Check EV System warning message

[cwerdna]

As for between Toyota and Tesla, Toyota has FAR more experience w/making reliable cars and systems than Tesla. I own a Toyota. My parents have owned a few, one of which was handed down to me.

I'll second that! I have owned 8 Toyota or Lexus cars over the last 17 or so years and every one has been rock solid reliable. Never any real warranty issues or failures until now with the Rav4 EV. Maybe I have been lucky but I am a believer in Toyota quality. I think Toyota reliability is a large part of them becoming the worlds largest auto manufacturer.

Yeah, Toyota's been around making cars for more than 75 years (http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/) and has a very broad lineup (http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/data/conditions/product_lineup/vehicles.html).

The Model S is Tesla's first attempt at making a full car vs. the Roadster which used gliders from Lotus. Tesla now has to do a LOT of stuff they never had to do before. I'm sure Tesla can learn and will have learned a lot after producing the Model S for awhile but I'm sure they're running into a lot of things that in hindsight were things they didn't know or could've done better.

And, at least for the last 15-20+ years, most Toyota (along w/Lexus and Scion) vehicles have had at least average reliability ratings across most model years in Consumer Reports, w/many (if not most) above average. So, at least the sample sizes are pretty large (100 responses for a given model year of a car are required) and it's not just limited to anecdotal stories. Their brands also do pretty well in JD Powers' "Vehicle Dependability Studies" (only 3 years, not long enough IMHO, but still).

I'd imagine that Toyotas from before the late 70s were probably not so good...

It'll be very interesting to see if Consumer Reports gets enough respondents from Model S owners to be able to assign it a reliability rating. Assuming folks answer honestly, my gut feel so far is that it'll be below average.

I just went to an "all Tesla Model S" meeting last night, and I have to say that my gut feeling is they are all pretty happy even with occasional problems. I think Tesla will get over this hump, too.

I'm sure many folks just love their Model S, judging by what I see over at Tesla Motors Club. So, I hope folks answer honestly. I wouldn't want enthusiasm/love for the product and company to cloud their reliability survey answers.

 

[snoltor]

Just a quick note to say I'm hoping they can solve your problem(s)....

Mine's going in tomorrow. They want to know exactly what behavior lead up to the event. Unfortunately I did nothing out of the ordinary. At least I get their Rav4EV loaner while mine is in the shop. Last time I was in for this issue, they kept it for two weeks before giving up.

 

[Philly RAV4 EV]

I have had the same problem twice so far. I restarted it 5 times and it reset itself!

Mine's going in tomorrow. They want to know exactly what behavior lead up to the event. Unfortunately I did nothing out of the ordinary. At least I get their Rav4EV loaner while mine is in the shop. Last time I was in for this issue, they kept it for two weeks before giving up.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Mine's going in tomorrow. They want to know exactly what behavior lead up to the event. Unfortunately I did nothing out of the ordinary. At least I get their Rav4EV loaner while mine is in the shop. Last time I was in for this issue, they kept it for two weeks before giving up.

They're keeping mine into next week for the Check EV failure, and should have the heater repaired today.

Virtually EVERY part will have been replaced under the hood of my car. They were using the familiar "shotgun" approach to fixing the heater with also replacing the DC/DC and a few other parts in addition to the battery sucking Denso 6kW resistance heater.

Hey, the brakes haven't failed yet.

 

[Vach]

The brakes!!! The only part not covered! =D

 

[AvLegends]

Tesla is finally on site at DCH Toyota of Oxnard working on my check ev issue... finally. We'll see if I get it back tonight or tomorrow morning as they promised this morning.

 

[Vach]

Finally. Please post back when they give details. I'm curious to see if my assumption or Tonys is correct.

 

[AvLegends]

Finally. Please post back when they give details. I'm curious to see if my assumption or Tonys is correct.

Stand by...

 

[AvLegends]

Well... got a call late yesterday from the service advisor and my car is ready!

Two weeks in the shop and 1 day with Tesla engineers (yesterday) and it's supposedly fixed. Can't wait to get it and see what the repair order says as to what the problem was.

There's gotta be a better way...

Going over at 11:00. Stand by...

 

[snoltor]

Really hope they got to the bottom of this....

1 day with Tesla engineers (yesterday) and it's supposedly fixed. Can't wait to get it and see what the repair order says as to what the problem was.

 

[SeaMonster]

Sadly, the last time my car was in the shop, it was the same thing. 2 weeks at the shop and one day with Tesla techs. And the result was that they had no clue. The Toyota computer said that the Tesla computer had reported an error. The Tesla computer said that it had never reported an error.

They have kept my car into next week while they investigate again. When I went by Friday, the car was in the back parking lot, NOT in a service bay.

I'm hoping with all of these cars in the shop, they'll learn something from one of them that is useful for the rest.

 

[AvLegends]

Well... just picked up the car and everything is working and running as it should. The problem listed is the gateway ECU needed replacement. This is consistent with what the Toyota EV tech that has been working on it since coming in on the flatbed. He has said all along that the Toyota ECU is not properly communicating with the Tesla ECU and the gateway ECU apparently handles this communication... apparently a Tesla part.

Sure is a step down from a luxury standpoint after driving the Avalon Limited Hybrid for 2 weeks but I am glad to be back in the EV.

 

[Vach]

Wow.

Such a simple replacement delayed by Tesla. I wonder what caused the error in the first place. Was anything else replaced or fixed?

 

[AvLegends]

Wow.

Such a simple replacement delayed by Tesla. I wonder what caused the error in the first place. Was anything else replaced or fixed?

Don't think so. They also did a firmware update but that was tried last week before the Tesla visit yesterday.

Like was mentioned earlier, it's too bad that some known good parts can't be made available for diagnostic use before the Tesla guy walks thru the door with parts under his arm.

Hey, I'm just glad it's working again... just finished a standard charge and shows 124 miles on the GOM... now to work that average down with some driving!

 

[shikataganai]

I have had the same problem twice so far. I restarted it 5 times and it reset itself!

Philly RAV4 EV and other out of state owners: How has your local dealer handled this issue, if it has come to that point?

This is the $64,000 question, and may well lead my wife to a LEAF, suboptimal as it is, as the LEAF at least has abundant local support in Seattle.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I have had the same problem twice so far. I restarted it 5 times and it reset itself!

Philly RAV4 EV and other out of state owners: How has your local dealer handled this issue, if it has come to that point?

This is the $65,000 question, and may well lead my wife to a LEAF, suboptimal as it is, as the LEAF at least has abundant local support in Seattle.

Is that inflation of the $64,000 question?

Cost per mile, particularly in the mild western Washington climate, cannot be beat with a LEAF. I don't recommend a LEAF in hot areas, like Phoenix, unless you're leasing it and you know that the battery will probably lose 20%-30% (and quite possibly more) during a 39 month lease (24 month lease is best if you need that range).

But, that's not a problem in western Washington. There is a guy with almost 80,000 miles on his LEAF in Kent, WA, and he only has about 15%-20% degradation.

As far as service on a Rav4 EV, you do realize that the absolutely WORST case scenario is you have to drive/ship the car to California? I personally wouldn't do that, however, if there was a serious problem with the car that the Plug-In Prius certified guys in your area couldn't handle.

I'd just leave it at the dealership and write letters to anybody who would listen, including congress critters.

 

[shikataganai]

Heh. Couldn't recall the dollar figure from that show (that predates me--I'm 31) and was too lazy to google it.

I like the principle of writing letters and complaining, but the reality of not having local service might not be so palatable if repairs are taking up to two weeks for even Californians…

 

[Philly RAV4 EV]

I have not taken it in for its 5000 mile service yet, I talked to several dealers in my area 2 of them said they never seen one before but it wouldn't be a problem working on a Rav ev, the 3rd one said he couldn't and didn't know how to work on one and he would have to call his regional manager and call me back, which he did 3 days later and said he would be able to work on it and if they couldn't fix a problem they would call in the regional service manager to help them out. By the way the first 2 dealers got offended when asked if they could service the Rav, they both said were a Toyota dealer we have to service it.

 

[AvLegends]

Heh. Couldn't recall the dollar figure from that show (that predates me--I'm 31) and was too lazy to google it.

I like the principle of writing letters and complaining, but the reality of not having local service might not be so palatable if repairs are taking up to two weeks for even Californians…

That was the $ figure of the game show. I was just 2 when it came on!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_$64,000_Question

 

[Vach]

I have not taken it in for its 5000 mile service yet, I talked to several dealers in my area 2 of them said they never seen one before but it wouldn't be a problem working on a Rav ev, the 3rd one said he couldn't and didn't know how to work on one and he would have to call his regional manager and call me back, which he did 3 days later and said he would be able to work on it and if they couldn't fix a problem they would call in the regional service manager to help them out. By the way the first 2 dealers got offended when asked if they could service the Rav, they both said were a Toyota dealer we have to service it.

This is good information. I'm pretty sure most of the routine service is basically nothing anyway. Like they'd have to rotate tires and change air filters. The only routine maintenance that gets even slightly EV in the manual, and again this is in the manual so who knows if they do anything else, is changing the battery coolant and checking battery temperature at "normal." Like people have said, a PiP tech should be able to do that in his sleep.