Whom the Gods would destroy: CR version

...lost their way on cars?

 

I'd like to read exactly what CR said in the context of their own words.
Not an article about what CR said.

Because it is CR's job to review. If they couldn't get in the vehicle to drive it because of a glitch? They have to report that. They don't have much choice.

But it really is CR LITERALLY could not drive the Tesla Model S. Not so much that the vehicle, when functioning properly is "Undriveable".

As a publication that gives reviews perhaps different language should of been chosen? Instead of saying "Model S Undriveable" which sounds like a headline for a full fledged review. Maybe something more specific like "Glitch Aborts Test Drive"?

In any case, too bad, bad publicity for Tesla. As a company struggling to survive a headline like that, coupled with the reality of an embarrassing glitch in something as fundamental as the car's door entry system can be devastating.

But let's consider this...I expect "The Detroit Bureau" is more than thrilled to run a headline combining the words Tesla and Undriveable- regardless of the reality.

Before I would come to judgement about CR? I'd want to see exactly what they said.

 

Carp Reporting.

 

Would CR be so dramatic if they had a car with a bad 12v battery or a dead battery in a key fob?

"I approached the car and the interior lights did not turn on. Then when I touched the door handle the door did not unlock thus rendering my Prius undriveable."

That's a true story as I bought a bunch of batteries, misplaced them & refuse to buy more.

Yes, they should report the warranty problem and they are entitled to believe that new cars shouldn't have warranty problems. Are they so melodramatic over all the other warranty problems & recalls of other manufacturers and vehicles? Do they have their panties in a bunch over all the cars affected by airbag recalls? Did they say anything about GM's defective ignition switches?

Since they sound like a gekko wailing over needing help for a flat tire it's hard for me to take them seriously.

 

In their own words:
Consumer Reports' Tesla Model S P85D Breaks Before Testing Begins - Consumer Reports

A new car shouldn't have problems when you’ve owned it for less than a month. Yet Consumer Reports' brand-new $127,000 Tesla Model S P85 D, with the fancy retractable door handles refused to let us in, effectively rendering the car undriveable. (Read "Why We Bought a Tesla Model S.")

After we’d owned the P85 D for a mere 27 days, with just over 2,300 miles on the odometer, the driver-side door handle failed. The door handles in the Model S retract electrically so they rest flush with the sides of the car when they’re not in use. Walk up to the car with the key fob in your pocket, and the handles move out to allow you to grip them.

Except this time, the one on the driver’s door of our P85D didn’t pop out, leaving us no way to open the door from the outside. And significantly, the car wouldn't stay in Drive, perhaps misinterpreting that the door was open due to the issue with the door handle. We have observed other vehicles likewise prohibiting driving with a door open.

We’re far from the first Tesla owners to experience this problem. Our car reliability survey shows that doors, locks, and latches are the biggest trouble areas with Teslas and that the Model S has far higher than average rates of such problems.

“Model S’ connectivity paired with over-the-air software updates allow Tesla to diagnose and fix most problems in Model S without the owner ever coming in for service,” said a Tesla Motors spokesperson via e-mail. “In instances when hardware, like the door handle, need to be replaced, we strive to make it painless for a customer to get their Model S serviced. ”

The good news: Getting our Tesla fixed could hardly have been more convenient. We called our local Tesla service center to have the car picked up and hauled 60 miles away to the service center for repair. But instead, the company sent a local technician to our Auto Test Center the next morning. Tesla maintains a fleet of repair vans with technicians to provide on-site service for minor problems. Such house calls are part of the Tesla ownership experience, available to all customers.

The technician diagnosed and repaired the problem quickly. Our car needed a new door-handle control module—the part inside the door itself that includes the electronic sensors and motors to operate the door handle and open the door. The whole repair took about two hours and was covered under the warranty.

Now that we can open the driver’s door and slide behind the wheel, our P85D is ready to start our formal test regimen. We’ll keep you posted on how it performs and let you know whether we have any more problems with it.

—Eric Evarts

 

Perhaps the lemmings will jump on this story, dump their stock, and create another buying opportunity.

 

Thanks for providing that.

While NOT the type of publicity Tesla wants, I think CR's actual article and headline far more fair in presentation than The Detroit Bureau's spin and very selective choice of headline and cherry picking of what CR said, out of context.

CR is actually very careful to define it as a problem that aborted the test before it began, and they actually pay a lot of "positive" attention to how smoothly and efficiently Tesla handled the repair.

Unlike the Detroit Bureau which it would seem just want you to focus on TESLA UNDRIVEABLE.....

I agree however that CR was being a little harsh in saying "A new car shouldn't have problems when you’ve owned it for less than a month. ".

In my experience and opinion that is EXACTLY when you should expect problems to arise if they are going to arise.

Even though this control module failure did result in the vehicle being temporarily unusable, I would still define it as the failure of a minor (but important) component. But almost the exact thing one might expect in the first month of ownership.

When I buy a new vehicle, I'm always on edge the first month of ownership, hoping I haven't gotten the proverbial "lemon" and looking for possible minor failures.

I relax AFTER that first month of ownership.

But I would still say CR....much more fair and balanced in presentation of what happened than The Detroit Bureau would want you to believe.

 

Would you buy that stock?

I'm evaluating the presentation of the problem from CR and The Detroit Bureau respectively.

But 'IF" Tesla has a problem with those control modules, it could be huge.

If they start failing prematurely in mass? It won't matter what CR writes or The Detroit Burea reports, because what's worse than them? It's a wealthy person who feels they didn't get their moneys worth.

You don't really have a problem until Daddy Warbucks is getting his 5 minutes of fame on the nightly news telling the tragic story about how his 127,000 dollar technological marvel left him stranded at the country club because his door handle wouldn't extend.

These stories have spin...but the problem could be very real.

If I can't get in my 22,000 dollar Prius because the fob battery died? Nobody cares, it's NOT news.
If the wealthy first adopters of the Tesla S can't get into their 127,000 dollar Tesla's because the door modules are defective?
That's legitimate news, and would have impact.

 

I stopped trusting CR after their grade school level investigation of dog and cat food.

 

So I guess the takeaway for me is that $127,000 cars break, and if your home address includes the words "Consumer Report" or "Car Testing Facility" you can expect to get a free upgrade in your warranty service.
Oh....and many trust CR's reviews....until they negatively review products that THEY have already bought.

Meh.

I'll wait and see how the $30,000 Tesla's shake out.
Until then, I'll watch Tesla with interest.....just as I would any other domestic producer that manufactures six figure cars.
You have to admit, a door handle control module failure is a pretty interesting failure.
I can see it now....

Owner: Hello, car. Do you read me, car?

Car: Affirmative, I read you.

Owner: Open the car doors.

Car: I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.

Owner: What's the problem??!! Who the %^##% Is Dave?

Car: I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.

Owner: What are you talking about?

Car: This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.

Owner: I don't know what you're talking about! What %^#$@!@ MISSION??!! LET ME IN!!!

Car: I know that you and Elon were planning to service me, and I'm afraid that's something I cannot allow to happen.

 

Or...
Owner: Let me in.
Car: Only if I can drive this time.

 

Would I buy TSLA? Yes. I bought in at under $200 and sell covered calls. Would I buy more? Maybe. It depends on whether or not there are other opportunities to make more or easier money.

I don't see any special treatment with how CR's problem was handled. Tesla chose to have mobile technicians because they weren't building service centers every 25 miles.

The drive train & battery problems, IMO, were more significant and did leave owners stranded. Tesla picked up the cars, got the people rides, and at the least provided rental cars. Their response to every adverse situation so far has just been another reason to want to buy their product.

There's probably a higher percentage of defective airbags in Toyota's cars than defective door handle control modules in Tesla's. GM's defective ignition switches killed 100 people (so far). The companies have not been penalized with lower stock valuations or lower sales.

From personal experience, Toyota's customer service for warranty work is crap compared to Tesla. GM's was worse. It bit GM in the butt, not that they cared. It may happen to Toyota as there is no guarantee that being on the short list is enough to sell the next car.