Let’s Talk About Maintenance

For any vehicle, one of the costs of ownership variables is the cost of maintenance. An old fossil fuel powered car will need regular oil changes, coolant, filters and tune ups. Of course, Tesla’s don’t require spark plug replacements or emission checks. Many of these requirements simply don’t apply to an Electric Vehicle since there is no Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) to maintain, but does that mean there isn’t anything to maintain?

Well, not quite. But the maintenance required on a Tesla is much less than that of a conventional gasoline-powered vehicle. Tesla used to recommend an annual maintenance (or 12,500 miles) for the Model 3 and S and every 2 years (or 25,000 miles) for the Model X (The Model Y didn’t exist at the time). In March of 2019, after reviewing its fleet-wide data, Tesla updated this recommendation to state that “Your Tesla does not require annual maintenance and regular fluid changes.” Instead, Tesla now recommends only periodic maintenance on an as-needed basis.

So, what can we expect on an ongoing basis for maintenance?

Well, the good news is the most complicated and costly expenses from our fossil counterparts are eliminated. An internal combustion engine is a very complicated machine with starter motors, alternators, transmission, timing belts, fuel pumps and spark plugs. Coming from owning a traditional car, these will all sound familiar to you.

These maintenance issues that are most common and costly are simply not an issue with an EV. There are fewer moving parts and a much simpler drive train. So what is left?

Tires

The main thing you will have to deal with are your tires. Wear and tear on your tires will happen no matter which vehicle you drive, but the heavier weight of a Tesla due to the battery pack can cause tires to wear faster. The instant torque that makes the Tesla so much fun to drive can also be hard on the rubber and cause premature tire wear.

Because of this, you’ll want to make sure to rotate your tires regularly. Tesla recommends a rotation every 6,000 miles (10,000 km), or simply rotate them as you switch between all-season and winter tires if you live in a cold climate. You’ll want to also be aware of tire balancing and alignment issues. If your car starts to vibrate, you’ll want to get these checked before they cause uneven wear on your tires.

Brakes

Since the Tesla uses regenerative braking to capture the energy from your forward motion to recharge your battery pack, there is much less work for your brakes to do. It is not uncommon for you to drive and barely use the brake pads at all. This means that typically brake pads will last much, much longer than your old ICE car – but they won’t last forever. Anecdotally, brake pads can easily last 100k miles or more.

You’ll want to keep an eye on the pads for replacement, and also test the brake fluid for contamination every couple of years. Keep an eye on your brake calipers and lubricate them every year, especially if you live in a cold weather climate.

Air Filters

You don’t have an Engine Air Filter or a Fuel Filter like your old ICE car, but there is still a Cabin Air Filter to remove road dust and pollen from entering through your vents. You should change this every couple of years. If you start to notice a musty smell, it’s time to change this.

If you have a Model S, X or Y with “Bioweapon Defence Mode”, you should change the HEPA filter every 3 years.

The air conditioning system uses a desiccant fluid which should be replaced to help the efficiency of the system. Tesla recommends this air conditioning service every 2 years for the Model S, every 4 years for the Model X and every 6 years for the Model 3 and Y.

Other Maintenance

Well, there isn’t much else. You’ll need to top up your windshield wiper fluid from time to time, and occasional replacement of the wiper blades. Give it a wash every once in a while to keep it looking great.

I hope none of you have to deal with the surprises that come from an accident or vandalism, but for regular maintenance of the car, there is simply not much to do. If you maintain good battery hygiene, this car will last you for many years without much upkeep.

Combined with the extremely low cost of electricity, compared with what you would normally spend on gasoline, the cost of operating a Tesla is a fraction of your old fossil fuel car.