One of the issues that has affected some Tesla Model 3 owners is peeling paint on the rocker panels. The automaker somewhat recognized the problem by starting to provide free mud flaps and splash guards to Canadian Tesla owners late last year.
Apparently that wasn’t enough for Jean-François Bellerose, a Model 3 owner in Quebec, who has now filed a class action lawsuit against Tesla over the issue.
The lawsuit, which was filed with the Quebec Superior Court for the District of Montreal on May 19, 2020, covers the “premature deterioration of the paintwork on Tesla Model 3 vehicles purchased or leased in Quebec.”
According to the details of the lawsuit, the plaintiff alleges the issues of paint flakes and peeling paint began occurring within the first six months of ownership. With Quebec’s harsh winters, this opened up the possibility of further damage to the body of the vehicle due to corrosion.
The plaintiff alleges in the lawsuit he contacted Tesla about the issue, only to be told it was not going to be covered by the factory warranty. After investigating the issue further, Bellerose claims it would cost nearly $5,000 to repair the peeling paint, which he says has caused the car to lose value and look terrible.
The lawsuit states the factory paint and anti-chipping primer that are designed to protect the rocker panels from corrosion and flaking should last longer than the vehicle’s factory warranty, and should not start to degrade within the first few months of ownership.
Related: Tesla now sells the Model 3 All Weather Protection Kit on their website, as well as a new PPF kit
The problems have been widespread according to the lawsuit, with the plaintiff claiming that a co-worker encountered the same paint issues with his Model 3. Additionally, many Tesla owners on forums have reported similar concerns over paint flaking on the rocker panels.
The lawsuit also alleges Tesla knew about the issues when the Model 3 was first marketed and sold, but Tesla thus far not ordered a recall over the issue.
The full details of the class action lawsuit can be found on the Superior Court of Quebec Registry of Class Actions.
Tesla has yet to respond to the lawsuit. Drive Tesla Canada has reached out to Tesla for comment, but has not received a response at the time of publication.
Featured image via Motor1
h/t [CarComplaints]
