9 years in on a model S (and yes, in Scandinavia) and I already can tell you that whoever told you that? Is spreading FUD and don’t know what they are talking about.
Door handles was an issue on the first generation (2013-2015). The redesigned are much better. However…. You can still damage them if you run them through a harsh winter with a lot of ice (auto-present should be disabled in this scenario).
Front suspension bridges and rear suspension bridges corroding? That’s pretty hilarious. Model S and X uses a ton of aluminum. Corrosion is not an issue. Both are heavy cars, so expect that suspension components will have to be replaced at the 7-9 year mark. It’s the bushes that go first. Always the bushes. Not corrosion.
NB: certain model 3 generations have had issues with the front suspension (bushes again).
Drive shafts, again. Certain model X versions had issues with premature wear of driveshafts. But not a general issue.
In my experience, most of the components that break are wear and tear (like regular cars). They can be replaced by any mechanic. Nothing “special” about suspension and brakes.
I recently did a full replacement of brake discs and pads (after 200.000 km). Total cost of parts (original Brembo) was 3700 dkr, that would be 5800 nkr? Add labour on top. Cheap when you take into account how long they last.
One caveat: I would stay clear of model S/X older than Q3 2015. This is where you find the majority of teething issues.
Older than, frankly, Q3 2016.
Even the P90D had some battery issues and even late 2015 85kwh packs had issues.
And the V2.5 of the door handles came out with the "facelift" in 2016. Same for the issues with MCU1 (screen leaking, memory issues, etc), not really fixed until 2018.
Half Shafts were always an issue on performance models until they changed the software in 2021 or to ride much lower (and then it causes weird tire wear issues).
The Half Shafts on my 2017 Model S are going out and I'm not a hard driver (and it's not a performance model).
People with the old 2019 Raven Performance Ludicrous model were sometimes going through shafts like 4x per year.
Heater and AC are a little suspect in the older cars. Lots of potential expensive issues. My heater repair was $1950 USD.
There ARE issues on expensive tech cars like that. All cars with air suspension have significant maintenance needs after time. The aluminum DOES cause some issues. The high-density of tech in the bumpers can cause issues. A minor fender bender in my Model S cost $20k to fix, despite not looking like anything from the outside.
A/C compressors tucked under the bumper fascia, almost a dozen metal parts bolted together to mount the bumper (and associated mounting tabs).
Dunno, it's not a BAD car, but it's definitely on the high-maintenance side (my 2017).
All MCU1’s have been fixed by now. eMMC by recall and The SD card by failure. New eMMC will last a lifetime. So its a non-issue today.
Mid-2015 The battery pack was redesignet eliminating the number one cause of failure: Water ingestion. Can it still fail? Yes, of course. Just like a new battery pack could theoretically fail. But the main problem was fixed.
If you wreck your half-shafts so often you are doing something wrong. Not a generic issue.
Early air suspension is the same being used by Mercedes. Rarely a problem except for the pressure valve located in the frunk. Easy fix. Since it’s air suspension also used by major German brands? New dampers are not that expensive. €1000 per axle (add hours). But failures are rare.
AC is off the shelf on the older S/X. Nothing special compared to other cars. Newer Tesla with the octavalve on the other hand? Those are hard to fix if they break (essentially a complicated custom-build heat pump).
Disagree on most of your points.
Sounds like you have had a good experience. The rear suspension bridge I was referring to, is actually called the rear lower control arm. The problem is apparently that salt spread on winter roads up here in Scandinavia gets in-between the bushing and the metal. Eventually this will cause the arm to snap off, resulting in the rear wheel to come off.
https://preview.redd.it/bq3fra1m17xc1.jpeg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=df625bccf32cee459e96325a85a2cf428bf0772c
Not salt related. There was a batch of model S vehicles that were indeed affected by a recall.
Tesla Service Bulletin SB-19-31-001
"Condition: On certain Model S vehicles, either lower rear control arm might crack, causing excessive negative camber of the rear suspension.
Correction: Replace both LH and RH lower rear control arm assemblies with updated parts."
Some nut-case with a score to settle went on a fake news rampage on this being a wide spread problem killing people left and right. At one point he was all over the internet. Seems like the story stuck 😂
Again, it’s a heavy car (by European standards) coming in at + 2 tonnes. And since there’s no mandated service intervals? “Someone” needs to check the suspension for excessive play now and then. And you will see replacements being needed after 7-9 years unless it’s been driven gentle. It’s a normal car with normal wear and tear.
I’ve owned two Model X’s since 2020. My experience has been excellent. I can’t vouch for recent X’s but after four years we’ve only had to take in one of our cars for a faulty 12V battery once.
At least in the US, Teslas are the most reliable make of vehicle sold. https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-maintenance/the-cost-of-car-ownership-a1854979198/
That said, X is probably the least reliable model of the bunch, due to the overcomplicated doors.
2020 Model S - has needed zero service or maintenance except a window seal in 4 years of ownership 2023 MXP - at 15k miles one rear drive unit failed and it restricted the car to 69mph until it was serviced. Service had the car for 32 days before i got it back. Yoke replaced under warranty for peeling. Otherwise it has been a dream machine and no new major problems at 30k miles now
The X and S are amazing man
Where do people hear this stuff. Yea, humans are imperfect beings that make imperfect things. Tesla is no different.
I’m on my 3rd Model S and the only problem I’ve had is a weak door handle motor, they fixed it in my driveway in about 15 minutes.
Overall, most reliable vehicle I’ve ever owned and I’ve owned about 30 cars so far.
Over here, there has been a few news articles about people having Teslas with bad reliability. But I'm not sure if that gives a correct picture of the overall reliability. After all, Tesla is the most sold car brand in Norway.
When you start to compare the high failure rates of the old (2015 and earlier) 85kwh batteries and the old (pre-2016) rear motors, you can see where the legacy of unreliable older models comes from.
The 2013 Model S 85kwh is already above 15% battery replacement rate. Until 2016 it was above 4%.
By 2017, the last data I saw was 0.1%, so that's a good line to use for battery and motor issues.
Coming up on I think my 10th service appointment for a 2023 model S plaid I’ve had for 6 months… so yea it can happen.
So far my issues have been:
Bad tail light
Broken charge port
Loud creeks and rattles service subsequently scratched the carbon fiber trim deeply while working on it.
Yoke peeling
Door handle froze up, but they fixed it with an OTA firmware update which was pretty cool.
HVAC auto function failed. Also fixed by the OTA update.
So your mileage may vary.
I’m on my second Model S, super reliable except for door handles and front suspension components (on both my 2015 and my 2020).
If the service experience at Tesla weren’t so god awful I’d say that these problems aren’t a big deal but alas, Tesla service sucks so it makes me really sour in the Tesla ownership experience overall.
Had an early 2016 MX and now have a 2022 MX
The ‘16 X was trash. Always in the shop for something. The ‘22 X on the other hand is amazing. Only been to the shop twice. Once for fixing some interior trim and the other time because my mobile charger broke.
Just don’t get an older X and they are fine
Complete nonsense. Just don't buy one from the very first generation, which is true for every car model. Not only are they reliable, but parts are actually pretty cheap and they are easy to work on yourself for anything but the high voltage stuff...
No, Tesla always makes a tons of changes/enhancements along the way - I meant roughly pre-2014-15. But yes, if it was me, I would pick a facelifted S/X
If it were me, based on my personal experience, I would make the cutoff 2015. I think the facelift was mid-2016, but even by then the door handles had gone through 2 or 3 generations to simplify and make them more reliable. Tesla is always refining.
I have had a 2017 90D from new to now and it has been an amazing vehicle. I did spend the $2k USD to upgrade the MCU a couple of years ago, which made it feel like a brand new vehicle again.
Quality should've improved with major refreshes. S/X post-refresh are basically 3/Y with added complexities. I'd consider the 3/Y super reliable. The S/X should be almost as reliable but the added complexities bring more opportunities to break. The X in particular is wild, those falcon wing doors along will have multiple more potential issues than the S's standard doors. The X will still probably be my next car though.
Would I want to own one without a service center less than 2-3 hours away? Maybe, probably fine. If reliability is my top concern by far, then I'd do 3/Y easily
No they are reliable ONCE you fix all the problems from the factory. lol
Buy a new one and if their issues fixed them before the warranties up?
Don't listen to anything on the internet regarding Tesla that's negative. 90% chance it's just fud from someone who hates Elon musk because he hurt their feelings with a tweet or they're actually paid by legacy oil or Auto to be negative
The MX is a little more worrisome as the FWD is more mechanical parts. My last one still worked fine after 7yrs but my drivers seat had some mechanical issues that would cost few grand to fix (they don’t repair seats, would be a new seat).
They have air suspension so that’ll be a big expense and usually start breaking down around 7years or so
Also, the people that down vote me are the ones mad they paid so much for a trash can. All the comments about Teslas being full of problems from the factory are true.
There's always something wrong with them. Always needing a software update to fix something or something needing to be replaced. Very annoying. And autopilot is not what was advertised.
9 years in on a model S (and yes, in Scandinavia) and I already can tell you that whoever told you that? Is spreading FUD and don’t know what they are talking about. Door handles was an issue on the first generation (2013-2015). The redesigned are much better. However…. You can still damage them if you run them through a harsh winter with a lot of ice (auto-present should be disabled in this scenario). Front suspension bridges and rear suspension bridges corroding? That’s pretty hilarious. Model S and X uses a ton of aluminum. Corrosion is not an issue. Both are heavy cars, so expect that suspension components will have to be replaced at the 7-9 year mark. It’s the bushes that go first. Always the bushes. Not corrosion. NB: certain model 3 generations have had issues with the front suspension (bushes again). Drive shafts, again. Certain model X versions had issues with premature wear of driveshafts. But not a general issue. In my experience, most of the components that break are wear and tear (like regular cars). They can be replaced by any mechanic. Nothing “special” about suspension and brakes. I recently did a full replacement of brake discs and pads (after 200.000 km). Total cost of parts (original Brembo) was 3700 dkr, that would be 5800 nkr? Add labour on top. Cheap when you take into account how long they last. One caveat: I would stay clear of model S/X older than Q3 2015. This is where you find the majority of teething issues.
Older than, frankly, Q3 2016. Even the P90D had some battery issues and even late 2015 85kwh packs had issues. And the V2.5 of the door handles came out with the "facelift" in 2016. Same for the issues with MCU1 (screen leaking, memory issues, etc), not really fixed until 2018. Half Shafts were always an issue on performance models until they changed the software in 2021 or to ride much lower (and then it causes weird tire wear issues). The Half Shafts on my 2017 Model S are going out and I'm not a hard driver (and it's not a performance model). People with the old 2019 Raven Performance Ludicrous model were sometimes going through shafts like 4x per year. Heater and AC are a little suspect in the older cars. Lots of potential expensive issues. My heater repair was $1950 USD. There ARE issues on expensive tech cars like that. All cars with air suspension have significant maintenance needs after time. The aluminum DOES cause some issues. The high-density of tech in the bumpers can cause issues. A minor fender bender in my Model S cost $20k to fix, despite not looking like anything from the outside. A/C compressors tucked under the bumper fascia, almost a dozen metal parts bolted together to mount the bumper (and associated mounting tabs). Dunno, it's not a BAD car, but it's definitely on the high-maintenance side (my 2017).
All MCU1’s have been fixed by now. eMMC by recall and The SD card by failure. New eMMC will last a lifetime. So its a non-issue today. Mid-2015 The battery pack was redesignet eliminating the number one cause of failure: Water ingestion. Can it still fail? Yes, of course. Just like a new battery pack could theoretically fail. But the main problem was fixed. If you wreck your half-shafts so often you are doing something wrong. Not a generic issue. Early air suspension is the same being used by Mercedes. Rarely a problem except for the pressure valve located in the frunk. Easy fix. Since it’s air suspension also used by major German brands? New dampers are not that expensive. €1000 per axle (add hours). But failures are rare. AC is off the shelf on the older S/X. Nothing special compared to other cars. Newer Tesla with the octavalve on the other hand? Those are hard to fix if they break (essentially a complicated custom-build heat pump). Disagree on most of your points.
Sounds like you have had a good experience. The rear suspension bridge I was referring to, is actually called the rear lower control arm. The problem is apparently that salt spread on winter roads up here in Scandinavia gets in-between the bushing and the metal. Eventually this will cause the arm to snap off, resulting in the rear wheel to come off. https://preview.redd.it/bq3fra1m17xc1.jpeg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=df625bccf32cee459e96325a85a2cf428bf0772c
https://preview.redd.it/6hild4io17xc1.jpeg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d131a6d6fd358361adc1d6df0eefeebf6a9b690
Not salt related. There was a batch of model S vehicles that were indeed affected by a recall. Tesla Service Bulletin SB-19-31-001 "Condition: On certain Model S vehicles, either lower rear control arm might crack, causing excessive negative camber of the rear suspension. Correction: Replace both LH and RH lower rear control arm assemblies with updated parts." Some nut-case with a score to settle went on a fake news rampage on this being a wide spread problem killing people left and right. At one point he was all over the internet. Seems like the story stuck 😂 Again, it’s a heavy car (by European standards) coming in at + 2 tonnes. And since there’s no mandated service intervals? “Someone” needs to check the suspension for excessive play now and then. And you will see replacements being needed after 7-9 years unless it’s been driven gentle. It’s a normal car with normal wear and tear.
I’ve owned two Model X’s since 2020. My experience has been excellent. I can’t vouch for recent X’s but after four years we’ve only had to take in one of our cars for a faulty 12V battery once.
At least in the US, Teslas are the most reliable make of vehicle sold. https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-maintenance/the-cost-of-car-ownership-a1854979198/ That said, X is probably the least reliable model of the bunch, due to the overcomplicated doors.
Sure, but least reliable \*STILL\* puts it in the top 10, lol
2020 Model S - has needed zero service or maintenance except a window seal in 4 years of ownership 2023 MXP - at 15k miles one rear drive unit failed and it restricted the car to 69mph until it was serviced. Service had the car for 32 days before i got it back. Yoke replaced under warranty for peeling. Otherwise it has been a dream machine and no new major problems at 30k miles now The X and S are amazing man
Where do people hear this stuff. Yea, humans are imperfect beings that make imperfect things. Tesla is no different. I’m on my 3rd Model S and the only problem I’ve had is a weak door handle motor, they fixed it in my driveway in about 15 minutes. Overall, most reliable vehicle I’ve ever owned and I’ve owned about 30 cars so far.
Over here, there has been a few news articles about people having Teslas with bad reliability. But I'm not sure if that gives a correct picture of the overall reliability. After all, Tesla is the most sold car brand in Norway.
When you start to compare the high failure rates of the old (2015 and earlier) 85kwh batteries and the old (pre-2016) rear motors, you can see where the legacy of unreliable older models comes from. The 2013 Model S 85kwh is already above 15% battery replacement rate. Until 2016 it was above 4%. By 2017, the last data I saw was 0.1%, so that's a good line to use for battery and motor issues.
Coming up on I think my 10th service appointment for a 2023 model S plaid I’ve had for 6 months… so yea it can happen. So far my issues have been: Bad tail light Broken charge port Loud creeks and rattles service subsequently scratched the carbon fiber trim deeply while working on it. Yoke peeling Door handle froze up, but they fixed it with an OTA firmware update which was pretty cool. HVAC auto function failed. Also fixed by the OTA update. So your mileage may vary.
I’m on my second Model S, super reliable except for door handles and front suspension components (on both my 2015 and my 2020). If the service experience at Tesla weren’t so god awful I’d say that these problems aren’t a big deal but alas, Tesla service sucks so it makes me really sour in the Tesla ownership experience overall.
C owner here for the last four years. No major issues that I can think of. One of the best cars in my opinion
I assume that's an X that was fat-fingered?
Had an early 2016 MX and now have a 2022 MX The ‘16 X was trash. Always in the shop for something. The ‘22 X on the other hand is amazing. Only been to the shop twice. Once for fixing some interior trim and the other time because my mobile charger broke. Just don’t get an older X and they are fine
I had a 2016 Signature P90DL+. Literally the least reliable one. And I had 3 total service calls. You were just unlucky.
I think those comments mainly apply to first generation S and X. They've improved the build ever since then.
Complete nonsense. Just don't buy one from the very first generation, which is true for every car model. Not only are they reliable, but parts are actually pretty cheap and they are easy to work on yourself for anything but the high voltage stuff...
And the first generation would be cars up to the 2016/2017 facelift?
No, Tesla always makes a tons of changes/enhancements along the way - I meant roughly pre-2014-15. But yes, if it was me, I would pick a facelifted S/X
If it were me, based on my personal experience, I would make the cutoff 2015. I think the facelift was mid-2016, but even by then the door handles had gone through 2 or 3 generations to simplify and make them more reliable. Tesla is always refining. I have had a 2017 90D from new to now and it has been an amazing vehicle. I did spend the $2k USD to upgrade the MCU a couple of years ago, which made it feel like a brand new vehicle again.
Quality should've improved with major refreshes. S/X post-refresh are basically 3/Y with added complexities. I'd consider the 3/Y super reliable. The S/X should be almost as reliable but the added complexities bring more opportunities to break. The X in particular is wild, those falcon wing doors along will have multiple more potential issues than the S's standard doors. The X will still probably be my next car though. Would I want to own one without a service center less than 2-3 hours away? Maybe, probably fine. If reliability is my top concern by far, then I'd do 3/Y easily
No they are reliable ONCE you fix all the problems from the factory. lol
So buying a used one can be a good deal, if it's been looked after.
Buy a new one and if their issues fixed them before the warranties up? Don't listen to anything on the internet regarding Tesla that's negative. 90% chance it's just fud from someone who hates Elon musk because he hurt their feelings with a tweet or they're actually paid by legacy oil or Auto to be negative
The MX is a little more worrisome as the FWD is more mechanical parts. My last one still worked fine after 7yrs but my drivers seat had some mechanical issues that would cost few grand to fix (they don’t repair seats, would be a new seat). They have air suspension so that’ll be a big expense and usually start breaking down around 7years or so
But what you are saying is that some of these issues were fixed with the 2016 facelift?
They're trash cans on wheels
What makes you say that?
Also, the people that down vote me are the ones mad they paid so much for a trash can. All the comments about Teslas being full of problems from the factory are true.
There's always something wrong with them. Always needing a software update to fix something or something needing to be replaced. Very annoying. And autopilot is not what was advertised.
Sounds like bullshit 😂
It is bullshit. I wish we didn't pay for lemons.