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Anthony Calderon, a Tesla Model Y owner from California, says he recently saw a low coolant error message on his Model Y screen.
Following the error message, Anthony contacted Tesla, and the EV maker informed him that the “repair” would cost more than $600.
However, unwilling to pay what he saw as an exorbitant price for a simple coolant change, Anthony decided to take on the project himself.
He bought a bottle of “Tesla-approved coolant” for $20, spent 15 minutes, and topped off the fluid at a much lower cost.
Anthony is happy with his DIY solution, and he shared his experience on the Tesla Tips & Tricks Facebook group.
He writes…
“I got a “low coolant message.” Made an appointment with the Tesla service. Saw the charge, hold my beer! $20 and 15 minutes of my time to take out the frunk and fill it. Unreal.”
Below his post, Anthony shared several screenshots from his Tesla app.
Anthony shows that his service appointment was scheduled for November 17 and had a cost estimate of $671.
After refusing the service, which included coolant replacement and a free tire air pressure check, Anthony shared the message he sent to his Tesla representative.
Anthony writes…
“I bought Tesla-approved coolant at my local auto store. I took apart my front and added the coolant. Cost me $20.
Why are you charging me $600? Are you guys doing something special with my car besides checking the air pressure?
By the way, it took me 15 minutes.”
At this point, Anthony is convinced that Tesla is price-gouging him for his service appointment.
However, looking at the comments, fellow Tesla owners suggested that it might be wise to pay the $670 and have Tesla inspect the vehicle.
A fellow Tesla owner, Taisia Heyerman, says she also received a “low coolant” message, so she topped it off and continued on her way.
However, it turns out that the coolant was leaking into the Tesla’s high-voltage battery, causing the battery pack to fail.
Taisia writes…
“Be careful! My coolant was low because it was leaking into my high-voltage battery, causing a serious problem.
The battery needed to be replaced last year, but the warranty covered everything. (2023 Model Y with about 19,000 miles.)”
This is an interesting perspective; however, multiple other Tesla owners shared her concern.
A fellow Tesla owner, Kris Reindel, writes…
“That’s pretty obvious; your battery coolant isn’t disappearing, it’s leaking somewhere. You’re just putting a $20 bandage on it by filling it back up.
Tesla is trying to fix the underlying problem.”
A third Tesla owner, Zack Day, echoed this sentiment, writing…
“Yeah, low coolant is scary in an electric vehicle, especially if you can’t see a clear leak.
That probably means it’s leaking into the high-voltage battery.
That’s probably why Tesla’s price is higher, because they perform diagnostic tests to confirm the battery's safety.”
However, in response, Anthony says he’s monitoring the coolant level and has checked for leaks. If the coolant level begins to drop again, he will bite the bullet and get the service done.
With his Model Y over 100,000 miles and out of warranty, Anthony will then need to pay the $671 fee.
However, some Tesla owners have expressed a different view, saying that even if Tesla charges $671 just to refill the coolant, they consider it fair.
Their argument is that Tesla has high operating costs—including those for technicians, service centers, diagnostics, and extensive infrastructure—which justify charging hundreds of dollars to refill the coolant.
That is certainly an interesting perspective. However, please let me know what you think in the comments.
Share your ideas by clicking the red “Add new comment” button below. Also, be sure to visit our site, torquenews.com/Tesla, regularly for the latest updates.
Image: 1) Screenshot from Munro Live YouTube channel, 2) Screenshot from Tesla Tips & Tricks Facebook group. Reposted under fair use copyright law
For more information, check out: Tesla Confirms an “Apocalypse” of Cybertrucks Has Reached South Korea as the EV Maker Prepares to Start Cybertruck Deliveries Outside of North America
Tinsae Aregay has been following Tesla and the evolution of the EV space daily for several years. He covers everything about Tesla, from the cars to Elon Musk, the energy business, and autonomy. Follow Tinsae on Twitter at @TinsaeAregay for daily Tesla news.
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