CALIFORNIA – A Southern California resident filed a class action lawsuit against Tesla, claiming it manipulates odometers to shorten warranty periods.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiff said he wants Tesla to pay damages for California drivers, possibly affecting over 1 million registered cars.
The complaint comes after the plaintiff said he noticed peculiar patterns in mileage accumulation in his Tesla, observing a daily average of 55.54 miles although he says his driving routine should have averaged 20 miles per day.
Tesla’s odometer system uses a predictive algorithm
The Basic Warranty, under the New Vehicle Warranty, provides bumper-to-bumper coverage for four years or 50,000-miles, whichever comes first.
According to the court document, the plaintiff claims Tesla inflates odometer readings to show more distance than traveled to reduce warranty obligations and compel consumers to purchase extended warranties prematurely.
“Rather than relying on mechanical or electronic systems to measure distance, Plaintiff alleges … Tesla Inc. employs an odometer system that utilizes predictive algorithms, energy consumption metrics, and driver behavior multipliers that manipulate and misrepresent the actual mileage travelled by Tesla Vehicles,” says the court document.
The plaintiff notes that a patent confirms Tesla’s Odometer System readings are not direct measurements of distance traveled. It describes a “miles-to-electrical energy conversion factor” that varies dynamically based on road and traffic conditions.
Speeding affects odometer readings
Drivers are either rewarded or penalized for certain driving behaviors which affect odometer readings, according to the plaintiff.
“For example, Tesla applies a lower efficiency multiplier to “aggressive” driving behaviors, such as rapid acceleration or high-speed driving, thereby inflating the recorded mileage relative to the energy consumed,” said the court document.
On the other hand, “efficient” driving behaviors receive higher efficiency multipliers, reducing the recorded mileage for similar energy usage.
The plaintiff argues that these adjustments, made without disclosure to customers, break the standard expectation that an odometer accurately shows the miles a car has traveled.
Tesla recently settled a wrongful death lawsuit
Tesla faces multiple lawsuits, including a wrongful death case in Ohio where a Model Y allegedly accelerated unexpectedly, resulting in a fatal crash.
The company settled the case while denying any vehicle defects.
RELATED: Tesla semi truck required 50,000 gallons of water to put out fire
