Alarm among Tesla Model Y owners: BYD batteries in Berlin are starting to fail and there are no replacements available

A group of taxi drivers and independent repair shops is highlighting an issue that could become a serious headache for owners of certain Tesla Model Y vehicles manufactured in Berlin with BYD’s structural batteries. As several battery repair specialists explain in a video on the JCTaxiElectrico channel, there are already increasing cases of vehicles that have suffered severe failures and remain parked for months waiting for a replacement battery.

The situation is particularly complicated for professionals who use their cars as tools for work. The repair shops featured in the video claim they are already aware of several cases in Madrid involving taxis and chauffeured vehicles, while also mentioning similar incidents in Barcelona and other cities. The problem isn’t just the cost of repairs, but also the time the car remains unusable.

The uniqueness of these units lies in their structural battery pack. Rather than being a set that can be disassembled and opened relatively easily to replace a cell or module, it is part of the vehicle’s own structure. Tesla officially provides specific procedures for removing and replacing these structural packs in the Model Y, including steps that involve taking apart various vehicle components before extracting the battery.

This represents a significant difference from other batteries that specialized workshops can repair at the component level. According to the professionals featured in the video, there is currently no established independent repair method for this specific type of structural battery, so in severe cases the only alternative is to replace the entire pack. Tesla actually has official procedures for installing a new structural battery in these models.

The problem is that the availability of these batteries seems to be limited. Workshops claim that some owners are waiting for several months and warn against accepting promises of quick repairs without guarantees. In the case of the Seville taxi driver, the wait was already directly affecting his professional activities.

Experts also point to high temperatures and heavy energy demands as possible factors contributing to some of the failures they have observed, especially in vehicles that are used intensively, subjected to frequent fast charging, and operated almost continuously. However, this is an explanation provided by repair shops based on the cases they have seen, not an officially confirmed cause by Tesla.

The use of taxis themselves can be particularly demanding on the system. Some vehicles operate for many hours, cover hundreds of kilometers daily, and frequently rely on fast charging. Under such conditions, any issue related to thermal management can have a greater impact than in a car used conventionally.

Workshops recommend, as a preventive measure, avoiding high power demands when the battery is very low and paying attention to the cooling system, especially during the hottest months. They also emphasize the importance of keeping the cooling system clean and ensuring the vehicle can properly dissipate the heat generated.

Another concern is the possibility that a owner might receive a battery from another damaged vehicle that could have the same issue. The shops shown in the video claim to have encountered cases where a replacement battery had a similar malfunction, though these statements have not been independently verified either.

As of now, there is no public evidence that Tesla has officially acknowledged a widespread manufacturing defect in these BYD structural batteries. However, there is official Tesla documentation confirming the existence of these structural packs in the Model Y as well as the specific procedures for removing and replacing them. Additionally, Tesla provides specific service instructions for units manufactured in Berlin with a structural pack.

Owners’ concerns are prompting some affected individuals to organize themselves to gather cases and explore possible joint claims. The goal is to collect information on mileage, date of manufacture, battery type, symptoms, Tesla’s response, and waiting time for replacement.

The precedent cited by the workshops is that of Tesla’s former multimedia units, when the company eventually provided a solution to a problem affecting certain vehicles. Now they are demanding something similar if it is confirmed that there is a common issue with these batteries.

This case deserves close monitoring, especially because a battery problem that leaves a taxi idle for months can have a much greater economic impact than the repair itself. If more documented cases of Berlin Model Y vehicles with BYD’s structural batteries, at similar mileage levels, start to emerge, pressure on Tesla could increase significantly.