Lawsuit for reduced coverage
12.08.2019
A The reason for David Rasmussen's lawsuit is a significant loss of coverage following a software update. According to the plaintiff, the model S 85 from 2014 should have lost eleven percent range in five weeks after the update (217 instead of 247 miles). As Rasmussen told the news platform Electrek, he assumes that this update is related to several unattended vehicle fires. Tesla has now 'discovered something in the batteries that warns of impending danger'.
In fact, Tesla carried out a software update for the charging and heat management settings for the battery immediately following the fire in a Model S in Shanghai Security reasons ”. As a result, there were already several complaints about reduced ranges. Tesla announced that the aim of the update was 'to protect the battery and improve its service life', which could lead to a loss of range for a small part of the older Model S and X. Details on the content of the software update are currently unclear, Rasmussen suspects in an email to Electrek that “a reduction in the maximum charging voltage” is included.
Lawsuit: Tesla is supposed to cover up security deficiencies
In of the present indictment, Rasmussen's attorney Edward C. Chen assumes that a software update is not sufficient in the case of the security deficiencies found, but that all batteries concerned must be replaced. Tesla wants to save the costs for this by covering up the problem.
Tesla
In addition to the Model S, the Model X should also have suffered slight loss of range.
Rasmussen himself asked Tesla to replace the battery with a refurbished one as part of the guarantee. According to his own statement to Electrek, he only received “rejection and insulting suggestions (like thatDriving without air conditioning and with the windows closed to increase the range) ”. In the next step, he now filed the lawsuit.
Tesla commented on the facts at Electrek's request that the complaint - like any other - would be taken very seriously. In addition, updates to solve the problem of the reduced range are already available.
