Tesla Battery Management System Malfunctions in South Korea: Batteries Locked at 50%, Halving Range

According to reports from CCTV Finance on October 19, recent complaints from Tesla owners in South Korea indicate that some models are experiencing issues with their battery management systems, resulting in a limitation of the maximum charging capacity to around 50%, which severely impacts the normal use of the vehicles.

Tesla's passive response has triggered strong dissatisfaction among consumers.

Previous reports indicate that currently over 4,500 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in South Korea have experienced failures in their Battery Management Systems (BMS).

The issue mainly revolves around the "BMS_a079 error," which is a fault in the Battery Management System (BMS) that limits the vehicle's maximum charging capacity to around 50%. This causes the driving range to plummet from 450 kilometers to about 225 kilometers, severely impacting daily use.

The models experiencing issues are primarily the long-range versions of the Model 3 and Model Y produced in 2020-2021. As of September, a total of 4,637 incidents have been reported, with an average of 1.06 incidents per vehicle. Some vehicles encountered problems after driving less than 250 kilometers.

In most cases, Tesla has covered the repair costs within the warranty. However, many vehicles sometimes exceed the maximum mileage, leading to the vehicle being out of warranty. Owners of out-of-warranty vehicles may face battery replacement costs of up to 30 million won (approximately 150,600 RMB) to restore the vehicle to normal operation.

It is reported that Tesla's vehicle registration in South Korea increased from 15,000 units in 2020 to 112,000 units in the first half of this year. In September this year, Tesla's registration soared over 570% year-on-year, ranking first in the registration of imported cars in South Korea for three consecutive months, but its service system development is severely lagging behind.

The South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has launched an investigation and stated that it will order a mandatory recall once defects are confirmed. Meanwhile, South Korea requested Tesla to submit a corrective action plan last month, but has not yet received a response.

A relevant person from South Korea's Ministry of Environment stated that if Tesla does not resolve the issues, it may face the risk of losing government subsidies, which have been a key factor in promoting the adoption of electric vehicles in the country.

Currently, South Korea offers subsidies for electric vehicles of up to 5.8 million won (approximately 29,000 yuan), which is one of the important factors making South Korea a key market for Tesla.