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Tesla’s Model 3 vehicle is among Quebec’s most popular electric cars. As of December 2019, 6,293 Tesla Model 3 vehicles were registered in the province. However, widespread paint issues inflicting Tesla vehicles sprung up across Quebec. Among the Tesla Model 3 owners experiencing such paint trouble is plaintiff Jean-François Bellerose, who recently filed a class action lawsuit against Tesla in the Superior Court of Québec.
According to Jean-François, who paid a hefty Tesla Model 3 price of $63,420.87 for his 2019 Tesla, the black paint started peeling off the bottom of the doors and rocker panels of his new vehicle. This exposed his Tesla to corrosion and depreciated its value. Although Jean-François contacted Tesla to fix the problem, the California-based automaker told him that the damage is not covered under warranty.
The Tesla Model 3 peeling paint class action lawsuit alleges that Tesla breached its guarantee obligations toward owners and misrepresented the quality of Model 3 vehicles.
Tesla Trouble
According to the Tesla Model 3 peeling paint class action lawsuit, Jean-François remarked paint flaking and peeling within the first six months of buying the vehicle. The “premature deterioration of the paintwork on Tesla Model 3 vehicles,” are exacerbated by the harsh Quebec winters, which cause greater auto damage due to the lack of protective paint.
Tesla somewhat recognized the paint problem as early as last year, and provided Canadian Tesla Model 3 owners and lessees with free mud flaps and splash guards. According to an internal service bulletin from Tesla, the weather protection kit is meant to help Canadian owners protect their vehicles from paint chips that can occur from heavy salt, sand, or gravel, omnipresent on Canada’s winter roads. However, Tesla did not comment or admit to fault as to the paint issues.
The Tesla Model 3 class action lawsuit claims it would cost roughly $4,738 to repair Jean-François’ vehicle.
The paint and anti-chipping primer that are designed to protect auto parts, namely the rocker panels, from corrosion and flaking should last longer than the vehicle’s factory warranty. Moreover the Tesla Model 3 peeling paint class action lawsuit highlights that the paint and primer should not start to degrade within the first few months of ownership.
The lawsuit also alleges Tesla knew about the paint issues when the Model 3 vehicle was first marketed and sold. Nevertheless, Tesla did not order a recall over the 
issue.
More Tesla Model 3 Trouble in Finland and Sweden
According to Quebec’s TVA Nouvelles, dozens of Quebeckers are experiencing the Tesla paint issues, yet Quebec is only the tip of the Tesla Model 3 iceberg.
“It’s a design flaw that has serious consequences, and not just for us,” according to a Tesla Model 3 owner. “I’ve been contacted by Finns who have the same problem. They are talking to Swedes, whose paint is also flaking. We’re trying to get together to show that it’s a real problem all over the world,” he said.
The APA has already commissioned an independent expert to assess the Tesla paint problem.
According to the APA, Tesla owners need to properly prepare themselves for claims against the automaker. The first step is to notify Tesla about the issue in writing; next would be to take photos. The most important step, however, is to have an expert look at the vehicle.
Quebec auto vendor, Véhicules électriques Simon André, confirmed that dozens of Tesla Model 3 customers came forward this May, realizing that they were not alone in the paint defect phenomenon.
Tesla Model 3 owners experiencing similar paint problems are invited to come forward.
Class Members include all individuals in Canada who bought or leased a Tesla Model 3 vehicle and:
- Experienced accelerated degradation in the paint while the vehicle was under three years old; and/or
- Were not warned about such risks by Tesla prior to buying or leasing the vehicle.
The plaintiff is seeking the following payments to Class Members:
- The sum required to repair the paint damage to Tesla 3 vehicles or the difference between the sales price of the vehicle and its depreciated value
- $500 worth of non-pecuniary damages
- $500 worth of damages for breach of duty to warn consumers
- Any other reparation the Court deems fit
- Legal fees
Do you own or lease a Tesla Model 3 and have experienced paint chipping or peeling? Were the paint issues denied under your warranty? Tell us your story in the comments below!
Class Members and the plaintiff are represented by Cabinet BG Avocat Inc. and CBL & Associés Avocats.
The Tesla Model 3 Paint Peeling Class Action Lawsuit is Jean-François Bellerose v. Les Véhicules Tesla Canada, Case No. 500-06-000, in the Superior Court of Québec, District of Montreal, Canada.
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27 thoughts onTesla Model 3 Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Its Premature Peeling Paint
2019 m3p, paint peel and rust behind front wheels, tesla state its environmental and not covered under warranty.
2018 Tesla model 3 paint peeling behind mud flap on driver’s side. Can’t believe that this is happening.
I live in Northwest MIchigan and winter does come early to the north country. Both rocker panels and both front wheel wells on my 2018 Model 3 are experiencing paint delamination and peeling with exposure of the base metal. I have never experienced this in a high quality car (Volvo, Audi) previously and I tend to keep my vehicles for over 6 years or pass them on to my sons who drive them for another 4-5 years. At the rate the paint is peeling this Model 3 won’t last 10 years. I dare say it won’t last long enough for the full self drive option I purchased to become fully operational. I took it to a local body shop and was advised this was either a design flaw or a primer/paint flaw and they were reluctant to do anything to the car. I have informed my local Tesla Service Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan and sent pictures to them. I am awaiting a reply.
We have the same issue with our Tesla, 2018 Model 3. We live in Vermont. Started noticing the paint which we paid extra for $1000, was starting to peel back, now we have discovered that the whole underside of the car has rusted, brake lines and all and quoted $12K to repair. This car is only 4 years old.
I brought my car in for servicing at the Tesla service center and requested that the damaged paint be retouched. To my disappointment the work was not done. The paint is literally peeling or delaminating from the metal surface of the right and front rocker panels as well as the edge of both the right and left front fenders. he damage is clearly not the result of chips stones or rocks as the car is equipped with mud guards and cannot be attributed to wear and tear. Clearly the paint is defective and not adhering to the metal surface. I have owned BMWs and Audi’s previously and have never witnessed paint literally cleanly peel or flake off a metal surface as if it were becoming unglued. The affected areas are at the limits of where a transparent car wrap was applied (i.e. part that is not covered by the wrap), ergo, the protective wrap seems to have prevented the problem from spreading even further. As the owner, I have taken and exhausted all reasonable efforts to protect the paint (waxing, mud guards and protective wraps), but the paint nonetheless is peeling and flaking off my car.
I love the car and was even considering purchasing a Model Y within the next 4 months, as a second vehicle, but I was very disappointed with Tesla’s refusal to stand by their product and honour the most basic of warranties.
I own a 2019 Tesla Model 3. I paid extra for the colour red. It’s a pity that the paint is on my garage floor instead of on the car. I have installed the mud flaps supplied by Tesla and I have paint peeling on both sides sides near the front wheels, a large chunk of paint peeling on the top of the wheel wells, large chips near the rear wheels. It seems the mud flaps redirected the stone to the rear of the car. I love my Tesla that cost me close to $90,000 but I’m very disappointed with the paint and the fact that Tesla will not own up to the problem! I didn’t think I was buying a GM vehicle.
Same issue here in New Hampshire. Model 3 is 4 years old and front of both running boards is stripped bare and rusting, with paint peeling further back on the running boards. Tesla saying it is not covered. Have owned Toyotas and Hondas for 12-15 years in this same location and never had any issues with paint what so ever. Wouldl like to know of any class action actions in US.
I’ve reported to Tesla Service in Devon, Pennsylvania, USA that the paint from front wheel wells running under both doors is bubbling and peeling. They said that it isn’t covered under warranty and gave me body shops where I can get it fixed. There is rust starting to occur in one spot where the paint is very thin. Does anyone know of a lawsuit in the USA for this issue? After spending as much as I did for my 2018 model 3 long distance, dual motor, I do not feel that I should be fixing their poor paint job.
2020 model 3 bought in December. Not even 10,000 km and very bad paint issues
We have a 2018 Model 3 that has chipped paint on the front quarter panels that surround the front tires. The rocker panels faded and looked dirty all the time because that paint surface has also worn off. I’m looking for other owners and want to get this dealt with. We need to hold Tesla responsible for this, The car is wonderful but the paint job is for the birds.