Tesla faces a proposed class action lawsuit claiming it will speed up the odor of electric vehicles, which means that the warranty will drop out early and ensure that Elon Musk’s company has to pay for repairs.
Plaintiff Neely Hinton argued that the Tesla odometer measurements reflect energy consumption, driver behavior and “predictive algorithms” rather than actual mileage.
He said the 2020 Model Y odometer purchased in December 2022, which ran at least 15% faster based on other vehicles and driving history, drove 72 miles a day, driving up to 20 pets for a while.
Hinton, a Los Angeles resident, said this left him with a $10,000 stop repair bill that Tesla thought should cover.
“By typing warranty limits and leasing mileage caps to inflated “odometer” measurements, Tesla will increase repair revenue, reduce warranty obligations, and force consumers to purchase extended warranty early,” the complaint states.
Tesla and its attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday, but denied all material claims in the suit. The Austin, Texas-based company does not have a Media Relations office.
Hinton is seeking compensatory and punitive damages against a California Tesla driver, including potentially more than one million vehicles, court documents show.
Tesla moved his case this month from the city’s state court to the federal court of Los Angeles.
The automaker is also facing lawsuits accusing the vehicle of inflating its driving range.
In March 2024, a federal judge in Oakland, California said that drivers in that case must pursue their claims in individual arbitration, not class action.
The case was made by Hinton v. Tesla Inc., No. of the Central District of California, US District Court. This is 25-02877.
