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Tesla’s vehicle reliability makes way for as-needed service, no annual maintenance needed

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Tesla will no longer be offering an extended maintenance plan in favor of specific service recommendations on an as-needed basis.

Having analyzed billions of miles of real-world driving data from its worldwide fleet of vehicles, combined with internal engineering studies on vehicle reliability, durability, and safety, the electric carmaker found that there was less of a need for customers to bring their vehicles in for annual service when, in many instances, the vehicle did not require maintenance like a traditional gasoline car would.

In place of an annual maintenance checklist, Tesla owners will only need to bring their cars in for service when there’s a service need on a specific component at a specific interval. This will enable cars to stay on roads for longer periods of time.

Along with reducing servicing requirements for Model S, Model 3, and Model X vehicles, this change will effectively end the purchase of optional 3 and 4-year Maintenance Plans.

The all-electric car maker originally recommended a multi-point inspection every 12 months or 12,500 miles, but long-term data has now demonstrated most of the items are unnecessary thanks to advantages to electric vehicles.

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The annual scheduled maintenance previously recommended included a bumper to bumper, roof to wheel inspection. Vehicle logs and alerts were examined, consumables such as wiper blades, key fob batteries, and air filters were inspected, among other common vehicle inspection items.

Under Tesla’s maintenance recommendations, the following are now suggested:

  • Cabin Air Filter
  • High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filter
  • Tire Rotation, Balance and Wheel Alignment
  • Brake Fluid Test
  • Air Conditioning Service
  • Winter Care

According to the Frequently Asked Questions section of Tesla’s Car Maintenance page:

Does my car require an annual maintenance service?
Your Tesla does not require annual maintenance and regular fluid changes. Please check your Owner’s Manual for latest maintenance recommendations for your Tesla.

Do I have to take my car to a Tesla Service Center?
With over-the-air software updates, remote diagnostics and the support of our Mobile Service technicians, the need to visit a Service Center is reduced. If your car does require service, you can schedule a service appointment in the 
Tesla app or your Tesla Account. If you choose to take your car to a non-Tesla shop for maintenance or repairs, coverage under your warranty could be affected if any problems occur.

Updating manufacturer maintenance recommendations with the customer in mind are one of the ways Tesla has demonstrated its commitment to improving its service experience. Owners have noted areas needing improvement in the electric vehicle manufacturer’s service recently, although their vehicles are well-loved in general.

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Tesla has taken note of this weak spot and has been rolling out initiatives to improve its customer experience including opening in-house body shops and live status updates while their vehicles are being serviced. Similarly, because all of Tesla’s vehicles are connected, vehicle service logs are used to troubleshoot and identify customer concerns before a car is brought in for service.

As the $35,000 Model 3 Standard Range continues its roll out and the coming Model Y expected to be even more popular drawing near, shoring up the service side of Tesla’s ownership experience is a step in the right direction. Eliminating unnecessary check ups could have a positive impact on customer wait time thanks to freer service center schedules; regardless, keeping customers in their cars rather than waiting to be inside them is a good place to be overall.

Accidental computer geek, fascinated by most history and the multiplanetary future on its way. Quite keen on the democratization of space. | It's pronounced day-sha, but I answer to almost any variation thereof.

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Tesla begins Robotaxi certification push in Arizona: report

Tesla seems serious about expanding its Robotaxi service to several states in the coming months.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has initiated discussions with Arizona transportation regulators to certify its driverless Robotaxi service in the state, as per a recent report from Bloomberg News. The move follows Tesla’s launch of its Robotaxi pilot program in Austin, Texas, as well as CEO Elon Musk’s recent comments about the service’s expansion in the Bay Area.

The Arizona Department of Transportation confirmed to Bloomberg that Tesla has reached out to begin the certification process for autonomous ride-sharing operations in the state. While details remain limited, the outreach suggests that Tesla is serious about expanding its driverless Robotaxi service to several territories in the coming months.

The Arizona development comes as Tesla prepares to expand its service area in Austin this weekend, as per CEO Elon Musk in a post on X. Musk also stated that Tesla is targeting the San Francisco Bay Area as its next major market, with a potential launch “in a month or two,” pending regulatory approvals.

Tesla first launched its autonomous ride-hailing program on June 22 in Austin with a small fleet of Model Y vehicles, accompanied by a Tesla employee in the passenger seat to monitor safety. While still classified as a test, Musk has said the program will expand to about 1,000 vehicles in the coming months. Tesla will later upgrade its Robotaxi fleet with the Cyercab, a two-seater that is designed without a steering wheel.

Sightings of Cybercab castings around the Giga Texas complex suggests that Tesla may be ramping the initial trial production of the self-driving two-seater. Tesla, for its part, has noted in the past that volume production of the Cybercab is expected to start sometime next year.

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In California, Tesla has already applied for a transportation charter-party carrier permit from the state’s Public Utilities Commission. The company is reportedly taking a phased approach to operating in California, with the Robotaxi service starting with pre-arranged rides for employees in vehicles with safety drivers.

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Tesla sets November 6 date for 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting

The automaker announced the date on Thursday in a Form 8-K.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has scheduled its 2025 annual shareholder meeting for November 6, addressing investor concerns that the company was nearing a legal deadline to hold the event. 

The automaker announced the date on Thursday in a Form 8-K submitted to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The company also listed a new proposal submission deadline of July 31 for items to be included in the proxy statement.

Tesla’s announcement followed calls from a group of 27 shareholders, including the leaders of large public pension funds, which urged Tesla’s board to formally set the meeting date, as noted in a report from The Wall Street Journal

The group noted that under Texas law, where Tesla is now incorporated, companies must hold annual meetings within 13 months of the last one if requested by shareholders. Tesla’s previous annual shareholder meeting was held on June 13, 2024, which placed the July 13 deadline in focus.

Tesla originally stated in its 2024 annual report that it would file its proxy statement by the end of April. However, an amended filing on April 30 indicated that the Board of Directors had not yet finalized a meeting date, at least at the time.

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The April filing also confirmed that Tesla’s board had formed a special committee to evaluate certain matters related to CEO Elon Musk’s compensation plan. Musk’s CEO performance award remains at the center of a lengthy legal dispute in Delaware, Tesla’s former state of incorporation.

Due to the aftermath of Musk’s legal dispute about his compensation plan in Delaware, he has not been paid for his work at Tesla for several years. Musk, for his part, has noted that he is more concerned about his voting stake in Tesla than his actual salary.

At last year’s annual meeting, TSLA shareholders voted to reapprove Elon Musk’s compensation plan and ratified Tesla’s decision to relocate its legal domicile from Delaware to Texas.

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Grok coming to Tesla vehicles next week “at the latest:” Elon Musk

Grok’s rollout to Tesla vehicles is expected to begin next week at the latest.

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Credit: Tesla China

Elon Musk announced on Thursday that Grok, the large language model developed by his startup xAI, will soon be available in Tesla vehicles. Grok’s rollout to Tesla vehicles is expected to begin next week at the latest, further deepening the ties between the two Elon Musk-led companies.

Tesla–xAI synergy

Musk confirmed the news on X shortly after livestreaming the release of Grok 4, xAI’s latest large language model. “Grok is coming to Tesla vehicles very soon. Next week at the latest,” Musk wrote in a post on social media platform X.

During the livestream, Musk and several members of the xAI team highlighted several upgrades to Grok 4’s voice capabilities and performance metrics, positioning the LLM as competitive with top-tier models from OpenAI and Google.

The in-vehicle integration of Grok marks a new chapter in Tesla’s AI development. While Tesla has long relied on in-house systems for autonomous driving and energy optimization, Grok’s integration would introduce conversational AI directly into its vehicles’ user experience. This integration could potentially improve customer interaction inside Tesla vehicles.

xAI and Tesla’s collaborative footprint

Grok’s upcoming rollout to Tesla vehicles adds to a growing business relationship between Tesla and xAI. Earlier this year, Tesla disclosed that it generated $198.3 million in revenue from commercial, consulting, and support agreements with xAI, as noted in a report from Bloomberg News. A large portion of that amount, however, came from the sale of Megapack energy storage systems to the artificial intelligence startup.

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In July 2023, Musk polled X users about whether Tesla should invest $5 billion in xAI. While no formal investment has been made so far, 68% of poll participants voted yes, and Musk has since stated that the idea would be discussed with Tesla’s board.

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