Tesla sued over alleged odometer inflation by up to 117%
The owner of a Tesla Model Y has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer, accusing it of inflating odometer readings by up to 117 percent. According to the suit, this practice is intended to avoid warranty repairs and accelerate vehicle depreciation.
The lawsuit, filed in California, is brought by Nyree Hinton. She accuses Tesla of not using mechanical or electronic systems for accurate distance measurement. Instead, she claims the manufacturer relies on "predictive algorithms, energy consumption metrics, and driver behavior multipliers that manipulate and misrepresent the actual mileage traveled by Tesla vehicles."
Hinton purchased a 2020 Tesla Model Y in December 2022, with 36,772 miles on it. She asserts that from December 14, 2022, to February 6, 2023, she averaged 55.54 miles per day. However, between March 26 and June 28, 2023, the average daily mileage increased to 72.53 miles, despite an unchanged routine. In her view, the actual mileage should be about 20 miles per day lower.
Additionally, Hinton notes that her previous vehicles averaged 6,086 miles over six months, while the Model Y registered as much as 13,228 miles in the same period. According to the lawsuit, Tesla's mileage readings can be inflated by 15% to as much as 117%.
Hinton emphasizes that Tesla can precisely measure mileage using GPS. However, according to the manufacturer's patent, odometer readings are not direct measurements of distance traveled, but are based on a "miles-to-electrical energy conversion factor," which dynamically changes depending on road conditions and traffic.
The lawsuit argues that by "tying warranty limits and lease mileage caps to inflated odometer readings," Tesla can reduce its warranty obligations, increase repair revenues, and encourage customers to purchase extended warranties earlier.
This is not the first time Tesla owners have questioned the accuracy of mileage readings. For years, complaints of inflated values have appeared on forums like Reddit and Tesla. Users claim that this issue has persisted for over two years, supporting the allegations in Hinton's lawsuit.
