Reliability in question? Oil leaks on Tesla!

Did you think oil leaks were a privilege of internal combustion cars? Think again, as electric cars are not immune.

Since its launch last April, a rumor has started to circulate about the Tesla Model 3 Performance reportedly leaking oil. Several owners have noticed strange lubricant leaks around the rear drive unit. These aren’t pools of oil under the cars, but rather fluid accumulation in the underbody protection panel. It was only after removing this aerodynamic panel that the owners discovered the leaks, sometimes after just a few hundred kilometers of use.

The problem, in our time, is that with forums and social media, this issue could not stay hidden for long. Reluctantly, Tesla has had to acknowledge the problem and quickly identified the cause.

Slippery Ground for Tesla

The front and rear drive units connect the motors to the drive shafts via gear reducers. An electric motor spins at over 20,000 revolutions per minute, and this speed must be reduced before it reaches the wheels. It’s the electric counterpart of the gearboxes and differentials found in internal combustion vehicles, with slightly fewer gears and more electronics. However, there are still moving mechanical components that need lubrication. So yes, electric cars do require oil. Each drive unit is equipped with a valve that regulates the pressure of the lubricating fluids it contains. We’re talking only a few hundred milliliters compared to liters for an internal combustion engine with a gearbox, but at high temperatures, the fluid expands, and some pressure needs to be released. This faulty valve causes the liquid to exert pressure against the axle seals and eventually leads to leaks.

Here is the dreaded failure at just a few cents that gives the model a very bad reputation. A greasy Tesla certainly makes a poor impression… of oil! Let’s be sure that Tesla will not stand idly by and will quickly organize a recall to fix the issue.

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