Consumer Reports, who just over a month ago broke their own rating system because they just loved them so damn much, has now pulled their recommendation for the Tesla Model S after they found it to be ‘below average’ on reliability.
I can imagine the Consumer Reports offices now, full of listless, defeated-looking people, wondering why they’ve been so betrayed.
If you’ll recall, back in late August, Consumer Reports gave the Model S a 103 out of 100 points. Tesla said of that:
“The Model S being the first car to receive 100 out of 100 points is truly a testament to our commitment to continually give our customers enhancements in range, performance and value, and ultimately a better driving and ownership experience.”
But it’s important to remember that those tests were for the vehicles’s comfort, performance, driving experience, and all that — not a long-term evaluation of the car’s quality and reliability, which is what CR just completed.
After surveying 1,400 owners, Consumer Reports found a whole mess of issues, including sunroof leaks, issues with the massive, iPad-like center stack display, body squeaks, automatic door handle issues, and more, including some cases of complete motor replacement.
According to Consumer Reports:
As the older vehicles are getting up on miles we are seeing some where the electric motor needs to be replaced and the onboard charging system won’t charge the battery. On the newer vehicles we are seeing problems such as the sunroof not operating properly. Door handles continue to be an issue.
The magazine did mention that customer satisfaction for the brand is high, and Tesla’s support network has been rated very highly. While Tesla did not make it into Consumer Reports’ annual ranking of 28 car makers, its scores would have placed it 19th.
Tesla’s shares are down over nine percent, to $207.56 per share, as of this writing.
Contact the author at jason@jalopnik.com.