Car will not update. Lucid says needs new telematics module not covered by warranty. Is this normal?

[rking0122]

Got into an AT. Bought it with 1200 miles from someone else. The car is behind on updates. I do not quite know how far behind it is or why, but, service center told me I would have to bring it in to have them perform the updates to the car for me. I did.

Got a call today that the telematics module in the car is not communicating with the server, and they cannot repair/flash/update it even at the service center, it has to be replaced. It is also not a warranty item, it is roughly $1400. I was told that one of the updates somewhere in the chain of updates (however many were missed) that was missed somehow "missed an update window" and now the car simply won't connect anymore.

Has anyone had this situation happen to them before or heard of this before? This is a very very tough pill for me to swallow, particularly with a car with now 1800 miles on it. Any advice? TIA

 

[Pragmatic]

What year? Clean title?

 

[rking0122]

What year? Clean title?

23, clean title.

 

[hydbob]

Doesn't sound right, all Tourings are still within the warranty period.

 

[lucidtouringman]

Odd...why would this be excluded from the warranty. I'd ask to speak to a higher up manager and politely request them to understand why you're being told this.

 

[rking0122]

Odd...why would this be excluded from the warranty. I'd ask to speak to a higher up manager and politely request them to understand why you're being told this.

I did that. The supervisor at my service center said he's talk to someone and ask, but he did not think it would be promising. Not sure what to do with this other than wait.

 

[Unmutual]

From the Lucid warranty:

1. What Will Cause the Warranty to Be Voided?
   The Lucid New Vehicle Limited Warranty will be voided, and no warranty coverage will be provided in the following situations:
   ● Failing to properly operate your vehicle in accordance with the specific instructions and recommendation regarding the use and operation of your vehicle as provided in the Owner’s Manual.

New Vehicle Limited Warranty - Version 2022.25 9

● Failing to install required software updates within 30 days after notification that an update is available.

 

[skomarla]

I hope Lucid finds a way to support the second owner @rking0122. If they stick to the letter of the warranty on this, its not great for the second hand market. I wonder if the service center can install the software updates directly.

 

[Amster]

From the Lucid warranty:

1. What Will Cause the Warranty to Be Voided?
   The Lucid New Vehicle Limited Warranty will be voided, and no warranty coverage will be provided in the following situations:
   ● Failing to properly operate your vehicle in accordance with the specific instructions and recommendation regarding the use and operation of your vehicle as provided in the Owner’s Manual.

New Vehicle Limited Warranty - Version 2022.25 9

● Failing to install required software updates within 30 days after notification that an update is available.

That is explicit. And I do remember there was an update that stated you have to install this or you will not be able to update in the future. But there really should be an exception for a car that is purchased secondhand, because the owner had no chance to update the car.

 

[Unmutual]

It does suck for the OP. The claim is probably with the person he/she bought it from, but I would doubt--and I wouldn't have thought to ask but for this lousy example--that he/she got a rep and warranty from the seller that the warranty was in full force and effect. If it were me, I would probably ask Lucid to split the cost of the replacement module with me, or at least get it "at cost."

 

[rking0122]

From the Lucid warranty:

1. What Will Cause the Warranty to Be Voided?
   The Lucid New Vehicle Limited Warranty will be voided, and no warranty coverage will be provided in the following situations:
   ● Failing to properly operate your vehicle in accordance with the specific instructions and recommendation regarding the use and operation of your vehicle as provided in the Owner’s Manual.

New Vehicle Limited Warranty - Version 2022.25 9

● Failing to install required software updates within 30 days after notification that an update is available.

I don't know that anyone knows if the telematics unit was working at the time updates came out. Even if they sent a "notification" there's no way to know the car/owner got it.

Lucid did confirm warranty was active for me before I bought the car, again on the day I bought the car, and then again on the dropoff paperwork it says the car will be updated and the "offline status" is listed as a "Pay Type: Warranty" item, among a few other things they're working on. So if they had a concern about warranty and the update history they could have told me that both before I bought the car (which would have made me avoid it for sure) or at the point of service (though they told me the opposite, even on the paperwork). I'm not sure whether such a condition would comply with federal (or state) warranty law, but here we are.

 

[HariK]

So if the of current owner is out of town and does not remotely update the software, no more warranty if the update fails later?

 

[Rogue]

So if the of current owner is out of town and does not remotely update the software, no more warranty if the update fails later?

Being out of town does not stop someone from updating the car remotely. I see a few edge cases like a very long trip to Snowshoe, WV in a quiet zone, but going to town would give access to cellular and update the car.

This warranty piece seems fair to me.

 

[AwesoM]

So if the of current owner is out of town and does not remotely update the software, no more warranty if the update fails later?

Just don't be out of town for more than 30 days.. according to the T&Cs. This is pretty awful/lame. So much for bumper to bumber warranty. No reasonable person would have known about this. I hope OP can get it resolved.

 

[borski]

So if the of current owner is out of town and does not remotely update the software, no more warranty if the update fails later?

Just don't be out of town for more than 30 days.. according to the T&Cs. This is pretty awful/lame. So much for bumper to bumber warranty. No reasonable person would have known about this. I hope OP can get it resolved.

I am a reasonable person and have posted about this *specific* issue in this forum many times before. It is not absurd to expect someone to read the warranty for their vehicle.

That said, this is a case of buyer beware: it is very important, especially with EVs, to make sure the software on the car is up to date before a second hand purchase. If it isn’t, make them update it before you purchase it, for this very reason.

@HariK No. Just because this is the letter of the warranty does not mean Lucid must enforce it. Being out of town and unable to install an update, or it failing, is not an issue, provided you address it relatively promptly. Lucid has no reason to screw anyone over on purpose.

Which brings me to my next point: *technically*, Lucid could say it is no longer a warranty item because when the first owner had it they should have installed the OTAs, and instead it has sat updateless for many months, despite sending out repeated warnings.

That said, I think the right thing for Lucid to do would be to “good will” this particular case in the interest in generating a happy customer, but it’s not insane for them not to, either.

It *would* be different if this were a customer who simply had missed an update or two; this seems to be a case where it has fallen so far behind, despite the warnings, that it was not simply a case of a missed update or two.

 

[borski]

But there really should be an exception for a car that is purchased secondhand, because the owner had no chance to update the car.

No, but anyone buying an EV must check it is current on updates, much like getting an ICE car inspected or checking the health of the battery. Sure, you don’t need to check the oil, but you do have to check the software.

Because EVs are new, however, that is not inherently obvious to anyone that is used to ICE cars, so I do get it. But it isn’t up to the buyer to update the car; it’s up to the buyer to ensure the seller does, because if it can’t, that’s still the seller’s problem, same as any other issue. Once you’ve bought the car, it’s yours: problems, warts, and all.

 

[Andretex]

I am sure you paid a good price for this car. Just pay the $1,400 and be happy you still paid a lot less than we did when we bought it new. Its not worth the headache.

 

[rking0122]

**UPDATE** Service center ran this by the "higher ups" and they'll do nothing other than allow me to pay the price to replace the module.

The idea that a hardware piece had a software update that no longer can be updated by any means other than replacement is absolutely ludicrous. It it could be updated X months ago, there's a way to update it now. The idea that hardware is unretrievable and bricked because of a lack of a past OTA software update, if true, is something I have never heard before and cannot wrap my brain around.

 

[rking0122]

No, but anyone buying an EV must check it is current on updates, much like getting an ICE car inspected or checking the health of the battery. Sure, you don’t need to check the oil, but you do have to check the software.

Because EVs are new, however, that is not inherently obvious to anyone that is used to ICE cars, so I do get it. But it isn’t up to the buyer to update the car; it’s up to the buyer to ensure the seller does, because if it can’t, that’s still the seller’s problem, same as any other issue. Once you’ve bought the car, it’s yours: problems, warts, and all.

Except I did exactly that. And this is what the car told me. I suppose I should have come here to ask the numbers everyone was on…but that seems like a stretch.

 

[Unmutual]

Yeah, I think if the car was telling you it was "up to date" when you bought it, then you have a pretty compelling argument to get Lucid to comp you on this.