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

[californiaboy935]

I’m really sorry to hear about your symptoms, and I hope a healthcare professional can help you identify what’s going on. But based on how you’ve described it, this is almost certainly a medical or physiological issue. And not something caused by the car itself. This is the first time I’ve heard of anything like this, which I believe is the sentiment shared by many here.

I’d also just note that most vehicle leases govern equipment performance, not how a user physically reacts. If there’s no demonstrable mechanical or software fault affecting driveability, Lucid has no contractual or regulatory obligation to cancel a lease based on a customer’s personal reaction.

When a logical next step—seeking medical evaluation—is raised, the OP has not offered evidence that this has been tested in the vehicle and conclusively linked his symptoms to the vehicle. Without that, they’re asking others to conclude Lucid is responsible for a condition that may have nothing to do with the car.

It’s also worth noting that just because the symptoms didn’t present during a short test drive doesn’t make Lucid responsible for what emerged after extended use. That’s unfortunately the case with many physiological issues. Motion sickness, vestibular disorders, or pressure sensitivity often build with sustained exposure.

Just like a person might not get seasick on a harbor cruise but feel awful on a longer boat ride, that doesn’t make the boat manufacturer liable. Similarly, Lucid isn’t accountable for how someone’s body reacts over time to riding in a vehicle that has no defect.

I’d caution against the legal route as a first step and gear it more towards a medical route, either with a doctor or with trial and error tests. Like riding with noise cancelling headphones or on nausea meds. Litigation is like putting poison in your own ear and expecting your enemy to die.

 

[johnse]

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.

I think there may be a mixup in terminology here. IANAL, but my understanding is "subletting" is you renting the car to a third party. For example, your nephew wants a new car, but can't qualify for the lease. You have great credit and lease the car, then your nephew pays you the monthly payment while he drives the car. That's subletting.

Transferring the lease means that another qualified buyer takes over the financial agreement completely. This does have to be approved by the lessor (Lucid Financial Services aka BofA). But I don't think they can unreasonably decline this.

There are websites that specialize in this, e.g. https://www.swapalease.com/. (I have never needed their services, so cannot vouch for them.)

Good luck on resolving your issues.

PS: LFS is not part of Lucid. LFS does not care about anything other than making money off the lease. Lucid seems to have very little sway with LFS.

 

[Electronic-Lab0]

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.

Thanks as well for your thoughtful messages. Just a quick clarification: product liability law recognizes different types of defects. A manufacturing defect occurs when a product isn’t "working to spec," while a design defect refers to a product that’s unsafe even when made correctly. Moreover, Lucid may not have needed to know about the issue for liability to attach. Strict liability often applies in these kinds of cases.

Also, I want to reiterate that the fact we’re even having to focus so much on legal responsibility just underscores how absent Lucid has been from a customer service standpoint. Even in a case as sympathetic as this one, the company seems intent on doing the bare legal minimum (and potentially even less).

 

[Electronic-Lab0]

@joec and I are on the same wavelength

It's a good one. I'll check with my local dealership about it.

 

[Bunnylebowski]

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.

Is your car a RWD or AWD version? One versus the other may have some unusual effect on your vestibular system causing this. My wife is one of the most motion sick prone people I know and she’s absolutely fine in my Air GT, front seat or back. Did you try different drive modes, like maybe roll mode and no regen would affect you differently? The only mild vibration is the front motor in AWD models but they’ve isolated those motor mounts pretty well in 2025 models. Two other options which are pretty benign: taking zofran before a drive, or if you’re not sensitive to the side effects and don’t have glaucoma or urinary retention then scopolamine patch works great (it’s what people wear on cruises to treat seasickness, it totally cured mine). Or Meclizine. While the implications that Lucid is a dastardly jerk company who cares nothing about its customers is quite a lot of hyperbole, I think if you ask to speak to customer relations executives they might work with you as long as you are receptive to proposed solutions other than “take back the car after 2 months signed paperwork agreeing for 3 year term with all costs borne by Lucid”.

 

[kopik]

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.

I strongly recommend you see an ENT Dr. You may have otitis media which have coincided with getting a new car. In general, in medicine coincidence many times doesn’t mean causation…

 

[WildRide47]

Is your car a RWD or AWD version? One versus the other may have some unusual effect on your vestibular system causing this. My wife is one of the most motion sick prone people I know and she’s absolutely fine in my Air GT, front seat or back. Did you try different drive modes, like maybe roll mode and no regen would affect you differently? The only mild vibration is the front motor in AWD models but they’ve isolated those motor mounts pretty well in 2025 models. Two other options which are pretty benign: taking zofran before a drive, or if you’re not sensitive to the side effects and don’t have glaucoma or urinary retention then scopolamine patch works great (it’s what people wear on cruises to treat seasickness, it totally cured mine). Or Meclizine. While the implications that Lucid is a dastardly jerk company who cares nothing about its customers is quite a lot of hyperbole, I think if you ask to speak to customer relations executives they might work with you as long as you are receptive to proposed solutions other than “take back the car after 2 months signed paperwork agreeing for 3 year term with all costs borne by Lucid”.

Excellent advice by Bunnylebowski. Sounds like a medical problem, not a Lucid problem.

 

[sri]

If my right foot is short, I managed to drive Lucid for a few days. However, due to the increased pressure, I had to drive the car for the last few days, which affected my ability to walk without any issues. Now, I go to Lucid and say, “Your car is making my legs hurt because of my short feet?”

There are two options: one is right, and the other is wrong. I need to make modifications to the car to fit my needs. Alternatively, I can call Lucid and say, “Take your car and give me my money back.”

 

[joec]

Thanks as well for your thoughtful messages. Just a quick clarification: product liability law recognizes different types of defects. A manufacturing defect occurs when a product isn’t "working to spec," while a design defect refers to a product that’s unsafe even when made correctly. Moreover, Lucid may not have needed to know about the issue for liability to attach. Strict liability often applies in these kinds of cases.

Also, I want to reiterate that the fact we’re even having to focus so much on legal responsibility just underscores how absent Lucid has been from a customer service standpoint. Even in a case as sympathetic as this one, the company seems intent on doing the bare legal minimum (and potentially even less).

To be honest, the only reason I’ve spoken about this in terms of legal liability is because that was your focus form the beginning of this thread. If your approach with Lucid has been to start off the conversation with a similar focus, this is likely the reason for their less than forthcoming responses.

Not saying this is your fault. Just that this is how the world works these days.

It speaks volumes to the state of our legal system that even mentioning liability would shut down otherwise friendly customer service interactions, but that’s sort of where we are. Legal teams in just about any corporation will strongly advise saying nothing over saying anything that might even hint at exposing the company to liability through implication.

My guess is Lucid legal is fairly certain this isn’t something for which they could be held liable. But if a customer service rep even slightly implies Lucid could be at fault, that could open the company up to new liability. Why risk it?

As I said, you’re likely going to have a hard time proving Lucid should have been aware of your condition and purposely failed to address it in their designs. Or that any other manufacturer is designing their cars with your condition in mind as a matter of common knowledge amongst auto manufacturers.

And the burden of proof is most certainly on you in our system.

If you are hoping to get service to help you out with a loaner, I would not mention legal anything. As that would immediately tie their hands and force them to get the legal team involved.

 

[Bdr100]

 

[Bdr100]

The Gravity I have on order will be my first EV. I get motion sickness somewhat easily. During my brief test drive of Gravity the other day (car was set to standard regen) I at first noticed a little uneasiness as I initially defaulted to letting off the accelerator expecting car to coast but instead is regen braked. After a little initial pogoing, I adjusted my driving style to be smooth with on/off throttle and not completely release throttle except when coming to stop.
I also noticed that under hard acceleration, the car initially did not “feel” super quick because I was used to the normal ICE (I have a Mercedes AMG with sport exhaust) blast of engine roar and exhaust belch. The only sense of acceleration was the quick passing of surrounding cars and blood rushing out of my head as I was pinned back into seat.

 

[Leftlane]

There are lots of videos and articles about EVs causing vertigo, motion sickness, nausea, etc. It sucks to be sure, but man it’s quite a reach to blame Lucid for your medical issue, one that has not been reported by any other Lucid buyer yet. Your options are to pay out the lease, buy it out now and sell it, give it away, eat the cost, let it sit in your driveway, whatever you decide - but Lucid shouldn’t be expected to be on the hook for any of this. Can you imagine the pandora’s box this would open when the economy tanks and everyone wants out of their expensive leases and loans?

 

[stratus]

You’re only logical course of action is to see an ENT specialist to diagnose your medical condition . I got dizzy on multiple occasions in my GT due to rapid acceleration. I don’t do that anymore.

 

[Taz K]

I’m sorry that you are experiencing these symptoms. I do believe that you are experiencing them. As a Board Certified Otolaryngologist, I concur with the previous posts. I recommend seeing an Audiologist and Otolaryngologist to investigate for potential underlying inner ear/vestibular disorders. Sometimes, a subspecialist, Neurotologist, can provide some deeper insight into the cause for your symptoms. I think there is a medical explanation for you.

 

[Electronic-Lab0]

I strongly recommend you see an ENT Dr. You may have otitis media which have coincided with getting a new car. In general, in medicine coincidence many times doesn’t mean causation…

I've seen two ENTs, two audiologists, and a vestibular physical therapist. No one's been able to identify the "medical" cause yet, but more appointments are in the queue.

Also, if your theory were correct, I probably wouldn’t be able to drive other vehicles without experiencing the symptoms. But I can.

 

[Electronic-Lab0]

I’m sorry that you are experiencing these symptoms. I do believe that you are experiencing them. As a Board Certified Otolaryngologist, I concur with the previous posts. I recommend seeing an Audiologist and Otolaryngologist to investigate for potential underlying inner ear/vestibular disorders. Sometimes, a subspecialist, Neurotologist, can provide some deeper insight into the cause for your symptoms. I think there is a medical explanation for you.

I hope so! However, as I just mentioned to someone else, I've already seen two ENTs, two audiologists, and a vestibular physical therapist.

 

[Electronic-Lab0]

Is your car a RWD or AWD version? One versus the other may have some unusual effect on your vestibular system causing this. My wife is one of the most motion sick prone people I know and she’s absolutely fine in my Air GT, front seat or back. Did you try different drive modes, like maybe roll mode and no regen would affect you differently? The only mild vibration is the front motor in AWD models but they’ve isolated those motor mounts pretty well in 2025 models. Two other options which are pretty benign: taking zofran before a drive, or if you’re not sensitive to the side effects and don’t have glaucoma or urinary retention then scopolamine patch works great (it’s what people wear on cruises to treat seasickness, it totally cured mine). Or Meclizine. While the implications that Lucid is a dastardly jerk company who cares nothing about its customers is quite a lot of hyperbole, I think if you ask to speak to customer relations executives they might work with you as long as you are receptive to proposed solutions other than “take back the car after 2 months signed paperwork agreeing for 3 year term with all costs borne by Lucid”.

It’s AWD. Whether RWD would be different is certainly worth looking into.

I wouldn’t call my description of Lucid’s lack of helpfulness “hyperbole.” I spent over a month trying in good faith to work with them on a solution. During that time, their only “troubleshooting” effort was a single email suggesting I turn off the HVAC and roll down the windows. There was no longer list of recommendations, no systematic diagnostic effort, and no meaningful attempt to resolve the issue.

Eventually, I asked: “If I’m not able to figure out a way to drive the vehicle without it causing health issues, is there anything we can do about the lease?” That’s when Lucid told me I was on my own—and then stopped responding entirely.

In short, this thread has generated more ideas in half a day than Lucid did in over a month.

 

[Taz K]

I hope so! However, as I just mentioned to someone else, I've already seen two ENTs, two audiologists, and a vestibular physical therapist.

I understand. Sometimes you need to keep asking for another opinion, specifically from a Neurotologist and there may be some imaging needed, specifically a fine cut (<1mm) CT of the temporal bones. There are some patients who develop nearly inexplicable vestibular symptoms. Imaging may reveal anomalous anatomy of the inner ear vestibular system. Sometimes, certain sounds/vibrations may illicit very unusual symptoms. I admit that if an inner ear anomaly is found, there may not an immediate solution. However, it could provide an explanation. I only want to help you.

 

[MTounian]

I have a host of inner ear issues, and while mostly minor, I noticed immediately upon driving my new Lucid away from the Torrance lot a month ago that specific pressurization level in the enclosed cabin really made me feel like I was in an over-pressurized 747. If I roll one window down, it warbles my ear canal and would be disorienting if I left it like that for too long. So, I sympathize with your plight.

Please forgive me for asking a potentially stupid or obnoxious question, but can you drive your Lucid with the two front windows down? That ALWAYS helps me with any ear issues any car presents me. This is obviously limiting when it comes to weather, and maybe not a viable solution unless you live in Southern California, but maybe worth a shot?

I happened to have an ENT appt scheduled three days after pickup, mentioned it to my ENT, and he suggested trying a pair of Apple's AirPods pro, but only on "transparency" or "off" settings, as the noise cancellation would be dangerous. He was unaware of any issues with the Lucid, as such he could make no official medical recommendation, but felt the specific effects of the cabin pressure would likely be lessened due to the tight seal against my ear canal. There's no way to know whether this would work for you, but it might be worth a try? *obviously this is in no way proper medical advice, just passing along something that was passed along to me*

 

[pyle112]

1) does it happen when you are the passenger
2) does it happen when you are sitting in Park
3) does it trigger at certain speeds
4) Is it currently happening in any other vehicles?

There's a lot more to explore here. You should probably see a doctor and seek legal advice. This could be a very unique situation that could be related to a variety of things- maybe it's an allergy to the wool used in the finishes or the leather in the seats. Maybe it's related to the whine that many have reported here coming from the headlights or window switch.