Consumer complaint received 2024-08-29
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: Tesla, Inc. (PA)

Below is an email I sent : XXXX XXXX General Manager XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Pa XXXX XXXX XXXX T ( XXXX ) XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Tesla Issue My name is XXXX XXXX and I had a XXXX Appointment to purchase a new rim and new tire after an object, flying through the air, penetrated my tire and hit the rim as well. When I arrived to receive this service, I explained to the Service person ( manager? ), XXXX XXXX, a detailed set of instructions on the service I was requesting. I jokingly said ( making light of an earlier issue ), no scratches on the rim this time. What I was referencing was an appointment I had on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXXXXXX XXXX where they replaced a tire and there were significant scratches on my rim upon completion. XXXX XXXX was the service person/manager I showed the scratches to on this earlier issue, as well as a before picture I took in the Tesla parking lot, prior to the tire change. He acknowledged that it was Tesla that caused the scratches. He suggested that they can resurface the rim and that he would set me up with an appointment. I asked about how they would guarantee the work and I can not remember the response, but the response WAS NOT, we will guarantee the work. I had to take time off from work to take my vehicle to the XXXX Tesla to have the resurfacing done. This is even farther from my house and so, I was expected to take my vehicle to another Tesla shop to have Teslas damage to my property be repaired. I take issue with that! When I arrived on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX at XXXX Tesla, I explained my concern to a female who was sitting behind the desk to receive my car. My concern being that rims I believe are powder coated which is more durable than paint. During the tire changing process, Tesla Service had scraped the power coating off and planned to fix it with paint. Paint is not as durable and nobody at TeslXXXX could explain how they would guarantee this work. Regardless, she listened to my concern and I remember vividly she said " not again '', and then gave me a loaner vehicle. I do not remember if it was the same day or the next day, she called me and advised me that the rim did not look the same ( match the other XXXX ) and therefore they were going to replace the rim. I was glad to hear that Tesla did the right thing and replaced it. I still had an issue with the fact that I was the one running around to fix the issue. 

Back to present day... 

When XXXX Tesla completed the work on XX/XX/XXXX, the tech who performed the work brought my vehicle to the front. He asked where the cap was and I responded that it was in the vehicle. We went and retrieved it together and he put it on. I started inspecting the rim that one of the new tires was put on had scratches around the rim. He ( the technician ) initially thought it was the lubricant they put on it to protect the rim. I showed him that after rubbing off the lubricant that was left behind, there were scratches. I went into the service center with the tech and XXXX XXXX and myself returned to the car. He looked at the scratches. I asked him if he could get cleaner so that we could remove all of the lubricant to expose and document all scratches. He returned with cleaner and rags and we removed all of the lube and he took pictures. I told him that this was the same as last time. I challenged him that we should go to the drivers side rim and see if the brand new rim had similar scratches ( I had not even looked at the new rim yet, but I knew they would be there ). We proceeded to the Front Drivers rim where he cleaned it. It exposed similar scratches as the old rim. 

I began to leave and realized that I could not pay my bill in the app, so I went back in. He began finalizing the bill so that I could pay it. I continued thinking about how I just spent over {$1800.00} for two tires and a rim and I am agreeing to leave with this damaged rim but paying full retail price for it. I told him that I was having second thoughts about leaving with a rim that was purchased new, and it has damage caused by Tesla. XXXX XXXX replied, Just tell me what you want. I told him I wanted an undamaged rim with the new tire mounted on it and that we could deal with the damage caused by tesla on the original rim that received the other new tire ( the rim was pristine prior to service ). XXXX XXXX told me he would have to order that new rim. He worked out the billing issue. I looked at my app and the bill did not detail the work done, so I asked for a bill with all the line items on it. He took my payment and printed me out a detailed invoice. I described to XXXX XXXX, that I had a staple in my front right tire and was fearful to take it locally to be fixed because if Tesla couldnt fix it without scratching it last time, how would a tire company in a small town do better. When I took it to that appointment, the person working assured me that they would not damage the rim in any way and that there was something on the bar to protect the rim ( I think he said it was XXXX ). My point is this, this tire company seemed to think I was crazy to have this concern, and sure enough they removed the staple and I was on my way with an undamaged rim. I had a tire replaced at Tesla XXXX, PA no issue and the work done in XXXX Tesla caused them to remove and replace a tire from two different rims, no issue. Both times that I went to XXXX Tesla, the rims were damaged. Three for Three. 


He sent an email to you, XXXX XXXX, with the pictures he took, explaining the issue. I also sent you a quick email summarizing the issue and asked that you call me. I have everything documented regarding these two incidents where XXXX Tesla damaged ( 3 ) rims. To be clear, they put ( 3 ) tires on my car and each of those three times they damaged the rims. Two other Tesla service centers put tires on my rims without any issue. 

I will have to take a day off of work to have fixed the damage that was caused by Tesla service. I respectfully request that I not be inconvenienced in any way with the fix to this issue and that you approve the replacement of these rims. You could either flat-bed it to wherever you want to do the work, or I will remove the two tires and hand them to Tesla mobile service so they can take them to get fixed and then return them to me. I am not unreasonable, but I want Tesla to do what is right. My second request is that both rims are replaced, not resurfaced. Perhaps you dont agree with me on the original rim that is two years old, but you should have no argument with the fact I should not have to accept a new rim and tire in a damaged form. Regarding the 2-year-old rim. None of my rims have or had any damage except for the object that flew into the XXXXne rim recently ( that I was there to have replaced ). I will document the two rear rims that are still pristine, perfect, no damage, not even a scratch. This issue was caused by Tesla, not by my doing in any way, just like last time. Please consider that when you suggest a resolution to my issue. 

Please contact me as soon as possible with your proposed fix. I would like a phone call. If you want all of the pictures I took while still at XXXX tesla along with pictures from last time, let me know. You only saw a few that XXXX XXXX took. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX Cell : XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX call me and offered me a {$200.00} credit for the damage and refused to even replace the brand new rim I purchased that was mounted and delivered with damage. 

Side note Did not include this in my email to the manager but XXXX XXXX advised me that he has been asking for a part for the tire machine ( he named the part but I can not remember it ) for a couple years. 

There are more than a dozen scratches around the circumference of both the new rim and the other rim that a tire was mounted on. 

Disputed charge and won my dispute with XXXX Credit card now they are re-billing me.