Blog
Used Tesla warranty in Australia: what is left
Last checked: 15 October 2026 against Tesla Australia’s warranty pages. Confirm the cover on your car with Tesla before you pay. This is a general guide, not legal advice.
Short answer: Tesla’s factory warranty follows the car, not the owner, so a used Tesla keeps whatever is left of its original cover at no cost to you. On most used Model 3 and Model Y cars, that is the battery and drive unit warranty (8 years, with a 160,000 km or 192,000 km limit depending on the version) plus any basic warranty that has not run out. A Certified Pre-Owned car bought from Tesla adds 1 year or 20,000 km. The 5-year, unlimited-km warranty Tesla now advertises is for new cars delivered from 1 January 2026.
The clock starts at first delivery
Every term below runs from the day Tesla first delivered the car to its first buyer, or the day it was first put into service (for example as a demonstrator), whichever came first. Not from the build date or the day you buy it.
Basic warranty: what is left of it
The basic warranty covers defects in parts Tesla made or supplied, under normal use. The version depends on when the car was first delivered:
| Model 3 or Model Y first delivered | Basic warranty |
|---|---|
| Before 1 January 2026 | 4 years or 80,000 km, whichever comes first |
| From 1 January 2026, private use | 5 years, unlimited km |
| From 1 January 2026, commercial use (rideshare, delivery, rental) | 5 years or 150,000 km, as reported at launch |
So a Model Y first delivered in March 2023 that now shows 50,000 km has basic cover until March 2027 or 80,000 km, whichever comes first. A Model 3 first delivered in mid-2022 is already outside basic cover on time alone. Older Model S and Model X terms differ, so check those with Tesla.
Battery and drive unit: usually the cover that matters
The high-voltage battery and the drive unit (the motor) have their own warranty, usually the one with the most time left. For Model 3 and Model Y:
- Rear-wheel-drive entry versions (sold over the years as Standard Range Plus, Standard, RWD and Premium RWD): 8 years or 160,000 km, whichever comes first.
- Long Range and Performance versions (including the Model 3 Premium Long Range RWD and the Model Y L): 8 years or 192,000 km, whichever comes first.
Both guarantee a minimum 70% retention of battery capacity over the warranty period. Capacity dropping below 70% within the years and kilometres is a warranty matter; normal fade above that is not. Tesla measures capacity its own way, and its warranty calls the on-screen range estimate “an imperfect measure” of capacity, so a low range number in a listing is not proof of a claim. Our battery health guide covers what evidence to ask for.
This warranty does not cover damage from a collision, or from the battery or drive unit being serviced or opened by non-Tesla or non-certified people. If a car has had accident repairs or battery work outside Tesla, ask for the paperwork.
The 2026 five-year warranty does not apply to older cars
New Model 3 and Model Y cars delivered in Australia from 1 January 2026 get a 5-year, unlimited-km basic warranty, replacing 4 years or 80,000 km. Battery and drive unit terms did not change.
The new terms do not reach back. Tesla says earlier cars stay on the warranty in force when they were first bought from Tesla. A Model Y delivered in 2024 still has 4 years or 80,000 km of basic cover, even if an ad says “5-year Tesla warranty”. Ask that seller where the claim comes from.
What Tesla Certified Pre-Owned adds
Tesla’s own used stock, sold as Certified Pre-Owned (CPO), has passed a 102-point inspection and comes with a Used Vehicle Limited Warranty:
- If the basic warranty is still running, you keep it, and the used warranty adds 1 year or 20,000 km after it ends.
- If the basic warranty has expired, you get 1 year or 20,000 km from the day Tesla delivers the car to you.
- The rest of the original battery and drive unit warranty still applies. The used warranty does not replace or extend it.
The used warranty can pass to a later buyer who buys directly from a private owner, but not through an auction house, wholesaler or reseller, and not to cars used commercially.
Private seller, dealer or Tesla
| Bought from | Tesla factory warranty | Extra protection |
|---|---|---|
| Private seller | Whatever is left transfers at no cost | Most consumer guarantees do not apply. Run a PPSR check. |
| Licensed dealer | Whatever is left transfers | Consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law, and in most states a statutory warranty that differs by state |
| Tesla CPO | Whatever is left, plus the used warranty | Consumer guarantees, with Tesla as the seller |
How to check the warranty on one car
- Get the VIN and the first delivery date. The VIN is on the rego papers and on the car.
- Ask for a screenshot of the Warranty tab. In the Tesla app, the owner scrolls to the bottom of the home screen and taps Specs & Warranty, then Warranty.
- Ask how the car has been used. Rideshare, delivery or rental use can change the cover.
- Ask about work done outside Tesla, especially accident repairs and anything on the battery or drive unit.
- Confirm with Tesla for that VIN. Only Tesla can tell you what cover applies. Our inspection guide lists what else to check on the day.
- Get it in writing. Keep any ad or message that quotes a warranty end date. A dealer’s extended warranty is a separate, optional product: get its terms on paper and compare them with the factory cover the car already has.
- Move the car into your Tesla account. Tesla says the warranty follows the car “when a vehicle ownership transfer is performed through Tesla”. The seller can transfer it in the Tesla app, or you can add it as a car bought from a third party.
FAQ
Does the car need a Tesla service history to keep its warranty? Tesla says non-warranty servicing can be done anywhere, but warranty repairs happen at a Tesla Service Centre, and Tesla is not responsible for problems caused by improper third-party work. Ask for the invoices.
Does a car delivered in 2025 get the new 5-year warranty? No. It keeps the 4-year or 80,000 km basic warranty it was delivered with.
I bought from a dealer. Who do I call about a fault? Factory warranty claims go to Tesla, whoever sold you the car. Consumer guarantee problems go to the dealer, and the ACCC says a dealer must not just send you to the manufacturer.
Sources: Tesla Australia vehicle warranty, Tesla Australia Certified Pre-Owned and the ACCC on new and second-hand cars.
See used Teslas with cover left
Browse live classifieds, checking year and kilometres first. Compare asking prices on the price guide, or go straight to Model 3 or Model Y listings.
Selling? Put the first delivery date and warranty end dates in your ad. Our selling guide covers the rest, and you can list your Tesla here.