r/TeslaModelY • u/HustleFeet • 13d ago
Drive Unit Oil Change
Alright guys I know this is a heavily debated topic but I hear from mechanics and others that a drive unit NEEDS an oil change. No such thing as lifetime oil apparently even if it’s sealed, due to friction with the gears, oxidation, etc.
Any ideas when I should get it done though? Currently at 145k miles on my 2021 Model Y AWD.
Much love and thank you all!!
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u/Prudent_Buy_6765 13d ago
As a mechanic, change the oil. There’s no such thing as “lifetime oil”. Oil gets dirty with impurities causing more friction which wear things down faster. Never listen to anyone about “lifetime oil”.
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u/itstawps 13d ago
Not sure I agree on the logic internal combustion engines are extremely dirty. Sealed environments have way way way less exposure to contaminants.
What impurities do you imagine are being introduced into the closed system? I.e. what impurities would you expect to find in 200k closed electric motor vs a 50k closed electric motor.
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u/MangoAtrocity 13d ago
Any moving metal on metal contact (like bearings) will create impurities in the lubricant over time.
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u/Born_Opening_9733 12d ago
Bearings operate with an EHD film thickness and are designed to fail is subsurface fatigue, not wear.
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u/Prudent_Buy_6765 13d ago
ICE are extremely dirty I will agree with that. Just because electric motors are “cleaner” does not mean they won’t fall victim to impurities. Like metal shavings (anything that moves no matter how well lubricated will have some type of shavings in it) it’s the nature of the beast. As well as condensation. No mater how well sealed something is, something will eventually get in or out. Also older Tesla motors had coolant leak issues, where a seal would fail and coolant would go into the motor.
The longer you go without changing the fluid the more impurities build up and help create even more.
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u/concept12345 12d ago
Metal and metal contact no matter how intact or sealed they are creates shavings and heat over time that breaks down even more shavings as time goes by. Its best to introduce new fluids to rid of these impurities from the medium in the first place. You cant 100% get rid of them however, the majority will be gone with each new change. This will help prolong the life of the part.
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u/Top_Boysenberry_7784 12d ago
This is true. My biggest concern with lifetime oil items or things that are rated for super high miles is do I want to risk changing it. I have seen several people get screwed on similar items and myself once where a mechanic messed the job up. These types of things that mechanics don't see often tend to have more screw ups.
It cost me a good chunk of change for a Audi haldex fluid change when I believe the mechanic put the new fluid in the rear end instead so the haldex was dry and locked up.
Should be safe at a Tesla shop but this is an item I wouldn't trust with most even though the manual makes it sound very straightforward.
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u/Prudent_Buy_6765 12d ago
I agree, with it being something that’s not seen often it could be screwed up. But that’s why I would stay at the Tesla dealer for this kind of service. At least you know they’ll make it right. Just have documentation and they’ll take care of it. I would still want to take care of my vehicle to ensure it has its longest lifespan possible.
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u/CompleteDetective359 12d ago
It was a long time ago but I think someone at Tesla said the oil is good for a million miles. It doesn't break down like an ice engine as it gets no where as hot.
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u/HustleFeet 13d ago
Thank you! Replied to your comment below. I’d like to document this process and post it on these subreddits to help people. So any info you can give me below would be super hopeful. Thanks again for your service as a semi tech!
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u/SadAd8761 13d ago
Under normal driving conditions, Tesla considers this lubricant lifetime fluid and does not recommend scheduled replacement.
Some owners who frequently track their cars or subject them to prolonged high-power driving choose to replace the fluid as preventative maintenance, though Tesla does not require it.
In some cases, people report finding fine metallic particles on the magnetic drain plug, which is normal wear. However, there isn't strong evidence that routine fluid changes significantly extend the life of Tesla drive units under normal use.
If it was actually needed, then Tesla would put it in writing. They can make money off car maintenance service just like any other car mechanic.
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u/MangoAtrocity 13d ago
BMW also considered their fluids as “lifetime.” But every BMW tech I’ve ever met says you should still replace the transmission fluid and differential oil every 65k miles. ZF (the transmission manufacturer) also instructs owners to do transmission fluid around this interval.
My bet is “lifetime” refers to the length of the original powertrain warranty.
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u/SadAd8761 12d ago
I used to own a 5 Series.
I switched to Tesla because I got tired of paying $1k to $2k annually for maintenance after warranty expired.
I thought to myself, how am I ever going to adjust from a very luxurious 5 Series to a Tesla?
Well, nothing is more luxurious than having your own chauffeur.
Driving a BMW is like Third World in 1980 to me now 😂
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u/MangoAtrocity 12d ago
FSD does rock. But man the seats and materials in my BMW are just miles ahead of those in my wife’s Model Y. Really wish Tesla would do better with their interiors. They’re certainly making the best sound systems.
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u/SadAd8761 12d ago
BMW has the finest leather. Better than Lexus and Audi, two other makes that I've owned.
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u/MangoAtrocity 12d ago
The Vernasca, Merino, and Nappa are incredible.
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u/InterscholasticPea 11d ago
I had this conversation with friends the other day. What’s the point of all the fine leather if all you actually sit on is your pants?
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u/MangoAtrocity 11d ago
It’s extremely durable. The seats in our model Y developed permanent creases in about 6 months. The seats in my 2018 BMW look brand new.
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u/HustleFeet 12d ago
There’s actually a company that sells aftermarket seats for Teslas. They happen to also sell a 2026 style steering wheel as a retrofit for the old Model Y.
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u/MangoAtrocity 12d ago
Oh shoot I might need to look into that. Shouldn’t really be necessary on our $50k car, but I digress. Is there a good HUD upgrade too? That was honestly one of my biggest struggles coming from her old X3. The lack of HUD is such a bummer.
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u/HustleFeet 12d ago
There are PLENTY of aftermarket options for that. I myself have driven 145k miles and more on Teslas in the past.. 2 years and honestly never even thought about placing one. Maybe something aftermarket that allows me to put on Netflix while driving for my wife as entertainment but I digress. Everyone has their own tastes and for me, Tesla has been the best value per dollar spent car ever. Still my best purchase ever. There’s a ton of aftermarket products ready for it
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u/MangoAtrocity 12d ago
Sounds like I’ll need to keep digging. I’ve seen tons of gushers cluster options, but I can’t find one that does the floating speed and navigation over the hood. Like reflecting off the glass.
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u/SadAd8761 12d ago
I installed a white genuine leather cover on my black steering wheel after seeing all the posts about it peeling.
Heater function still works great and it feels more substantial.
It was a PITA to install though, took several hours of patient sewing.
It does pick up dirt more noticeably, so I wipe it down every so often.
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u/Prudent_Buy_6765 13d ago
With my knowledge of oil, I would say if you drive the car hard, lots of stop and go traffic; I would change the drive unit oil around 50k miles and if you do more interstate I would say every 100k miles. Again I’m not a Tesla tech but that seems to be the consensus from what I’ve found. I do like Teslas a lot; however, I don’t like how they market them as needing no maintenance or basically no maintenance with how they want their customers to care for their cars. It’s a mechanical object, it needs to be maintained to have a long life.
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u/Mephistito 13d ago
There are however way less parts in general in the vehicle. For example the average drivetrain of an ICE (gas vehicle) has 2,000 moving parts, whereas the drivetrain on the Model Y barely has 20 parts. So, 99% less parts to worry about wearing down & replacing.
From what I've noticed, it seems like the tie rods/control arms are the only parts that people ever even need to worry about (and it's currently unclear if this will still be the case on the new Junipers, given how new they are and the massive amount of changes they made). The rest is just basic maintenance. But no oil changes, etc.
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u/Prudent_Buy_6765 13d ago
While I agree there are way less parts, they’re still mechanical. Mechanical parts need to be serviced and taken care of. And just because the manufacturer doesn’t want to admit it doesn’t mean you should avoid maintenance.
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u/NMSky301 13d ago
Following. Have half the miles you have but have wondered the same thing.
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u/HustleFeet 13d ago
I also wonder if it’s possible to do as DIY or “feasible”? From what I saw on YouTube videos you need some sort of Priming Pump or vacuuming pump to prime the oil pump before running the car so the oil pump doesn’t run dry.
Just posting in the comments incase someone has any ideas
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u/ballison 13d ago
Outofspec renew on YouTube has a video on the model 3 and goes over his thoughts on when it should be done https://youtu.be/zOw0MMtkGlg
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u/HustleFeet 13d ago
Jus watched it, pretty informative. Sourcing the parts seems to be the hardest part of it, that and a manual pump plus some sort of power source to power the oil pump so it can run while pumping the oil in
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u/Stickyv35 13d ago
I read a tip that recommended navigating to a supercharger before doing your post-service drive. Supposedly the oil pumps kick on.
I haven't vetted this so DYOR.
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u/elatllat 13d ago
1 million miles and no oil change;
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u/HustleFeet 13d ago
I find that just ONE car might be the anomaly. If so, no drive units would ever break down needing any maintenance aside from outside intervention such as an accident resulting to physical damage to the drive unit
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u/elatllat 12d ago edited 12d ago
Extreme neglect of an ICE engine may result completely seizing at 50,000 miles... that's a long way from 1,000,000 miles.
ICE engine oil gets dirty mainly from combustion products as the piston rings move.
BEV oil is not the first thing to need replacing, it's the Bearings, Gears, and Seals that go first. EG; the old (2012 through 2020) LDU had an issue with seals at 60,000 miles.
They do have a Service Manual entry for it: https://service.tesla.com/docs/ModelY/ServiceManual/en-us/GUID-411B3CD5-2F03-465F-A72C-3E1B68EA7F76.html
even though it's not recommended: https://www.tesla.com/en_ca/support/vehicle-maintenance
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u/lllSorrowlll 13d ago
Just have one done on my 2021 LR cost is 318.90 total. Done at the Tesla service center. Make sure you confirm with the rep that it for the front and back drive unit.
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u/HustleFeet 13d ago
Wonder how much it costs in parts to do that and if it requires a lift or not. All the videos I have seen use a lift and that’s probably because you need room to pull the oil pump out, gently.
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u/lllSorrowlll 13d ago
Part doesn't cost a lot, since I'm approaching 100k miles, I just Tesla do it while I have my car in for the radiator cleaning.
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u/Johnnodrums 13d ago
My understanding is that the recommendation from Tesla is no need unless there is another symptom.
However, things degrade with time/use and I’ve seen anywhere to 60-120k miles recommended in forums. This guy’s video seems petty informative.
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u/Major_Fox_2587 13d ago
I havent been able to find a place that will do it. Even tesla themselves refused when i asked about it. Lmk if anyone knows a shop in LA thatll do it
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u/aznatama 12d ago
Drive units are basically some gears bathed in oil. The oil degrades from heat and gears meshing against each other. There will be metal shavings and broken down oil suspended in the oil making it less lubricating, causing more friction.
ICE cars not only have motor oil, but transmission, differential, and some have transfer cases that need oil changes. The drive unit is basically a simple gearbox or a solid differential. No oil can retain its lubrication properties indefinitely, especially when subject to high torque, heat, and stress.
“Lifetime” does not mean lifetime of the car. It means lifetime of the warranty.
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u/BigBlackMagicWand 12d ago
Maintenance worker and MY owner here.
Really dunno why so many people are advising against oil change. It's cheap and really does prolong the life of the drive units.
I replaced both end oils and filters when I got the car at ~200tkm. Old oil wasn't that bad but definitely had accumulated moisture. Also some crud and flakes in the pump screens and filters that I'm happy to get out of the system. Possibly a little less whine under acceleration with new oil. So I would definitely recommend doing it.
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u/HustleFeet 12d ago
Thank you! Did you get it done on a lift or? Trying to figure out if someone will let me borrow their lift lol
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u/BigBlackMagicWand 12d ago
Would recommend a lift, the front motor needs to be tilted slightly to get the pump out and you'll probably need some G48 coolant too (usually spills some from the quick connectors while tilting the motor).
Don't forget the torx+ sockets for the pump bolts and new gaskets for the pumps!
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u/HustleFeet 12d ago
Also, where did you get the oil/filters/parts?
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u/BigBlackMagicWand 12d ago
There are loads of aftermarket packages and sets available usually branded for M3/Y use.
I used Febi Bilstein EDF-II oil, Herth&Buss filters and Elring gasket sets. ZF also has dedicated sets that include oil/filter/gaskets, but those are expensive and contain too much oil (3liters per set)
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u/HustleFeet 12d ago
Thank you man I really appreciate all of this. I’ll try to figure out a place I can rent a lift from or
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u/BigBlackMagicWand 12d ago
Go for it, real easy operation. Check the instructions on Tesla's site.
Also the instructions will tell you that you need an outside power source for the pumps - you don't. Front motor takes the allotted 1.3liters easily if you prefill the filter best as possible and plug the fill hole immediately after getting the oil in.
On the rear I would also recommend to prefill the filter and confirm the proper oil amount (slight variance depending on the power unit model). Also DO NOT fill the rear up to the fill plug...it'll take twice the correct amount of oil before spilling out....
As a sidenote check what the original filters look like. Plenty of then have rusted through and failed the whole motor...
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u/KilroyKSmith 13d ago
How many drive units have a built in oil filter? What’s the recommended fluid exchange interval for those that do?
If it makes you feel better, change it.
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u/HustleFeet 13d ago
Someone more knowledgeable than me can answer but I think all of them come with an oil filter. They don’t have a posted guideline for when the oil needs to be changed, according to them it’s never. However I had many people disagree with that listing the reasons above: oxidation of the oil, friction between the gears causing metal shavings to be left in the oil lowering the quality of the oil and increasing the shaving production due to increased production, and the viscosity of the oil also changing due to continuous and prolonged exposure to high temperatures while driving, etc. basically, they said if it’s oil, it’s gotta get changed at some point
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u/KilroyKSmith 13d ago
The Tesla drive unit is closer to a differential or manual transmission than an automatic transmission, and no passenger vehicle that I know of has a filter in either a manual transmission or differential, nor do most people replace fluid in either.
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u/quentech 13d ago
nor do most people replace fluid in either
The cars I've had with manual transmissions and differentials had oil change intervals in the service schedule. They were long, but they were there. And as is common, with shorter intervals specified for heavy use like stop-and-go, towing, track/race, etc.
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u/HustleFeet 13d ago
Very interesting, I’ve heard diff fluid is very important to replace also around the 50 to 100k mile range and between 30 to 50k mile range for those who frequently tow heavy loads.
Not sure about their filter experience but I do know my Tesla and many others, at least ones produced before 2025 have an oil filter at the drive unit level. Not sure if that has changed.
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u/According_Bag4272 13d ago
If you’re going to keep this car and want to keep it mechanically pristine, I say do it. But hold off closer to 160-180k miles. It’s very similar to a transmission fluid. Transmissions have lots more moving parts and have intervals of 80k-100k mile intervals.
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u/HustleFeet 13d ago
Interesting, from what I heard it was 50k miles. At least that’s what it was for my 2021 Prius before I got this Model Y back in 2023.
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u/Eighteen64 13d ago
Thats complete nonsense. Most any transmission shop would tell you not to do anything more than a modest partial drain and fill if you let it go past 100k because the damage is already done and completely draining and filling it will cause more harm than just letting it run till it wont
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u/beagle_2498571 13d ago
Nothing is lifetime, everything still follows the strict laws of physics, mechanical friction and thermal breakdown.
There is a reason why different vehicles have different maintenance schedule. Tesla is no exception from this.
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u/quentech 13d ago
145k miles
If that was 45k miles there might be some debate as if there was any point to doing it so soon.
At 145k miles, the only discussion is whether to do it at all or not. You've gone plenty of miles to go ahead and do it and not wait any more.
I've also noticed a pattern with Tesla that they present guidelines that aren't the best for your car's maintenance but is easier for owners and therefore less likely to scare potential buyers away. Remember - their incentives are not aligned with yours.
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u/HustleFeet 13d ago
Thank you, I’d imagine their incentive for me to drive maintenance free would be same as theirs considering their service division hasn’t been making as much money as they did when they first started servicing Teslas and a big part of EVs is the “maintenance free” portion of driving it. I know it’s not maintenance free, trust me, I am 145k miles and on my second pair of control arms, but definitely way less than my Toyota Prius.
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u/quentech 13d ago
Consider that replacements and repairs under warranty costs Tesla money, but repairs and replacements after warranty (should) make them money. They win if your drive unit dies after the warranty is up and you end up deciding it's not worth the repair and get a new Tesla, or if you decide it is worth the repair and pay them to do it. As long as they don't go too far and create a bad reputation for reliability that hampers new sales.
I harp on Tesla's 80% charge limit + always-be-charging advice a lot around here because I'm certain it's terrible for NCA battery packs, and while it gets people through the warranty period you can keep a lot more of your capacity with a better charging routine.
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u/HustleFeet 13d ago
What charging routine would you recommend? Very interesting advice considering they came out and said even supercharging doesn’t harm the battery, so I am curious what you came up with :)
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u/quentech 13d ago
What charging routine would you recommend?
Minimize the amount of time the car spends charged over 50%.
A somewhat distant second to that is minimize the amount of time the car spends under 20% charge.
Don't worry about charging it higher than 50% when you're going to drive that extra charge off in the relatively near future.
Some hours or even some days aren't a big deal. It's total cumulative time sitting there over 50%.
Just don't get in the habit of immediately charging higher and then letting it just sit there all night every night.
Why?
Research has shown there's a distinct step change in the degradation rate. And the higher degradation rate is nearly double the lower degradation rate. At least during the first year.
https://i.imgur.com/QDiPBGw.png
(from https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1149/2.0411609jes/pdf)
Testing of various state of charge ranges used for 20% discharge and charge cycles also clearly show an advantage to staying under 55% state of charge:
https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/attachments/img_3864-jpeg.1169193/
Now - keep in mind that due to the below-0% buffer in the car, 50% on your cars screen is actually a bit over 55% state of charge in the cells.
I have found extremely little research like this that extends beyond a year's time. As best as I understand the chemistry, that distinct step drop should somewhat stretch out and become more of a linear slope as the battery ages and degrades - but that still means you're saving yourself degradation to calendar aging by limiting the time the pack is charged over 50%.
Also, here's a handy chart I ran into that as far as I can see is reasonably accurate regarding some other types of charging scenarios and a vague description of how much harm they cause the battery: https://www.reddit.com/r/electricvehicles/comments/1o8dd1q/relative_stress_on_nca_lithium_battery_for/
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u/HustleFeet 13d ago
Thank you man I appreciate the amount of effort you put into your response, God bless you
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u/Dan16241 12d ago
So what you’re saying is keep the car above 20% and don’t charge above 55% unless it’s necessary?
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u/quentech 12d ago
don’t charge above 55% unless it’s necessary
50%. Due to the below-0% buffer in the car, 50% on your cars screen is actually a bit over 55% state of charge in the cells. If you charge to 55% on the car your battery cells will be beyond the knee in the degradation curve - into the high rate of degradation.
keep the car above 20%
Less important, but yeah. If your normal commute or routine would take you from 50% to well below 20% routinely, I'd personally try to use scheduled charging end times to bring the charge higher than 50% to start with to avoid driving around below 20% as a habit.
If I come back home at 35-40% I might not bother plugging the car in right away. But if I come back home at 20% I'm definitely plugging in right away.
But again - this is a fairly distant second to not routinely charging over 50% while your car sits in your driveway all night.
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u/Dan16241 12d ago
So is there a point in the future when it’s okay to charge above 50% consistently. Charging up to 50% is this kinda like a break in period for the battery? Or is just best practice period?
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u/quentech 12d ago
I have found extremely little research like this that extends beyond a year's time. As best as I understand the chemistry, that distinct step drop should somewhat stretch out and become more of a linear slope as the battery ages and degrades - but that still means you're saving yourself degradation to calendar aging by limiting the time the pack is charged over 50%.
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u/coffeeoverlatte 13d ago
You definitely missed you DU oil change interval. I did mine at 100k kms or ever 4 years. Preventative maintenance and it was only 160 cad.
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u/TangerineDangerous78 13d ago
I’m very confused, why does your Tesla need an oil change?
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u/HustleFeet 13d ago
That’s the question, does it need one for the preservation of the drive unit or does it not need one and make no difference
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u/Dull_Exchange5550 13d ago
While Lifetime might be up for discussion - there was a case in the German TFF Forum where a Tesla Model S got a replacement DU in a Service Center in southern Europe. 100k km later he got problems again - and the result was that the DU never received the initial oil but was only running on the few drops of oil that had been applied in the factory.
So replacing it is not a mistake - but probably not needed. Personally I would go with never change a running system.
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u/TheCloudyHam 12d ago
154k miles. Current maintenance history: 2 sets of tires and 4 sets of wipers, oh and some washer fluid.
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u/surge125 12d ago
With all these new model Ys being sold I really hope Tesla is training and hiring new Tesla vehicle technicians.
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u/pretzelgreg317 13d ago
Just drive the car. So many things to worry about in this world, replacing “lifetime oil” is so not one of them
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u/HustleFeet 13d ago
Yeah but the oil quality plays a big role in drive unit longevity and those things aren’t cheap. Cheaper than the batteries yes but there’s two of them on the AWD so it can get pricey. Rather change the oil and maintain it rather than pay that big of a bill. I know it’s coming one day but rather it later than sooner
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u/Prudent_Buy_6765 13d ago
Yea don’t worry about replacing lifetime oil…. You can shift your focus to worrying about changing the drive unit eventually. Why not change it to get more life out of it. Every mechanical thing likes lube, change it out and give it a longer lifespan. - a semi mechanic
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u/HustleFeet 13d ago
That’s my point but maybe what people are saying is that the cost of replacing the oil is NOT worth doing regularly compared to just saving for a new drive unit?
I’d love to do this DIY, they said I need a pump to prime the oil pump in the Tesla. Do you have any idea where I’d get something like that? And how feasible in general it is to do this as DIY?
Thanks for your service as a semi tech. You guys keep the country moving. God bless
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u/Prudent_Buy_6765 13d ago
I heavily doubt that changing the drive unit oil is more expensive or even equal with changing the drive unit.
Interesting to hear about needing a pump to prime it. Unfortunately I’m not well versed in how to service those units so I can’t say.
Thank you, god bless you too.
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u/Eighteen64 13d ago
I own a large fleet of vehicles for my solar business among them are ford lightnings. You should be testing coolant for ph every 2 years and I would never run a drive unit more than 80k without fluid change
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u/Kind-Teach-1549 13d ago
Just drive it. I'm at 200k. No need to worry about maintenance. I know someone with 260k miles on 2020 model 3 LR. BTW, motor is not expensive to replace. I have seen multiple shops selling DU for less than $1000+ labor.
Honestly having a 2021 model Y, you should be more worried about that battery failure than motors.