Tesla Build Quality: How Bad & Why They REFUSED to Fix It

0:00 Introduction
0:30 Video Topics
0:51 Background - Picking Up Model S
1:09 Model S Seat Crease & Wrinkles
1:44 Model S Interior Door Trim Misaligned
2:05 Model S Rear Seat Sagging Material
2:21 Model S Rear Glass Distortion
2:52 Model S Front Bumper Factory Damage
3:14 Tesla Model S Paint Quality
3:30 Damaged Model S Interior Door Panel
3:56 Model S Door Bubbling Door Seal
4:07 Leaving My Tesla at Service Center
4:46 What Did Tesla Actually Fix?
5:58 Why Tesla Refused to Fix Issues
6:47 Tips for Picking Up a Tesla

My refreshed Tesla Model S is a great EV, however, it did come with some build quality issues I wanted to share to help other future Tesla owners know what to look out for when they go to pick up their new vehicle.

I'll let you know what, if anything, Tesla was able to address and provide some tips so you can avoid having the same build issues in the future. I do want to note that my Model 3 had less of this problems when I picked it up, likely because it is a more simple vehicle to build.

My tips for when you pick up your new Tesla, whether a Model S or a Model Y, are:

1. Make sure Tesla remotely unlocks the vehicle so you can review the interior and the exterior of your new Tesla before you ever drive it.

2. Make sure you note anything within a service appointment within the Tesla app before you ever drive your new electric car.

3. Once you get home, look the EV over again before you take it anywhere else, including anything you noticed with the drivetrain, such as squeaks and rattles.

Overall - the refreshed Tesla Model S is a great vehicle that has a ton of love. There are still build quality issues from the factory Tesla needs to address, along with communication to customers on how to appropriately report what they find so that they can be fixed.
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[Evhell]

Crazy how a brand new 100k car needs to be inspected this much

[Supraboyes]

for the money, i would expect zero issues

[adamwalcott_official]

Having a 100-mile warranty policy on a new vehicle is like a one-day warranty for any other product... absurd.

[richardh]

I couldn’t deal with those things on a 100k car. Id buy a base taycan instead - trade off some range and acceleration speed for better build quality.

[Brandon-xpob]

Wow. I never wanted a Tesla and now I reeeally never want one

[afcgeo]

So… is the 100 mile claim in the warranty paperwork? If not, they have no legal right to refuse the claim.

[moken]

I almost can’t believe this. this was a brand new car right? 100k car with a wonky door panel, and tesla is telling you to f off? 😢

[tk]

This is what happens when a software company builds a vehicle - an appliance in Tesla's case. There is a reason why car dealerships have tons of used Teslas on their lots. Very good video and you kept your composure better than I could ever have.

[hiddeninternets]

This is what happens when you listen to MUSK CULT! xD Just wait a few more months so you can experience the real issues. There are a lot of mind blowing expensive fails with Tesla cars. 🤯 I sold the Tesla after only 3 months. It was crazy how many issues i had with it. and i just ended up borrowing cars from friends. 🤣

[dahensta]

My model 3 had a paint scrape on the lower lip when it came off the transport vehicle. I noted it at the delivery center and they wrote up a "Due Bill" to fix it at a later time. They could not since they didn't do paint/body work at that time. Then the pandemic hit and I took it back months later but they refused to honor the written due bill stating it was "past 3 months time." No expiration date was on the due bill. Turns out they also will not honor their own Due Bills and will improvise any excuse not to repair delivery defects.

[kelb]

Absolutely humiliating. This has definitely made me second guess my Model Y order.

[ptzish]

This is why I didn't get a Tesla. I really wanted a Model Y but I only drive about 3000 miles a year so the gas vs. electricity cost concern doesn't exist for me. I just think they're cool. None of these new car issues exist (or at least continue to exist over several years) on any other car brand at this price point. I bought a new Telluride 3 months ago and it's all good. No issues.

Update - I've had my Telluride for about 5 months. Still exactly zero issues. It also has a 10 year 100, 000 mile powertrain warranty, as well as a 4 year anything at all (even the wiper blades) warranty for an additional $750, which I gladly paid.

I used to have about $125, 000 in Tesla stock. It's all been sold. Elon has destroyed investor confidence with his Twitter God complex debacle. What a shame. All he needed to do was focus on Tesla quality control.

[PQV-]

I completely agree with all your gripes and all are warranted to have Tesla fixed. It's unacceptable that they only addressed one of those issues you had. That crease in the back seat is horrendous. I could never live with that. Anyway you still have an amazing EV and it's one of the best out there. My wife's model 3 had a panel gap that we didn't really paid attention to until 6 months later and it was starting to bother me so I contacted our Tesla service center and they actually fixed it for us on "good will".

[TastyBananaFatch]

The sad part is that for the money people pay for a Tesla, they can get a far superior car from a traditional manufacturer that knows how to build an actual car. Even electric cars from traditional manufacturers seem better built than Tesla.

[sirnh]

Tesla is not investing enough money in quality and service. Tesla bought back my lemon of a 2021 Models S Refresh after 6 months because of all of the issues - keeping it in the shop for 9 weeks by that point. Tesla is a company that cares too much about investors and too little about its owners. It's a far different, and worse, company than it was before the Model 3 launched, when the company needed to keep every Model S owner happy to stay in business.

[SimonKelk]

When I got my new volvo xc60 there were zero issues. Everything was spot on and I got it detailed immediately to keep it that way. This Tesla has completely unacceptable quality control for such an expensive vehicle. I've had it for a few months now and I am still yet to find anything wrong at all. No funny creases, no lumps or bumps, no bad paint, nada.

[jmattos]

Holy shit dude. Thats crazy. Good tip, doing the inspection on site, no matter how long that might take.

[joecarreon]

I have seen so many videos of quality issues..I will pass on buying a Tesla . For what they charge for these vehicles quality sucks

[willoviedojr]

Damn sorry to hear about your experience. I got told to report things with the first 24hrs. I reported something shortly after and got told it was witin spec. I ended up submitting a service request again for the same thing a week later and someone fixed my issue for me. Sometimes you just get a lazy employee.... I would submit your issues again

[marlunox]

With so many Tesla customers subject to 'repair avoidance' tactics by Tesla support, I wonder if there's an internal memo to circumvent costly repairs. Tesla should consider nursing because they are masters at applying band-aids to customer issues. Their first response is usually no. Sometimes, with a little begging and nagging, Tesla concedes.