April 19, 2024

How EVANNEX aftermarket parts can help you sustain your aging Tesla Model S

The Tesla Model S sedan was Tesla's first mass-production electric vehicle. After Ford, Tesla had a big responsibility on its shoulders to survive as an American automaker after more than a century.

Due to the automaker's edge in technology and a dedicated leadership, the company took off the ground in the next few years.

Starting off with an entirely new platform for the Model S, Tesla was bound to make mistakes. If we compare a Tesla Model S or X of today from the early 2012 -2016 model, there are major improvements under the skin.

However, Tesla has sold hundreds of thousands of Model S and Model X in the past 10+ years. Most of these vehicles from the 2020s are now high mileage and thus out of warranty (Tesla offers 8 years or 100,000 miles of warranty).

Although these old Tesla Model S EVs have lost their warranties and have been a bit outdated compared to the new design and features of the 2021+ Model S refresh, they are still value for money.

The only problem with these old Model S/X vehicles is the wear and tear, especially of the mechanical parts. For example, a YouTuber bought a 2013 Tesla Model S P85 for just $7,800 (269K+ on the odometer).

While taking it for a drive for the first time and the car made slight rattle sounds over the bumps. This means that the older Tesla Model S used in this test drive was having suspension issues. Older cars in general tend to have suspension issues with time and miles driven — and Teslas are no exception.

Above: Rear suspension of a Tesla Model S where the owner opens the control arm for replacement with EVANNEX aftermarket parts (video below).

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), on average, a car is driven 13,476 miles a year in the United States. With this average, a Tesla Model S or Model X runs out of warranty in less than 8 years. And this means that a high cost of repair services and replacement parts by Tesla.

Luckily, EVANNEX has a variety of suspension parts for Tesla Model S vehicles that have lost their warranty either because of high mileage or being old. We have a collection of Tesla Model S control arms, coil springs, stabilizer bars, shocks, and air suspension.

Aftermarket suspension parts by EVANNEX are also cost-effective. You can further lower the cost if you are able to install them yourself. The DIY Tesla suspension replacement or upgrade can be time-consuming but also worth learning and can come in handy in the future as well.

Fixing the suspension of an old Tesla Model S or X after you purchase the vehicle is also a wise decision in terms of safety. The suspension of Tesla Model S vehicles produced between September 17, 2013, and October 15, 2018 have a manufacturing defect in them that may result in suspension failure — even during the drive.

A Tesla enthusiast bought a 2017 Model S and asked for a recommendation on replacing the front upper control arms on the Tesla Motors Club (TMC) discussion forum. Experienced owners suggested him to use the aftermarket control arms by Meyle. A brand that users trust for its quality and it's available through the EVANNEX online Tesla aftermarket parts store.

Let's watch in the following video how a Tesla Model S owner with 200K miles on the odometer performed a DIY suspension upgrade using EVANNEX parts.

Video: Tesla Model S Suspension DIY Maintenance Guide: Keeping Your Ride Smooth and Safe!

Aside from the air suspension issues, ageing Tesla Model S cars often face other problems as well. The most common of these troubles happen with the self-presenting door handles on the older Tesla Model S.

The auto-presenting door handles either get stuck and don't present themselves or they do come out but the doors don't open as the handle is pulled. The earlier two generations of the Model S door handles face this issue and Tesla fixed this problem only in the third-gen handles.

So, if you own or are planning to buy an out-of-warranty Tesla Model S, there is a strong probability that this vehicle has or will have the door handle issue. This problem is caused by malfunctioning or broken door handle microswitch wiring or a damaged door handle paddle gear.

The quality of the paddle gears provided by Tesla in older Model S vehicles was just average. With constant use, the paddle gear part gets broken or damaged, resulting in the door not opening from the outside.

Above: Tesla Model S door handle repair kit including the Microswitch Wiring, Stainless Steel Paddle Gear, Retaining Clips and Trim Removal Tools for model year 2012 to 2021 by EVANNEX.

Taking your Model S to a Tesla Service Center can cost you anywhere from $400 to $1,000. While fixing the door handles yourself with the EVANNEX aftermarket Tesla Model S door handle repair kit and parts will only cost you a fraction of this hefty amount.

The Tesla Model S door handle paddle gear (door handle link) only costs $20.56 in the EVANNEX online store. If you need the entire kit including Microswitch Wiring, Paddle Gear, Retaining Clips, and the optional Trim Removal Kit, it only costs $105.95.

With a do-it-yourself (DIY), you can save several hundred dollars on a single-door handle repair using our quality parts. In the following video, you can learn to replace parts and repair Tesla Model S door handles yourself and save a handsome amount of money as a result.