Yellow screen? Force Tesla to Replace it!

[dannycamps]

Issues due to sunlight are excluded in the warranty

Yeah but that is a really a fine line. In context they probably mean damage/discoloration to body panels, paint, fabrics, etc... by sunlight. Of course they can interpret it however they want regardless of whether it's right or wrong.

They also can't definitively say the issue is caused by sunlight. Other products with LCD screens have had this happen (e.g. MS Surface Pro 3, iPhone 5, etc...) and not once did a manufacturer say it was a purely cosmetic issue.

 

[kkillebrew]

Just to confirm, this was at the Austin service center?

Yes, on Research and Pond Springs road

 

[kkillebrew]

Yeah but that is a really a fine line. In context they probably mean damage/discoloration to body panels, paint, fabrics, etc... by sunlight. Of course they can interpret it however they want regardless of whether it's right or wrong.

They also can't definitively say the issue is caused by sunlight. Other products with LCD screens have had this happen (e.g. MS Surface Pro 3, iPhone 5, etc...) and not once did a manufacturer say it was a purely cosmetic issue.

Mine did it and it is garaged 100% of the time when not being driven. This yellowing occurred over a period of time when the car had not been driven for almost a week. I live in Texas and was hot in the garage...

 

[ReddyKilowatt]

I’m surprised a class action has not yet started for this issue. Their stance that it is not a defect is absurd. What would they do if a high percentage of the paint jobs started to bubble. Doesn’t effect functionality, performance, etc.

I’m ready to find an attorney and proceed. Anyone else?

 

[docbrown]

I’m surprised a class action has not yet started for this issue. Their stance that it is not a defect is absurd. What would they do if a high percentage of the paint jobs started to bubble. Doesn’t effect functionality, performance, etc.

I’m ready to find an attorney and proceed. Anyone else?

I'm concerned about Tesla's viability as a business, and that forcing them to replace all the affected screens could kill them. Then we'd be worse off than we are now.

 

[ReddyKilowatt]

I'm concerned about Tesla's viability as a business, and that forcing them to replace all the affected screens could kill them. Then we'd be worse off than we are now.

I’m a fan and stockholder and I have no problem getting them to stand behind a product I paid $110k+ for. I bought my first S85D in 2015 and had no grievances as their customer service was outstanding. No longer. If they can’t deal with this issue a change is in order. I’m not worried about the value of my current cars as someone would most likely buy them.

 

[jason1466]

My early 2017 X was given the UV treatment in Rockville, MD SC yesterday. Same experience as others, re 4 hours. Looks good, will hope it lasts until we find out how much the UV treatment will cost out of warranty just before selling the car.

 

[raj_n]

Every time I get a different message from Tesla. 2 days back they said UV treatment may be a paid repair. Now they says its a covered repair. They are also saying "this concern is documented under warranty"! This is new. Which means they were selling this car knowing the customer will run into this issue soon?

"We apologize for the delay in getting your concern addressed, rest assured that the yellow screen does not affect the performance of the touchscreen and this concern is documented under warranty so once the tool is available it will be a covered repair."

My new ritual. Every morning create a new service request. By afternoon they will send me a message and cancel the appointment. Will piss them off whichever way I can..

 

[Ken7]

So here we go again. I called my local SC to ask if they had finally gotten the broken tool back in a repaired state. The answer was yes. Of course I was promised weeks ago they’d call me as soon as the tool arrived. They didn’t. The last time I had an appointment it wasn’t until I got there that I found out the tool was broken. Nobody called to cancel. See a pattern here?

This time I’ll call on the morning of my appointment before I schlep out to the SC again. What are the odds the tool will still be working in 2 weeks? Not very good.

 

[FlatSix911]

Since the poster a few posts back said that they had the uv treatment done at the Austin Service Center, I went ahead and made an appointment to get it done. This is my 3rd or 4th attempt. The message I got back was different than previous responses. They are now saying that the treatment IS NOT PERMANENT:

"The yellow condition is not a defect and is not covered under warranty. However, Tesla has developed a procedure which uses ultraviolet light to remove the yellowing condition for a period of time and we will apply it as a one-time goodwill gesture. Please note that this is NOT a treatment that removes the yellowing condition permanently."

A Completely unacceptable response from Tesla... time to go to arbitration.

 

[xKRSx]

Set up a Service appointment via the app to cover the yellow borders (among a list of other items). Tesla sent me the service estimate this morning via email and the screen work was left off the service estimate. Do they usually not list this yellow border screen work off the initial estimate?

Other items listed are for car shake/shudder and loud squeal when positioning a seat. Car is still under warranty but the items are listed as
'customer pay'. What?

 

[passhard]

Hi all!

I come bearing news on how to get your yellow screens replaced.

Its surprisingly simple. Tesla participates in a program called NCDS which is binding arbitration for Tesla but NOT for the individual. This is a remediation option prior to true binding arbitration. This means that even if you lose you can still pursue other options later but Tesla has to abide by the ruling. If you follow my points below, you should be able to get your screen replaced using this method.

I went to their website here: NCDS - Automotive Warranty Disputes and filed a claim. All I wrote was a few short sentences describing my screen and explaining that Tesla refuses to fix it. About 2 days later I received an email confirming the claim is eligible and notifying me I would be assigned an arbitrator and a date for a conference call.

I received an email and a letter via the mail a few days later confirming my arbitration date for 3 weeks away. Shortly after, I received an email with Tesla's response. Their response was quite fascinating, in that they 100% admitted the design flaw, but are trying to place it as both "wear and tear" being caused by "environmental conditions" and just a "cosmetic issue". Their response is here: Tesla Response . The interesting bits are mainly on pages 4 and 5.

Shortly after I was provided their response, I replied to my claims administrator and sent her a written response providing dates and times I spoke with individuals, with their names, contrary to Tesla's representative's claim that I never contacted them over this issue to seek a repair. I also provided both photos of the issue to show it impacts while the screen is on, and a copy of an invoice (here: Tesla Repair) showing that they previously claimed it as warranty. This was forwarded to Tesla.

On the day of the call, my husband and I joined with the arbitrator and Tesla's lawyer. The discussion was short, only 30 minutes and had a few interesting notes:

* The discussion partially focused around whether it was a design "characteristic" as opposed to "flaw"
* Tesla claimed it was an environmental issue and provided no proof thereof. The arbitrator dug into this and made it clear he was unimpressed with their claim that had no backing. The lawyer on Tesla's side claimed they had the documents but could not provide them "because of NDAs and such"
* Tesla has _not_ issued a TSB(technical service bulletin) for this issue. That was another sticking point for our arbitrator.
* Tesla's lawyer specifically called out that the flaw impacts every model S/X of that "vintage", but then stated that not every one will exhibit the problem.
* I brought up during the call that I had called the service center that morning and they claimed to have no knowledge on dates for the fix. This was in direct response to Tesla's representative claiming that the fix was actively rolling out to service centers across the country, and had been for 2 weeks.
* interesting note about refresh: Their lawyer admitted that they are now completing final details on their refresh that is around the corner, and this won't be a problem for those vehicles.


Once we ended the call, it took about a week to get the decision in my email: decision . All told, this took MAYBE 45 minutes worth of my time. I now have a mobile tech scheduled to come out next week, and notes in my account to not cancel the appointment.

solid!!!
i hate dealing with Tesla- it always seems like I'm just dealing with a call center rep

 

[xKRSx]

I tried to reschedule my appointment and included again the request for screen work (that Tesla removed last time without a reason) and the next day got this text:


“This is Tesla Virtual Service reaching out regarding your upcoming service visit. The engineers are currently working on a fix for the screen discoloration. Unfortunately we do not know the date this will be available to us. Please check back at a later date. At this time we will be cancelling your appointment.

Thank You,

Tesla Service”

I’m located in California - Bay Area. Thought they had the fix already?

 

[BulldogsRus]

I'm concerned about Tesla's viability as a business, and that forcing them to replace all the affected screens could kill them. Then we'd be worse off than we are now.

Just so I'm understanding this...you're worried about a company's business viability over something they knowingly admit was/is a defect problem, affects a large majority of their vehicles, has been documented as either covered under warranty or instead will cost over $1k out of pocket, has a "fix" that maybe or maybe doesn't work, or there is or isn't a replacement coming soon? Seriously?

Sorry, I'd be frustrated if a dealer kept changing their mind or reasons to fix a warrantied item, but Tesla knows what the truth really is:
Tesla's Screen Saga Shows Why Automotive Grade Matters

 

[docbrown]

Just so I'm understanding this...you're worried about a company's business viability over something they knowingly admit was/is a defect problem, affects a large majority of their vehicles, has been documented as either covered under warranty or instead will cost over $1k out of pocket, has a "fix" that maybe or maybe doesn't work, or there is or isn't a replacement coming soon? Seriously?

Sorry, I'd be frustrated if a dealer kept changing their mind or reasons to fix a warrantied item, but Tesla knows what the truth really is:
Tesla's Screen Saga Shows Why Automotive Grade Matters

I don't understand your question. My concern is that Tesla is on the verge of not being viable, and that having to replace all the affected screens would cost more than they can afford. I don't know why else they would go from replacing the screens under warranty earlier this year, to the ridiculous stance that it is not something that is covered under warranty.

 

[BulldogsRus]

I don't understand your question. My concern is that Tesla is on the verge of not being viable, and that having to replace all the affected screens would cost more than they can afford. I don't know why else they would go from replacing the screens under warranty earlier this year, to the ridiculous stance that it is not something that is covered under warranty.

My point is that they are STILL selling these very same trouble-prone screens in the latest S and X, and others that have had them either replaced or UV repaired are again seeing issues. This is entirely their fault, and putting the onus back on the customer to pay for a replacement screen for over $1k even under warranty KNOWING it will inevitably reappear is sad. Mind you, they are putting all of that "replacement money" into the Model 3 and Y, and soon the truck. They changed their stance ONLY because it was costing them money to replace something they realized would happen to almost all of these screens, so instead they basically blame the customer for having the nerve to expect it not happen months after purchase.

 

[docbrown]

My point is that they are STILL selling these very same trouble-prone screens in the latest S and X, and others that have had them either replaced or UV repaired are again seeing issues. This is entirely their fault, and putting the onus back on the customer to pay for a replacement screen for over $1k even under warranty KNOWING it will inevitably reappear is sad. Mind you, they are putting all of that "replacement money" into the Model 3 and Y, and soon the truck. They changed their stance ONLY because it was costing them money to replace something they realized would happen to almost all of these screens, so instead they basically blame the customer for having the nerve to expect it not happen months after purchase.

I can't tell if we're having an argument, or if we are agreeing! My initial comment was basically that I'm afraid a class action lawsuit, that forces Tesla to repair, replace or compensate the owner of every affected screen, would push them over the edge into non-viability. Then we'd be worse off than we are now. I've heard people say not to worry, they'll get bought out. If that happens I wouldn't look forward to dealing with the new owner to fix my screen.

I actually have an appointment on Friday to get the UV procedure. This is my 3rd or 4th attempt at an appointment. This is the closest I've got so far to the appointment date without having it be canceled. My fingers are crossed.

 

[kkillebrew]

I tried to reschedule my appointment and included again the request for screen work (that Tesla removed last time without a reason) and the next day got this text:


“This is Tesla Virtual Service reaching out regarding your upcoming service visit. The engineers are currently working on a fix for the screen discoloration. Unfortunately we do not know the date this will be available to us. Please check back at a later date. At this time we will be cancelling your appointment.

Thank You,

Tesla Service”

I’m located in California - Bay Area. Thought they had the fix already?

I think they have a limited number of whatever this machine is that "fixes" the problem, and they rotate them around to the different service centers. Seriously.

 

[BulldogsRus]

I can't tell if we're having an argument, or if we are agreeing! My initial comment was basically that I'm afraid a class action lawsuit, that forces Tesla to repair, replace or compensate the owner of every affected screen, would push them over the edge into non-viability. Then we'd be worse off than we are now. I've heard people say not to worry, they'll get bought out. If that happens I wouldn't look forward to dealing with the new owner to fix my screen.

I actually have an appointment on Friday to get the UV procedure. This is my 3rd or 4th attempt at an appointment. This is the closest I've got so far to the appointment date without having it be canceled. My fingers are crossed.

Maybe both, hahaha! I feel bad for people like yourself in these situations, hence my reluctance to jump in and just buy one. I love the company, the cars and the technology but their "growing pains" are directly affecting owners and putting their livelihoods at risk as most of us would use these as daily drivers and really can't be without a vehicle for long stretches.

 

[CA_MD]

I got fed up with Tesla's response and was able to get a courtesy buyback at slightly less than what I paid for after going through the lemon process.

A simple screen replacement under warranty was all I wanted and in the end they forced my hand and took a bath on my P100D.

Good luck to everyone on here.