Tesla Boosts Model S Sedan’s Warranty Coverage After Criticism
Electric carmaker Tesla Motors Inc TSLA.O said on Friday it had boosted warranty coverage on its Model S sedan, a week after an influential U.S. consumer magazine highlighted problems with the $70,000-plus vehicle, reported Reuters. Tesla announced that the drive unit warranty on the Model S has been increased to match that of the battery ... Read More »
Electric carmaker Tesla Motors Inc TSLA.O said on Friday it had boosted warranty coverage on its Model S sedan, a week after an influential U.S. consumer magazine highlighted problems with the $70,000-plus vehicle, reported Reuters.
Tesla announced that the drive unit warranty on the Model S has been increased to match that of the battery pack, bringing its coverage to eight years and “infinite” miles.
The warranty extension will apply retroactively to all Model S cars produced since 2012, the company said on its blog, and will have a “moderately negative” effect on its earnings in the short term.
Consumer Reports last week criticized the Model S for having “more than its share of problems,” including a variety of electrical issues.
The magazine last year gave the Model S top marks for its “smoothness, effortless glide and clever, elegant simplicity.” It purchased the car in January 2013 for $89,650. Tesla fixed the problems on the magazine’s Model S under warranty.
In a blog post on Friday, Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said of the longer warranty, “in hindsight, this should have been our policy from the beginning of the Model S program.”
If the company believes that electric motors are more reliable than the gasoline engines used in most conventional cars, he added, “then our warranty policy should reflect that.”
Many current conventional gasoline-powered cars have a standard three-year/36,000-mile warranty.
Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co, its affiliate Kia Motors Corp and Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors Corp offer U.S. buyers some of the longest new-vehicle warranties, including standard vehicle coverage for five years or 60,000 miles and powertrain coverage for 10 years or 100,000 miles.
Tesla, which has been trading at or near its record high, closed at $262.01 on Friday on the Nasdaq and was down slightly in after-hours.
More Industry

Nebraska Rooftop Changes Hands
The Gregg Young Automotive Group has sold its second dealership to Janssen Auto Group, both in Plattsmouth, Neb.
Read More →
Penske Auto Group Deal a Record
The deal to take the dealership and transportation services company private sets a new pace for industry buy-sell transactions.
Read More →
War Toll a Damper on Used Auto Prices
Cox Automotive found wholesale depreciation to be elevated in September amid high fuel prices and this year's unusual hurricane season.
Read More →
Bridge the Maintenance Gap
With many drivers missing recommended maintenance, service departments offering transparency and efficiency have a better chance of reaching financially strained consumers.
Read More →
California Store Has New Owner
The longtime dealership in the northern part of the state is known for robust fleet sales and has served the state capital for 115 years.
Read More →
BMW Plant Pursues Cleaner Energy
BMW Group Plant Leipzig has utilized hydrogen to help power its production since 2013, but a new pipeline is planned to take it to another level.
Read More →
Auto Affordability Inches Up
The latest Cox Automotive and Moody’s Analytics index shows a slight increase in new-vehicle affordability despite high prices.
Read More →
Ohio Auto Group Under New Ownership
After 79 years with the Schluter family, Mansfield Auto Group has been acquired by Missouri-based Clement Auto Group.
Read More →
RV Group Expands Carolina Footprint
Blue Compass RV Columbia Northeast is the 13th RV dealership owned by Blue Compass in the Carolinas.
Read More →
Agent Acumen
An Agent Summit panel of people who’ve been supporting auto dealers for years gave both timely and timeless advice for those starting out or mulling the prospect.
Read More →