Tesla sued over alleged odometer tampering in mileage scandal
Tesla has been sued by a user for allegedly falsifying mileage data to reduce warranty repair costs. The lawsuit was filed in California and involves a 2020 Model Y, whose odometer showed incorrect mileage.
The lawsuit was initiated by Nyree Hinton, a financial analyst. Hinton purchased a used Model Y in December 2022 and discovered that the vehicle’s odometer displayed incorrect mileage. This case was brought to a state court in California, according to wnp.pl.
After purchasing the car, Hinton visited the service center several times due to suspension issues. Following the last visit, he noticed that, despite traveling the same route, his car's odometer indicated the vehicle covered an average of 55 more miles.
Within six months, the odometer showed 6,500 miles more than were actually driven, causing it to exceed the 50,000-mile warranty limit. As a result, when the suspension failed again, the repair cost $10,000.
The lawsuit alleges deliberate tampering with the mileage through changes in the electronic odometer algorithm. There is a possibility that other Tesla owners will join the lawsuit, potentially giving it class action status. If the allegations are confirmed, the case could have serious consequences for Tesla.
More and more used Teslas on the market
According to recent data, the number of Teslas on the U.S. market grew by 33% in 2025, as reported by Business Insider. Specialists associate this increase with the political activities of Elon Musk, the owner of the company.
Experts note that Elon Musk’s actions influence the brand's perception. The increase in the number of used Teslas could result from greater product availability. However, the prices of used Teslas are declining, which may discourage owners from selling. Currently, the average price of a used Tesla is $10,000 lower than that of other electric cars.
