In a groundbreaking judgment, the Regional Court of Hamburg Tesla ordered a Model 3owner to install a brand-new battery. The reason for this was a serious defect in the original battery, which failed after only 18,000 km. Tesla had tried to fob off the customer with a "refurbished" battery, but the court ruled in favor of the buyer: only a battery as good as new restores the defect-free condition.
The case: Defective battery in a new Model 3
At the end of 2021, the plaintiff purchased a Tesla Model 3 Performance for €63,470. After just one year and 18,000 km, massive problems arose with the battery. In April 2023, the vehicle could no longer be charged. Tesla repaired the car, but with a heavily used, reconditioned battery. The customer soon realized that this "refurbished" battery did not have the same capacity as the original battery, which led to a significant reduction in range. In addition, important information about the origin and condition of the battery was missing.
"Refurbished" is not enough
Tesla refused to take any further action, even though the battery of the Model 3 continued to show clear defects. The customer was forced to go to court. The Hamburg Regional Court made a clear ruling: according to warranty law, the buyer of a new car is entitled to have the vehicle restored to a defect-free condition. A "refurbished" battery that falls short of the original in terms of performance does not meet these requirements.
Important victory for Tesla-customers
This ruling is particularly relevant as it shows buyers of Teslas with defective batteries that they do not have to rely on refurbished, inferior replacement parts. New car buyers have the right to a complete replacement of defective batteries with new, high-performance batteries. However, the ruling only applies to new cars within the scope of the two-year statutory warranty. For older vehicles, customers only have the voluntary warranty of Tesla, where claims are generally more limited.
The ruling in detail
The final judgment of 22.02.2024 (Ref.: 307 O 211/23) was issued as a default judgment after Tesla had initially not responded to the claim and later withdrew the objection. The court found the claim to be conclusive and ruled in favor of the buyer, who is now entitled to the installation of a brand-new battery.
Keywords: Tesla, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Battery problem, Tesla Court ruling, Tesla Refurbished battery, LG Hamburg Tesla Judgment, Tesla Battery warranty, new car battery defect, Tesla warranty, Tesla Battery complaint
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