Rain-damaged battery out of warranty: “unreliable”

Tesla owner Johnny Pacicalupo is forced to pay for a new battery worth SEK 225,000 after driving his Tesla Model Y in heavy rain. Two weeks of fighting to get the battery fixed under warranty to no avail. Tesla’s warranty terms include a disclaimer against water damage.
– It’s hopeless, they still don’t want to fix it under warranty, Johnny tells the group.

News that Tesla is demanding the equivalent of 225,000 kroner to replace a Tesla Model Y battery after it was driven in the rain has been rewritten around the world. Owners Johnny Pacicalupo and Rob Hussey from Edinburgh, Scotland had to tow their Model Y after driving it in heavy rain. They are adamant that they never drove the car in any water bodies.

They were eating at a restaurant when the car failed to start. The car was towed to Tesla’s service center, where the battery was leaking water. The car is only one year old. Johnny Pacicalupo says Tesla said neither the new car warranty nor the 8-year battery warranty covers water damage. It is also stated very clearly Tesla warranty terms Water damage is not covered. This applies to both Sweden and Great Britain.
– This limited battery and drive unit warranty does not cover damage to the battery as a result of the following operations… If the battery is exposed to water damage.

Karup caught up with Johnny Bacigalupo in Edinburgh to see how the story ended. He has been trying to get Tesla covered under warranty for two weeks, to no avail.
– Nothing progressed. Tesla still won’t fix this under warranty. Their communication is incredibly slow, email only so it can take up to 8 days to get a response to each message. This is an unreliable service. “We would never have bought a Tesla if we had known how bad their communication and customer service was,” he says.

Anyone buying a Tesla should know that water damage to the battery does not automatically void the warranty. However, this may conflict with Swedish consumer purchase laws. Water damage caused by a faulty seal is considered an original fault. However, it is very rare for Tesla owners to suffer from battery water leaks.