2013 Tesla Model S Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.comEdmunds.com Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,315
edited September 2014 in Tesla

image2013 Tesla Model S Long-Term Road Test

All car keys start to show signs of wear after repeated use, and the 2013 Tesla Model S is no exception.

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  • dunning15dunning15 Member Posts: 0
    Tesla will replace it for free with a brand new one when you bring your car in for any service. Make sure to bring both as they will all be re-coded.
  • bankerdannybankerdanny Member Posts: 1,021
    I prefer the 'worn' looking one.
  • fordson1fordson1 Unconfirmed Posts: 1,512
    Nice that they will replace it free (I think that any make of car with 10k miles on it would be the same, no...?), but it would be even nicer to know that the one they replace it with will be a lot more durable than the original. Kinda like the powertrain. But I guess we'll never know.
  • nicadnicad Member Posts: 3
    I'd be surprised if the next redraw of a model S does not have Mercedes door hardware. I knew the moment I saw that handle that it wouldn't work in Canada in February.
  • sharpendsharpend Member Posts: 177
    I say stash one key and keep it out of circulation. That way you have a good one to use in an emergency (keep good batteries in it) as well as essentially a new key when you eventually sell the car.
  • whobodymwhobodym Member Posts: 190
    I don't have a Tesla but I do have two Mazdas, a 2006 with a switchblade key, and a 2010 with an "intelligent" one. Both are garbage or near-garbage, and easily the worst features of both cars. The switchblades have failed electronically, the buttons fallen out, and the whole key fallen in half. The "intelligent" one cracked in half from being dropped on the floor once. Plus the dealer when brand new had managed to lose one before the car was even delivered to me, necessitating a one week wait plus more waiting because they forgot the hatchback key is incompatible with the sedan key, forcing me to wait more while they proved the incompatibility by failing to be able to program it. The material cost to make both these more robust would probably cost about 25 cents....
  • majin_ssj_ericmajin_ssj_eric Member Posts: 49
    Seems like a stupid design for a key to begin with. They over thought this one.
  • stovt001_stovt001_ Member Posts: 799
    @whobodym: I've had the exact same issues with the switchblade key for my 06 Miata. I did however buy it used, so I have no idea how it was handled before it got to me, and I only got one. The buttons don't work and I have to use the key to unlock the doo
  • hybrishybris Member Posts: 365
    I would prefer being able to see the actual buttons.
  • actualsizeactualsize Member Posts: 451
    Update: The trunk one gave up the ghost and fell off in my pocket yesterday. One more left, but the frunk doesn't get used much, so it might hang in there awhile.

    Twitter: @Edmunds_Test

  • duck87duck87 Member Posts: 649
    What's wrong with the typical smooth brick with buttons on it?
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