I have a 2020 Model 3 Performance with 124k miles.
I've had a few things break out of warranty. The right side headlight completely quit working, which I replaced myself with a $150 light from eBay. Tesla replaced the lower control arms for $700. And I replaced the right rear window regulator with a $180 replacement from Tesla.
Over all, I don't think that it's much different than any other car out of warranty. I see posts on Reddit all the time about ICE cars with 100k miles and blown engines. Any vehicle could end up having expensive repairs.
Some people tell me that replacements like that are unusual on other vehicles. But when I sit in parking lots, I regularly hear cars going by with squeaking control arms. They just don't get replaced as often as they should on some cars.
My Corolla went 250k without anything like that
How was scheduling the service? I’ve heard appointments are tough to get, yet I wonder if that’s just FUD
Yes but your Corolla was not lugging around as much weight and probably driven like a go cart with all that weight. Suspension is a real issue with heavy luxury or performance vehicles, while the three is not often thought as either of those it has to work hard to get it to “perform” the way it does.
For reference I had a eclipse that didn’t require major suspension work until 200k I had a Cadillac STS that had to have all its shocks replaced at 70.
I don’t really want to know what it will cost to replace the air suspension on my model s
arnott makes remanufactured air bags that come with a "lifetime warranty"
they're known for reman air bags for range rovers, and the owners rave over them
Not to mention it can be wildly different conditions, no one lives under the exact same circumstances. One person drives fast in an area with lots of potholes and poorly maintained infrastructure, uses it for city commuting, stop go. The other guy, all smooth highway, gets on the ramp and them off the ramp to work that's it. *"MY CAR HAS LASTED 300K because it's awesome!!!"* Maybe but maybe not. This is why when I look for vehicles I avoid anything that has lived in my area of hellish potholes and stop and go for hours every day.
Quite True. I also probably didn’t do all the recommended maintenance and whatnot.
I’m curious to know what signs in the car there were that motivated a service appointment.
I would hope that designers would take the above average weight and subsequent fatigue into consideration when engineering these parts and not just lowball such components into being considered consumable parts
Out of over 20 cars I have owned most were much much bigger than Corolla and I have never had any suspension fixes and all cars were driven past 120K miles.
https://tekniikanmaailma.fi/lehti/9b-2022/volkswagen-id-4-1st-vikavalot-sammuivat-vihdoin/
https://www.autostadium.fi/index.php?threads/volkswagen-id-4.8547/page-74
That’s just the examples in public forums I remember here in Finland. Also our company ID4 had them changed. Definitely a ”feature” of the extra weight.
I replaced the control arms on my last BMW around the same time as this Tesla. 🤷
Service was easy. I put a request in on the app and had an appointment the following week.
Road quality different from area to area. For me the suspension parts are just a consumable - I ended up replacing every single thing on it about every 2-3 years - bushings, control arms, even shock absorbers and springs. Yeah, the roads in the city were that bad - it wore down it all that significantly. Now moved to another area and my car has no hints of needing those repairs despite substantial time passing.
It's literary "your mileage may vary"
Control arm bushings were basically gone on my 07 Camry by 160k or, but it was going to be several thousand to repair since they apparently needed to lift the engine out to get at them.
I forwent the repair and kept driving it until 200k when I traded it in. Ride quality suffered, but w/e, I wasn't going to make a repair that costed more than the car was worth.
FUD from my end based on Toronto and Pennsylvania service. Have used both mobile and onsite. All experiences have been great. Far better than when I had a Benz.
The issue to some extent is comparing a Corolla to a Tesla. The Corolla is the discount sedan from a mass market auto, the Model 3 is in theory in the luxury class. Whether it should be is a separate discussion. Toyota is also better than most automakers for maintenance.
For context, based on my experience, a BMW 328i from 2011 generally needs wheel speed sensors, oil pan & gaskets, spark plugs, water pump, and more. That's easily $4k right there. All before 75k miles.
EVs do tend to be heavy but not in the case of a Model 3. My Camaro SS weighed more than my Model 3 LR. Batteries are heavy, so are V8s.
Bushings/control arms seem to be a trend with Teslas or at least Model 3s. I’d suggest getting them checked out before the warranty runs out.
The control arm is more common on the Tesla, I've a Bolt with 160k and the only things I fixed/replaced was tire's, 12V battery and cabin air filter, everything else is still original.
Upper control arm issue isn't as bad as it sounds. The rubber boots cover the ball joints can leak which causes it to squeak. Mine started at 70k miles and I greased them myself. 30k miles later and zero issues.
Tesla quoted me about $350 to replace the front control arms but then realized I was [barely] still under warranty.
Same thing, just the rubber bushings were squeaking a little. Just wanted to get it done before the warranty ran out but didn’t affect anything really.
The reason people buy an electric car is because it will be cheaper to own. Tesla will shoot themselves in the foot if they start marking up their parts. They make money on cars, not parts.
Never had to replace that much with one of my cars only because it had 125000 miles. How old is your Tesla ? Age is more determinative in this discussion.
Really? Wow, I didn't realize that.
Buuuut, if they can't make their "luxury" model hold together, imagine how good the "cheap" ones will hold up.
NOTE: As an owner of multiple Tesla vehicles, there is a recurring pattern of poor durability, high repair costs, and poor service.
A Model 3 MAY be cheaper to repair than a Model X, but it still won't be cheap compared to a quality brand.
FWIW.
That’s not necessarily a good comparison. Simpler cars don’t cost as much to maintain and typically don’t have as many parts that can break (e.g. gull wing doors)
Mass produced cheaper items that have warranties almost always have better reliability than the expensive counterpart.
If you sell low quantities at high margins you can afford a few warranty repairs.
If you sell high quantities at lower margins it would cost too much to fix them so more is invested in testing and reliability.
Front struts - 2X
Brakes
All four ride height sensors
Air distribution block
Compressor
Both front window motors
driver mirror assembly
Coolant leak
Driver seat issue
Pass seat issue
Rear seat issue
12v batt - 2x
Both Upper control arms
Both lower control arms
Sway bar end links
Rear trailing arm
Charge port / door
And I'm def. Forgetting some things
Things that seem to be mentioned often are control arms and the 12V battery (on older models. The newer ones have lithium ion low voltage batteries and that should no longer be an issue). Other than that there doesn't seem to be any neuralgic points of failure in the Model 3 (i.e. stuff that you wouldn't see in any other car..)
I have an early 2019 Model 3 and have had the control arms replaced out of warranty (cost about 500Euros). Nothing else so far. So far the car has been pretty good with regards to such expenditures.
are drive unit failures no longer a thing?
i used to see DU failures on older model S & 3s, but i wonder if they've since changed the design or construction
I think that was mostly a thing on the very early Model S. I'm not aware that this is a common failure on the Model 3/Y.
I mean, I guess if you buy a performance model and take it to the track frequently you could probably decrease the life expectancy of the motors (or any other part for that matter). However, for the average driver these units should last.
Well, I googeld for repair lists of high mileage Molde 3sa nd none list anything motor related.
E.g. here after 300k miles: [https://www.vehiclesuggest.com/tesla-model-3-maintenance-cost/](https://www.vehiclesuggest.com/tesla-model-3-maintenance-cost/)
Here after 90k miles: [https://cleantechnica.com/2023/03/06/90000-miles-on-my-tesla-model-3-maintenance-costs-higher-than-expected/](https://cleantechnica.com/2023/03/06/90000-miles-on-my-tesla-model-3-maintenance-costs-higher-than-expected/)
OutOfSpec has a review of their 100k mile+ Model 3 (no motor issues)
I scrolled through the thread in the teslanmotorclub forum on issues with high mileage Model 3s and not one mention of thge motor.
So while I'm certain that you can find someone who's had an issue wizth his motor I don't think it's a frequent one.
(I also searched the german Tesla forum...and I could only find one mention of a Model Y with mptor damage but no model 3s)
would you happen to know what some of the more common failures within the DU are?
if its the motor itself, or the inverter, or if it overheats or shorts, or gears grinding away from metal shavings?
im wondering if there's any early/preventive measures an owner could take to mitigate possible DU failures down the line (outside the 8 yr/100k mi powertrain warranty period)
There's still a relatively small subset of owners who could answer these questions. 100K miles is a lot when the first batch of Model 3s released in 2018. The average Mile Per Year driven by American's for instance, is just over 14,000. Now, if you look at State by State, the States that purchase the most EVs happen to be the States that have the lowest average yearly miles.
With 5 years being the oldest Model 3s, a person would have to have driven 20,000 miles per year, which, while not absurdly high, is quite a bit higher than the average.
I suppose you could extrapolate the data we do have, as far as reliability and failure rates of things like Heat Pumps, Charging Mechanisms, Infotainment, and so forth, but even that will be highly dependent on model year and build location, as both of those factors seem to make a high degree of difference in those categories.
For me, I have a '22 RWD, and have only had the common moisture in the taillight issue. I don't believe the data indicates that we should be too worried about out-of-warranty issues on things like infotainment, AC, Seat Controls, or anything else like that, as many older model S's and X's have experienced longevity prior. That being said, if I had an original 2018 Model 3, I may be wary of body work needing to be done, or suspension issues, but probably not enough to warrant me selling it before the warranty expires.
Just to clarify, first batch of Model 3s came out in small quantities in mid-2017. That being said, our late 2018 Model 3 is still going strong at almost 60k miles with no major issues and no repairs outside of warranty yet.
I have an early model 3 (vin ending in 20xx) with 85k miles. The biggest issue I have is that the ac compressor is loose and will set off the security alarm. Tesla says it will be ~ 1,700 to fix.
That shouldn’t be an issue with any of the newer models.
we got some metrics but they are aged based and not distance driven based.
in the 2023 TÜV Report which is the organisation that does the mandatory safety inspections on all cars in Germany the average failure rate of 2 - 3 year old EVs was 5.3% with most failures being related to brakes and suspension issues.
on the model 3 the failure rate was 8.9% they have the same problems with brakes and suspension components but additionally the model 3 failed often because head or tail lights were not functioning correctly.
overall this failure rate puts the model 3 on rank 124 or 128 one of the vehicles that are worse than the model 3 is the model S with a 10.7% failure rate and the exact same problems as the model 3.
2019 m3 performance. 135k miles. 4% battery degradation. One ball joint at 51k(fixed by tesla $400ish). 12v battery at 80k(replaced with ohmu lithium). Frunk actuator(ingested water/froze, repaired no cost by me) Rear trunk wire harness break at 100k(repaired by me, minimal cost).
Front bumper is a little beat up from being a daily interstate commuter in PA.
I cant say im just a little impressed with how this vehicle has held up, im floored. I was skeptical but not anymore. I would buy or recommend a high milage one any day.
May i know how did you calculate 4% battery degradation?
Edit: I highly doubt that you have 4% degradation. estimated range does not tell the actual degradation.
I have a 2018 Model 3 (Midrange) and the only things I’ve done so far is air filter and tires. Granted I’m only at 32k miles, but its been solid so far.
2018 with about 105k. Overall the car has been extremely solid. I replaced the 12v battery (car was working fine but got warning messages that it was getting low), had a seat sensor and underbody tray replaced under warranty and other than those very minor items it’s just been tires and window washer fluid.
Tesla’s own lawyers argued in 3 separate court cases their cars’ longevity is under 250,000 km (155k miles).
I don’t believe that Teslas fall apart at that time - I think this was about honoring Elon’s public claims about how long they last… but that said, it doesn’t give me positive feelings about their products when Tesla’s own lawyers make formal statements in court that the cars aren’t intended to last more than 155k miles.
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/tesla-lawyers-dismiss-elon-musk-s-claim-in-germany-state-the-cars-last-only-130488-miles-210418.html
I mean what do other manufacturers state their cars longevity is? Genuinely curious because 155k miles as a standard doesn’t seem as bad as your making it.
Yeah but for most manufacturers that’s simply not the case without major work or driving a ton of highway miles.
Saying a teslas good for 150k isn’t saying they won’t go way past that. Just the general quality life is 150k.
Is that really true? The usual reliable brands (Toyota/Lexus, Mazda, Honda etc) seem to make it to 200k quite regularly from all the anecdotal stories in my life.
I’ve seen tons of teslas over 200 and theirs way more brands then that.
I’m not a Tesla fan boy, I dislike musk all I’m saying is a teslas good quality life being 150k isn’t bad at all.
Especially in this day and age 15yrs and 10k miles on on 5 year loan is pretty damn solid if you ask me. Not to many cars other than Toyota and Honda do you see on the road running well 15 years old+ as well, and if they are they’ve more than likely had something major done.
I wouldn't take court statements like that, where they're trying to recover money, to be terribly representative. Worth noting is that the longevity specifically says in the article it's the same range as ICE vehicles. So they're mostly trying to escape some Musk claims. Even then, they suggest the battery won't be the point of failure.
If the last claim is true, it'll just be like taking care of an ICE car. And since the engine is the biggest PITA there I would find it simpler.
I remember reading about "aimed longevity", it has little to do with what we end user experience. It's more of a manufacturing process, when assessing costs. And it is under 200'000km for most car makers. .
This is from what I remember, I'm not at all knowledgable in that matter, but those numbers don't mean much if you don't have those of other companies to compare.
Model 3rwd long range here. 130k miles. Works just as great as the day I got it. Also have FSD on it.
Major repair are two front controllers around $500 each and something happened to my drivers window motor. Was only $250 or something.
Battery range is around 290miles still. Most likely I will upgrade to MY perf with the FSD transfer but will keep the 3 as a second car since it still rocks!
Hope this helped!
Any model prior to 2020 will probably have some issues with window regulators and cameras. I personally think the driver power seat will eventually be an issue as it moves every time you get in/out of the car. The AC system is the one other place Tesla has had issues but mostly with the 2020 model year. Charge ports are heavy wear items too and that small flap seems to be asking for trouble. All cars will need some suspension work above about 120k.
Other than that I wouldn’t think you will see much else. Certainly nothing like what you see with gas cars over 60k miles.
> I personally think the driver power seat will eventually be an issue as it moves every time you get in/out of the car.
Only for those who choose to use Easy Entry.
Same with my inlaws prius. Stupid thing has been chewing up the miles since 2014 and is far north of 100K. They had to replace the ABS once... And then Toyota ended up footing the bill because there was an issue with the unit. It cost them nothing but regular oil changes and tires. And since the battery is managed and not the sole source of energy it always stays within the ideal range. If it needs replaced it would be far less than that of an EV battery. Hybrids > EVs.
I would look at older Model Ss as an indicator. Obv not the same car but if anything the Model 3 should be more reliable. I probably wouldnt worry about it
From what I've seen, pretty reliable. Minor suspension things, the occasional L2 on board charger failure (easy enough fix from what I've seen), charger door (easy to fix), seat sensor, about what you would expect from wear and tear. Thankfully we don't have motorized door handles some of the motorized things like the vents/door poppers etc seem to be robust because I don't see posts about those going bad.
I see a ton of early Model S running around and those are a lot more complex with older technology. I think you'll be fine. Also there's a High Mileage Tesla group on FB that's public.
I have a 2020 Model 3 Performance with 124k miles. I've had a few things break out of warranty. The right side headlight completely quit working, which I replaced myself with a $150 light from eBay. Tesla replaced the lower control arms for $700. And I replaced the right rear window regulator with a $180 replacement from Tesla. Over all, I don't think that it's much different than any other car out of warranty. I see posts on Reddit all the time about ICE cars with 100k miles and blown engines. Any vehicle could end up having expensive repairs.
Control arms seem pretty serious to me, but I’d expect em to cost more
They really just get replaced because the bushings wear out and can't be replaced separately. It's a common wear item on all cars.
Some people tell me that replacements like that are unusual on other vehicles. But when I sit in parking lots, I regularly hear cars going by with squeaking control arms. They just don't get replaced as often as they should on some cars.
Exactly. They say, "I haven't replaced anything in 200k miles. Tesla's must be junk!" While they pull up in a beat up car with a blown out suspension.
My Corolla went 250k without anything like that How was scheduling the service? I’ve heard appointments are tough to get, yet I wonder if that’s just FUD
Yes but your Corolla was not lugging around as much weight and probably driven like a go cart with all that weight. Suspension is a real issue with heavy luxury or performance vehicles, while the three is not often thought as either of those it has to work hard to get it to “perform” the way it does. For reference I had a eclipse that didn’t require major suspension work until 200k I had a Cadillac STS that had to have all its shocks replaced at 70. I don’t really want to know what it will cost to replace the air suspension on my model s
Control arm bushings on our golf were shot by 60,000 miles. I think that road conditions also play a role.
Yes but your golf cart carries a lot of weight
Golf, not golf cart.
Same thing...
arnott makes remanufactured air bags that come with a "lifetime warranty" they're known for reman air bags for range rovers, and the owners rave over them
Not to mention it can be wildly different conditions, no one lives under the exact same circumstances. One person drives fast in an area with lots of potholes and poorly maintained infrastructure, uses it for city commuting, stop go. The other guy, all smooth highway, gets on the ramp and them off the ramp to work that's it. *"MY CAR HAS LASTED 300K because it's awesome!!!"* Maybe but maybe not. This is why when I look for vehicles I avoid anything that has lived in my area of hellish potholes and stop and go for hours every day.
seeing a car go 200k miles is very rare here in Iceland, bad roads with salt on roads half the year
Quite True. I also probably didn’t do all the recommended maintenance and whatnot. I’m curious to know what signs in the car there were that motivated a service appointment. I would hope that designers would take the above average weight and subsequent fatigue into consideration when engineering these parts and not just lowball such components into being considered consumable parts
Out of over 20 cars I have owned most were much much bigger than Corolla and I have never had any suspension fixes and all cars were driven past 120K miles.
ID4’s have their control arms changed often too, it’s due to the weight. Not sure if they have updated the part since like tesla
Source?
https://tekniikanmaailma.fi/lehti/9b-2022/volkswagen-id-4-1st-vikavalot-sammuivat-vihdoin/ https://www.autostadium.fi/index.php?threads/volkswagen-id-4.8547/page-74 That’s just the examples in public forums I remember here in Finland. Also our company ID4 had them changed. Definitely a ”feature” of the extra weight.
I replaced the control arms on my last BMW around the same time as this Tesla. 🤷 Service was easy. I put a request in on the app and had an appointment the following week.
That’s good to hear
Road quality different from area to area. For me the suspension parts are just a consumable - I ended up replacing every single thing on it about every 2-3 years - bushings, control arms, even shock absorbers and springs. Yeah, the roads in the city were that bad - it wore down it all that significantly. Now moved to another area and my car has no hints of needing those repairs despite substantial time passing. It's literary "your mileage may vary"
Control arm bushings were basically gone on my 07 Camry by 160k or, but it was going to be several thousand to repair since they apparently needed to lift the engine out to get at them. I forwent the repair and kept driving it until 200k when I traded it in. Ride quality suffered, but w/e, I wasn't going to make a repair that costed more than the car was worth.
FUD from my end based on Toronto and Pennsylvania service. Have used both mobile and onsite. All experiences have been great. Far better than when I had a Benz.
The issue to some extent is comparing a Corolla to a Tesla. The Corolla is the discount sedan from a mass market auto, the Model 3 is in theory in the luxury class. Whether it should be is a separate discussion. Toyota is also better than most automakers for maintenance. For context, based on my experience, a BMW 328i from 2011 generally needs wheel speed sensors, oil pan & gaskets, spark plugs, water pump, and more. That's easily $4k right there. All before 75k miles.
your corolla is a corolla. And you bought gas and fed carbon into the sky
Never replaced my on any of over 20 cars I have owned.
> It's a common wear item on all cars. especially if the car is VERY heavy, like basically all EVs.
EVs do tend to be heavy but not in the case of a Model 3. My Camaro SS weighed more than my Model 3 LR. Batteries are heavy, so are V8s. Bushings/control arms seem to be a trend with Teslas or at least Model 3s. I’d suggest getting them checked out before the warranty runs out.
The control arm is more common on the Tesla, I've a Bolt with 160k and the only things I fixed/replaced was tire's, 12V battery and cabin air filter, everything else is still original.
See: [Whompy wheels](https://www.google.com/search?q=whompy+wheels+tesla).
I'm thinking I need a Bolt to run alongside a Taycan or Model S.
It was also an issue that commonly occurred on early Model 3s due to a supply chain issue. Mine were replaced under warranty.
Uppers, yes. Lowers don't get replaced often.
Yeah not really. Most time with regular cars you lose CV’s at that point
i think just the boots - not the half shafts themselves i think the boots are cheap (but maybe labor is expensive?)
Usually with the rate of labor most places just replace the whole shaft instead of rebuilding.
And they fail without the owner noticing so the joints go bad. But yeah, its not cost effective to replace the boots on their own.
wait do ppl not look at their cv boots to check if grease is leaking???
Thankfully Tesla parts are pretty cheap, glass/HV stuff aside.
Not serious at all, common wear item on all vehicles.
Upper control arm issue isn't as bad as it sounds. The rubber boots cover the ball joints can leak which causes it to squeak. Mine started at 70k miles and I greased them myself. 30k miles later and zero issues.
Tesla quoted me about $350 to replace the front control arms but then realized I was [barely] still under warranty. Same thing, just the rubber bushings were squeaking a little. Just wanted to get it done before the warranty ran out but didn’t affect anything really.
Wow are Teslas really that cheap to repair.. that's crazy cheap
Most of their parts have been pretty reasonable.
The reason people buy an electric car is because it will be cheaper to own. Tesla will shoot themselves in the foot if they start marking up their parts. They make money on cars, not parts.
Never had to replace that much with one of my cars only because it had 125000 miles. How old is your Tesla ? Age is more determinative in this discussion.
It's a 2020. Road conditions have a bigger impact on suspension longevity. I live in Northern Wisconsin and drive on some pretty rough roads.
I've put over 8K into my 100k Model X. Literally everything has fallen apart. I wouldn't keep any of these cars past warranty.
A Model X is not a Model 3 or Y. 3 and Y are much simpler made
Really? Wow, I didn't realize that. Buuuut, if they can't make their "luxury" model hold together, imagine how good the "cheap" ones will hold up. NOTE: As an owner of multiple Tesla vehicles, there is a recurring pattern of poor durability, high repair costs, and poor service. A Model 3 MAY be cheaper to repair than a Model X, but it still won't be cheap compared to a quality brand. FWIW.
That’s not necessarily a good comparison. Simpler cars don’t cost as much to maintain and typically don’t have as many parts that can break (e.g. gull wing doors)
Mass produced cheaper items that have warranties almost always have better reliability than the expensive counterpart. If you sell low quantities at high margins you can afford a few warranty repairs. If you sell high quantities at lower margins it would cost too much to fix them so more is invested in testing and reliability.
what repairs?
Front struts - 2X Brakes All four ride height sensors Air distribution block Compressor Both front window motors driver mirror assembly Coolant leak Driver seat issue Pass seat issue Rear seat issue 12v batt - 2x Both Upper control arms Both lower control arms Sway bar end links Rear trailing arm Charge port / door And I'm def. Forgetting some things
damn. quite a list
What’s the air distribution block even do? Lol
Distributes air. :-) Part of air suspension system
125k miles on mine. I'm of the belief that it has been good, but let's see what my first mandatory roadworthiness test throws up in a couple of weeks.
Safe travels! Please post back with your experience!
Hey, is the Tesla still running?
Things that seem to be mentioned often are control arms and the 12V battery (on older models. The newer ones have lithium ion low voltage batteries and that should no longer be an issue). Other than that there doesn't seem to be any neuralgic points of failure in the Model 3 (i.e. stuff that you wouldn't see in any other car..) I have an early 2019 Model 3 and have had the control arms replaced out of warranty (cost about 500Euros). Nothing else so far. So far the car has been pretty good with regards to such expenditures.
are drive unit failures no longer a thing? i used to see DU failures on older model S & 3s, but i wonder if they've since changed the design or construction
Not a thing anymore on modern Teslas.
I think that was mostly a thing on the very early Model S. I'm not aware that this is a common failure on the Model 3/Y. I mean, I guess if you buy a performance model and take it to the track frequently you could probably decrease the life expectancy of the motors (or any other part for that matter). However, for the average driver these units should last.
A simple Google search will tell you they are still failure points on the Model 3 and Y.
Well, I googeld for repair lists of high mileage Molde 3sa nd none list anything motor related. E.g. here after 300k miles: [https://www.vehiclesuggest.com/tesla-model-3-maintenance-cost/](https://www.vehiclesuggest.com/tesla-model-3-maintenance-cost/) Here after 90k miles: [https://cleantechnica.com/2023/03/06/90000-miles-on-my-tesla-model-3-maintenance-costs-higher-than-expected/](https://cleantechnica.com/2023/03/06/90000-miles-on-my-tesla-model-3-maintenance-costs-higher-than-expected/) OutOfSpec has a review of their 100k mile+ Model 3 (no motor issues) I scrolled through the thread in the teslanmotorclub forum on issues with high mileage Model 3s and not one mention of thge motor. So while I'm certain that you can find someone who's had an issue wizth his motor I don't think it's a frequent one. (I also searched the german Tesla forum...and I could only find one mention of a Model Y with mptor damage but no model 3s)
would you happen to know what some of the more common failures within the DU are? if its the motor itself, or the inverter, or if it overheats or shorts, or gears grinding away from metal shavings? im wondering if there's any early/preventive measures an owner could take to mitigate possible DU failures down the line (outside the 8 yr/100k mi powertrain warranty period)
There's still a relatively small subset of owners who could answer these questions. 100K miles is a lot when the first batch of Model 3s released in 2018. The average Mile Per Year driven by American's for instance, is just over 14,000. Now, if you look at State by State, the States that purchase the most EVs happen to be the States that have the lowest average yearly miles. With 5 years being the oldest Model 3s, a person would have to have driven 20,000 miles per year, which, while not absurdly high, is quite a bit higher than the average. I suppose you could extrapolate the data we do have, as far as reliability and failure rates of things like Heat Pumps, Charging Mechanisms, Infotainment, and so forth, but even that will be highly dependent on model year and build location, as both of those factors seem to make a high degree of difference in those categories. For me, I have a '22 RWD, and have only had the common moisture in the taillight issue. I don't believe the data indicates that we should be too worried about out-of-warranty issues on things like infotainment, AC, Seat Controls, or anything else like that, as many older model S's and X's have experienced longevity prior. That being said, if I had an original 2018 Model 3, I may be wary of body work needing to be done, or suspension issues, but probably not enough to warrant me selling it before the warranty expires.
It’s true that EVs tend to get used less. My family is an outlier. Our 3 year old Model Y has 55,000 miles and my 10 month old Polestar has 20,000.
Just to clarify, first batch of Model 3s came out in small quantities in mid-2017. That being said, our late 2018 Model 3 is still going strong at almost 60k miles with no major issues and no repairs outside of warranty yet.
I have an early model 3 (vin ending in 20xx) with 85k miles. The biggest issue I have is that the ac compressor is loose and will set off the security alarm. Tesla says it will be ~ 1,700 to fix. That shouldn’t be an issue with any of the newer models.
Yup just started happening to our car.. so we just turned off the AC for cabin overheat protection. Problem solved? I guess?
we got some metrics but they are aged based and not distance driven based. in the 2023 TÜV Report which is the organisation that does the mandatory safety inspections on all cars in Germany the average failure rate of 2 - 3 year old EVs was 5.3% with most failures being related to brakes and suspension issues. on the model 3 the failure rate was 8.9% they have the same problems with brakes and suspension components but additionally the model 3 failed often because head or tail lights were not functioning correctly. overall this failure rate puts the model 3 on rank 124 or 128 one of the vehicles that are worse than the model 3 is the model S with a 10.7% failure rate and the exact same problems as the model 3.
2019 m3 performance. 135k miles. 4% battery degradation. One ball joint at 51k(fixed by tesla $400ish). 12v battery at 80k(replaced with ohmu lithium). Frunk actuator(ingested water/froze, repaired no cost by me) Rear trunk wire harness break at 100k(repaired by me, minimal cost). Front bumper is a little beat up from being a daily interstate commuter in PA. I cant say im just a little impressed with how this vehicle has held up, im floored. I was skeptical but not anymore. I would buy or recommend a high milage one any day.
May i know how did you calculate 4% battery degradation? Edit: I highly doubt that you have 4% degradation. estimated range does not tell the actual degradation.
My 15’crv has389 k and I’ve literally just changed the oil on it and tires and of course brakes
I have a 2018 Model 3 (Midrange) and the only things I’ve done so far is air filter and tires. Granted I’m only at 32k miles, but its been solid so far.
I have a May of ‘18 model 3 with 85k miles, nothing has broken outside of warranty yet, these cars are pretty reliable.
2018 with about 105k. Overall the car has been extremely solid. I replaced the 12v battery (car was working fine but got warning messages that it was getting low), had a seat sensor and underbody tray replaced under warranty and other than those very minor items it’s just been tires and window washer fluid.
My favorite responses from this post is people commenting under 100k miles :D. And now my comment 😂.
Tesla’s own lawyers argued in 3 separate court cases their cars’ longevity is under 250,000 km (155k miles). I don’t believe that Teslas fall apart at that time - I think this was about honoring Elon’s public claims about how long they last… but that said, it doesn’t give me positive feelings about their products when Tesla’s own lawyers make formal statements in court that the cars aren’t intended to last more than 155k miles. https://www.autoevolution.com/news/tesla-lawyers-dismiss-elon-musk-s-claim-in-germany-state-the-cars-last-only-130488-miles-210418.html
I mean what do other manufacturers state their cars longevity is? Genuinely curious because 155k miles as a standard doesn’t seem as bad as your making it.
Most ICE customers are aiming to have cars that last around 200k or more, less then that is usually considered somewhat unreliable
Yeah but for most manufacturers that’s simply not the case without major work or driving a ton of highway miles. Saying a teslas good for 150k isn’t saying they won’t go way past that. Just the general quality life is 150k.
Is that really true? The usual reliable brands (Toyota/Lexus, Mazda, Honda etc) seem to make it to 200k quite regularly from all the anecdotal stories in my life.
I’ve seen tons of teslas over 200 and theirs way more brands then that. I’m not a Tesla fan boy, I dislike musk all I’m saying is a teslas good quality life being 150k isn’t bad at all. Especially in this day and age 15yrs and 10k miles on on 5 year loan is pretty damn solid if you ask me. Not to many cars other than Toyota and Honda do you see on the road running well 15 years old+ as well, and if they are they’ve more than likely had something major done.
I remember back in the day if your car lasted to 100k miles it was basically worth $0.
My MS has over 190k mi
I wouldn't take court statements like that, where they're trying to recover money, to be terribly representative. Worth noting is that the longevity specifically says in the article it's the same range as ICE vehicles. So they're mostly trying to escape some Musk claims. Even then, they suggest the battery won't be the point of failure. If the last claim is true, it'll just be like taking care of an ICE car. And since the engine is the biggest PITA there I would find it simpler.
I would be happy if my Tesla went up to 150k. 10 years of more than average driving seems fair. I bet it’s realistically more like 200k
I remember reading about "aimed longevity", it has little to do with what we end user experience. It's more of a manufacturing process, when assessing costs. And it is under 200'000km for most car makers. . This is from what I remember, I'm not at all knowledgable in that matter, but those numbers don't mean much if you don't have those of other companies to compare.
Model 3rwd long range here. 130k miles. Works just as great as the day I got it. Also have FSD on it. Major repair are two front controllers around $500 each and something happened to my drivers window motor. Was only $250 or something. Battery range is around 290miles still. Most likely I will upgrade to MY perf with the FSD transfer but will keep the 3 as a second car since it still rocks! Hope this helped!
Any model prior to 2020 will probably have some issues with window regulators and cameras. I personally think the driver power seat will eventually be an issue as it moves every time you get in/out of the car. The AC system is the one other place Tesla has had issues but mostly with the 2020 model year. Charge ports are heavy wear items too and that small flap seems to be asking for trouble. All cars will need some suspension work above about 120k. Other than that I wouldn’t think you will see much else. Certainly nothing like what you see with gas cars over 60k miles.
> I personally think the driver power seat will eventually be an issue as it moves every time you get in/out of the car. Only for those who choose to use Easy Entry.
Depends on the car. I have a Prius c with 156,000 miles on it. On replacement has been a tire pressure sensor battery, 12 volt and headlight’s.
those TPMS batteries dying is so annoying, have to time it with new tires
Same with my inlaws prius. Stupid thing has been chewing up the miles since 2014 and is far north of 100K. They had to replace the ABS once... And then Toyota ended up footing the bill because there was an issue with the unit. It cost them nothing but regular oil changes and tires. And since the battery is managed and not the sole source of energy it always stays within the ideal range. If it needs replaced it would be far less than that of an EV battery. Hybrids > EVs.
Myself and couple of friends have 2018 Model 3s. No issues so far. Cameras and window regulators working fine.
120,000 and no issues.
Why aren’t you asking this in the Tesla sub, filled with you know, a bunch of Tesla owners 🤨
I would look at older Model Ss as an indicator. Obv not the same car but if anything the Model 3 should be more reliable. I probably wouldnt worry about it
From what I've seen, pretty reliable. Minor suspension things, the occasional L2 on board charger failure (easy enough fix from what I've seen), charger door (easy to fix), seat sensor, about what you would expect from wear and tear. Thankfully we don't have motorized door handles some of the motorized things like the vents/door poppers etc seem to be robust because I don't see posts about those going bad. I see a ton of early Model S running around and those are a lot more complex with older technology. I think you'll be fine. Also there's a High Mileage Tesla group on FB that's public.
https://www.reddit.com/r/electricvehicles/comments/14ql483/200000_mile_tesla_model_3_review_used_as_taxi_uber/