If you’ve ever driven a car with a gas engine, you know how important it is to change the oil on a regular basis to keep the engine running smoothly.
But now that you’re interested in an electric car like a Tesla, you want to know if it will also need oil changes.
So, do oil changes need to be done on electric cars like Teslas?
Because Teslas don’t have an engine that burns oil, they don’t need traditional oil changes. Since a Tesla has an electric motor, grease is used instead of engine oil to keep the parts moving smoothly. Grease doesn’t break down as quickly as oil does, so you can pay less attention to it and drive for longer.
Once you start driving your Tesla, you won’t have to pull out a dipstick to check the oil level in your car.
But your Tesla doesn’t run without any oil at all.
But instead of being in the engine, the oil in your Tesla is in the gearbox, which is also called the differential.
But don’t worry, you shouldn’t have to change this oil very often.
What Maintenance Do Teslas Need Instead Of Oil Changes?
Now that you know your Tesla doesn’t need regular oil changes, you might think that you don’t have to do any regular maintenance. We’re sorry to say that’s not true.
No matter what kind of car you drive, you still need to do certain maintenance tasks on a regular basis to keep your car in great shape.
First, watch out for your Tesla’s tyres.
Like tyres on regular cars, the tyres on your Tesla will need to be rotated every so often, usually every 10,000-12,000 miles.
Also, most Tesla owners change their tyres every six years, on average.
The brake fluid is the only fluid in your Tesla that may need to be changed at some point.
Tesla says that brake fluid should be checked for contamination every two years and replaced if it is dirty.
Every two or three years, you should also change the filters on your Tesla.
Since dust and pollen tend to get stuck in the carbon air filter, it should be changed every 24 months.
The HEPA filter will need to be replaced every 36 months.
If you live somewhere that gets cold, you should have your brake callipers cleaned and oiled once a year or every 12,500 miles, whichever comes first.
Lastly, make sure your air conditioner is serviced often.
Service should be done every two years on the Model S, every four years on the Model X, and every six years on the Model 3.
How Often Do Tesla’s Need to be Serviced?
Your Tesla should be serviced regularly to keep it in great shape while you’re driving it.
But this will also depend on things like the types of roads you drive on most, the weather, and how many miles you drive each year.
After learning about all the regular maintenance tasks that need to be done on your Tesla, you might think that you will be busy taking care of them yourself.
You can if you follow the instructions in your owner’s manual and are used to taking care of car maintenance. The good news is that technicians at a Tesla service centre can easily take care of all maintenance.
First of all, you should take your Tesla to an authorised service centre as soon as possible if you run into any problems while driving it.
Most of the time, all you need is a small fix to get back on the road.
But if you don’t deal with problems when they start, a small problem can get bigger and cost more than you thought it would.
Keep in mind that your Tesla’s tyres should be aligned every 12,000 miles and replaced every five or six years. You should also check the brake pads for wear, though this rarely happens.
Get your air conditioning serviced every two to six years, depending on the type of Tesla you own, so you can stay cool on a hot summer day.
Last but not least, you should check your brake fluid every two years and add more or replace it if it’s dirty. You should also change the air filters in your Tesla every two or three years.
Do Any Electric Cars Need Oil Changes?
Since you don’t have to change the oil in your Tesla, you might wonder if there are any other electric cars on the road that do.
The answer is no, because electric cars don’t have engines that run on gas or oil. Instead, they have motors.
In a typical internal combustion engine, valves, pistons, and other parts move all the time, so they need oil to keep them from getting stuck.
But your Tesla and other electric cars have completely different drivetrains that use electric motors and batteries. This means that almost no oil is needed for electric cars.
Will My Tesla Need Many Repairs?
If you follow a regular maintenance schedule for your Tesla, such as rotating and replacing the tyres, checking the brake fluid, servicing the air conditioner, and replacing different filters, your Tesla is likely to need few or no major repairs over time.
But remember that you still need to be a careful driver and not put your Tesla through more stress than it needs to.
For instance, if you tend to hit the gas hard when you accelerate, this can put extra stress on your brakes, which could damage the brake pads or other parts over time.
Even though you can throw away the dipstick and rag once you start driving your Tesla, you shouldn’t also throw away the schedule for keeping your car in good shape.
If you take care of your Tesla and get it serviced regularly, you should have an electric car that will last for a long time.
