How long will my Tesla last? (Part Two)

While as we’ve seen yesterday that the core motor and battery pack hold up well, specific secondary components exhibit recurring wear patterns as Teslas age. Due to the heavy weight of high-voltage battery packs, Tesla suspension bushings, control arms, and ball joints experience accelerated wear compared to lighter gas cars. 

On Model S and X, the upper and lower control arms, as well as front half-shafts tend to develop squeaks or shuddering under hard acceleration and often require replacement every 60,000 to 100,000 miles. On Model 3 and Y: Front upper control arm ball joints (housed in composite/metal arms) are known to dry out and creak over time, often needing replacement or regreasing around 50,000–80,000 miles. 

Legacy Model S, X, 3, and Y models used conventional lead-acid 12V starter batteries to power cabin electronics, door locks, and computers. These lead-acid batteries typically failed quite soon due to constant cycling from the high-voltage pack. In recent production years, Tesla transitioned across all models to a 16V Lithium-ion auxiliary battery, effectively eliminating short-life 12V battery failures.

For air conditioning and heating, modern Model 3 and Model Y vehicles use a complex heat pump and fluid manifold system that manages cabin climate and battery cooling simultaneously. While highly efficient in cold weather, thermal heat pump valves, coolant pumps, and sensors represent a common failure point as vehicles exceed 100,000 miles. 

Because regenerative braking handles up to 90% of daily deceleration, standard brake pads and rotors wear at an exceptionally slow rate (often lasting 100,000+ miles). However, in regions with heavy winter road salt, rust and slide-pin seizure can occur due to lack of use if the brakes are not periodically cleaned and lubricated. As you can see, if battery, motor and transmission work surprisingly well, the rest of the car is merely average—or occasionally worse than average. 

Many uses have found problems involving things such as, body hardware, windows and doors, electronics, suspension and steering, charging systems, trim and problem with fit or finish and noises or leaks. Now you know everything, but we should give it another 10 years to grab the full picture!