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Tesla To Voluntarily Recall Every Model S Because One Seat Belt Came Apart (jalopnik.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Earlier this month, a passenger in a Tesla Model S turned to talk to people in the back seat, and her seat belt somehow disconnected itself from the front seat. According to a Tesla spokesperson, "The seat belt is anchored to the outboard lap pretensioner through two anchor plates that are bolted together. The bolt that was supposed to tie the two anchors together wasn't properly assembled." Though the company hasn't been able to replicate the issue on any other cars, Tesla is issuing a recall for roughly 90,000 Model S vehicles so they can test that bolt.
Hello, my name is Elon "Setting the bar so high my competitors throw up from the altitude" Musk. Nice to meet you.
*** *** You're just jealous 'cause the voices talk to me... ***
Yes, the marketing campaign is flawless. My next car will be a Tesla, and my decision is based only on the articles published here on /.
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News: "Tesla issues recall affecting 90,000 electric vehicles for seatbelt defect"
Reality: "Priding itself of quality and execution, Tesla issues voluntary recall for loose seatbelt screw despite improbability that human assembler screwed up more than once."
Colin Dean Go a year without DRM
Assuming it costs $20 to check each car (about a half hour of mechanic time) that's less than $2 million. They're getting a ton of good publicity, good will from their customers--we like to buy stuff from companies that don't want to kill us--and if one of these belts fails and leads to a death they could easily lose that much in just one lawsuit.
It's as if Musk is asking himself "How would GM handle this?", then doing the opposite.
Never let a lack of data get in the way of a good rant.
I think it's more that they can't afford to have something go wrong because they know the press will rip them apart. This will cause hundreds of shit journalists to delete the sensational clickbait articles they were working on, and gives huge cred. to their quality.
If a seatbelt in a Toyota comes apart, nobody gives a shit, and you couldn't pay a reporter to make a story about it. Is there some name for this type of "quality curse", similar to what Apple has?
Except other car companies are not known for this. Excellent customer service AND marketing all rolled into one.
No, but it's a lot better than many other car companies, where they do the bare minimum required by law to keep their customers safe. It's one of those cases where a little bit of money creates a lot of goodwill. I'd much rather buy a car from a company that is proactive about potential safety problems rather than requiring people dying in accidents before the government forces them to admit a problem, which is exactly what happened with GM and their shitty ignition switches. At this point, I don't give a shit how good the Volt or Bolt are technically, I really don't want a GM no matter what because I simply don't trust them.
what happens if a seatbelt bolt comes apart and then the car spontaneously bursts into flame?
This is a good thing, but it's nothing to bow down and worship them over either.
Yeah, it's amazing how some fanboys choose to spin everything into a positive light.
There are only 90,000 of these on the road. One seat belt detaching itself from its anchors could conceivably be a big deal. For comparison, there have been 630,000 Ford F-Series vehicles sold in model year 2015 - if six or seven of those exhibited this same issue, wouldn't that be kind of bad?
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The thing is I don't think this is even a little bit of money, in practical terms this recall is free. This isn't a hard choice for them. Now when something costs some money and is not directly associated with a safety related part of the car but arguably could indirectly cause a safety risk, then we can evaluate their response versus other companies.
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
Of course, it's a lot easier to do that when you have a high margin luxury product.
excitingthingstodo.blogspot.com
Yes, the marketing campaign is flawless. My next car will be a Tesla, and my decision is based only on the articles published here on /.
I'm also planning on getting a Tesla as my next vehicle.
It's largely because of context. I *hate* how my dealership inserts itself between me an my purchase and tries to siphon off money for itself. I went through the trouble of looking for the *same* model and make of my previous purchase between two dealers - and got two "rock bottom" prices that were $1000 different. I know they were "rock bottom" prices, because the dealership told me so.
There's also the reliability context. GM has a problem with its ignition switches, denies the problem for a decade, and once a hundred deaths occur fixes the issue without telling anyone, and backdates the paperwork in an attempt to hide the issue.
For the longest time I couldn't rationalize Tesla stock analysis in the financial news. It's almost as if the analysts were looking at Tesla as a black box company: they make some product, have some capitalization, have some profit/loss, and it's a good/bad buy.
As near as I can figure, the financial analysts have an algorithm that actually looks at Tesla as a black box company and makes an heuristic estimate of whether it's a good buy or not. Periodically, an analyst chooses Tesla for review and then rationalizes the heuristic output based on whatever news has recently happened.
(I think that's how all financial analysis is done, actually. It's always "markets are *up* because of $X, markets are *down* following $Y", and so on. It makes the reader think that market fluctuations are caused by these newsworthy events.)
No one in the financial news seems to clue in that the company is building a battery factory, or that the cars had (at the time) the highest rating on Consumer Reports, or that they own a nationwide chain of chargers (and are building more), or even that they are currently selling electric vehicles.
Nope - none of that matters. Porsche plans to make an electric vehicle, and Tesla's stock tanks.
Apparently, in the financial markets context doesn't matter.
But if you look at the context, Tesla is the best product on the market.
Driver error. Should have bought a gas guzzler instead.
A new car built by my company leaves somewhere traveling at 60 mph. The rear differential locks up. The car crashes and burns with everyone trapped inside. Now, should we initiate a recall? Take the number of vehicles in the field, A, multiply by the probable rate of failure, B, multiply by the average out-of-court settlement, C. A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of a recall, we don't do one.
Which car company do you work for?
A major one.
owners to pay for their own repairs to the seatbelts. On every used FJ the car dealership I work for has had, the panel on the inside of the rear doors has cracked and prevented the belt from retracting completely so there was a dangerous amount of slack which would hurt you in an accident. Also, nearly all of them have driver's side belts that are twisted, and Toyota requires their victims to pay for repairs.
> No, but it's a lot better than many other car companies, where they do the bare minimum required by law to keep their customers safe.
Yeah, the difference is those other companies have 10-100x as many vehicles on the road.
Your hair look like poop, Bob! - Wanker.
Right now the auto industry is reeling from a serious of serious "we had a problem, but we didn't want to say anything" scandals, from the GM ignition switch to the VW super smoggers, and don't forget the shrapnel bags. The entire ecosystem is full of distrust, some of it fairly active distrust.
In this environment a one off assembly mistake where there was no accident, no damage of any kind, is a marketing opportunity you couldn't even buy in a normal market environment.
Musk already recalled all his cars once, to bolt extra belly armor on them because of an accident which would have been considered extreme in any vehicle, and in which his car came out smelling like a rose.
This recall is going to be a lot cheaper. No engineering, not even any replacement parts, but now Tesla is Even More Different(tm) because they recalled a potential problem immediately, before anybody even asked about it.
Based on Musk's previous behaviour I think he really cares that his products are perceived as the best. I am not making a character reference because I don't know the guy, but he obviously cares about at least the appearance of superlativeness.
The guy runs a marketing machine that reminds me of the late Mr. Jobs in his prime.
"Proximity to wonder has blunted our perception and appreciation of it" --Tim Hartnell in 'Exploring ARTIFICIAL INTELLI
Still can't get my airbag fixed.
I love Jesus, except for his foreign policy.
It is when Chrysler latches kill children, and Chrysler spends millions of dollars fighting the recall. Or Ford and GM who have both been found to have covered up safety issues, and quietly fixed them, hoping nobody would notice and they wouldn't have to recall the proven and known unsafe vehicles.
For a car company to do a recall like that hasn't ever been done in the USA. So yes, it is quite extraordinary.
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Math doesn't work the way you think it does. 90,000 is 90,000 regardless of how many cars each company has on the road.
Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
If one of the big ones had six or seven issues we wouldn't even know about, it would be just swept under the rug. You just have to do a google search to know that most other car companies just ignore those until the number of actual victims reach the three digits (I think GM holds the record with more than a thousand injured before their ignition recall). And even then, most only do a recall after receiving a court order.
It is not about being a fanboy, it is about trying to praise and generate good publicity for companies which do the right thing, so they will see that it is advantageous to keep doing it, and maybe others will also see the business advantages and do the right thing. In a world where is is so lucrative to screw customers, we have to do all we can to show companies that not screwing customers also can be lucrative.
If you're not doing a design where you cost the various design alternatives, you're doing it wrong, and may even not minimise the thing you're 'caring most' about.
It is always - for example - possible to improve safety of cars through expensive technical means. ...
More complex construction with better crash absorbtion properties,
But, if your vehicle is twice as safe as the rest of the fleet, and yet due to your safety upgrades costs eight times more than one that is only 1.1* as safe, you may actually end up costing lives with your 'safer' design.
Similarly - weight generally means poorer gas mileage, which means more pollution, which means more deaths locally due to pollution.
This is a Good Company. I wish more of them did things like this!
They do. Once I took my car in for routine service at the dealership. On the bill it mentioned a complimentary inspection of my seat belt buckle per manufacturer recall XYZ. My car was "old", the warranty expired. I think over the decades I've seen stuff like that three times. Twice the inspections for defect or abnormal wear were negative. Once a part's lot number was such that the part was replaced for free.
On a fourth occasion I received a traditional recall, a letter in the mail saying bring the car in to have part ZYX replaced. The other three were silent recalls, surprises during routine service.
It might not cost them a lot of money to do the actual work of the recall. But you can bet money that it'll cost them as easy fodder for their opponents.
They would simply release a statement that the customer is at fault and if anyone is unhappy about it they will give you a $5.00 coupon off of your next GM vehicle purchased at full MSRP prices only.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
You've got the retarded bastard on the run is why apk.
Everyone is acting like this is some amazing, over-the-top act that puts Tesla above other car companies, but actually this recall is likely cheap enough that it falls perfectly within the scope of the Fight Club recall formula... this is SOP, folks.
It's not about Elon, its about the car and the people who make up the company. As a Tesla owner, I thought I'd respond to your comments.
1) They are taking the opportunity to do the right thing, check out every car for other issues, and getting great publicity. If they find one more car with an assembly problem like this, and however remotely possible that car is in an accident, this recall paid for itself.
2) It probably won't cost them anything at all because the techs are paid a salary and need something to do anyway. From our experience the cars require little maintenance.
3) OK
4A) The Model S is fairly priced for what it is; its not the car for everybody.
4B) The Model S has a 4 year Warranty with everything but tires covered. We paid another $3500 a year and a half ago to extend that to 8 years. This warranty policy makes 3rd party repair obsolete and I cannot think of another car of any kind that you can maintain for flat rate of $3500 for 8 years. I don't understand your point that maintenance on the Model S is expensive.
4C) You are correct; the Model S is a beta test of sorts. People who can afford a relatively expensive car are funding a business model that develops the capacity to make lower priced electric cars. Problems with any new technology is to be expected, but this one has been remarkably smooth for us. We got our Model S in April 2013 and I knew I was taking a pretty big chance. It paid off - we have had almost no trouble at all.
Greed is the root of all evil.
Brit here. Seat belts have been compulsory since I was in short trousers. It's not either-or. Savile jokes aside, we have a good record.
Hey, that only happened once. And there was a tree involved.
If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
If it was any other car maker, they would do nothing until forced by govs to do so. And that would occur only after multiple deaths.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
3) wrong. All of the other car makers are much worse than Tesla.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
Yeah, my 90s Acura was the same way.
Yeah, the difference is those other companies have 10-100x as many vehicles on the road.
Right, then they still avoid a recall on 90,000 cars to save the same amount of money, even though they make many times as much money as does Tesla and ought to be able to afford it.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
lol
Greed is the root of all evil.
Luxury brands are. And Tesla is a luxury brand - compare them to how Mercedes treats you if you buy an S Class, not how GM treats you.
Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
This is simply a QC issue. Bolts were not tightened (or were absent?) in a single vehicle's driver-side seat-belt. It could have been a single oversight. Or, a disgruntled line-worker. Or, a tired one who has the flu. The first step, out of caution, is to recall all other vehicles assembled that day. The next; recall all that this person (or robot?) touched. Last, because we're talking about a life-saving device, and the work to check each one at the dealer is minimal, then it's the only reasonable thing to do. (A "no-brainer" decision, which is how Tesla is different from the big automakers, whose misbehavior has been known for decades. They keep getting caught, yet always seem to disregard human life over profits (assuming the secrets can be kept) again and again.)
So, Tesla undoubtedly out-sources their seat-belts to a vendor. It's a developed device, and not the focus of Tesla's R&D.
That said, installing the module properly in the Tesla factory is an extremely important thing. Tesla responded appropriately.
Should owners call their local Tesla dealer to handle the recall? Oh, that's right. There are NO dealers. Tesla need to dispatch technicians just like a printer break/fix ticket.
From the article: "The plan now for owners of the roughly 90,000 vehicles on the road is to bring their cars into a Tesla service center , where a technician will check the car out for a few minutes" (emphasis added)
Yeah, because I was asking myself if it hurt when I had my ass handed to me? No, I clicked the wrong reply to, it was meant to be directly to you.
APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
You have no supporters with accounts, and the ACs who support you all have precisely the same mannerisms as you. That would make a critical mind think your supporters are just you using your (already admitted) ability to make many anonymous posts to Slashdot.
That you think anyone would be fooled by that speaks more of you than anyone else - clearly you are not that bright if such an obvious ploy sounds like a good idea to you.
You are priceless, but you need so much help it's not even funny. Watching your slow decline over the years from relevant posts under actual usernames to bizarre sockpuppetry, harassment, and childish tantrums is incredibly moving. I feel nothing but sorry for you.
You really don't understand logic, do you? You must really suck at programming, as logic is kind of needed there.
APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
1. They look good to the public for being so conscientious.
2. The car comes in and the workers can say: Hey, while your hear, your almost do for a service, or for your special 30k service or .
In the end, the part will be fine on all or most of the cars. But Tesla sales go up and Tesla service division reports a small bump in profit.
Wow, amazing, you have determined by a few lines of your own typing that I can't program. That is kind of funny, and I take it as a compliment. I am not a programmer by profession, and I have never claimed to be, but I'll bet I could code up something way better than yours without much effort, it could after all be replaced with a few line script in Unix.
I am a Systems Engineer with Security training. I design and secure email systems, I don't code shitty software no one uses.
As for illogic, which is the logical conclusion, that I was trying to insult myself as AC, or that I clicked on the wrong reply to? Why would I be insulting myself as AC, I have enough insults from you trying to trash my name, and failing utterly to convince anyone but your alternate personalities.
APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?