Drain and refill the gear oil in all three drive units (front, rear-left, rear-right) on the 2024 Model X Plaid. Tesla now recommends drive unit fluid service rather than treating it as lifetime fill — typical interval is 12,500 mi initial then every 25,000–50,000 mi depending on use, and is especially important on Plaid tri-motor cars driven hard.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Drive unit fill/drain plug crush washers / O-rings (per OEM) × 6 — Tesla-spec sealing washers — replace on every service

Fluids

• 75W-90 GL-5 Gear Oil (front drive unit) — 1.5 qt
• 75W-90 GL-5 Gear Oil (rear drive units, combined estimate — fill to plug level) — 2 qt

Preparation

1. Park on level ground, place in P, engage parking brake.
2. Exit ALL doors with the key fob away from the vehicle. Wait at least 2 minutes for HV systems to fully de-energize, even on this non-HV job.
3. Open the frunk and disconnect the 12V low-voltage battery (frunk-mounted, similar position to Model S). Cover the negative terminal to prevent accidental contact.
4. DO NOT touch, cut, or pierce ANY orange cable — these are high-voltage and lethal.
5. If at any point you encounter an orange cable, an HV component, or are unsure if a system is de-energized: STOP and consult a Tesla-certified technician.
6. Before disconnecting 12V, enter the touchscreen and activate Service > Jack Mode to lock out air suspension self-leveling. (Do this BEFORE the 12V is disconnected.)
7. Drive the vehicle for 10–15 minutes beforehand to bring gear oil to operating temperature for a complete drain — then allow 5 minutes for oil to settle before opening drains.
8. Raise the vehicle on a lift or jack stands using Tesla-designated lift points (reinforced pucks fore and aft of each rocker). Confirm the vehicle is level — gear oil fill level depends on it.
9. Remove the underbody aero panels covering the front and rear drive units using the appropriate Torx and 10mm fasteners. Set hardware aside in labeled order — these panels affect range if reinstalled incorrectly.

Procedure

1. 1

   Identify the three drive units
   Confirm visually: one front drive unit between the front subframe rails, and TWO rear drive units mounted side-by-side in the rear subframe (one driving the left rear wheel, one driving the right rear wheel). Each unit has its own dedicated fill plug (upper) and drain plug (lower) on the gear-side housing. Do not confuse coolant ports (which connect to hoses) with gear oil plugs (which are bare plugs with sealing washers).
   ⚠If you see any orange cable damage, oil leakage from the motor housing seam (not the plugs), or coolant weeping from the drive unit, stop and diagnose before proceeding.
2. 2

   Locate fill plug FIRST on each unit
   Before opening any drain plug, break loose the fill plug on each of the three drive units to confirm you can refill them. If a fill plug is seized, you do not want to discover it after draining. Do not remove yet — just confirm it breaks free. Reseat snug.
3. 3

   Drain front drive unit
   Position catch pan under the front drive unit drain plug. Remove the fill plug fully (vent), then remove the drain plug. Allow oil to drain for at least 10 minutes until flow stops. Inspect drained oil: small amount of fine dark suspension is normal; metallic flakes or chunks indicate internal wear — stop and diagnose before refilling.
4. 4

   Drain rear-left drive unit
   Reposition catch pan under the left rear drive unit. Remove its fill plug, then its drain plug. Allow full drain. Keep the drained fluid separate (or at least note volume) so you can compare against the right rear — significantly less fluid than expected can indicate a leak.
5. 5

   Drain rear-right drive unit
   Reposition catch pan under the right rear drive unit. Remove its fill plug, then its drain plug. Allow full drain. Inspect the drained oil from this unit the same way as the others.
6. 6

   Clean plugs and sealing surfaces
   Wipe all six plugs (3 fill, 3 drain) clean. Inspect each for thread damage. Discard the old crush washers / O-rings — these are one-time-use sealing items. Wipe the plug bosses on each housing clean of oil residue so the new washers seat dry.
7. 7

   Install drain plugs with new sealing washers
   Fit a new sealing washer to each drain plug. Thread by hand to confirm clean engagement, then torque each drain plug to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual. Do not exceed OEM spec; aluminum threads strip easily.
8. 8

   Refill front drive unit
   Using a fluid pump, fill the front drive unit with 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil through the fill port. Front unit capacity is approximately 1.5 qt, but the correct level is determined by the fill-plug port itself: fill until oil just begins to weep back out of the fill port with the vehicle level, then stop. That is the correct level — do not overfill.
9. 9

   Refill rear-left drive unit
   Pump 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil into the left rear drive unit fill port. Fill until oil weeps back out of the fill port. Capacity will be roughly half the listed rear total (the 2.0 qt rear figure covers both rear units combined on this tri-motor car).
10. 10

    Refill rear-right drive unit
    Pump 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil into the right rear drive unit fill port. Fill until oil weeps back out of the fill port. Confirm the volume put in is comparable to the rear-left; a large discrepancy indicates the vehicle is not level on the lift, or one unit has a leak.
11. 11

    Install fill plugs with new sealing washers
    Fit new sealing washers to each fill plug. Thread by hand, then torque to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual. Wipe each housing clean of any spilled oil so future leak inspections are meaningful.
12. 12

    Reinstall aero underbody panels
    Reinstall the front and rear aero panels with all original fasteners in their original locations. Missing or misaligned aero panels measurably reduce range and can cause panel flutter at highway speed. Torque small panel fasteners to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual.

Reassembly

1. Lower the vehicle to the ground on level surface.
2. Reconnect the 12V battery in the frunk (positive first if it was the last disconnected; otherwise follow the order you removed them in — for AGM/Li-ion 12V the standard practice is negative-last-on, negative-first-off).
3. Close the frunk.
4. Power on the vehicle. Exit Jack Mode via the touchscreen — the air suspension will re-level. Wait for leveling to complete before driving.
5. Clear any chassis or suspension alerts that appeared during the 12V disconnect.

Verification

• Inspect under each of the three drive units after 5 minutes of idle (vehicle Ready) — confirm no weeping at any drain or fill plug.
• Drive the vehicle gently for 10–15 minutes mixing low and highway speeds, then re-inspect all six plugs for leaks. A small wet film at a fresh plug is suspicious — re-torque or replace the sealing washer.
• Confirm no drivetrain alerts on the touchscreen, no new whine from any of the three drive units, and no abnormal NVH from the rear (rear units are the most common source of audible gear noise on Plaid).
• Log the service mileage. Tesla's current guidance is initial drive unit fluid service around 12,500 mi, then every 25,000–50,000 mi depending on use — track-driven Plaids should be on the shorter end of that interval.
• If any chassis fault, ride-height fault, or air suspension fault is present after Jack Mode exit, consult Tesla service information before driving.

More procedures for this vehicle