Issues with my car

[Bunnylebowski]

So is Porsche. https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/threads/high-voltage-battery-recall-expanded-arb6-arb7.21519/

 

[SaaSManKS]

Sure. But then Volvo and Rivian are beta also.

Idk about…jk jk! Of course I completely agree!

 

[Bunnylebowski]

Idk about…jk jk! Of course I completely agree!

Yeah sorry don’t mean to seem like I’m arguing, I’m definitely not intending to. I have no advice for Lucid, they’re the car maker, obviously they don’t want these issues and want to do everything to avoid them as it’s a warranty expense for them. Like I don’t think replacing all my cameras because a couple from a certain batch were determined to be failure prone was cheap for them, meanwhile it cost me zero. I think it’s very challenging as while they make many things in house, I don’t think circuit boards and cameras are made in house, so now they’re at the mercy of 3rd party vendors doing appropriate quality control, just like many legacy automakers.

 

[BS8899]

I wasn't giving it the title I was expanding on it from another post, but I don't think it's an unfair title for them...

I don't know what is the technical metrics of when a car and/or its SW is Beta or not. As I own both a 2022 Lucid AGT and a 2023 Rivian R1S and I drive them both on the same routes, my simple characterization is:

Lucid:

I don't know what is the technical metrics of when a car and/or its SW is Beta or not. As I own both a 2022 Lucid AGT and a 2023 Rivian R1S and I drive them both on the same routes, my simple characterization is:

Lucid: sleek, better cabin appointment and comfort, more efficient (though actual is lower than claimed), good drive dynamics. SW and drive-assist features are buggy and lags competition significantly. The built-in navigation is worthless. Some OTA rollouts are problematic. OTA documentation is poor. Unclear/poor communication on plans/timeline for bug fixes. I had multiple problems that required service, reset etc. (Wunderbox/HV Battery replacement, button fell of steering wheel, FOB/Valet card don't work and flaky Mobile App as key, random episodes of PIN authentication, HomeLink problems, camera lags, etc. etc.). More than 8 visits to the Service center.

Rivian: boxy SUV. Rougher ride than the Lucid. Cabin appointment rather basic. Lower efficiency (but often meets/exceeds specs). SW and info system is robust. I might not like some of the buttons and functions, but everything works. Native navigation is great! "Real-Time" Efficiency Gauge informs me on drive efficiency, Rivian's OTA is well documented and (thus far) I have not had any problems with OTAs. Had 1 service call to replace my right mirror, after I clipped it backing into my garage.

I don't know the scholastic definition of "Beta". Someone more learned can educate us.

To be fair, between the R1T, R1S and Amazon vans, Rivian has probably shipped 20X the number of vehicles than Lucid.

 

[AirDoll]

Can't we chat about Lucid without immediately dividing into warring camps? Apparently not. According to people like OP, we've got the Lucid Love Brigade on one side, ready to defend their precious brand to the death, and the Self-Proclaimed Truth-Tellers on the other, armed with an arsenal in the form of (consulting OP's post) "telling it like it is".

I’ll be having shirts made for my team “Lucid Love Brigade”. DM your sizes ASAP

 

[borski]

I’ll be having shirts made for my team “Lucid Love Brigade”. DM your sizes ASAP

Can mine say self-proclaimed truth teller on the other side

 

[EZEVDriver]

That being said, try Googling "recent tesla software bugs" and restrict results to the past month. With far more experience and far greater resources, Tesla still releases bugs.

In the 2024.44.1 Tesla OTA Update, my Model X lost all autopilot functionality. I learned about it while driving at night in a carpool lane. While 2044.44.4 fixed the bug (for me), I received no warning about it from Tesla even though they had to have known right away (from the Tesla forum, at the very least). I've had sudden reductions in speed - from 70 to 45mph without warning, which Tesla attributes to Google Maps (!).

Fortunately, I never, never take my hands off the wheel while using EAP. Tesla software is only as mature as Elon Musk.

I've read from some posts of significant problems in their cars, but have yet to experience any in my 2023 AT. And I prefer the conservative approach that Lucid takes, even if I am also impatient. And my key fob works every time now. Go figure.

 

[Bunnylebowski]

Tesla software is only as mature as Elon Musk.

Hahaha I don’t know man, I think those farts in the whoopee cushion mode sound like they came from a mature (as in older) individual.

Seriously though, just got Volvo V60 Polestar software update last night, and while they had just added android auto, it also totally broke Google maps, made it crazy slow now and it no longer shows time to arrival. Lucid is doing just fine!

 

[Car Guy]

When we ordered our beautiful 2023 Air Touring last spring after seeing one on a James Bond film, we couldn't wait for the delivery. Anticipating a "better than Tesla" experience, in a much more beautiful car inside and out. Our now 10 year old 2014 Tesla Model S P85D, nearly flawless in every way was the measuring stick for the new Lucid, and we fully expected the stick would not be long enough for what we would find.

After the Lucid delivery, we immediately had issues with profiles, keys (both mobile and fob) and numerous user interface problems. So, I did as I always do...hit the forums to find out the pulse of these things. What I found was a general reluctance among several posters to tell it like it is. Often an unwary new post which was critical of the car was flamed incessantly. I suspect that the flamers were concerned that the fledgling Lucid company was too fragile to survive an onslought of criticism, constructive or otherwise. I have to admit, I shared their concern, just having spent $110K on an untested vehicle. I desperately wanted this car to perform as spectacularly as it looked. Alas, after many home visits by the friendly Lucid tech, I feel compelled to tell it like it is, not to enrage the fanboy flamers, but to protect perspective new Air buyers from what I now consider my mistake.

This car is the most frustrating car we've ever owned. Not because it doesn't function, or because it's a shop queen. Its not. It's frustrating to see such a beautifully engineered drivetrain, unequalled looks, spectacular driving dynamics, and the quietest ride I've ever driven, burdened with the most disappointing electronics package ever devised. It's as if Lucid spent every last drop of R&D money on the stuff that works and makes us proud, but forgot to budget even enough money for a rudimentary user interface that works. The screens are beautiful, but its all form over function.

Our 2 installed family profiles don't recognize who is driving, despite both fobs and mobile keys being programmed by the Lucid tech. When I sit down with my fob, it often thinks my wife is in the drivers seat. Then I have to manually select my profile, which takes up to 30 secs or more to change. In the interim, I wait with the seat and mirrors wrong until it resets. My wife suffers the same fate. If only one of us drove it, I'd imagine it would be ok but who knows. The Apple CarPlay integration is terrible. When I want to listen to music or a podcast on my iPhone using CarPlay, the entertainment system often doesn't recognize it. So, I then revert to a simple bluetooth connection. Nope, that doesn't work either. Really Lucid? Any $20K Kia works just fine with bluetooth music! My now 10 year old Model S has never once failed to recognize which driver is sitting in the seat and always connects perfectly to bluetooth. Nor has my 2018 Ford F150 ever failed to recognize who is driving, and CarPlay always works in the truck as designed.

The self driving? Our 2014 MS first generation Tesla autopilot still does more and is more accurate than this brand new Lucid autopilot which was promised as FSD. Who on this forum actually thinks that Lucid FSD will be a reality in the next 2 years? I did when I bought the car, but I was duped. Even Ford's autopilot seems more sophisticated than the Lucid. The door handles on the Tesla present themselves before we even arrive at the door, while I stand and wait for several seconds outside our brand new Lucid for it to unlock.

Lucid engineers! Why didn't you just go buy a Tesla and make sure your electronics design would be at least as good as theirs? I'm not asking for better...just equal. Does the Lucid open garage doors with Homelink when the vehicle nears the garage door? Why not? Do the mirrors fold in automatically when in the garage? Why not? When in the garage, does the Lucid leave its doors unlocked like the setting on the Tesla? Why not? Can I select the Lucid's charging amperage at home like Tesla? Why not? And, what have you been doing for the last ten years since we bought the Tesla. All these things worked on our S the day it was delivered in 2014.

When my P85D was delivered in 2014, a 100% SOC was 249 miles. 10 years later, 100% still yields 238 after 65000 miles. Our Lucid? The promised 420 is fantasy. Even at 100% SOC, it only shows 374 miles range, and we never even get close to that in practice. We live in Florida with flat smooth roads and warm temps, so please don't try to use that or driving technique as an excuse. In ten years with 65000 miles, our Tesla has lost only 5% of its range at 100% SOC. The Lucid after only 18 months and 14000 miles, has never delivered close to its promised range...no matter how or where we drive. I don't think the range has degraded with time, I think 420 was a fantasy number when it was brand new. Lucid can find no technical reason for the lack of range, and has offered no solution. The Lucid tech privately told me that he wished they wouldn't have promoted such a high number, and it is the most prevalent complaint he deals with.

Is the old Tesla perfect? No, but nearly so. We could have purchased another Model S in 2023. But we didn't. We wanted instead for the Lucid to be the more beautiful Tesla with an even better electronics package, advantaged by 10 full years of electronics improvements. And instead, we got an over promised, under delivered, spectacularly looking car, where its designers forgot to use and test the electronic interfaces and where the only consistent facet of the car is its electronics inconsistency.

For perspective new Lucid owners, I don't think we bought a lemon because the tech can't find anything wrong. I think we bought a car in which the electronics were woefully under engineered. If you don't care that the things described above won't work well, then buy this car. It's great fun to drive, and better than Tesla is many ways and looks amazing. But like me, if you expect things to work as described in the owner's manual and as promised in the sales process, caveat emptor.

I've got 23,000 miles on my Air GT, I do find the profiles problematic, but have trouble free driving and amazing range. I do routinely reduce range by 20% because I have a heavy foot and am never really concerned about range. I take long road trips, where the car is a pleasurable traveling companion.

 

[DennisIS]

I was active on the Tesla Forums in the 2018-2019 time frame as I had taken delivery of my MP3 in December 2018. The comments on this Forum about everything from build quality to software functionality and speed with which Tesla was moving bare an uncanny resemblance to those regarding Tesla back then.

This story has a happy ending, of that I am fairly certain. I feel badly for those who seem to see the glass half empty and leaking. If I were them? Sell the car and move on. Life’s too short to make yourself miserable. There’s always going to be good things and bad things about everything in life (including ourselves!). How we choose to experience them and what we choose to focus on? That’s entirely up to us.

When / if I have problems with my Lucid? Just like I did throughout the few years of owning my Tesla, I will kindly and persistently work with the Company to solve my problems. Tesla ultimately did and I find their culture to be far less customer-focused and accessible than Lucid, so I have every reason to believe Lucid will outperform what I experienced with Tesla.

One last point…if we really take a step back and think about how incredibly fortunate / privileged we are to even consider something like an errant key FOB or the lack of Android Auto as being remotely important as we cruise around in $100k cars? Well, I’ll likely get flamed for this, but perhaps it’s time we try a different perspective. If stuff like that starts to really matter? IMHO it’s time for a change…

Broadly, I agree with this post.
Where I don't:
1. The myriad of "intermittently it does. (pick an anomaly)..." problems adds up to a big quality issue - in many ways similar to the rattles and squeaks of new US cars when the Japanese and Germans taught them a lesson in "quality matters everywhere." Did the rattles change how the top-of-the line Corvette felt? No - but drivers noticed. Most are definitely nuisances - but quality matters everywhere.
2. Unless getting on top of these quality issues needs a giant army of new SW team members (it doesn't) this is not an "Either/Or" decision for Lucid development.

We would not be doing Lucid any favors by ignoring this stuff. Working with Lucid to stamp out bugs serves all of our interests. It would be great if Lucid was more open/overt about doing that.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

Broadly, I agree with this post.
Where I don't:
1. The myriad of "intermittently it does. (pick an anomaly)..." problems adds up to a big quality issue - in many ways similar to the rattles and squeaks of new US cars when the Japanese and Germans taught them a lesson in "quality matters everywhere." Did the rattles change how the top-of-the line Corvette felt? No - but drivers noticed. Most are definitely nuisances - but quality matters everywhere.
2. Unless getting on top of these quality issues needs a giant army of new SW team members (it doesn't) this is not an "Either/Or" decision for Lucid development.

We would not be doing Lucid any favors by ignoring this stuff. Working with Lucid to stamp out bugs serves all of our interests. It would be great if Lucid was more open/overt about doing that.

Fair points!

 

[Bunnylebowski]

We would not be doing Lucid any favors by ignoring this stuff. Working with Lucid to stamp out bugs serves all of our interests. It would be great if Lucid was more open/overt about doing that.

What makes you think they’re not open/overt about doing that? They read these forums, service techs relay reports to the development teams. Maybe it’s cuz I came from version 1.0 Lucid software but to me the software is good in most areas, just needs some polish and a few added features here and there, but overall it’s good and getting even better. Peter is driving the software mule Gravity himself to QC things so they have my confidence it will be fine. Meanwhile my latest 2024 Volvo V60 PHEV software update which dropped yesterday and which added Android Auto also broke Google maps, took 2 reboots, now interface is super laggy, Google maps doesn’t show time to arrival, etc. Lucid software team is faaaaar more nimble and responsive than Volvo. AND they’re actually inviting some people to preview future OTA for feedback at their HQ. So what else are they supposed to do?

Honestly the only thing that makes me mad about the car is the stupid keyfob and poor proximity sensing/battery use, which they already fixed for Gravity but are stuck with this version for the Air. I will utter some swear words when it’s pouring rain and my kid is with me and the car doesn’t unlock without me digging in my pocket and double pressing the fob. But I’m still more happy with my car than I’ve been for any other and enthusiastic about Gravity.