Tesla odometer uses “predictive algorithms” to void warranty, lawsuit claims

[Sherminator98]

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/04/tesla-makes-its-cars-lie-about-their-mileage-lawsuit-claims/?comments-page=1#comments

 

Quote

The lead plaintiff in the case, Nyree Hinton, bought a used Model Y with less than 37,000 miles (59,546 km) on the odometer. Within six months, it had pushed past the 50,000-mile (80,467 km) mark, at which point the car's bumper-to-bumper warranty expired. (Like virtually all EVs, Tesla powertrains have a separate warranty that lasts much longer.)

 

For this six-month period, Hinton says his Model Y odometer gained 13,228 miles (21,288 km). By comparison, averages of his three previous vehicles showed that with the same commute, he was only driving 6,086 miles (9,794 km) per 6 months.

The following year, Hinton's commute got longer, but he claims his car actually recorded 800 fewer miles per month once it was no longer under warranty. During the first six months of ownership, Hinton says the car displayed an average of 2,217 miles (3,568 km) a month; for the 12 months following the expiration of the warranty (and with a longer commute), the Model Y displayed an average of just 1,415 miles (2,277 km) a month.

 

[Motorpsychology]

10 hours ago, Sherminator98 said:

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/04/tesla-makes-its-cars-lie-about-their-mileage-lawsuit-claims/?comments-page=1#comments

 

 

Could be hard to prove without GPS data, but VW's diesel scam was ultimately discovered, so perhaps this case will get solved as well. I would think that Hinton should have questioned his odometer readings after only a week or so of ownership; the milage was off by over half. Maybe he was ecstatic over getting 700 miles between charges?

[rmc523]

11 hours ago, Sherminator98 said:

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/04/tesla-makes-its-cars-lie-about-their-mileage-lawsuit-claims/?comments-page=1#comments

 

 

 

I hope he used an alternate platform to verify his claims (i.e. mileage tracking app, etc).

[akirby]

Shouldn’t be hard to test on other vehicles unless they removed the code with an OTA update.

[Rick73]

More fuel for the untrusting that don’t want to drive a computer on wheels.

 

Perhaps whether it happened or not is not as much a concern as the possibility that such manipulation may even be possible, at least in the minds of those who believe monetary greed can lead to all kinds of abuse.

[Rick73]

12 minutes ago, akirby said:

Shouldn’t be hard to test on other vehicles unless they removed the code with an OTA update.

Would that not leave a trace of some kind?  And if that were the case and proven, charges may be far more serious.

[akirby]

6 hours ago, Rick73 said:

Would that not leave a trace of some kind?  And if that were the case and proven, charges may be far more serious.

Not in the vehicle, it would only show software was changed but that happens all the time anyway.

 

The system that’s used to track software changes would show it unless they scrubbed that clean also.  

[twintornados]

It would also give incorrect "miles to empty/recharge" data as well....