Tesla - Range Cut By 30%, $4500 Demanded for Its Return!

Buying a used Tesla comes with some inherent risks. At times the new owners can be denied access to some features of the car. This is the age where manufacturers seem to have more control over YOUR car then YOU do.

Case in point, this owner of a used 2013 Model S being forced to fork out $4500 to "unlock" the full range capacity of his vehicle. This issue was made public via Twitter by Jason Hughes who is also the founder of unofficial Tesla service center 057 Technology. 

According to Hughes, the previous owner of this Tesla Model S, which originally comes equipped with a 60kWh battery has had the battery upgraded under warranty to a 90kWh unit some time back before selling it off. Now under the hands of the 3rd owner, the owner decided to get the onboard computer upgraded at Tesla which is most cases should be a simple and clear-cut fix. However, his nightmare came via a call from Tesla informing that they have remotely fixed a configuration error resulting in his previous 90kWh battery range being toggled down and locked at 60kWh. Just like that Tesla "fixed" his configuration and reduced his driving range.  

The baffled owner made numerous attempts to solve the matter himself by reaching out to Tesla but it didn't go far, Tesla pretty much held ground prompting the owner to reach out to Hughes and making this matter public. Hughes further added that "This is not good for the reputation of the company's customer service, and also raises serious questions about the resale, maintenance and long-term value of its vehicles."

Furthermore, recent survey done by retail service tracking company Pied Piper shows that sole EV makers such as Tesla and Rivian are losing the advantage, they achieved over other traditional automakers when it comes to customer satisfaction. Tesla ranked 21 out of 25 amongst the premium automotive brands surveyed. To drive the nail further, Tesla has in fact dissolved its PR Department back in 2020 proving that they have no interest in public engagement asides their customer service representatives. 

This matter however has been resolved once Hughes Tweets went viral, and Tesla reached out to the owner to reinstate his 90kWh range capability. Happy ending? Yes, but does this mean all matters need to be made viral for positive resolution?

Now what are your thoughts on this? Should vehicles manufacturers be given so much control over your possession technically?

(Source: Futurism & Wikipedia)