Owner of a 2013 Tesla Model S, Mario Zelaya claims that an alleged design issue caused his car’s lock to malfunction, locking him out of his own vehicle after the battery pack failed. Now, he claims he is unable to even open the car in order to get the ownership papers necessary to sell the car he has chosen not to fix.
In a TikTok video, Zelaya claimed that he purchased the car brand-new for $140,000 CAD ($105,472 USD at the time of writing) and had it maintained on a regular basis. Now, however, he asserts that the HVAC condenser leaks into the battery pack in the 2013-2014 Model S due to a design defect, causing rust and ultimately harming the batteries.
Since the problem was found after the vehicle’s warranty had ended, Tesla is refusing to pay for a replacement battery. Zelaya, though, asserts that the problem must have arisen while the car was covered. He also says he has spoken with Transport Canada, which is looking into the problem.
@supermariozelaya My opinion: Tesla shut down my car over the air because my videos after refusing to pay for a new battery. #tesla #car ♬ original sound – Mario Zelaya
Zelaya stated, “Not only did they undertake an investigation on this car, but they’re going to do another that Tesla doesn’t know is coming up because I got in touch with another owner who has the exact same problem. “Tesla is attempting to ignore the fact that the battery died. They won’t provide any information on the cause of the battery’s demise.
Transport Canada does really provide that service. Customers are encouraged to get in touch with the regulator by using the form on its website to report an issue. In the past, the service resulted in a fault notice for the Kia Soul, whose heated seats were causing occupants to burn.
However, it is uncertain whether the organization will soon take any action regarding the 2013–2014 Tesla Model S, and no investigation is currently being conducted on this issue in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
But a review of the regulator’s website’s complaints section reveals that at least one owner had the same problem. The complaint was submitted in April 2021 and claimed that “moisture” caused the drivetrain to fail. It was informed that the failure was not covered by warranty. There are several forum postings that appear to be discussing problems related to this one.
As for his Tesla’s doors not opening, it is a recognized problem with the EV, and there are a variety of fixes, though they do appear to be pretty complicated. Zelaya chose to just spend $30 CAD ($22.60 USD) to obtain new documents, which was a wise decision.
Now, he says he will sell the vehicle for about $20,000 CAD ($15,067 USD). It’s unknown what the new owner will do with the vehicle, but a replacement battery pack is said to cost $26,000 CAD ($19,588 USD). All things considered, it would not be a terrible price considering that in Toronto, comparable vehicles are going for $49,950 CAD ($37,632 USD).
