Autocross will void Model 3 warranty.

[McRat]

Autocross is a closed course driving skill event on flat pavement that requires you to navigate around traffic cones laid out into tight corners and slaloms. It involves speeds up to ~60mph, steering, braking, and acceleration, lasting up to 60 seconds. While there are Autocross competitions, most events are not. There is no prize money. It's not considered particularly harmful to cars and trucks.

The warranty specifically excludes Autocross by name.

I will admit to being disappointed. Before I get flamed about 'competition use', AutoX is similar to Defensive Driving School as far as the stresses to the car are concerned. Chevrolet in particular encourages you to use their cars that way. Cadillac Drive Events most always include an AutoX portion. Even the lowly Chevy Bolt and Volt were AutoX'd at press events, just like other brand events I've attended.

But it is what it is. Don't post YouTube, times, or pics of your Model 3 at an event. List the car as a Hupmobile at sign in. Subaru actually did web searches long ago to catch folk AutoX'g their WRX/STi's. Eventually Subaru backed off and no longer does that.

Understand that it's a single event that will void you. Do one lap, and lose your warranty regardless if no harm was done if they can prove it.

 

[dhrivnak]

I see that for the Roadster as well but then I know several Roadster owners that Autocross and drag race their cars. Seemingly without issue.

 

[McRat]

I see that for the Roadster as well but then I know several Roadster owners that Autocross and drag race their cars. Seemingly without issue.

It would not stop me if I were the type to do such things.

Just a head's up just in case. Don't advertise and there is little risk of running into any potential issues.

 

[insaneoctane]

I would worry that they would look at the data logs. Tesla did this when they got in a tiff with a NYT reporter /reviewer who claimed to have run out of juice....

 

[GLDYLX]

The warranty specifically excludes Autocross by name.

I will admit to being disappointed. Before I get flamed about 'competition use', AutoX is similar to Defensive Driving School as far as the stresses to the car are concerned. Chevrolet in particular encourages you to use their cars that way. Cadillac Drive Events most always include an AutoX portion. Even the lowly Chevy Bolt and Volt were AutoX'd at press events, just like other brand events I've attended.

Understand that it's a single event that will void you. Do one lap, and lose your warranty regardless if no harm was done if they can prove it.

This disappoints me too; 40+ years of ICE driving, +road racing school (1990's) gave me good instinctive reactions in emergency situations that I fear may not necessarily serve me well in my first electric vehicle. I was hoping to find the limits and capabilities of my Model 3 in the controlled environment of AutoX, rather than "on the fly"..... *sigh*

What about REFUEL? Are Model 3s not allowed to participate in that, too?

 

[McRat]

This disappoints me too; 40+ years of ICE driving, +road racing school (1990's) gave me good instinctive reactions in emergency situations that I fear may not necessarily serve me well in my first electric vehicle. I was hoping to find the limits and capabilities of my Model 3 in the controlled environment of AutoX, rather than "on the fly"..... *sigh*

What about REFUEL? Are Model 3s not allowed to participate in that, too?

I would suggest you run an autocross in your Model 3, but just keep it quiet, and don't list the car correctly if your running under your real name. Subaru looked at event results. There is no better way to learn and adapt to the limits of your street car than Autocross, IMO.

I would run under a pseudonym at a REFUEL event.

From the warranty:
•Driving over uneven, rough, damaged or hazardous surfaces, including but not limited to,curbs, potholes, unfinished roads, debris, or other obstacles, or in competition, racing or autocross or for any other purposes for which the vehicle is not designed;

It is interesting that they don't believe autocross is within their design parameters. I hope they are wrong.

 

[Az_Rael]

This fellow ran a bit afoul of this, although he was out of warranty in the end. Service blamed a faulty pano on his driving activities, which probably wasn’t true, but they were able to grab the excuse anyways.

$9k pano fix...ouch

 

[McRat]

This fellow ran a bit afoul of this, although he was out of warranty in the end. Service blamed a faulty pano on his driving activities, which probably wasn’t true, but they were able to grab the excuse anyways.

$9k pano fix...ouch

Owww... Like I said, keep your performance driving off the web, and it could save you an expensive repair.

 

[dhanson865]

Seems two faced. Tesla advertises 0-60 times and then wants to disclaim warranty coverage if you use it.

 

[JohnSnowNW]

How often are people autocrossing bone-stock vehicles?

The people that I know that do it modify their vehicles pretty heavily, which would run afoul of most warranties anyway.

 

[McRat]

How often are people autocrossing bone-stock vehicles?

The people that I know that do it modify their vehicles pretty heavily, which would run afoul of most warranties anyway.

I don't imagine I'm the only one who AutoX's bone stock cars for kicks. It's the safest way to find the limits.

There are other clauses that void your warranty if you use non-Tesla parts or non-Tesla-approved mechanics.

 

[DR61]

How often are people autocrossing bone-stock vehicles?

Quite common. There are a whole set of classes for stock or near stock vehicles. It is a great way to develop skills useful for accident avoidance in street driving. Also I've heard that it is fun...

How Do I Autocross? - Sports Car Club of America

Not that I would ever think to do such an outrageous thing with MY cars...

 

[ebwb]

Is there a way to turn off or block location services / GPS tracking... just wondering?

 

[Zoomit]

From the warranty:
•Driving over uneven, rough, damaged or hazardous surfaces, including but not limited to,curbs, potholes, unfinished roads, debris, or other obstacles, or in competition, racing or autocross or for any other purposes for which the vehicle is not designed;

So an HPDE is ok, but an autocross is not? I wonder if it's because the autocross is timed.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

I think it's a bit hypocritical for Elon to talk about how Tesla doesn't make slow cars, but then remove all possibilities of actually using the speed.

The entire point of the FAST version of <insert car here> is to take it to the track.

Plus you have to win over gear heads, and how are you supposed to win over gear heads when the warranty makes the Model 3 out to be a delicate flower?

I can understand no hardcore off-road use or rallying, but stuff on the street?

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

From the warranty:
•Driving over uneven, rough, damaged or hazardous surfaces, including but not limited to,curbs, potholes, unfinished roads, debris, or other obstacles, or in competition, racing or autocross or for any other purposes for which the vehicle is not designed;

It is interesting that they don't believe autocross is within their design parameters. I hope they are wrong.

But, they don't even think LA roads are within their design parameters.

Heck half the roads in the US would void it's warranty.

To me it's one of those disgusting catchall's which basically gives them the freedom to do selective enforcement. So it's not really a warranty.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Not sure where you got the official word from Tesla that they will void your entire warranty if you autocross.

Autocross puts sever stresses on your car that can end up with damage or failure of components. Of course Tesla should not warranty damage from that.

Events usually string full throttle with full braking and maxumum lateral g forces one right after the other. If that causes something to fail, it should be on you to pay for it's repair or replacement. A cracked windshield, overheated wiring, excessive battery drain, overheated differential, overheated brakes. None of these items are built to be bulletproof in a competitive environment.

Now, many racers will attempt to foist these expenses on the manufacturer, however the smarter companies will deny them warranty coverage.

On the other hand, if the part fails, not due to competitive stresses, but due to a manufacturing defect, the warranty should still stand, and the manufacturer should be happy to pay the bill and get the defective part back as part of their continous improvement programs.

Stuff on the street is covered in much the same way. If you hit a pot hole, jump a curve, get a stone flipped up hitting your windshield, slide on ice or snow, or hydroplane driving too fast on a rain soaked road. All items that might be denied warranty.

These cars are not fragile flowers. They are perhaps some of the safest vehicles ever crafted, however if you want to use them just to have fun, you have to pay to play.

 

[omgwtfbyobbq]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Tesla's just explicitly stating what's already in the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (MMWA). Most manufacturers leave it out of their warranty language because it's already in the MMWA.

Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act - Wikipedia

The federal minimum standards for full warranties are waived if the warrantor can show that the problem associated with a warranted consumer product was caused by damage while in the possession of the consumer, or by unreasonable use, including a failure to provide reasonable and necessary maintenance.

If you autocross a lot, and try to have a part replaced under warranty that failed at least in part because you autocrossed your car, Tesla can deny coverage, just like any other manufacturer. They still have the burden of showing that the failure or defect was at least partially caused by your unreasonable use.

 

[omgwtfbyobbq]

Understand that it's a single event that will void you. Do one lap, and lose your warranty regardless if no harm was done if they can prove it.

That's flat out wrong. No manufacturer can void your entire warranty for a single act, unless you push your car off a cliff and/or do something equally foolish. They can void coverage for a particular component/defect if they can prove it's failure was related to your unreasonable use.

Don't get me wrong, dealers can and will say just about anything to try to convince you that you're the one who has to pay when something breaks, but that's just shady dealer BS.

If you nail some cones autocrossing and that jacks up your AC evaporator, that's on you. If your driver's side control arm fractures after one autocross event while other drivers have autocrossed their cars without incident and everyone has put tens of thousands of miles on their cars without similar problems, that's on them.

 

[McRat]

That's flat out wrong. No manufacturer can void your entire warranty for a single act, unless you push your car off a cliff and/or do something equally foolish. They can void coverage for a particular component/defect if they can prove it's failure was related to your unreasonable use.

Don't get me wrong, dealers can and will say just about anything to try to convince you that you're the one who has to pay when something breaks, but that's just shady dealer BS.

If you nail some cones autocrossing and that jacks up your AC evaporator, that's on you. If your driver's side control arm fractures after one autocross event while other drivers have autocrossed their cars without incident and everyone has put tens of thousands of miles on their cars without similar problems, that's on them.

Competition use if banned by your warranty, much like taxi service, can legally void your warranty. Tesla is including autocross specifically. See my quote above which is from the warranty doc.
Read the warranty. Research the Subaru situation.

I cannot say whether or not they will. But I'd keep it quiet, which is what this thread is about. Not whether such a policy is right or wrong, or whether it's unique to only Teslas.