long they last or are guaranteed.

Yep, here is the quote:
Good morning Marlon, I have spoken to my lead and the HV battery pack replacement is not something we can goodwill. It will be customer pay. If you choose to have it replaced the new warranty will be 4 year or 50,000 miles. For more information please see https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/downloads/tesla-parts-accessories-body-repair-limited-warranty-en-us.pdf. The whole pack will need to be replaced because it is not a serviceable part. Please let me know if you have any more questions, and how you would like to proceed. Thank you!

 

[marlonjm2k]

Just out of curiosity how did you get a car loan with those terms. 6 years in to your loan and you still owe $18,000.

Purchased from a private seller in January 2019, which makes it an even harder pill to swallow, and sink more money into it.

 

[mtndrew1]

Agree. But given an outstanding loan, I’d assume coming up with 11k might be a challenge.

Naturally it’s going to be a tough pill to swallow but I think the new battery is the best solution to an awful predicament.