If you’re a Tesla owner who has recently been involved in an accident, it is essential to understand your Tesla’s warranty length, if it’ll still be valid, what it will cover. Let’s take a look at Tesla warranties, what they are, and how they’re affected by accidents.

Tesla Warranties and Accidents: What to Know

All Tesla vehicles are covered by multiple warranties, at least from the start. The New Vehicle Limited Warranty lasts for the first 4 years or 50,000 miles (whichever comes first).

The Tesla Extended Warranty is optional but for a small fee, doubles the length of the Limited Warranty by adding 4 more years or 50,000 miles for a total of 8 and 100,000, respectively. It also adds additional features not covered by the Limited, including Roadside Assistance and additional coverage for your vehicle’s battery.

The battery warranty lasts for 8 years or a certain number of miles, depending on your vehicle’s model. As the name suggests, it covers damage to your car battery and, if a replacement is needed, one will be provided from Tesla’s refurbished stock.

Which Parts of the Warranty are Valid and Which are Voided?

If your vehicle is “totaled” (i.e., declared a total loss), all warranties will be voided and no costs will be covered by Tesla. The Tesla Battery Warranty only covers normal “wear-and-tear damage” and is voided by an accident.

Tesla’s warranties are primarily focused on rectifying manufacturing mistakes and errors in the production process. This means they generally don’t cover accidents and you’ll be relying on your traditional automobile insurance provider to cover the costs of those repairs.

However, most of your warranties will likely still be valid if the car isn’t totaled and the accident doesn’t affect them. Getting into a small fender bender that only causes cosmetic damage isn’t liable to affect your Tesla Battery Warranty, for example. However, if a larger crash destroys the battery, the warranty will be voided and no associated costs will be covered.

Do Repairs Affect My Tesla Warranty?

Whether your vehicle was in an accident or not, some repairs might affect your Tesla warranty. With respect to your warranties, the reason for the repair isn’t as important as where the repair takes place.

Tesla vehicles are built differently than other passenger vehicles, as they’re comprised of stronger metals and even proprietary adhesives. A typical auto mechanic who has been repairing vehicles by GM and Ford for their entire lives could probably figure out how to fix a Tesla, but they won’t have access to official Tesla repair parts, as these are limited to Tesla Certified Repair Shops.

If your vehicle has been in an accident or requires standard Tesla maintenance, it’s important that it be serviced at a specially-designated Tesla Repair Center for this reason. The two biggest causes of voided Tesla warranties are repairs at non-approved locations and unauthorized modifications, although the person offering to mod your Tesla should have told upfront that it could void your warranty.