My Model X Pensive's First Annual Service
My Model X, Pensive, reached its first birthday a couple of months ago, although I was reluctant to schedule another service appointment while I was debating utilizing the Lemon Law statutes. As has been the standard mode of operation, none of my messages to the service department were being acknowledged.
Scheduling the Appointment
Having decided not to roll the dice with a new Tesla Model X, I rescheduled my first annual service (which had been included for free) through the Tesla mobile application. I picked the earliest date available, twelve days out, and received my automated confirmation message The list was long hard to read, surprising list of items. 38 hours before my appointment, the service department responded to the appointment request in the app, wanting to clarify some of the requests.
There were some frustrating parts:
Annual maintenance - If all services are required the cost is $477.43. Any services found to not be needed will be removed and the price will be reduced.
After I responded, inquiring as to the annotation made during my previous appointment, he confirmed that the maintenance was covered. On one hand, I realize he's probably going through a general form response for every appointment on a given day, but I'm surprised Tesla hasn't built a better system to indicate whose under a service contract in the same tool the shop uses to respond to the scheduling requests1.
Quote for paint touch-up - If you are referring to the Paint Repair Kit you can purchase it directly from the Tesla Shop using this link <https://shop.tesla.com/us/en/product/vehicle-accessories/model-sx3-paint-repair-kit.html>. If you are requesting us to >touch up something on the car we can certainly see what our detail team can do as a courtesy but most paint concerns would be directed to a Tesla approved body shop.
This was directly offered by the app, yet it seems that the shops do not know how to handle it.
Fix interior a-pillar trim from previous appointment - I could not find any record of anything related to an A-Pillar. Can you provide more information and maybe a photo?
The inability to cross-reference communication on their side is a continual frustration. I forwarded the eMails I had following the windshield replacement since, not unlike the due bill, Tesla could not find any note about tidying-up the A-pillar.
Inspect front right wheel well degradation - Can you provide any more details regarding this?
I provided pictures, and he offered to re-secure the trim as a courtesy, which addressed the problem nicely.
Diagnose why doors continue to not always close/open completely - Can you provide any more details regarding this?
I provided more detail, effectively repeating earlier eMails describing the doors not opening all of the way, or fighting with the operator. Annoyingly, the service center asked for timestamps, which I had provided when I eMailed during our trip to the Berkshires.
I replied to his eMail, but again received no response. Specifically, I asked how I should go about getting them timestamps within 10 days since it seemed that my currently process of eMailing them (sometimes within an hour), did not seem to work in getting seen. I asked that point again, when I was in the shop, since it was a recurring request following the GPS-fix and lock-up issues; the response I got was a shrug.
Since I had ran out of space on the submission form in the application, I also summarized my other outstanding issues. I provided images in my eMail, but the links are added here:
* Garage door operation remains inconsistent, but is better than some previous iterations (e.g. it usually works at the moment).
* MCU Lock-ups the first two weeks of April. Can you confirm a regression under 2019.8 for the RTC fix?
* "Take over Immediately" appearing only in the central display, not dash, appearing intermittently, along with short-term lock-ups or screens going blank. This meant no confirmation for AutoPilot status, so the car apparently stayed on AP and began a lane switching manuever until it was overridden more forcefully (under 2019.12.1.2).
* Beginning with 2019.12.1, the car frequently stopped or significantly reduced speed for no apparent reason when using crusie control. This was regardless of illumination or time of day (including night) and on different roads, including I95, where it dropped to 35MPH without traffic late at night.
* The text on the central screen was unreadable; this appears fixed.
* Links in the online manual don't work (I honestly haven't checked this in a month, so maybe it's fixed).
* Remote control of environment systems was non-functional earlier this year (although other API/app functionality was unaffected). I assume this was a known issue that was resolved?
* The Web browser actually is usable now, without the ridiculous input latency problem, but combo boxes are rendering in the wrong spot. I assume this is known?
I did not receive any response.
Drop-Off and Loaner
Unlike the third attempt at fixing the MCU lock-ups caused by a realtime clock sync issue, there were people present in the service center when I arrived. We walked through the items mentioned in the eMail, I highlighted the A-pillar issue from the windshield replacement and brought-up the previous thread for the gentleman at the desk since he couldn't find it noted. He assured me it wouldn't be a problem and they'd get it fixed this time.
I was given a Model X as a loaner, named X Wife. While Enterprise had taken over the loaner-car process sometime before my second service appointment, I hadn't realized they also managed the Tesla fleet. The Enterprise agent explained that Tesla had nationally sold their old Model S and Model X loaner cars to Enterprise, who was now managing the fleet and handling the loaners for them, which sounds like a smart move all-around.
Pick-up
Oddly, I knew my vehicle was ready because I happened to be frantically checking the app to get an update on my vehicle's status since I hadn't heard anything from the service center. In the past, I'd received an eMail and phone call, but now it seems the only notification they send is through their app which seems to be a bad idea. It assumes that someone has the device with the Tesla app installed, with notifications enabled, is in an area with data coverage and with data active, and is actively checking the device. It seems like using the listed preferences with Tesla for contact—phone or eMail—would be more reliable, at least in parallel with the app notification. Hopefully surcharges wouldn't kick-in until they actually reached-out via another method.
Despite having made a note of it, the A-pillar still was not fixed, despite it being checked-off on the list of items fixed. Fortunately, when I showed the gentleman who was handling my paperwork, he grabbed a tech who had it fixed in ten minutes.
Less ideal, were new marks left by the service team on the glovebox and scratches on the keyfob.
I'm somewhat surprised, but am under the impression they're just using a standard eMail client without any integration with the client/service management systems