Tesla Model Y Suffering From Quality Issues: Report

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

Tesla's quality issues with its vehicles are nothing new. With every single vehicle it launches, Tesla seems to run into some kind of quality issues. One would assume that things would get better over time. Once a startup, Tesla now produces some of the most high-tech electric vehicles on the planet that go toe-to-toe with cars from traditional brands. Tesla was the first vehicle to run out of federal tax credits and managed to sell 367,500 vehicles in 2019. Quality issues should be in the past, but that's not the case with its latest vehicle – the Model Y.

New Owners Find Lots Of Issues

According to a report by Electrek, ever since Tesla restarted its Fremont factory to begin churning out Model Y electric cars after shutting down because of the coronavirus, new owners have complained about quality issues with their crossovers. As the outlet points out, Tesla owner forums are filled with complaints from new Model Y owners about quality issues with the vehicle.

The issues that owners complain about on the forums range from small things to large ones. Misaligned panels, odd charging ports, swirl marks in the paint, damaged upholstery, rear seats that aren't attached, and seatbelts that are loosely attached are all quality issues new Model Y owners have complained about recently. Even Electrek claims that these quality issues appear "to be a greater problem than usual even by Tesla's standards."

Quality issues aren't unusual for vehicles, even important ones from automakers with more manufacturing facilities, but Tesla's seem to be because of a push from the brand to catch up with production. The outlet believes the quality issues with the Model Y have a lot to do with the automaker's routine "end-of-the-quarter delivery push" to try to get its numbers up before the financial quarter. Obviously, delivering more vehicles makes Tesla look good to investors and shareholders, regardless of whether the delivered cars are put together well or not.

Electrek reports that Model Y buyers told the outlet that Tesla reached out to them to reschedule deliveries originally set for the end of June because of vehicle defects. Some of the defects are so bad, that new owners are simply refusing to take delivery of the electric crossovers.

Can Tesla Fix The Problems?

In a leaked email, Tesla CEO Elon Musk acknowledged the issues surrounding the Model Y, but didn't really say anything on how to fix them. "It is extremely important for us to ramp up Model Y production and minimize rectification needs," said Musk. "I want you to know that it really makes a difference to Tesla right now."

Now that Tesla's becoming a more mainstream brand, it looks like shoppers that are used to better fit and finish, as well as quality aren't impressed with what the brand has to offer. Quality issues will always be a thing with smaller brands, especially ones on a time crunch, but these seem to be pretty bad. Early adopters won't mind, as they usually know the price to pay to be one of the first with the newest thing.

It's also important to note that while some owners have complained about issues with their Model Y, we're sure some owners are happy with their electric vehicles. Usually, when people go to forums, it's to complain about issues. So, there are probably a lot of owners that are more than happy with their purchase. 

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods