The host from the Youtube channel MrExitStrategy took delivery of his 2021 Tesla Model S about a month ago. He has already started to find some quality issues in this car costing $100k. People said that the yoke steering in the vehicle will be difficult to get used to but the host really likes this steering setup and he has gotten used to it. Initially, when he takes delivery of the car, it is difficult to find all the issues related to quality with the car. He has been using the car for about a month now. He has pointed out many quality issues, some minor and some major.
2021 Tesla Model S Refresh Issues
Dashboard issues
The vegan leather on the dash on top of the driver-side screen is really good quality but when this leather meets the speaker on the A-pillar of the car, he notices a slight tear over here. This issue may have happened when the dash was fixed to the car or when the A-pillar trim was fixed to the car. The person in charge of installing these parts should have noticed it right then. He then notices some kind of residue in some spots on the dashboard of the car. These look like white spots which do not go even when cleaned with a wet cloth. This must have happened mostly after the dash was fixed or when the dash was being made ready as a whole part to be then fixed to the car. These spots could also have been created when the dash was being transported. There are a total of 2 to 3 spots on the dash of his vehicle.
Whistle sound from AC vent
He reported hearing a very soft whistle sound when the driver-side AC vent was being used. This does not happen when there is a passenger in the seat and the passenger side AC vent is being used. This may be due to the passenger side AC vent canceling the sound created by the other vent. This sound may well be there when the AC is switched on but the host can only hear it when the vent on his side is functional. This sound is caused even the position on this particular vent is changed.
Issues with the doors rubber gasket
The rubber gasket of the doors is not uniform and flushed in the door trim. It has wrinkles all around and this issue has been in all Model S. The rubber gasket in the cheaper Model Y is a better one and more robust. Tesla should just use the rubber gasket from the Model Y.
The trim below the dashboard in between the steering and the driver-side door also has issues. When this trim is pressed, it created a crackling sound. This gives out a very cheap feeling towards this material. When the car is being driven, on the left rear passenger seat there is a rattling sound. This happens frequently when the car is being driven and the driver takes a turn.
Then there is dust inside the screen. This is mainly in between the screen and the glass that is placed on top of it. The host tried getting rid of it but it seems that the dust is trapped inside. Then there is some residue inside the glass of the driver-side window. This may seem like minor quality issues but they are very noticeable once you daily use the car. Then there is an adhesive or some kind of mold between the driver-side front fender and the car’s body. This is visible once you open the driver-side door and have a look inside the door hinge.
Quality issues on the front frunk
On the front trunk, the cover surrounding the trunk does not cover well towards the right side of the fender. There are uneven panel gaps which make this look like the job was done in a hurry. Then the rubber below the windshield is flimsy on both sides. The driver’s side wheel came with minor scratches. Only when viewed closely can this be seen. The host also says the bumper cam with rock chips. This could have happened when the car is taken for testing after being completely built. This could also have happened in the one month’s time the car was being driven.
The clear coat on top of the paint seems to have formed very small bubbles. These are only visible upon close inspection. Then there is a big scratch or a bump on the paint below the left mirror. One major issue is the left rearview mirror shakes a lot when driven on the highway. Only the left mirror shakes more as compared to the right side rearview mirror. Every time the host opens the doors the door handle of that particular door started squeaking. This happens for all four doors. The car makes a squeaking noise when the driver-side rearview mirror’s black plastic is pressed or the door is operated.
Our Thoughts
These minor quality issues should not be present on a car costing this much. Tesla owners have always complained about these minor issues that these cars come with. In all these years the Model S has been in production Tesla should really solve these issues. They have to also tighten their quality control or make rules stricter so every car passing through this section should be close to perfect. The host of the video also pointed out that he has been seeing some improvements on his Tesla Model Y. He took the delivery of the Model Y half a month before the Model S. Instead of making improvements from the cheaper models and upwards, Tesla should start first from the expensive models and then go down.
