Tesla Model S and Y cars are dropped from Consumer Reports' 'recommended' list

Tesla Model S and Y cars are dropped from Consumer Reports’ ‘recommended’ list due to reliability concerns

  • Consumer Reports is no longer recommending some Tesla cars 
  • The Model S sedan and Model Y crossover SUV dramatically dropped in ratings  
  • The report cites Model S’ air suspension and main computer and touch screens
  • The Model Y lost support because of problems with its body hardware and paint 
  • The top rated cars belonged to Mazda followed by Toyota and Lexus 

Tesla’s Model S sedan and Model Y crossover SUV are no longer ‘recommended’ by Consumer Reports due to a number of reliability concerns.

The ratings organization dropped the cars due to problems in the Model S’ air suspension and main computer and touch screens, and the crossover lost support because of problems with its body hardware and paint, CNBC reports.

Tesla sits second to last in the reliability study and the firm’s only vehicle Consumer Reports recommends is the Tesla Model 3 electric sedan.

There were a total of 26 brands ranked by the group and Japanese carmakers came out on top – Mazada took the top spot, followed by Toyota.

Tesla’s Model S sedan and Model Y crossover SUV are no longer ‘recommended’ by Consumer Reports due to a number of reliability concerns. The ratings organization dropped the cars due to problems in the Model S’ (pictured) air suspension and main computer and touch screens

Many owners of the Model S Sedan and Model Y crossover SUV have reported issues with their vehicles over the years – and these reports have dropped Tesla’s overall ratings.

In 2015, the Model S was listed as the top-rated vehicle, but Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing at Consumer Reports, told CNBC that the group has seen a number of problems arise from drivers of the vehicle.

‘It’s wavered throughout its life cycle,’ he said highlighting the fact it was first introduced in 2012.

The Model Y is now listed as ‘well below average reliability’ due to issues with the body.

The Model Y (pictured) lost support because of problems with its body hardware and paint and is now rated as ‘well below average reliability’

Most recently, one unlucky owner had their Model Y crossover magically change into a convertible when the glass roof unexpectedly blew off the car while they were driving.

However, Tesla vehicles seem to have been plagued with problems for years – and the firm is not in the dark about them either.

On Tuesday, Tesla notified owners of some Model S and Model X vehicles that their warranties would be expanded to cover certain problems such as memory card failure, which is causing control screens to go black.

CNBC obtained the email that shows the firm was covering the costs or refunding customers who had to pay out-of-pocket for repairs.

According to CNBC, the expansion and refunds ‘may help Tesla avoid a mandatory recall, and a settlement or drawn out court battles.

‘For customer peace of mind, we are providing additional coverage on some Model S and Model X vehicles built before March 2018 that are equipped with an 8GB embedded MultiMediaCard in the media control unit,’ Tesla shared in the warranty adjustment announcement..

Tesla sits second to last in the reliability study and the firm's only vehicle Consumer Reports recommends is the Tesla Model 3 electric sedan

Tesla sits second to last in the reliability study and the firm’s only vehicle Consumer Reports recommends is the Tesla Model 3 electric sedan

‘We are aware that this component may malfunction due to accumulated wear. If this occurs, it could result in a blank or intermittently blank center display, or an alert indicating that a memory storage device has degraded and to contact Service.’

Shortly after the email was sent, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) caught wind of the issue and launched a safety probe into the Model S and Model X vehicles built from 2012 to early 2018.

There are around 159,000 vehicles that are affected by the issue and NHTSA said: ‘The data show failure rates over 30 percent in certain build months and accelerating failure trends after three to four years in service.’

Consumer Reports ranked a total of 26 brands for the latest report that found Mazda at the top, followed by Toyota and then Lexus.

source: dailymail.co.uk