Tesla sells its cars directly instead of through franchised dealers. You ordered the car from Tesla, Tesla delivered it, and Tesla (at a Service Center or through a mobile technician) does the warranty work. California's lemon law doesn't care about that sales model. If Tesla can't fix a warranty defect that substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of your Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X, or Cybertruck after a reasonable number of attempts, the Song-Beverly Act can require Tesla to repurchase or replace it.
The direct-sales model does change the evidence and the contract terms. Service history lives in an app, some fixes arrive as software updates, and your order agreement with Tesla contains an arbitration clause. This page is for California owners and lessees facing repeat Tesla repairs. Our California lemon law overview covers who qualifies and what the law pays.
Tesla warranty coverage
Tesla's New Vehicle Limited Warranty for Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y (effective September 1, 2026) and its Cybertruck warranty (effective June 5, 2025) list these terms. Each coverage ends at whichever limit comes first.
| Coverage | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty | 4 years / 50,000 miles | All models |
| Supplemental Restraint System | 5 years / 60,000 miles | Seat belts and air bags |
| Battery and Drive Unit: Model S, Model X, Cybertruck | 8 years / 150,000 miles | At least 70% battery capacity over the period |
| Battery and Drive Unit: Model 3 and Model Y Standard | 8 years / 100,000 miles | At least 70% battery capacity |
| Battery and Drive Unit: Model 3 and Model Y Long Range or Performance | 8 years / 120,000 miles | At least 70% battery capacity |
| Body rust (perforation) | 12 years / unlimited miles | Model S, X, 3, Y warranty |
| High-priced propulsion-related parts (ZEV warranty) | 7 years / 70,000 miles | Model year 2026 and later |
Source: Tesla New Vehicle Limited Warranty, North America. Tesla says a vehicle bought before a warranty's effective date stays under the version in force when it was purchased, so your terms may differ, and your applicable warranty is in your Tesla Account. Lemon law protection runs for the whole warranty period, which for a battery or drive unit claim can reach 8 years.
How Tesla handles lemon law claims in California
Tesla's warranty contains a California-only instruction. If you are asking Tesla to repurchase or replace a vehicle, it says to give written notice of the problem by email to CAwarranty@tesla.com, or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to Tesla, Inc. c/o CT Corporation, 330 N Brand Boulevard, Suite 700, Glendale, CA 91203. The notice should include your full name and contact information, the VIN, a brief summary of the repair history and problems, and a demand for repurchase or replacement. More generally, Tesla's warranty says that, to the fullest extent the law allows, it requires written notice of defects during the warranty period before you pursue lemon law remedies.
For disputes, Tesla participates in the California Dispute Settlement Program (CDSP), which the Department of Consumer Affairs lists as Tesla's certified program. CDSP is run by the National Center for Dispute Settlement, and Tesla's warranty says the program is optional, free, and binding on Tesla but not on you. Because Tesla describes CDSP to owners in writing, you would generally need to use it before relying on the repair presumption. You don't need it before talking to a lawyer.
Then comes the arbitration agreement. Tesla's warranty says disputes not resolved through that program go to binding arbitration with the American Arbitration Association under the Agreement to Arbitrate in your Vehicle Order Agreement, with small claims court as an alternative. That agreement lets you opt out within 30 days after signing by mailing Tesla, Inc., P.O. Box 15430, Fremont, CA 94539-7970 your name, VIN, and intent to opt out. How far an arbitration clause signed directly with a manufacturer can reach in a California lemon law case is an open question, and the 2025 ruling that blocked manufacturers from using dealer contract clauses doesn't answer it. Keep your order agreement and let a lawyer review it.
Tesla's opt-in status differs from Ford's or GM's. As of October 2026, Tesla does not appear on the DCA list of manufacturers that opted in. That generally means the traditional Song-Beverly framework applies to a Tesla claim rather than the newer procedures (no statutory pre-suit notice step for civil penalties, no mandatory early mediation, and the older limitation rules). The DCA republishes the list by December 15 each year, so status can change. Our lemon law changes tracker explains both tracks.
Problem areas Tesla owners ask about
EV complaints look different from gas-car complaints:
- software and over-the-air update behavior, such as features that stop working after an update
- charging faults, including charge-port errors and sessions that won't start
- battery and drive unit problems, loss of drive power, or range that drops sharply
- panel fit, trim, and water leaks
- driver-assistance features, cameras, and sensors
- door, window, and 12-volt system faults
The real question is whether your problem is covered, substantially impairs the car, and keeps returning after Tesla has had a fair chance to fix it. A problem likely to cause death or serious injury, such as a sudden loss of drive power, faces a lower bar under the presumption: two repair attempts within 18 months or 18,000 miles instead of four, plus direct written notice to Tesla where its warranty requires it.
Recent recalls
The NHTSA campaigns below are official remedy campaigns, not findings about any individual car. A recall repair (including one delivered over the air) may or may not count toward a lemon law claim depending on the facts.
- NHTSA recall 23V-838 covers 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles with Autosteer (2,031,220 vehicles). NHTSA's summary says the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse in certain circumstances. The remedy was a free over-the-air software update.
- NHTSA recall 25V-092 covers certain 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles on software older than 2023.38.4 (376,241 vehicles). A power steering circuit board may be overstressed, causing loss of power steering assist after a stop. The remedy was an over-the-air update.
- NHTSA recall 24V-276 covers certain 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. The accelerator pedal pad may dislodge and get trapped by interior trim. Tesla Service replaces or repairs the pedal assembly.
- NHTSA recall 25V-690 covers certain 2025 Model 3 and 2026 Model Y vehicles. Battery pack contactors may fail and cause a loss of drive power. Tesla Service replaces the contactors.
Search your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Keeping Tesla records that hold up
Tesla's support pages say the app is where you schedule service, approve estimates, and review your vehicle's service history, whether the work happens at a Service Center or through Mobile Service. A mobile visit in your driveway is still a repair attempt, so treat its record the same as a shop visit. Save a PDF or screenshot of every estimate, invoice, and service message outside the app, because app history isn't a file you control.
Over-the-air fixes need extra care. When an update changes a problem, write down the date, the software version, and what the car did before and after. If Tesla's notes say "no fault found," add your own description and photos or video of the symptom. Because Tesla is both seller and manufacturer, keep your Vehicle Order Agreement, delivery papers, and any lease in the same folder.
Your next step
Export what the app shows, list each visit with its date and mileage, then check your facts with our eligibility checker. If the same problem has come back after two or more visits, send us the details for a free case review, and an attorney will review the warranty, the order agreement, and your deadlines.
Updated October 2, 2026
Common questions
Can I bring a lemon law claim on a Tesla I bought used?
Usually not for a buyback, though the warranty still helps. Tesla's New Vehicle Limited Warranty says it transfers at no cost to later owners for the rest of its term, so covered repairs continue. After Rodriguez v. FCA US (California Supreme Court, 2024), a used car bought with only the leftover factory warranty generally doesn't qualify as a new motor vehicle. Whether a used Tesla bought from Tesla with Tesla's used-vehicle warranty can qualify is unsettled, much like certified pre-owned cars. Our used car page has more.
Do I have to arbitrate with Tesla instead of going to court?
Tesla's Vehicle Order Agreement includes an agreement to arbitrate before the American Arbitration Association, with small claims court as an alternative and a 30-day opt-out window after signing. Courts have not resolved every question about arbitration agreements signed directly with a manufacturer, so the answer for your claim depends on your documents and the law when the claim is made. Bring your order agreement to a lawyer before deciding how to proceed.
Does an over-the-air update that fixes my problem count as a repair attempt?
Possibly. NHTSA recall 25V-092, for example, was remedied with an over-the-air update for power steering on certain 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. An update meant to fix a reported defect can be part of the repair history, but it may not generate an invoice, so record the date, the software version, and whether the problem came back. Whether it counts depends on the facts.
Is battery degradation a warranty defect?
Only past a point. Tesla's Battery and Drive Unit Limited Warranty covers capacity that falls below 70% during the warranty period, which runs 8 years and 100,000 to 150,000 miles depending on the model. Gradual loss above that line isn't a covered defect. A battery fault that causes warnings, charging failures, or loss of drive power is a separate question.
Does a Tesla Mobile Service visit count as a repair attempt?
It can. When a mobile technician works on a warranty complaint, Tesla is still attempting the repair, and the record of that visit (date, mileage, complaint, and work done) belongs in your repair history just like a Service Center visit. Mobile visits usually don't keep the car out of service for long, so if you're counting toward more than 30 days in the shop, those days mostly come from Service Center stays. Save the record of every visit outside the app, and see our time limits page so the clock doesn't run out while repairs continue.