Casteyanqui.com | Electric Vehicles | Repairing the PCS in our Model 3

Doctor's Office
(Click to enlarge)

Repairing the
Power Conversion System
in our Model 3

Mark D Larsen
January 21, 2023

It has now been a year since I first noticed that the Power Conversion System (PCS) in our Model 3 was starting to break down. I believed (and still believe) that battery electronics like the PCS in the High Voltage Battery Service Panel should be covered under the High Voltage Battery warranty, but… Tesla refused to do so. I therefore decided to try to settle our dispute through arbitration, which took nearly a full year to reach a conclusion. Despite the best arguments I could muster, the outcome was that the arbitrator sided with Tesla. I thus had no other choice than to pay for that very hefty repair out of my own pocket.
I therefore scheduled an appointment with the nearest Service Center in Las Vegas to replace the faulty PCS, and specifically told them that it was imperative that they complete the repair in one day while I waited in their lounge, since I live two hours away. They agreed to accommodate my request, and suggested that I arrive at 8:00 AM to check in for the service so that the technicians could get started on it as their first appointment at 8:45 AM. Below are a few comments on having this repair completed.

NOTE: You can click on the following photos to enlarge them.

I had never been to this Service Center before, because we had taken delivery at the only Showroom that existed back in 2018. This new location is much larger and better equipped.

I arrived on time at the Service Office, and the receptionists checked me in to have the work done.

They then parked my Model 3 in a rear lot until the repair shop opened its doors.

Here is the shop, which seems much larger than the one at the other Tesla store. Unfortunately, unlike at that other store, this one doesn't have windows for customers to watch the technicians work on their vehicles.

Here is a photo borrowed from TeslaTap of the PCS component they needed to replace in my Model 3. I had asked if I could keep the old, faulty part when the job was completed, but they said that it wasn't possible according to Tesla's policies on parts.

While waiting, I explored more of the facility, and saw that they were displaying a red Performance Model 3 and a Midnight Silver Metallic Model Y in the front Showroom.

Throughout the day the employees were delivering several vehicles to new customers, with plenty more Teslas waiting in the adjacent parking lot.

Later that afternoon, I opened my Tesla app out of curiosity, and saw that the technicians had done me the courtesy of charging my Model 3's battery to 90%, knowing that it would take me 2 hours to drive home. They actually finished the job at a little after 3:00 PM, a couple of hours earlier than anticipated. The total cost for the repair was $1,604.56 —which was actually $133.62 lower than the original $1,738.18 quote a year ago, and a few dollars less than the estimate given.

When I arrived home again, I was relieved and pleased to see that the new PCS was performing as intended: when I plugged into my HPWC in the garage, I could see that the car was once again charging at its full 48A rate, putting ~45 miles-per-hour into the battery —something I hadn't seen for over a year.

I certainly hope this new PCS is more durable, reliable, robust, dependable than the original that it replaced. The latter started to break down after only about 3 years and 9 months. Will this one meet the same fate after the same amount of time? I can only wait and see. What worries me most is that Tesla guarantees replacement parts for only 1 year:

The Tesla Parts, Body & Paint Repair Limited Warranty begins on the purchase date of the part(s), and coverage extends for a period of 12 months or 12,500 miles, which ever comes first.

I’d sure hate to have to pay for a third PCS repair before we purchase our next EV!

I had never been to this Service Center before, because we had taken delivery at the only Showroom that existed back in 2018. This new location is much larger and better equipped.	I arrived on time at the Service Office, and the receptionists checked me in to have the work done.
They then parked my Model 3 in a rear lot until the repair shop opened its doors.	Here is the shop, which seems much larger than the one at the other Tesla store. Unfortunately, unlike at that other store, this one doesn't have windows for customers to watch the technicians work on their vehicles.
Here is a photo borrowed from TeslaTap of the PCS component they needed to replace in my Model 3. I had asked if I could keep the old, faulty part when the job was completed, but they said that it wasn't possible according to Tesla's policies on parts.
While waiting, I explored more of the facility, and saw that they were displaying a red Performance Model 3 and a Midnight Silver Metallic Model Y in the front Showroom.	Throughout the day the employees were delivering several vehicles to new customers, with plenty more Teslas waiting in the adjacent parking lot.
Later that afternoon, I opened my Tesla app out of curiosity, and saw that the technicians had done me the courtesy of charging my Model 3's battery to 90%, knowing that it would take me 2 hours to drive home. They actually finished the job at a little after 3:00 PM, a couple of hours earlier than anticipated. The total cost for the repair was $1,604.56 —which was actually $133.62 lower than the original $1,738.18 quote a year ago, and a few dollars less than the estimate given.	When I arrived home again, I was relieved and pleased to see that the new PCS was performing as intended: when I plugged into my HPWC in the garage, I could see that the car was once again charging at its full 48A rate, putting ~45 miles-per-hour into the battery —something I hadn't seen for over a year.