On January 26, 2026, an owner of a 2013 Tesla Model S in the United States took to the Reddit platform to share their predicament. After the car's battery malfunctioned, they found themselves caught in a bind, unable to foot the repair bill or offload the vehicle.

The owner headed to the Tesla Service Center in Madison, Wisconsin, for repairs. Tesla presented two choices: either swap out the old battery for an identical 60kWh battery pack at a total cost of $13,830 (with $580.5 being labor fees), or upgrade to a 90kWh battery pack for $23,262.

In contrast, the going rate for a used Model S from the same year in the market hovers between $10,000 and $15,000. This means the cost of replacing the battery far outstrips the car's residual value. This revelation has ignited widespread discussions among other Tesla owners regarding the hefty repair costs that kick in once the battery warranty runs out.