It’s NOT the Battery: Here’s What REALLY Kills a Tesla After 10 Years!

This video discusses the experience of owning a used 2014 Tesla Model S, highlighting both its pros and cons after 5,000 miles and a total of 104,000 miles. The owners detail several issues they've encountered, including a failed heater, a self-moving seat, and suspension clunks. They also touch upon common problems found in early Model S vehicles, such as door handle failures, MCU issues, and DCDC converter problems, while noting that the high-voltage battery has performed well. The video explores the benefits of Tesla's Virtual Service Center for remote diagnostics and acknowledges the car's impressive storage, lifetime free Supercharging, and user-friendly infotainment system, especially for its price point of around $13,000.

• The 2014 Tesla Model S has 104,000 miles and has experienced issues like a failed heater and a self-moving seat.
• Common problems in early Model S include door handles, Media Control Unit (MCU), and DCDC converter failures, with potential repair costs ranging from $1,000 to $2,000+.
• The high-voltage battery on this 11-year-old, 100,000-mile car has shown minimal degradation, performing well within its percentile.
• The car offers significant storage in both the rear hatch and a massive front trunk, and comes with lifetime free Supercharging and free connectivity.
• The 2014 Model S was purchased for around $13,000 and offers decent range (around 230 miles), but has uncomfortable seats and limited interior storage.

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Heater Failure and Virtual Diagnostics [0:29]

• The car's heater has failed, meaning no heat, which is a significant issue in Colorado during colder months.
• Tesla's Virtual Service Center (VSC) team can review vehicle logs remotely to diagnose issues before a service appointment.
• This remote diagnostic capability helps in ordering necessary parts in advance and reducing service time.
• The VSC identified the heater issue as potentially being the PTC heater core or the front junction box (FJB), with potential repair costs up to 10-20% of the car's value.

"The high voltage battery has been great, but there's been like a couple other weird things that have gone wrong."

Self-Moving Seat Issue [2:00]

• The car experienced a problem where the driver's seat would move on its own.
• Tesla suggested that this could be due to a corrupt driver profile, advising to delete existing profiles.
• The issue of the seat moving unexpectedly while driving is a comfort and safety concern.
• The owners are still testing if deleting the driver profiles has resolved the seat-moving problem.

"The seat would just start moving on its own and they're like, 'Hey, you want to save this driver profile?' You're like, 'No, because I already have it set. Why did you move it?'"

Suspension Clunks and Common Early Model S Issues [3:02]

• The car has developed suspension clunks, particularly on the right front, which are noticeable over bumps.
• Due to the cost of further repairs, these clunks are unlikely to be fixed.
• Common issues in early Model S cars include:
  • Door handles malfunctioning ($1,000 repair).
  • Media Control Unit (MCU) failures, such as screen delamination or slow performance ($2,000 to upgrade to MCU 2).
  • DCDC converter failures, which previously required full replacement but can now have the fuse replaced for less cost.
  • Major suspension issues like cracked control arms or torn bushings, leading to a creaky and uncomfortable ride.

"Some of the most common ones were door handles. Whether they just wouldn't present at all or they would pop out but you couldn't actually open the door."

Battery Health and Range Testing [5:01]

• The 11-year-old, 100,000-mile Model S's high-voltage battery shows very little degradation, performing well in battery percentile tests.
• Recurrent, a service that monitors EV battery health, provided these insights.
• Realistically, the car's range is around 230 miles, which is considered sufficient for daily use.
• The primary issues with the car are not battery-related but rather the smaller mechanical and electronic problems.

"I think we've only seen a few percent of degradation over 11 years and 100,000 miles."

Positive Aspects of the Model S [6:11]

• The car boasts impressive storage capacity, with a large rear hatch and a massive front trunk (frunk).
• It features lifetime free Supercharging, meaning free charging at Superchargers as long as the car is on the road.
• The charging door on this early model is not powered and requires manual closing.
• Tesla's infotainment system remains easy to use, responsive, and still receives updates, offering features like Google Maps and route planning.
• Lifetime free connectivity for the LTE connection is also included.
• For $13,000, the car offers impressive range and features for the price.

"And probably the coolest part about this 2014 Model S, is it has lifetime free Supercharging. And I don't mean for the next month or the next year, but in theory, as long as this car is on the road, you should be able to charge this for free at superchargers."

Disliked Features of the Model S [8:23]

• The seats are described as uncomfortable, lacking contour and cushion, making long drives undesirable.
• The car has very few physical buttons, with most functions controlled through the touchscreen, which requires fumbling through menus.
• Interior storage is minimal, with only two cup holders in the center console, an open space, and no door pockets.
• The glove box is the only other storage area.

"These seats, number one, they are like park benches. There's hardly any contour to them, hardly any cushion."

Comparison with Other Used EVs [9:34]

• Used Model S can be found for around $12,000-$14,000.
• For a similar price point, one could acquire a couple of generations of Nissan Leafs.
• Chevrolet Bolts are typically more expensive, ranging from $15,000-$18,000.
• Compliance cars like RAV4 EVs and Spark EVs have limited range (80-100 miles).
• The Model S is one of the cheapest long-range EVs available on the used market, despite potential issues like the moving seat.
• For a budget of $20,000-$30,000, a wider range of used EVs, including luxury options, becomes available.

"When it comes to an actual long range EV, this is about the cheapest you're going to find a long range EV. You just might have to deal with the seat moving back and forth a little."

Decision to Sell and Final Thoughts [11:09]

• The owners are selling the car because they have had it for as long as their YouTube audience interest allows and don't want money tied up in a car that is no longer featured.
• They are open to reasonable offers via email at info@tflcar.com.
• Despite its "foibles" and potential design or reliability issues, the car is still considered good-looking, spacious, quick, and has decent range for its price.
• For $10,000-$15,000, early Model S vehicles are considered impressive cars.

"But having said that, if you are interested in purchasing our Model S, send us an email info@tlcar.com. That's info@tflcar.com. Send us a reasonable offer and we're pretty reasonable people. Maybe we can get you a pretty uh cool and by that time fixed Model S."