Tesla one-ups the industry standard by offering a four-year factory warranty on its cars.
That covers most faults across every model it sells in the UK – the Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X – and for one year longer than premium rivals like BMW, Audi and Mercedes. It's still not as long, however, as the warranties offered by Toyota, Kia or MG.
This guide will talk you through Tesla's four-year manufacturer warranty, and detail what's included and what exclusions to avoid. We'll also cover Tesla's eight-year battery warranty below.
Tesla four-year warranty overview
- Applies to all Tesla models
- Lasts for four years or 60,000 miles – whichever comes first
- Also includes Tesla Roadside Assistance for warranty failures, flat tyres or lockouts
- Only applies to parts that fail due to material or workmanship
- Doesn't cover wear-and-tear parts
- Doesn't cover any failures caused by accidents, misuse or neglect
- Transfers to any new owner automatically if T&Cs are complied with
- Tesla has separate, longer warranties for its battery pack and anti-rust coverage
How long is Tesla's manufacturer warranty?
Tesla's manufacturer warranty coverage lasts for four years or 60,000 miles – whichever milestone is reached first. The warranty start date is counted as the day it was delivered to its first customer, or the day it was first put into service if it's a demonstrator or Tesla company car. Tesla will be able to confirm your vehicle's date of delivery if you can't find it within the car's systems or paperwork.
This four-year coverage is the main vehicle warranty covering most standard failures. Tesla offers a separate, longer coverage period for its battery packs lasting for eight years or at least 100,000 miles, with some models having an even longer distance limit. Tesla's anti-perforation (rust) warranty lasts for 12 years.
What does Tesla's four-year warranty cover?
Tesla's warranty explicitly states it covers any 'repair or replacement necessary to correct defects in the materials or workmanship of any parts manufactured or supplied by Tesla under normal use'. This means, like most warranties, that Tesla will only approve a claim if the failure can be considered its fault due to workmanship or material problems.
Any failures that are caused by accident, misuse or neglect – i.e. faults caused by external sources that can't be blamed on Tesla – will not be covered. This also includes any accident damage that wasn't your fault. Plus, any failed item considered wear-and-tear won't be covered under warranty.
Examples of key parts typically covered under warranty include:
- Powertrain cooling system
- Steering
- Brakes
- Electrical system
- On-board entertainment and electronics
- Air conditioning system
- Safety systems
What does Tesla's four-year warranty not cover?
Check Tesla's warranty terms and conditions for a more detailed explanation of warranty exclusions. Key exclusions to its coverage include:
- Wiper blades
- Brake pads or linings
- Filters
- Tyres
- Key fob batteries
- Accidents or any external damage
- Repair, alteration or maintenance carried out by non-authorised service centres
- Normal cosmetic wear and tear
- Paint and glass chips
- Windscreen and glass damage not caused by material or workmanship faults
- Noises or vibrations associated with normal use
- Maintenance services such as wheel alignment or balancing
Beyond these specific exclusions, you need to have your Tesla serviced at an authorised centre in line with recommended intervals. These intervals are both published by Tesla and recorded in your vehicle's infotainment system. Tesla doesn't have annual service intervals like most rivals, with parts needing inspection or replacement on an ad-hoc basis as detailed in your Tesla's screen.
Tesla requires that you contact your service centre the moment you notice a fault with your vehicle. Failing to inform the centre of a fault and continuing to drive the car with the fault present could easily cause more significant damage that wouldn't be covered under warranty. Tesla includes roadside assistance (detailed below) to make it easier to get your Tesla to a service centre should it fail.
Like most rivals, Tesla will void your warranty for any aftermarket modifications made to your car. This is because the company is unable to verify the quality of non-Tesla parts or workmanship, and thus can't provide coverage for any subsequent failures. Any Tesla-approved accessories that are fitted to your vehicle either when new or after it's sold will carry their own warranty coverage that doesn't impact the main vehicle warranty.
Any failures caused by reckless driving won't be covered either. This includes damage from 'uneven, rough, damaged or hazardous surfaces, including but not limited to, curbs, potholes, unfinished roads, debris, or other obstacles'. In addition, any '[driving] competition, racing or autocross' will see your cover voided, as will overloading the vehicle. Be aware that Tesla also considers damage from off-road driving as grounds to void warranty cover for Model 3 and Model S cars, although this doesn't apply to Model X and Model Y SUVs.
Tesla warranty limited coverage items
Supplemental Restraint System
Tesla covers supplemental restraint systems (SRS) for a total of five years – one more than the main vehicle warranty – but with the same 60,000-mile distance limit. This applies to all your car's airbags and seat belt systems.
Tesla roadside assistance
As well as four years of warranty coverage, Tesla also includes roadside assistance as long as your manufacturer warranty is still valid. This roadside assistance is a free service in case of:
- Breakdowns caused by a warrantied part – if your Tesla breaks down due to a failure of a part that's covered under warranty, the company will cover the transport of your car to the nearest Tesla service station within 500 miles
- Flat tyres – if your wheel or tyre is damaged and goes flat, Tesla will recover your car to the nearest approved tyre replacement centre within 50 miles
- Lockouts – if you are locked out due to a failure with your vehicle, fob or phone app, Tesla will send a professional locksmith to open your car if one is within 50 miles of your location
Tesla's roadside assistance can also help you if you run out of battery power, or if you experience a failure that isn't caused by a warrantied part. However, this service will come at a cost, so you might want to weigh it up against a third-party roadside recovery service before deciding which to use.
Is Tesla's four-year warranty transferable?
Yes. Tesla's manufacturer warranty will automatically transfer to the car's new owner if it's sold. The same warranty T&Cs and exclusions apply to the new owner as they did to the previous owner. That means the car needs to be less than four years old and have covered less than 60,000 miles, with all other care and maintenance stipulations stuck to.
That means most nearly new Tesla cars for sale at Motorpoint have a large proportion of their original manufacturer cover remaining. You can see how much warranty each individual Motorpoint car has by clicking on its unique listings page. Any Motorpoint cars that are no longer covered by their original manufacturer cover include a free three-month Motorpoint warranty as standard.
How long is Tesla's battery warranty?
All Tesla's cars are EVs, which means they store their energy in a large on-board lithium-ion battery pack. It's normal for these packs to lose a little capacity over time, but Tesla includes a battery warranty that protects the owner against excess capacity loss in the event of a battery pack failure. This cover also extends to your Tesla's electric drive unit.
Tesla's battery warranty lasts for eight years or at least 100,000 miles. This distance limit applies to Model 3 and Model Y cars with the smaller standard-range battery pack. Any Model 3 or Model Y cars with the long-range pack see this figure grow to 120,000 miles. Model S and Model X owners are provided with a full 150,000 miles of coverage within the same eight-year window.
This warranty kicks in if the battery suffers excess capacity fade during the coverage period. The threshold for all Tesla battery warranty claims is 70% of the pack's original capacity. If your battery pack falls below this figure within the warranty period, Tesla will repair or replace the battery to bring capacity up to an acceptable level based on your car's age and condition.
Note that this eight-year figure is just the length of time Tesla is willing to provide warranty cover for its batteries. The packs in today's EVs should last far longer than this and are generally expected to last the entire lifetime of the car without needing replacement. You can help your battery last as long as possible by keeping its charge below 80% for regular driving and only using the full 100-0% range for long-distance drives.
What is Tesla's anti-perforation (rust) warranty?
Tesla includes a separate anti-perforation (rust) warranty that lasts for 12 years with no mileage limit. This covers any rust that forms on the inside of the car's structure, leading to a hole – a 'perforation' – that goes from the inside out. That means the cover only applies to rust that forms as a result of a manufacturing or material defect.
Any rust that forms on the outside of your car will be considered to have formed as a result of environmental factors, and won't be covered by the warranty. This could come in the form of a scratch or paintwork damage that causes the car's bare metal surfaces to become exposed, or from damage caused by bird droppings or tree sap that isn't promptly cleaned from your bodywork.
Can you extend Tesla's four-year warranty?
Tesla offers what it calls an Extended Service Agreement. This is available to purchase through your Tesla app and is a rolling monthly subscription. This is available as an ongoing product until your car reaches eight years of age or has covered 100,000 miles. Subscribing to the Extended Service Agreement unlocks more-or-less the same level of coverage as the main vehicle warranty, as well as ongoing use of Tesla's roadside assistance.
After your Tesla four-year warranty expires, however, you're not just limited to purchasing an extended warranty from Tesla. You can shop around for products from third-party warranty providers, including our own Motorpoint extended warranty package.
Does Tesla's four-year warranty apply to all models?
Yes. Every Tesla officially sold in the UK is covered by the brand's four-year warranty. As long as it's within age, has covered less than 60,000 miles, and the T&Cs have been stuck to, Tesla will continue to honour valid warranty claims.
That includes its mainstream line with the Model 3 and Model Y, as well as the larger, more luxurious Model X and Model S.
