Tesla Owners Say This Is The Worst Part Of The Warranty

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Tesla owners are nary strangers to bringing their cars successful for warranty repairs. In 2023, Tesla paid $1.23 cardinal successful warranty claims. This marked a 53% summation complete 2022 and would beryllium nan first clip nan shaper exceeded $1 cardinal successful warranty claims. 2024 was moreover worse, pinch nan carmaker spending $1.45 billion.

On nan surface, Tesla's warranties are connected par with different electrical car makers. All of its vehicles are covered by its Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty for 4 years aliases 50,000 miles. The EV artillery and thrust portion are covered for a minimum of 8 years aliases 100,000 miles. However, what has disappointment respective owners is what isn't covered by warranty – water damage. 

Multiple owners person taken to nan Internet to kick that Tesla has refused to salary to switch their warrantied batteries because grounds of h2o harm was found. Many of these owners declare that nan only h2o vulnerability was owed to rain. However, Tesla refused to budge, leaving its customers connected nan hook for nan replacement cost, amounting to astir $21,000 successful repairs to a rain-damaged battery for 1 unlucky Tesla owner.

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Like different warranties from astir car makers, Tesla's lists respective limitations and items that are not covered. This includes harm caused by "animal aliases insect droppings," "tree sap," and moreover "water," as described successful nan New Vehicle Limited Warranty. The wording successful nan warranty regarding h2o is vague capable to springiness Tesla an retired from covering a assortment of repairs. 

One Model S proprietor connected Reddit says Tesla refused to salary for nan $7,900 replacement of nan rear thrust portion — a repair usually covered by nan warranty — because h2o was recovered successful nan precocious voltage harness cover. Once again, nan proprietor claims nan conveyance had ne'er been driven successful precocious h2o and had only been exposed to rain. The Cybertruck is an moreover more dramatic illustration of really vexing h2o tin beryllium for a Tesla vehicle. Simply taking a Cybertruck done a car wash has caused it to extremity moving successful immoderate cases, and whitethorn moreover void nan warranty. In fact, nan owner's manual for this conveyance discourages utilizing automatic car washes astatine all. 

However, if you must return your Cybertruck done an automatic car wash, nan manual lists respective precautions that request to beryllium taken to support it safe from water. These precautions see engaging nan Car Wash Mode, avoiding basking h2o and detergents, checking pinch nan car lavation unit to find retired if nan soap they usage has a pH supra 13, and not washing successful nonstop sunlight. All this for a motortruck that's expected to beryllium bulletproof?

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Car makers understandably effort to minimize nan number of warranty claims they salary out. Ways to execute this mightiness see improving nan manufacturing process, sourcing amended parts, aliases providing a much thorough attraction program. Unfortunately, Tesla has been accused of utilizing different ways to debar paying warranty claims. 

For instance, Reuters reports that problems pinch nan steering suspension successful nan Model S and Model X person been blamed for aggregate accidents, but Tesla avoided paying for these repairs by denying nan parts were faulty and blaming nan problem connected nan owners. The automaker was sued, but a judge dismissed 1 of nan cases successful January 2023, stating that nan plaintiff hadn't proven that Tesla knew astir nan suspension issues successful its vehicles. However, soul records uncovered by Reuters – which were not considered successful nan tribunal lawsuit — look to show that nan rumor was known by nan institution arsenic early arsenic 2016.

More recently, a suit revenge successful California claimed that Tesla has been overestimating odometer mileages in bid to extremity nan warranty play prematurely. According to nan lawsuit, odometers successful immoderate Tesla vehicles whitethorn beryllium over-reporting mileage anyplace from 15% to an unthinkable 117%. It seems Tesla whitethorn beryllium utilizing a patented algorithm that uses charging information and driving patterns, alternatively of instrumentality rotation, to measurement mileage.

The takeaway for imaginable Tesla owners? Be afloat alert of nan warranty limitations earlier purchasing — and beryllium particularly cautious erstwhile bringing your Tesla adjacent h2o aliases leaving it retired successful nan rain.