Tesla's service manuals, which used to cost $3,187 a year or $371.88 a month since August 2021, are now free of charge for the entire vehicle lineup.
A look at the Service Subscriptions category on the automaker's website reveals that the "Service and Repair Information" subscription package is listed with an annual price of $0.00. Is this an error, a promotional offer or simply Tesla's new policy?
We're inclined to believe it's the latter, as the other service subscription listed on the website, "Diagnostic Software," is now more expensive than before. It now costs $500 a month or $3,000 a year, compared to $333 and $2,000, respectively, before the change.
The "Diagnostic Software" package includes the Toolbox 3 Diagnostic Software and Standalone HV Battery Shipping Evaluation Tool (Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y). The "Service and Repair Information" package, which is now free of charge, includes the following:
- Service Manual, Parts Manual, and Body Repair
- Tooling Catalog and Wiring Diagrams
- Service Bulletins
- Labor Codes and Times
One of the first to notice the changes in Tesla's Service Subscriptions prices was @greentheonly, whose tweet generated 185 replies (at the time of writing). Most of those who commented said they were able to secure the $0.00 subscription, including Tesla owners from Europe, although some said they got an error message while trying to subscribe.
Our friend @TheEVuniverse managed to subscribe for free and sent us some screenshots (check them out at the bottom of this page).
Interestingly, @greentheonly's tweet also led to someone discovering that the Tesla Model Y's structural battery pack is removable and replaceable—though it will take 143 steps for those with plenty of courage and know-how to perform such a complex operation.
If you're trying to subscribe to the "Service and Repair Information" package, let us know if you made it in the comments section. You should know that there's no information regarding automatic renewal for this subscription, so you should be aware of that come next billing time in case you want to cancel it if Tesla decides to charge money for it again.
