‘Stay the hell away from Teslas’: Man forced to sell Tesla for $140,000 because it won’t open until he buys a new battery for $26,000

A Tesla owner was furious when he realized he had locked himself out of his car. His only solution was to spend thousands of dollars on a new battery.

Canadian Tesla owner Mario Zelaya called his $140,000 car “junk” after discovering he had to buy a new battery to open the doors. In a TikTok video, he demonstrated how the car would automatically lock due to a dead battery.

Unlike other cars where you can open the doors or call a locksmith if you lose the key, Tesla’s doors require power from the battery to work. Unfortunately, Mario’s battery was not just empty, it was completely dead, so a replacement was necessary.

Exorbitant costs for battery replacement

When Mario learned how much a new battery cost, he was furious. It would cost him $26,000 to replace it and he would be locked out of his car. He captioned the video, “$26,000 for a new battery. Locked out of car. Recalls needed.”

Mario eventually decided to sell the car because a new battery was too expensive. However, he faced a dilemma: the ownership documents were locked inside the vehicle, making the sale difficult.

Mario reportedly spent $30 to get a copy of the ownership papers before selling the car. Mario purchased the vehicle in 2013 when Tesla models began experiencing a technical issue that caused fluid to leak into the battery.

This problem also affected some 2014 models and could cause significant vehicle malfunctions. “I called Transport Canada and they actually did an investigation of the vehicle,” Mario says. “Not only did they investigate this car, they’re going to do an investigation that Tesla doesn’t know about,” the motorist added.

“Tesla is trying to sweep this under the rug,” he said. “They’re not giving them any explanation as to why their battery died.”

“I will never buy another Tesla,” Mario claimed. “That’s the long way of saying stay the hell away from Teslas. They’re brutal cars, brutal manufacturing, and what’s worse, it’s a 10-year-old company.”

Mario eventually sold his car, explaining in a TikTok video that the buyer planned to disassemble and recharge the battery. However, he was deeply disappointed with Tesla vehicles, stating, “This will be the end of my Tesla journey. It’s gone from my life. Let it go from yours.”

Tesla’s controversial features and prices

Mario said he spoke to another Tesla owner who allegedly had the same problem. Several Tesla owners have had similar experiences and reported current problems with their electric vehicles.

In May, Tesla driver Craig Doty II attributed a near-train crash to the vehicle’s FSD (Full Self-Driving) mode, raising questions about the system’s safety and limitations. Another Tesla owner, Brianna Janel, found herself in a stressful situation after she got stuck in her car while trying to update the system in a Chick-fil-A parking lot.

Mario’s experience underscores the growing concerns Tesla owners have about the reliability and safety of their vehicles. As Tesla continues to push boundaries with innovative features like fully autonomous driving, it’s important to address the issues that keep cropping up.

The electric car maker led by Elon Musk is known for charging exorbitant prices for repairs and spare parts, as Mario’s case shows, which further complicates matters. As Tesla expands its market share, the company must prioritize customer satisfaction and ensure the quality and reliability of its products.