1 day Ago By Matthew Guy
Article content Tesla mid-September acknowledged the existence of owner-reported leaks in the rear drive units of some of its cars, as the components may malfunction and spill oil, according to outlets south of the border. Yes, Virginia — even though they don’t have a gasoline engine, most electric cars do still contain an oil lubricant in some systems. At issue is the aforementioned drive unit, specifically the one found on the rear axle of the speedy Model 3 Performance .
Reports of leakage have been cropping up on social media for some time, ironically getting traction on X (formerly Twitter), which is owned by the person who is also – like it or not – the face of Tesla, Elon Musk. One owner reported that an approved service outlet attempted to pin the problem on the customer, pointing the blame at replacement suspension parts which anyone with a grain of sense knows have nothing to do with the rear drive unit. Through the power of the internet, a regional service manager for Tesla is said to have reached out to that customer after more leaks, apparently admitting the company was aware of the issue.
That same manager indicated the leaks are caused by a faulty breather valve, an explanation which makes scads more sense than the obfuscation about suspension parts provided by the service centre mentioned above. Breathers are supposed to act as vents when a device – like the rear drive unit – reaches a certain pressure point. If they don’t function properly, it is indeed possible the drive would force fluid out through axle seals or some other location it isn’t supposed to go.
After all, liquid tends to act like a politician: they take the path of least resistance. It is suggested by affected Model 3 owners who have been on top of the problem and in contact with Tesla that engineers are working on a fix, and a technical service bulletin (TSB) will be issued in due course. There isn’t any indication said forthcoming TSB will also cover this model in the Canadian market, but, given these vehicles are all but identical on both sides of the border, there is no logical reason why it shouldn’t.
Cynics will point out that logic doesn’t always enter the chat when talking about Tesla, so we’ll keep our ear to the ground. Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X , Tiktok and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice..
