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• Case: Client v. Tesla
• Claim Type: CA Lemon Law
• Vehicle Year: 2016
• Vehicle Model: Tesla
• Vehicle Make: Model S 75
• New/Used: Used
• Contract Type: Purchase
• Specs: Includes autopilot
• Defects & Repair Attempts:
  • Suspension & autosteer
    • Since the day the customer received their Tesla, they noticed that it would slowly pull to the right when the autosteer feature was being used. After taking this in for repairs, the vehicle continued to do the same thing. When taking it in for repairs the second time, the dealership believed it was a suspension issue and had the wheels aligned and inspected.
  • Automatic emergency brakes
    • The automatic emergency brakes, which are a vital safety feature that is found commonly on newer vehicles and has saved countless lives, were found to be defective by the client. The client found that the automatic emergency brakes would not deploy when another vehicle was directly in front of the car. 
  • Media control units
    • The client noticed that the touchscreen media control units would not function properly when they were browsing the internet on their vehicle.
      
• Lawsuits: 
  • Williams, Zachery v. Tesla Inc. (Case: 1:18-cv-04120)
    • Class action claiming that Tesla has been ignoring suspension issues on Model S and Model X vehicles.
  • Williams, Adam v. Tesla Inc. (Case: BUR-L-000194-18)
    • A former Tesla employee got demoted and fired after shining a light on the sale of Lemon cars to consumers, as used cars, and as loaners.
  • Faragalla v. Tesla Inc. (Case: 5:20-cv-01025)
    • Class action claiming Tesla vehicles had faulty touch screen media control units on the main screen.

 

• Recalls: 
  • Electric Parking Brake (17V260000)
  • Touchscreen (21V035000)
  • Air Bags (19V002000)
  • Steering (18V204000)
• Investigations
  • Front Fore Link Failure (PE20020)
  • Loss of Rear View Camera (EA20003)
  • Loss of Rear View Camera (PE20010)
  • Sudden Unintended Acceleration (DP20001)
  • Battery Management Software Updates (DP190005)
  • Automatic Vehicle Control Systems (PE16007)

 

Potential Model S lawsuit perfectly encompasses Tesla’s shady manufacturing and anti-consumer practices.

Tesla is a beloved company. Owning a Tesla nowadays is a symbol of prestige. The company is leading the charge in self driving vehicles, electric vehicles, and the future of automobiles in general. But, what Tesla has in technology and innovation, they lack in quality. Tesla vehicles are notorious for having several defects, being subject to numerous recalls, and having these issues covered up by the manufacturer itself. This is especially true for the Tesla Model S, which is now known for its not-so perfect production quality. This lack of manufacturing quality and prevalence of shady business practices can be seen when looking at one of our clients, who had purchased a 2016 Model S 75 in late 2018. From the moment the car was first driven, problems began creeping up. The problems would continue to get worse throughout the following year. The issues the vehicle had include: 

• Suspension & autosteer – Since the day the customer received their Tesla, they noticed that it would slowly pull to the right when the autosteer feature was being used. After taking this in for repairs, the vehicle continued to do the same thing. When taking it in for repairs the second time, the dealership believed it was a suspension issue and had the wheels aligned and inspected.
• Automatic emergency brakes – The automatic emergency brakes, which are a vital safety feature that is found commonly on newer vehicles and has saved countless lives, was found to be defective by the client. The client found that the automatic emergency brakes would not deploy when another vehicle was directly in front of the car. 
• Media control units – The client noticed that the touchscreen media control units would not function properly when they were browsing the internet on their vehicle. 

After attempting to get these issues repaired, both old and new problems would still affect our clients vehicle. Throughout the first year of owning this car, the client had to take it in for repairs three separate times, with little changing after each repair attempt. Due to this, the vehicle was rendered as a Lemon, and the client prepared to file a Model S lawsuit against Tesla. The client reached out to the Margarian Law Firm, who is currently successfully negotiating a buyback with Tesla.

The issues our client faced and had to repair are sadly common in Tesla vehicles. For example, the suspension problems that our client faced were also mentioned in a widely covered class action Models S lawsuit against Tesla. The class action lawsuit, Williams, Zachery v. Tesla Inc. (Case: 1:18-cv-04120), alleges that Tesla had covered up their knowledge on suspension issues in their Model S and Model X vehicles. The suspension defect would cause the wheels on the vehicle to partially detach and fold inwards, which could cause loss of steering controls and could lead to life-threatening situations. Tesla covered up this defect by blaming the customers, blaming rust, making customers sign non-disclosure agreements, and doing everything except actually recalling the affected vehicles. The vehicles that were alleged to have this defect include:

Model & Make	Year(s)
Tesla Model S	2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Tesla Model X	2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

 

The media control units were also subject to their own class action lawsuit, Faragalla v. Tesla Inc. (Case: 5:20-cv-01025), which alleged that the touchscreen on media control units, or the main screen on Tesla’s, would fail after only a few years or even a single year of use. Our client certainly experienced this, since their main screen would need to be repaired only a year after the vehicle being purchased. The vehicles affected in this class action lawsuit were:

Model & Make	Year(s)
Tesla Model S	2014, 2015, 2016
Tesla Model X	2015, 2016

 

To top things off, there was also a lawsuit filed against Tesla which alleged that Tesla sold vehicles, which they knew had issues and were not safe to drive, to customers, as used cars, and as loaners. The lawsuit, Williams, Adam v. Tesla Inc. (Case: BUR-L-000194-18), was filed by a former Tesla employee who had noticed that Tesla was selling vehicles not suited for sale, also known as Lemons. After this former employee had reported this shady business practice to their superior, they were demoted. The employee would not budge and continued reporting this to their supervisor, which ended up in them being demoted again and eventually fired.

It’s no wonder why Tesla, and especially the Tesla Model S, have such a bad reputation. The Model S alone has been subject to numerous recalls. The touchscreen and the media control units were recalled following a 7 month-long investigation by the NHTSA, lawsuits such as Faragalla v. Tesla Inc., and multiple customers, such as our client, getting their lives put in danger (21V035000). The electronic parking brake that our client had problems with was also eventually recalled (17V260000). Other recalls, such as a recall on steering (18V204000), and airbags (19V002000), have also left a bad taste in the mouths of customers. The bad news isn’t over for the Model S, since there are currently 3 ongoing NHTSA investigations (PE20020, EA20003, DP190005) and 3 closed investigations (PE20010, DP20001, PE16007) over various issues and parts.

With this combination of poor manufacturing and the apparent inability to address manufacturing problems, consumers have very polarized opinions on Tesla. On one hand, Tesla is saving and changing the world with its technological innovativeness. On the other hand, their faulty manufacturing is causing hell for customers, such as our client. Along with this, they are putting lives at risk just to save money. The NHTSA found that in 2019 alone, there were 36,096 traffic deaths. That’s why it is important to take action when you notice problems with your vehicle. Many states have laws that allow consumers to protect themselves against defects and to stand up to multi-billion dollar manufacturers, such as Tesla. In California, the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, or California Lemon Law, allows consumers to potentially get a buyback of a defective vehicle, the payment of attorney’s fees, or a cash settlement. The Margarian Law Firm is currently negotiating a buyback with Tesla, and they can help you in getting proper compensation too. The Margarian Law Firm specializes in Lemon Law, Dealer Fraud, and Consumer Class Actions in the state of California. If you are in a situation similar to our clients and believe your vehicle is a Lemon, or that you were a victim of fraud by a vehicle dealership, call the Margarian Law Firm at (818) 553-1000 for a free consultation.