$30K Lease for a Car I Can’t Drive — Lucid Ghosted Me

[Electronic-Lab0]

I want to warn others about my deeply disappointing and costly experience with Lucid Motors.

In June I leased a 2025 Lucid Air. Within the first week, I began experiencing disturbing physical symptoms while driving the vehicle — intense inner ear pressure and dizziness that often linger for days. This wasn’t a one-time incident; it was consistent and debilitating.

I contacted Lucid immediately to report the issue. Their response? They did absolutely nothing. No inspection, no offer to fix the issue, no discussion of options. When I asked to revisit the lease agreement given that I can't physically drive the car without it making me ill, they flatly refused. Then they stopped responding altogether.

Now I’m stuck paying over $30,000 for a vehicle that literally makes me sick to drive. Lucid has shown zero accountability or customer care.

I strongly urge anyone considering a Lucid vehicle to think twice. If something goes wrong, don’t expect support or even a basic level of responsibility from this company. This has been one of the worst consumer experiences of my life.

 

[borski]

I want to warn others about my deeply disappointing and costly experience with Lucid Motors.

In June I leased a 2025 Lucid Air. Within the first week, I began experiencing disturbing physical symptoms while driving the vehicle — intense inner ear pressure and dizziness that often linger for days. This wasn’t a one-time incident; it was consistent and debilitating.

I contacted Lucid immediately to report the issue. Their response? They did absolutely nothing. No inspection, no offer to fix the issue, no discussion of options. When I asked to revisit the lease agreement given that I can't physically drive the car without it making me ill, they flatly refused. Then they stopped responding altogether.

Now I’m stuck paying over $30,000 for a vehicle that literally makes me sick to drive. Lucid has shown zero accountability or customer care.

I strongly urge anyone considering a Lucid vehicle to think twice. If something goes wrong, don’t expect support or even a basic level of responsibility from this company. This has been one of the worst consumer experiences of my life.

Have you seen a doctor?

 

[kort6776]

this sounds like a you problem, not a lucid problem. I hope that you can find a solution to your unique issue

 

[joec]

I am confused. First, let me say I’m sorry you are experiencing this physical issue. It sounds like maybe some sort of inner ear problem? I do hope a doctor can diagnose and figure out a solution for you.

I can think of nothing specific about a Lucid vehicle that would cause this however. Seems like perhaps any EV would lead to the same reaction?

 

[Electronic-Lab0]

Thanks for the responses. I want to offer a few clarifications:

First, this issue appears to be unique to Lucid. I haven't experience anything like it in other vehicles. My previous car was an Audi S4, and I’ve also recently driven a Honda Ridgeline and a Tesla Model 3 — none of them caused any symptoms.

Second, the cause of the symptoms remains unknown. What we do know is that they consistently arise when I drive the Lucid Air. My best guess is that it may have something to do with the vehicle’s high- or low-frequency sounds or vibrations, but neither I nor my physicians have been able to identify the exact trigger.

Third, regardless of the cause, Lucid’s response has made their position very clear: they’re indifferent to whether their cars make people sick and seem to believe it’s reasonable for a consumer to bear the full cost of a three-year, $30,000+ lease — even when the issue was reported within the first week.

 

[Clyde2575]

I’m sorry that this is happening to you. What do you believe the cause is exactly? What can lucid fix the problem so that you can enjoy the car you purchased?

 

[joec]

Thanks for the responses. I want to offer a few clarifications:

First, this issue appears to be unique to Lucid. I haven't experience anything like it in other vehicles. My previous car was an Audi S4, and I’ve also recently driven a Honda Ridgeline and a Tesla Model 3 — none of them caused any symptoms.

Second, the cause of the symptoms remains unknown. What we do know is that they consistently arise when I drive the Lucid Air. My best guess is that it may have something to do with the vehicle’s high- or low-frequency sounds or vibrations, but neither I nor my physicians have been able to identify the exact trigger.

Third, regardless of the cause, Lucid’s response has made their position very clear: they’re indifferent to whether their cars make people sick and seem to believe it’s reasonable for a consumer to bear the full cost of a three-year, $30,000+ lease — even when the issue was reported within the first week.

See, here is where I have to quibble with you just a bit.

You are claiming Lucid vehicles “make people sick.” And that’s just not borne out through any quantifiable evidence.

You get sick when driving your Air. I absolutely believe that you are sincere when you say that. But no one else has reported this to date. And even your doctors can’t come up with an explanation that would indicate the Lucid is responsible for your condition.

If I go to a lobster dinner, not knowing I’m allergic to lobster, and I get sick, that’s not the restaurant’s fault. I wouldn’t expect them to refund my dinner. And even in that example we’d be able to definitively say the lobster was the cause. In your case, we can’t say that for sure.

So I guess while I’m sympathetic, I don’t see how this is a problem Lucid is obligated to resolve.

Like I said, I believe you. And I sympathize. But I don’t think Lucid is on the hook to give you your money back or let you out of a lease you signed.

Perhaps you could find someone else to take over the lease? Get out of it that way with minimal cost? That would be my best advice to you.

You certainly can’t continue driving the car if it’s going to impact your health.

 

[kae02]

I am sorry that you're feeling this. Please see a doctor. Lucid can only diagnose "car issues".

 

[Leftlane]

Did you test drive an Air before leasing?

 

[scal_air]

My son gets car sick in my Lucid, but he also gets car sick in my other son's hybrid Honda. He's fine in other cars, including Audi and Toyota. He swears its the "smell" of the cars. I think he's motion sensitive

I'm sorry about your medical issue but I'm not sure any other car manufacturer would void your lease either

 

[Electronic-Lab0]

See, here is where I have to quibble with you just a bit.

You are claiming Lucid vehicles “make people sick.” And that’s just not borne out through any quantifiable evidence.

You get sick when driving your Air. I absolutely believe that you are sincere when you say that. But no one else has reported this to date. And even your doctors can’t come up with an explanation that would indicate the Lucid is responsible for your condition.

If I go to a lobster dinner, not knowing I’m allergic to lobster, and I get sick, that’s not the restaurant’s fault. I wouldn’t expect them to refund my dinner. And even in that example we’d be able to definitively say the lobster was the cause. In your case, we can’t say that for sure.

So I guess while I’m sympathetic, I don’t see how this is a problem Lucid is obligated to resolve.

Like I said, I believe you. And I sympathize. But I don’t think Lucid is on the hook to give you your money back or let you out of a lease you signed.

Perhaps you could find someone else to take over the lease? Get out of it that way with minimal cost? That would be my best advice to you.

You certainly can’t continue driving the car if it’s going to impact your health.

I see your point, but I think there are different ways to look at the product liability aspect. Take, for example, a glass shower door that’s poorly designed and shatters if pressure is applied in just the right spot. If even one person out of 10,000 happens to apply pressure that way and gets injured, it's still the manufacturer’s responsibility even if the other 9,999 had no issue. Design flaws don’t become acceptable just because they don’t affect everyone.

That said, I don’t think there’s much room for interpretation when it comes to Lucid’s response. The company has shown clear indifference to its customers and a refusal to stand behind its product.

As for your suggestion about transferring the lease, I wish I could. Unfortunately, Lucid built a prohibition against subletting into the lease agreement, so that option’s off the table.

 

[Electronic-Lab0]

Did you test drive an Air before leasing?

Yes, I did test drive the Lucid Air. Unfortunately, the symptoms build with exposure over time, and they didn’t manifest during the short test drive.

 

[Electronic-Lab0]

Sorry, I almost forgot to ask—does anyone have any other ideas on how to move forward? I can’t drive the car, and Lucid won’t allow a lease transfer. So I'm not sure what options I have left other than absorbing the full cost of the lease.

Also, it just occurred to me that this situation isn’t really analogous to the lobster example for a couple of reasons: (1) the product here hasn’t been “consumed.” The car is still intact and could be sold or leased to someone else; and (2) the financial stakes are significantly higher—over $30,000 for the lease compared to a ~$50 meal.

 

[L-Dude]

How about buying out the lease and selling the car?

 

[Coho]

I want to warn others about my deeply disappointing and costly experience with Lucid Motors.

In June I leased a 2025 Lucid Air. Within the first week, I began experiencing disturbing physical symptoms while driving the vehicle — intense inner ear pressure and dizziness that often linger for days. This wasn’t a one-time incident; it was consistent and debilitating.

I contacted Lucid immediately to report the issue. Their response? They did absolutely nothing. No inspection, no offer to fix the issue, no discussion of options. When I asked to revisit the lease agreement given that I can't physically drive the car without it making me ill, they flatly refused. Then they stopped responding altogether.

Now I’m stuck paying over $30,000 for a vehicle that literally makes me sick to drive. Lucid has shown zero accountability or customer care.

I strongly urge anyone considering a Lucid vehicle to think twice. If something goes wrong, don’t expect support or even a basic level of responsibility from this company. This has been one of the worst consumer experiences of my life.

In Medicine you always look for a mechanism of illness. Cause and effect that makes sense. I can think of no mechanism here. Truly does sound like an inner ear issue more than a car issue. Can’t imagine the car causing such a problem.

 

[joec]

Thanks for your thoughtful reply.

I do agree Lucid is not always the best at communication. They maybe aren’t handling this with the sort of grace one would hope for. Though I can only take your word for the experience, since they aren’t here to defend themselves. I just know from past experience that sometimes in an effort to stay out of legal trouble, companies say less than one might hope when dealing with delicate situations. Just to avoid accepting liability where there might not be any.

I still do not think they are under any legal obligation here, personally. You and others are free to disagree.

What you refer to as a “design flaw” I wouldn’t necessarily characterize the same way. A design flaw is a defect. Something that isn’t working to spec.

This feels more like just a bad coincidence. Your specific body reacting to some condition created by the car. And it’s even doubly frustrating that it wasn’t apparent in a test drive.

In order for Lucid to have avoided this, they would have had to be aware of your specific condition and found a way around it. We don’t even know what leads to this issue for you, so you can see how it’s hard to expect Lucid to make design considerations for this several years ago when they started the process for their cars, no?

Show me evidence that other manufacturers are specifically designing their cars to not cause this issue for you, and I’d be more inclined to assign blame.

Meanwhile, I was not aware that leases cannot be taken over. Is that a state thing? A Lucid thing? It sucks, either way.

 

[joec]

Potentially dumb question: have you tried driving a different Lucid to see if it’s your car specifically that causes the issue? I wonder if Lucid service would be willing to let you drive a loaner for a week or so to see if that car also caused the same issue. If so, you’d have a more solid argument that your car specifically has something “wrong” with it?

 

[borski]

I see your point, but I think there are different ways to look at the product liability aspect. Take, for example, a glass shower door that’s poorly designed and shatters if pressure is applied in just the right spot. If even one person out of 10,000 happens to apply pressure that way and gets injured, it's still the manufacturer’s responsibility even if the other 9,999 had no issue. Design flaws don’t become acceptable just because they don’t affect everyone.

You’re right, but only if the cause of the shattering door can be actually attributed to a design flaw in “just the right spot.” The plaintiffs would have to prove the company either knew about the design flaw and released it anyway, or were negligent / should have known, etc. IANAL, etc., so an attorney can correct me if I’m wrong.

The difference here is: we don’t know what’s causing your issue, and it appears to be (genuinely) unique to you. Perhaps it’s the car somehow, or perhaps it’s a pressure change, or a squirrel died in your trunk and you’re allergic to squirrels… that’s my point.

You would need to identify a root cause that indicated the issue is due to the fault of Lucid, and then I can guarantee they’d be interested. Until then, it could be literally anything, including psychosomatic.

I believe you, just to be clear. I just don’t see how Lucid bears any liability for an issue that has, at the moment, no known cause.

 

[dingo]

Have you drive another air for a long enough period of time? If not, ask for an overnight test drive in another one. Maybe it’s your specific one that’s causing it?

 

[dingo]

@joec and I are on the same wavelength