Tesla is at risk of losing subsidies in Korea over widespread battery failures

Summary

Tesla is in hot water in South Korea as nearly 4,500 of its electric vehicles have reported serious battery issues, putting their eligibility for government subsidies at risk. We’re receiving some troubling reports from South Korea today, as the Korea JoongAng Daily is reporting that a significant number of Tesla vehicles are experiencing battery failures. The issue centers around a “BMS_a079 error,” a fault in the Battery Management System that is causing headaches for nearly 4,500 Tesla owners. This error, which has been reported in both Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, triggers a safety protocol that limits the battery’s maximum charge to 50%. This effectively cripples the vehicle’s range, posing a major inconvenience for owners who rely on their Teslas for daily driving. The problem has been escalating for some time and affects primarily 2021 vehicles, with a total of 4,637 reported cases in 4,351 cars. Advertisement - scroll for more content Here are the exact numbers Tesla reportedly shared with Democratic Party lawmaker Park Sang-hyuk: TotalOne-time failureTwo-time failureThree-time failureFour-time failureNo. of cars4,3514,086245191No. of cases4,6374,086490574 As you can see, the problem has also been recurring after battery replacements in hundreds of cases, which some blame on Tesla using refurbished battery packs rather than new ones. For the most part, Tesla was covering the repairs under warranty. But many of these vehicles are now out of warranty, as they sometimes exceed the maximum mileage. In those cases, owners are facing a staggering repair bill of over 30 million won (approximately $22,000) to get their cars back in working order. This has, understandably, led to a growing chorus of angry customers. As much as 22% of 2021 Model Ys and 12% of 2021 Model 3s in Korea are affected. This led people to believe that it had nothing to do with normal wear and tear, and it should be a recall for a defect. A civic group, the Citizens United for Consumer Sovere...