If your 2025 Tesla Model S is spending more time at the service center than on the road, you’re not alone. California’s lemon law may offer protections—but the key to any potential claim is solid documentation of the problems and repair history. This guide from ZapLemon explains, in plain language, how California’s lemon law can apply to a new Model S and the practical steps to document issues so a professional can evaluate your situation. This article is informational only and not legal advice.
Does California Lemon Law Cover 2025 Tesla Model S?
California’s lemon law—formally the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act—generally covers new cars purchased or leased in California with a manufacturer’s warranty, including electric vehicles like the 2025 Tesla Model S. It may also cover certain used or Certified Pre-Owned vehicles if they are sold with a dealer warranty or still within the original manufacturer’s warranty period. The law focuses on defects that substantially impair a vehicle’s use, value, or safety and that persist despite a reasonable number of repair attempts under warranty.
California also has a “legal presumption” that can help consumers within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles (whichever comes first), if specific benchmarks are met, such as multiple repair attempts for the same issue, two or more attempts for a serious safety defect, or 30+ cumulative days out of service for warranty repairs. These are general guidelines, not hard-and-fast requirements—every case turns on its facts. For Teslas, repair attempts can include service-center visits, mobile service, and sometimes over-the-air software updates if they are intended to correct a covered defect.
Common Tesla Model S issues that owners report—such as Autopilot or driver-assistance malfunctions (e.g., phantom braking), charging port or Supercharging faults, high-voltage battery or thermal management problems, infotainment/MCU reboots or blackouts, suspension or steering noises, door handle failures, HVAC performance issues, and persistent water leaks or panel alignment—may be relevant if they are recurring and substantially impact use, value, or safety. Not every glitch or one-time alert qualifies. If you’re unsure whether your situation fits, a consultation can help you understand your options without any promises or guarantees about outcomes.
Step-by-Step: Document Tesla Model S Issues
Start a vehicle problem log on day one. Each time an issue occurs, note the date, mileage, location, weather, and driving conditions (highway vs. city, traffic, temperature). Record exactly what you experienced: warning messages, loss of power, screen freezes, braking events, charging speeds, or range drops. Because Tesla vehicles are software-driven, also capture the exact software/firmware version and build number (screenshot from the car or Tesla app) at the time of the problem, along with any third-party accessory or phone app you were using.
Preserve evidence. Take photos or short videos of alerts on the instrument cluster or center screen, charging errors, unusual sounds, or panel gaps/water ingress. If the issue relates to charging, note the charger type (home Level 2, Supercharger), stall number, state of charge, and charging rate. Save screenshots of your Tesla app service requests, text chats with service, and any in-app diagnostics. Avoid factory-resets or log wipes before service visits, as they may remove useful data—bring the car in as-is so technicians can pull logs.
Build a complete repair paper trail. For every visit (service center or mobile), ask for and keep the full repair order/invoice showing the “complaint, cause, and correction,” parts replaced, and software update notes. Confirm the dates the vehicle was in Tesla’s possession and whether it was non-drivable; keep tow and rental receipts. If a problem is noted as “could not verify” or “operating as designed,” ask service to document your original complaint anyway—that still shows a repair attempt. Maintain a running timeline of all events and cumulative days out of service, group repeat issues together, and store everything in a dedicated folder or cloud drive. When problems persist, send clear, written communications describing the defect and the history, and keep proof of what you sent. Once your documentation is organized, consider contacting ZapLemon for a consultation to evaluate your records and discuss next steps.
This article is for general informational purposes only, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney–client relationship. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. If you believe your 2025 Tesla Model S may qualify as a lemon—or you simply want help organizing your documentation—contact ZapLemon for a consultation at (310) 489-3017 or visit https://zaplemon.com. We’re here to review your situation, explain your options, and help you take informed next steps under California law.