Consumer complaint received 2025-09-19 00:00:00
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Lease
Issue: Getting a loan or lease — Changes in terms mid-deal or after closing
Company: Tesla, Inc.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I ordered my new vehicle with Tesla in which I paid XXXX order fee. During the process I asked my Tesla Advisor several times via email, text, and via Tesla app what I needed to do to return my current lease and take delivery of my new vehicle and I was told I needed to email Tesla Leasing. When I emailed Tesla Leasing they told me that they only set up the appointment and that I needed to reach out to my current lease company. I reached out to my current lease company and they explained that I would simply return my vehicle back to Tesla and that they would handle the inspection and I would incur a early return fee and pay the remaining balance of my lease which I was fine with. I then continued the process of applying the new lease using for my new car. I followed the process via the Tesla app and filled out the Trade-in portion of the app making sure to select that this was a lease return as I was instructed to do by Tesla. When I completed that portion of the application I was sent a Trade- in agreement from Tesla of approximately XXXX ( Ive added pictures of the original agreement from Tesla with positive trade in value ) and approved for the lease financing for no money down and positive equity. I accepted both the Trade In Agreement and Financing Agreement and again requested someone reach out so that I could confirm the terms before delivery. The telsa advisor confirmed that the terms were correct, that I had positive trad-in value and I would simply return my current leased vehicle, take delivery of my new one. At that time, Tesla would handle the rest by simply cutting a check to my current lease company for my remaining balance and if there was a remaining balance that would then be sent to me. I received a message from Tesla after that the my new vehicle was delivered early and because all of my financial terms had been finalized I could take delivery a week earlier XX/XX/XXXX. The day before my new delivery date Tesla starts to ask me for additional information such as a 10 day pay off statement from my current lease company and saying that I now owe the full balance of the vehicle and that in fact I have a negative equity on my current vehicle XXXX replacing the original Trade in agreement agreement with a new one in the app with the XXXX. With this change it now says I owe XXXX to take delivery of my new vehicle. The general manager reaches out today ( day of pickup my new vehicle and returning of my current vehicle ) I now need to except the new terms sent or redo my financing application but they will no longer honor the original Trade-In agreement or financing terms. I then reapplied for the financing as instructed and now to pickup my new vehicle they are saying I have a down payment for my new lease vehicle is over XXXX plus negative equity to pickup my new vehicle. I asked for a better resolution as this seems like predatory practices and tactics to force me into a unfavorable deal on the day that Im supposed to return my current vehicle and get my new vehicle. They refused to honor the deal that I signed previously even if it was to late to undo returning my current vehicle and that I would have to agree to their new term to get my new vehicle. This essentially put me in a position to were either I had to take the new terms or have no vehicle. I asked if I choose to not except the new terms would i atleast be refunded the order fee I paid since Telsa is at fault for changing my agreed upon terms the day before I picked up my new vehicle? the general manager said no its non refundable fee and there is nothing that he can do.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation