One of the first things I do when I take delivery of an all-new car is a full walkaround. Not only do I want to familiarize myself with the new set of wheels, I also want to take in some observations.
I actually want to start noticing the details. That way, I can start figuring out what will eventually break. I know it sounds morose, but that's the nature of the beast. These days autos are packed with technology, much of it useless. From motorized door handles, to motorized tweeters, to motorized navigation screens, it's all becoming a bit much.
Consumer Reports found out the hard way after it took delivery of an all-new Tesla Model S P85D. Equipped with super cool proximity sensing door handles, the vehicle "presents" them to you when you approach. Except for when it's broken. For CR, the boys and girls couldn't open the driver's door thus rendering the vehicle useless.
Until Tesla could dispatch a technician on-site to diagnose the problem — it happened the next morning — the door could not be opened. Once they arrived all was taken care of and addressed.
According to Consumer Reports, the door handle issue isn't much of a surprise. That's because the number one complaint among Tesla Model S owners is faulty door handles.
Consumer Reports paid $127,000 for a Tesla Model S P85D but the door handle malfunctioned not long after the car arrived at our Connecticut test track. It's an issue that has surfaced in our reliability surveys. But Tesla makes house calls.