Gary Zhou 
Some Tesla owners in Norway are going to extreme lengths to get Elon Musk’s attention about their vehicles’ issues. So dedicated was the group to its cause that the Tesla owners went on a hunger strike to express their displeasure about a number of problems they have been experiencing with their vehicles.
On its official website, the group noted that it believes that if Elon Musk is aware of the troubles of Tesla owners in Norway, he will solve the EV owners’ issues. This is not a farfetched sentiment, as Elon Musk recently noted during his appearance at the 2022 ONS conference that he is extremely thankful for Norway’s support of electric vehicles.
Yet, according to the group of dissatisfied Tesla owners, they have been suffering due to several issues with their cars. The owners listed 29 problems that are causing grief, from cold weather problems, build quality issues, and bad communication with owners.
Following is the full list of the owners’ grievances.
- The car won’t start in cold weather
- Door handles won’t open in cold weather
- Intense squeaking noise
- Car won’t start in warm weather
- “Bubbles” in seats
- Loose front seat
- Trunk lid filled with rain water
- Autopilot does not work properly
- Internet is slow and does not work as it ought to
- The wipers do not work (well enough)
- The car creaks when you pass speed bumps and other bumps in the road
- Decorative moldings loosen
- The lights do not work properly
- The doors stop working properly
- Doors that open by themselves
- The computer does not work
- Yellow edges around the display screens
- Windows that do not close completely
- Systems reset on their own
- Problems charging
- Reduced power
- Rust problems on new cars (especially Model 3)
- Poor paint quality means that the car has to be repainted
- You were promised free charging throughout the car’s lifetime, but the new charging stations do not fit the car
- Lower battery life that Tesla claims
- Problems with the air conditioner
- Not all problems are solved when the car is serviced
- Tesla promise to contact you, but you do not hear from them
- You have to wait on the phone for a long time before Tesla answers
The group is calling on anyone willing to help to spread the word about its efforts. According to the Tesla owners, Norway is a canary in the coal mine of sorts, as its population owns more Teslas per capita than any country in the world.
“We are a group of dissatisfied Norwegian Tesla owners. We believe that if Elon Musk is made aware of our troubles, he will solve the situation. Please help us get his attention,” the group wrote.
Erlend Mørc, a non-Tesla owner who started the hunger strike on behalf of Tesla owners, informed Carscoops that he is hoping Tesla would listen. Otherwise, he noted that competitors could catch up. “Now that it’s over, I hope Tesla listens. This will be in their own self-interest. They are so well positioned to dominate the EV market, but if too many people experience these troubles, other car manufacturers will be ready to take their place,” Mørc said.
Mørc added that the hunger strike was attended by the owners of 17 Teslas, as well as other individuals who supported the group’s goals. The hunger strike lasted 24 hours between August 27 and August 28, 2022.
