I have a lemon in Missouri/Kansas

[indikar]

Hello, My Tesla Model 3 is 6 months old. For the past month, it has had recurrent issues with notifications
1. Safety restraint system fault
2. Steering assist reduced
3. Park assist reduced
4. cruise control cannot function

I have been to SC thrice, first time nothing in diagnostics, car returned.
Second time, 3 modules changed, recurred within 10 miles of service center
Third time, anti brake system module replaced. They actually could see the fault this time during service and replaced it. Three days passed by issues recurred

Today I was driving to service center and the worst of all issues popped up - the emergency brakes, traction control, regenerative braking, automatic vehicle hold all got disabled. The vehicle would just go on cruise control like function if I take my leg off accelerator. It would take enormous amount of braking to stop the car. This is the first time I have had actual driving issues that could seriously endanger safety.

Spoke to the service manager who asked to follow the arbitration process in website. I have emailed [email protected] and haven't heard back.

I want to actually hear from someone who has gone through the process of requesting Tesla to buyback the vehicle and useful tips with it. The online process seems like it will take forever.

Images attached of notifications.

Any help with recommendations appreciated. I haven't approached attorney yet.
TIA

 

[indikar]

anyone?

 

[jpfive]

Sorry I have nothing to offer here, but am watching to see your resolution. Owners manuals on other cars I have owned give clear instructions for Lemon Law resolution. Also, generally received a brochure on the subject. I don't remember getting one with my Tesla. If you have another car, you may want to look through your owners packet.

 

[Envchem]

Hi,

Was it raining heavily before the last error occurred? There are posts around for cars getting water on a steering wheel module that was causing this. Quite a few cars in the UK were affected by this.

 

[btownalset]

Sorry I have nothing to offer here, but am watching to see your resolution. Owners manuals on other cars I have owned give clear instructions for Lemon Law resolution. Also, generally received a brochure on the subject. I don't remember getting one with my Tesla. If you have another car, you may want to look through your owners packet.

The lemon law document is located in your tesla.com -> Tesla account and within your glovebox link. However, I’m not sure if this contains the appropriate information you are looking for.

 

[GuyDude]

I have been through the process. Tesla will go to court before they issue you a buyback. Get a good lemon lawn attorney and hope for a ‘goodwill’ check from them. Expect to keep the car as is. They may also give you service credits

 

[GuyDude]

I have been through the process. Tesla will go to court before they issue you a buyback. Get a good lemon lawn attorney and hope for a ‘goodwill’ check from them. Expect to keep the car as is. They may also give you service credits

 

[MP3Mike]

Hello, My Tesla Model 3 is 6 months old. For the past month, it has had recurrent issues with notifications
1. Safety restraint system fault
2. Steering assist reduced
3. Park assist reduced
4. cruise control cannot function

I have been to SC thrice, first time nothing in diagnostics, car returned.
Second time, 3 modules changed, recurred within 10 miles of service center
Third time, anti brake system module replaced. They actually could see the fault this time during service and replaced it. Three days passed by issues recurred

From what I can tell the Kansas lemon law requires four repair attempts before you can declare it a lemon. You are only up to two repair attempts. (Three if you count the first one where I assume they said that they weren't able to replicate the issue, but I doubt that one counts.)

So they might tell you that you need to allow them to try to repair it again.

 

[hellocar]

Yeah why not work with them a little more here? It’s not a great situation, no, but maybe hold off on the escalation and focus on escalating the technical attention paid to the problems the car is having. Can they get some different techs to look at it, can they get help from outside their shop, is there another service center who can take a crack at it.

If they are able to resolve the problems, then you’ve got a great car and that could be much less hassle than the arbitration pathway.

 

[Kevy Baby]

anyone?

Try giving it a bit more than an hour and forty minutes for people to respond. We're not all sitting at out computers waiting to help you.

 

[indikar]

From what I can tell the Kansas lemon law requires four repair attempts before you can declare it a lemon. You are only up to two repair attempts. (Three if you count the first one where I assume they said that they weren't able to replicate the issue, but I doubt that one counts.)

So they might tell you that you need to allow them to try to repair it again.

4 visits is all I can read, not repair attempts. Since the dealership is located in MO, it appears I can apply to either one of the state laws. It is currently in service again but this time the car became totally unsafe to drive for 50 miles. the car would go on like cruise control when i did not set cruise control and was difficult to stop the car completely. Previously driving wasn't an issue.

I work an hour away from SC. They dont operate on weekends and even weekdays it is difficult to reach them by 3 pm to leave car if i have issues. the latest issues make me wonder about serious underlying issues in the car

 

[indikar]

Yeah why not work with them a little more here? It’s not a great situation, no, but maybe hold off on the escalation and focus on escalating the technical attention paid to the problems the car is having. Can they get some different techs to look at it, can they get help from outside their shop, is there another service center who can take a crack at it.

If they are able to resolve the problems, then you’ve got a great car and that could be much less hassle than the arbitration pathway.

i genuinely like the car and i will get another Tesla if they buy this back. I know many friends who have good experience with Tesla. Mine is an outlier but safety concerns is the main issue for me. And the issue keeps worsening everytime after what was meant to be thorough diagnostics.

 

[indikar]

Yeah why not work with them a little more here? It’s not a great situation, no, but maybe hold off on the escalation and focus on escalating the technical attention paid to the problems the car is having. Can they get some different techs to look at it, can they get help from outside their shop, is there another service center who can take a crack at it.

If they are able to resolve the problems, then you’ve got a great car and that could be much less hassle than the arbitration pathway.

next nearest service center is 4 hours away. not going to work with my schedules. and they dont work on weekends

 

[indikar]

I have been through the process. Tesla will go to court before they issue you a buyback. Get a good lemon lawn attorney and hope for a ‘goodwill’ check from them. Expect to keep the car as is. They may also give you service credits

Tesla now has an arbitration process that everyone signed up automatically(should have opted out when I bought it but didnt know about it until now, too late). Only if arbitration fails, then go to court apparently.

 

[indikar]

I have been through the process. Tesla will go to court before they issue you a buyback. Get a good lemon lawn attorney and hope for a ‘goodwill’ check from them. Expect to keep the car as is. They may also give you service credits

when you say "expect to keep the car as it is", what do you mean? They are attempting to repair again now. I would be happy if they just buy back the vehicle and they can fix and resell it or use as loaner

 

[indikar]

The lemon law document is located in your tesla.com -> Tesla account and within your glovebox link. However, I’m not sure if this contains the appropriate information you are looking for.

i found it online and I have emailed the [email protected] which is the first step. There is no other way to contact them and they haven't responded to my email yet.

 

[indikar]

Hi,

Was it raining heavily before the last error occurred? There are posts around for cars getting water on a steering wheel module that was causing this. Quite a few cars in the UK were affected by this.

We usually park in the garage. I do not remember the car getting extremely wet during any recent instances before the notification came on the first time. Certainly never in the past 1 month when parked in my home or work

 

[indikar]

Yeah why not work with them a little more here? It’s not a great situation, no, but maybe hold off on the escalation and focus on escalating the technical attention paid to the problems the car is having. Can they get some different techs to look at it, can they get help from outside their shop, is there another service center who can take a crack at it.

If they are able to resolve the problems, then you’ve got a great car and that could be much less hassle than the arbitration pathway.

My other issue with working another time is the safety restraint has been the consistent issue every time and I drive predominantly on the freeway at 75 mph speeds. Safety is paramount for me and despite changing 4 modules, the main issue is persistent. And new issues keep popping up.

 

[MP3Mike]

4 visits is all I can read, not repair attempts. Since the dealership is located in MO, it appears I can apply to either one of the state laws.

What are you reading? And it appears that both states have almost identical laws.

From: Statute | Kansas State Legislature

(1) The same nonconformity which substantially impairs the use and value of the motor vehicle to the consumer has been subject to repair four or more times by the manufacturer or its agents or authorized dealers within the term of any warranty or during the period of one year following the date of original delivery of the motor vehicle to a consumer, whichever is the earlier date, but such nonconformity continues to exist;

And: Missouri 407.571

407.571. Presumptions of nonconformity — exception. — It shall be presumed that a reasonable number of attempts have been undertaken to conform a new motor vehicle to the applicable express warranties if within the terms, conditions, or limitations of the express warranty, or during the period of one year following the date of original delivery of the new motor vehicle to a consumer, whichever expires earlier, either:

  (1) The same nonconformity has been subject to repair four or more times by the manufacturer, or its agents, and such nonconformity continues to exist; or

  (2) The new vehicle is out of service by reason of repair of the nonconformity by the manufacturer, through its authorized dealer or its agents, for a cumulative total of thirty or more working days, exclusive of down time for routine maintenance as prescribed by the manufacturer, since delivery of the new vehicle to the consumer. The thirty-day period may be extended by a period of time during which repair services are not available to the consumer because of conditions beyond the control of the manufacturer or its agents.

But yet you are trying to start the process before you even qualified for what you thought the lemon law was...

 

[jimmym1981]

We usually park in the garage. I do not remember the car getting extremely wet during any recent instances before the notification came on the first time. Certainly never in the past 1 month when parked in my home or work

Yeah, and with this, cars are made to get wet. So if rain is an issue, this is on Tesla.