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Tesla Backtracks on $4,500 Ransom, Restores Range in Used Model S for Free

Pointing out automakers' bad practices is fundamental to make them stop. When they get reversed, that is an even bigger win. This is what Jason Hughes managed to achieve when he shared one of his clients had lost 80 miles of range in his 2013 Model S 60 after performing a recall. The Tesla Hacker was quick to share that the EV maker backtracked on that. In fact, Tesla did that to another EV we didn’t even hear about before.
Tesla backtracks on decision to restrict battery pack capacity in two cars that got bigger battery packs than they originally had 6 photos
Photo: Tesla
A 2013 Model S 60 with a 90-kWh battery pack had its MCU replaced and its range cut by TeslaA 2013 Model S 60 with a 90-kWh battery pack had its MCU replaced and its range cut by TeslaA 2013 Model S 60 with a 90-kWh battery pack had its MCU replaced and its range cut by TeslaA 2013 Model S 60 with a 90-kWh battery pack had its MCU replaced and its range cut by TeslaA 2013 Model S 60 with a 90-kWh battery pack had its MCU replaced and its range cut by Tesla
If you are not aware of the story, this 2013 Model S 60 had a battery issue while it was still with its first owner. Since Tesla did not have the 60-kWh battery pack anymore, it gave this customer a 90-kWh unit, which obviously gave it a lot more range. Years went by, and this car was sold twice. The latest owner had the vehicle for only a few months before learning they had to perform the MCU recall.

When Tesla replaced the defective computer, it also saw the Model S 60 had a 90-kWh battery pack, so it capped the extra capacity for the vehicle to behave as one with 60 kWh. That instantly killed 80 miles of range for the new owner. When they complained about the problem, the EV maker said it could restore the full capability of the battery pack in exchange for $4,500. In other words, Tesla wanted money for something it gave a customer free years before.

Hughes called that a ramson and made the story public in an attempt to help this customer. The idea was both to see if Tesla would do the right thing in this case and if it would stop harming itself “with this kind of nonsense.

According to Hughes, Tesla restored the total capacity of the 90-kWh battery pack on July 27. To his surprise, another customer who had the same issue also got rid of the software restrictions the EV maker imposed.

Although that is good news, the situations themselves lead us to ask why Tesla decided to restrict battery pack capacities in the first place. The EV maker gave it to the first Model S 60 owner: he would probably be happy with a working battery pack with the same capacity he paid for. If Tesla did not have one and did not restrict it at the time, it was not their fault. Tarnishing its own image for $4,500 is not wise, so much so that Tesla reversed that.

That sets a precedent: if this situation ever happened to you, you should ask Tesla to fix this. If you had to pay for the extra capacity the EV maker gave you for free before, and you have how to prove it, ask for a refund. It may have occurred to many more customers than we could suspect, multiplying the $4,500 for God knows how much. That precise sum may explain Tesla’s decision, even if it is still a terrible one. It is fortunate – for Tesla’s customers and the company – that it has been reversed.

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Editor's note: The gallery contains images of a Model S 60 released by Tesla when it was presented, not of the unit involved in this particular story.

About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
Gustavo Henrique Ruffo profile photo

Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
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