The TÜV SÜD, the German ITV, prepared a report last winter that reflects the results of the periodic inspections to which vehicles in the territory are subjected. The most striking thing about the report is reflected in its first lines: “Tesla replaces Dacia.”
The Technical Inspection Association clarifies that the Tesla Model 3 has become the least reliable car on the market, surpassing the Dacia Logan (which occupied the latter position). According to the company, this has nothing to do with the final quality of the vehicle, but rather with Tesla’s maintenance policy.
“Teslas have no maintenance”. One of the most popular half-truths with electric vehicles and, especially with Tesla, has to do with maintenance policies. There are no oil, fuel filter or spark plug changes, but leaving the car to its fate does not seem to be the solution, according to reports.
Tesla recommends certain replacement timelines for items like the cabin air filter, tire rotation, brake fluid check, and more. Terms that usually range between two and four years. Beyond this, the company clarifies that “your Tesla vehicle does not need annual maintenance or periodic fluid changes.”
Until they need maintenance. From the German company they indicate that the Tesla Model 3 has quite common failures related to the lighting system, brakes and axles. TÜV SÜD officials, as reported by Motorpasion, point out the following.
The claim that electric vehicles need less service and maintenance is not entirely true. In fact, it primarily applies to the drivetrain because there are no fluids or moving parts that need to be replaced. But we didn’t expect the Tesla Model 3 to deliver such a poor result. Confirms our belief that electric vehicles also require regular maintenance
The German company is not alone. This is not the first study to question the reliability of Tesla cars. In 2022, the OCU published a list of the most and least reliable cars in the European Union, taking as reference a study with a database of more than 50,000 drivers. Japanese manufacturers such as Lexus, Subaru, Toyota and Mitsubishi topped the ranking.
Deep on the list were Jaguar, Land Rover, Alfa Romeo… and Tesla. Another iSeecars study, in which recalls by brands were studied, also showed that of the five cars with the most recalls, four were from Tesla.
Same data for the JD Power report focusing on the US market, in which Lexus once again took the throne of reliability and Tesla occupied the last position on the list.
The importance of regular maintenance. From TÜV SÜD they point out that the most reliable cars in their inspections are not the newest: Volkswagen Golf Sportvan (a car that is not even manufactured anymore), Honda Jazz, Audi A4, second generation Audi TT… vehicles with annual maintenance , like any combustion.
The person in charge points out that “the low failure rates in old cars show that the owners of these vehicles are very aware of the importance of car maintenance. Regular maintenance plays a key role in this positive result.”
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