Tesla Faces Quebec Class Action Over Heat‑Pump Defects
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Amélie Paquette filed a class‑action request in Quebec’s Superior Court alleging Tesla hid a heat‑pump defect and seeking damages for all Quebec owners of heat‑pump‑equipped models.
- Tesla refused to replace the faulty heat pump in Paquette’s 2021 Model 3 after the warranty expired, leaving her to pay $4,476.55 out‑of‑pocket for the repair.
- Quebec Superior Court filing names every Tesla model with a heat pump—Model S (2021+), Model 3 (2021+), Model X (2021+), Model Y (2020+), Cybertruck (2023+)—as potentially subject to the class action.
- NHTSA issued a recall covering certain 2021‑2022 Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X vehicles, citing heat‑pump failures that compromised windshield defrosting.
- Transport Canada opened an investigation after receiving more than 170 complaints, the majority from Quebec, about heat‑pump malfunctions in Tesla vehicles.
- Electrek notes that out‑of‑warranty heat‑pump repairs in Canada typically cost $3,800‑$4,700, making the issue one of the most expensive surprise expenses for Tesla owners.
Why it matters: The lawsuit seeks up to $400 million in compensation, highlighting the high cost of out‑of‑warranty heat‑pump repairs that can reach $4,700 per vehicle, while Tesla already confronts up to $14.5 billion in lawsuits, underscoring the financial stakes of the defect.
