2013 Tesla Model S 85

TLDR: This is a project car. It doesn’t drive. It has “battery contactor corrosion”, and requires service to make it driveable. I don’t know how much the repair will cost. It has all the latest upgrades. For the right buyer who has access to a flatbed towtruck and can remove a HV battery and repair the contactors DIY, this sale price is a steal. For anyone else, it’s probably not worth the trouble.

This beautiful 2013 Tesla Model S has served me well since I bought it certified pre-owned from Tesla about 8 years ago. Two years ago the HV battery encountered an issue, so I shipped the car to ReCell in Texas to have the battery replaced. It worked great for two years, but now the battery contactors have gotten corroded (see photo of Maintenance Mode errors) and the car refuses to boot any of the HV systems, rendering the vehicle undriveable. One of the side-effects of this is the air suspension won’t engage, so the car is resting on the bump stops. I have an air compressor and I can easily fill the reservior to lift the chassis for a tow, but if the buyer can bring a tank of compressed nitrogen instead, this would be preferrable. It is my understanding that the battery contactor degredation is a common issue with this model, as the coolant seal sometimes leaks slightly, but that the battery itself is hermetically sealed and in great condition (less than 2% cell variation last I checked).

I really don’t want to sell this car, but it stopped working the same time I lost my job, and the job market has been terrible, especially since I don’t have transportation. I recently paid about $8000 to replace the battery, about 2 years ago, and I even got the infotainment upgrade with 4G connectivity – so the HUD and the center tablet are a huge improvement over what this car originally shipped with. It still has free unlimited supercharging for life, but I have always had a NEMA 14-50 at home so I’ve hardly used it. Tesla quoted me $800 just to tow it to their service center – and I can’t afford this at the moment, let alone the repair. I figured the unlimited supercharging for life was so valuable that it would never make sense to sell it, and Tesla doesn’t offer this anymore. Well crap happens.

Highlights

• Premium tan leather interior and glossy obeche wood panel dashboard
• Recently replaced HV battery (2 years ago) by ReCell in Texas
• Latest infotainment upgrade with 4G connectivity included
• Google maps navigation, music streaming over 4G via Spotify and TuneIn, bluetooth compatibility, remote unlock/start via iPhone/Android app, etc.
• Includes two functional keyfobs
• Includes brand new OEM 12V battery
• Includes 3 additional OEM rims and tires, assembled
• Includes portable charger, with 110V trickle charger adapter and 220V NEMA 14-50 plug
• Premium interior lighting upgrade with LED lights embedded in the doors for better cabin visibility at night
• No self-driving features, but the best damn backup camera I’ve ever used
• It’s still a Tesla – with rear-wheel drive, it feels like a silent muscle car with perfect handling cheats enabled

Problems

• HV battery contactor corrosion, all HV systems are non-functional until this issue is fixed
• Large crack on front windshield
• Needs a tow – flatbed only
• Minor damage to the upholstry on the rear seats
• Needs compressed air to keep the suspension lifted until repairs are done