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2017 Tesla Model S: windshield wiper failure

6 of the 432 complaints about the 2017 Tesla Model S describe windshield wiper failure.

owner complaints
6
of this car's complaints
1%
recalls
1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 4 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below

Windshield wiper failure by model year

What owners say

Filed Dec 11, 2023 · Visibility · NC

After the latest software update, the intermittent settings on the windshield wipers no longer work. At 10:15am on December 11, the Tesla Service group confirmed in a message that this is a known firmware characteristic. There is no ETA on a new firmware update to correct the issue. There notice states that it is an issue with the auto wiper feature, but the wiper does not work in manual mode either. Initially, they stated that they could inspect the car in a few days. Now they have pushed my appointment 2+ weeks.

Filed Dec 30, 2021 · Visibility · CA

Wiper motor failing

Filed Feb 13, 2021 · Visibility · 39,045 miles · NY

Purchased a used tesla, today (on 2nd day) driving on local street, it was raining a bit, turned on wipers, didn't work, pulled over and attepmted few more times, no luck. Tesla attempted to address the issue remotely through basic troubleshooting but no luck. When wipers were turned on, it was pulling downward instead of going up. They ended up towing car, currently in service center.

Filed Feb 3, 2021 · Electrical · NY

The central screen went blank I took to the dealer they tried to fix it it happened twice the wipers and AC continued to run even when I got out of the car last time it happened at the repair shop the odometer mileage jumped from 21 000 to 58 000 I took the car back to repair shop and they said it is a computer glitch and fixed (?) the problem and mileage was adjusted I am wondering if mileage can be adjusted by the dealer , I think it is illegal. Intermittently the cameras are fogging even when it is not cold. No clear explanation given by the crew at repair place

Filed Sep 14, 2020 · Electrical · 61,000 miles · VT

Tl* the contact owns a 2017 tesla model s. The contact stated that the hardware computer failed. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired once for the failure however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer tesla service center - latham (326 old niskayuna rd, latham, ny 12110) however, the dealer refused to service the vehicle for free. The contact drove the vehicle to the dealer without the indicator lights or windshield wipers operational. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but, offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

Filed Sep 26, 2017 · Brakes, Steering · 100 miles · CA

Please note - this is a complaint about the tesla model 3 which does not yet appear on your database. At least 50 of these have already been released to tesla employee guinea pigs and are loose on the highways. It is expected that thousands more will be on the roads soon. The following video shows just how much of a dangerous distraction the central touch-screen is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl7a-9dgsb0 almost every function of the car is controlled by the touch screen. The man who posted this video is probably typical of the type of person who will be driving these cars. He is young, enthusiastic about new technology and overconfident in his abilities. He states that he can see the touch-screen out of his peripheral vision while still watching the road ahead. This is absolutely impossible. A simple experiment using my own laptop whilst sitting in front of a window proves that although I can see the image of the screen in my peripheral vision it is impossible to place a finger on any of the icons without looking directly at the screen. This is the same kind of thinking that leads young people to text and drive and is causing a sharp rise in the road toll. The narrator of the video repeats the claim of elon musk that it doesn't really matter because teslas will soon be capable of self driving and already have automatic emergency braking (sometimes!) in many parts of the world it is illegal to even touch a phone whilst driving. This car is even more dangerous than that. Even to control the screen wipers and air flow it is necessary to fiddle with the screen. Please stop this dangerous experiment before it goes any further. This report will be forwarded to the media so that it is on record that the federal safety agency has been warned of the danger. Thank you. Concerned citizen dummy USA address used to satisfy your website. Genuine contact details supplied.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

Visibility: defroster/defogger/HVAC systemReported January 29, 2021 · 134,951 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Tesla Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles with a center display equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and an 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device. When the 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device for the center display reaches lifetime wear, the eMMC controller will no longer be able to maintain the integrity of the filesystem, causing a failure in some of the center display functions.
Risk
The eMMC controller wear-out condition can cause the loss of the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings, and exterior turn signal lighting, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Owners should ensure their vehicles are operating firmware release 2020.48.48.12 or newer, which will alert owners if the eMMC is approaching lifetime wear. Tesla will notify owners, and will replace the VCM daughterboard with one containing an enhanced eMMC controller, free of charge. The recall began March 29, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1‑877‑798‑3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-21-001.

Recall number 21V035000 · Recall details

Questions about the 2017 Tesla Model S wipers

Is windshield wiper failure a common problem on the 2017 Tesla Model S?

6 of 432 owner complaints about the 2017 Tesla Model S (1%) mention windshield wiper failure. The model year with the most reports is 2023.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2017 Tesla Model S?

There is 1 recall and 4 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2017 Tesla Model S

Ball joint 41Backup camera 38Screen failure 25Adaptive cruise 23Phantom braking 16Grinding brakes 15Sudden acceleration 15Headlights 12Door locks 9Loss of power 6Overheating 6No deployment 5Harsh shifting 5Power steering loss 5

All model years of the Tesla Model S

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