What to do if you have an accident with your Lucid

[Bunnylebowski]

My Touring has been in the shop for over a month (I suspect they thought they would do pdr, and found they couldn't and needed to order a hood). Insurance covered a rental for 30 days. Now it's in final stages, but has to go to Lucid (who is of course backed up) for calibration. Does anyone know how critical this calibration is needed? Maybe I should get the car and schedule a calibration on my own? I was driving it for over a month before it went into the shop.

The calibration shouldn't take more than a day, but is necessary as any replacement of front body work can affect the sensors/cameras.

 

[LisasLucid]

Going to see how this process works. Rock to the windshield and flat tire (CalTrans construction site). Should be interesting.

Update: Called customer care who arranged a tow (two hours for it to arrive, but everyone was pleasant). Towed to an America's Tires and they had trouble sourcing the specifc 19 inch tire; earlier expectations were that it would be a few days to get one in. Tried to call direct into the Rocklin service center but got routed to Customer Care as Center does not take inbound calls. CC sent a message and I got a call within 30 minutes. Rocklin had the tire and delivered it to tire store, picking car up this morning. Amazing service and really nice tech at the center.

On the windshield, they said they are a month out from being able to replace them (supply) but recommended I see if it can just be repaired. Made the appointment for replacement anyway and will look at repair.

Overall a very good service experience- the tire delivery was amazing. Part supply situation is not ideal, but not shocking. If it was my only car and the windshield was completely shattered, it would probably feel different. Hopefully the repair will work (but will hold onto the appointment for another week or two just in case).

 

[Bunnylebowski]

Update: Called customer care who arranged a tow (two hours for it to arrive, but everyone was pleasant). Towed to an America's Tires and they had trouble sourcing the specifc 19 inch tire; earlier expectations were that it would be a few days to get one in. Tried to call direct into the Rocklin service center but got routed to Customer Care as Center does not take inbound calls. CC sent a message and I got a call within 30 minutes. Rocklin had the tire and delivered it to tire store, picking car up this morning. Amazing service and really nice tech at the center.

On the windshield, they said they are a month out from being able to replace them (supply) but recommended I see if it can just be repaired. Made the appointment for replacement anyway and will look at repair.

Overall a very good service experience- the tire delivery was amazing. Part supply situation is not ideal, but not shocking. If it was my only car and the windshield was completely shattered, it would probably feel different. Hopefully the repair will work (but will hold onto the appointment for another week or two just in case).

I just got my windshield replaced, took about two weeks to get it but I might have been in line head of you.

 

[swertheim22]

28 September Update: After several weeks of going back and forth with the body shop and the insurance company, we finally have agreement from all parties to move ahead. Tomorrow is 7 weeks since the accident.

Here's a critical piece of information that I got by escalating at Lucid and getting the National Director of Repair Services involved:

1. The Insurance company lied about using their "preferred" collision shops and "standing behind the repairs" -- here's why
   1. Only licensed and certified collision shops by LucidAir can order parts -- there is no legitimate 3rd party market
   2. Only licensed and certified collision shops by LucidAir can reprogram the vehicle -- without reprogramming, the car won't work
   3. It is physically dangerous for a non-certified shop to try to work on a Lucid as the car is a high-voltage entity and can kill a tech if they do something wrong or if the shop lacks the proper equipment
   4. If a non-Lucid certified shop TOUCHES or does anything to the vehicle, the car's warranty is immediately VOIDED
2. When I challenged the insurance adjuster with this informatoin, his only response was "I know that already", yet Liberty Mutual DELIBERALTE withheld that information from me
3. Lucid provided me with a resource to help deal with the Diminished Value claim part of this (once an accident is reported to CARFAX, the value of the vehicle drops -- by how much -- I don't know yet.

So now the auto body shop is finally ordering the parts and, at best, I will get the car back in 8 weeks.

 

[Bunnylebowski]

28 September Update: After several weeks of going back and forth with the body shop and the insurance company, we finally have agreement from all parties to move ahead. Tomorrow is 7 weeks since the accident.

Here's a critical piece of information that I got by escalating at Lucid and getting the National Director of Repair Services involved:

1. The Insurance company lied about using their "preferred" collision shops and "standing behind the repairs" -- here's why
   1. Only licensed and certified collision shops by LucidAir can order parts -- there is no legitimate 3rd party market
   2. Only licensed and certified collision shops by LucidAir can reprogram the vehicle -- without reprogramming, the car won't work
   3. It is physically dangerous for a non-certified shop to try to work on a Lucid as the car is a high-voltage entity and can kill a tech if they do something wrong or if the shop lacks the proper equipment
   4. If a non-Lucid certified shop TOUCHES or does anything to the vehicle, the car's warranty is immediately VOIDED
2. When I challenged the insurance adjuster with this informatoin, his only response was "I know that already", yet Liberty Mutual DELIBERALTE withheld that information from me
3. Lucid provided me with a resource to help deal with the Diminished Value claim part of this (once an accident is reported to CARFAX, the value of the vehicle drops -- by how much -- I don't know yet.

So now the auto body shop is finally ordering the parts and, at best, I will get the car back in 8 weeks.

This sounds just like my experience, with Esurance pretending there was some other option than the Lucid shop and rejecting everything and then refusing to communicate, causing 5 weeks of delays before repairs even started until I reported them to the National Insurance Commissioner, which then resulted in an upper manager one day later at NGIC/Esurance saying everything had been suddenly approved. The Lucid shops undergo months of training and quarterly inspections and recertifications and even Lucid service centers aren’t allowed to do much of the body work as they aren’t specially trained for that part of working on the car. I strongly recommend you switch insurance companies the minute repairs are complete, I switched to GEICO as soon as I picked the car up. Sorry for the headache, I looked into the class action against AllState in Florida the Taycan owner filed for similar company wide internal policy to reject certified shops, but couldn’t make any progress in figuring out how to get involved with it.

 

[swertheim22]

This sounds just like my experience, with Esurance pretending there was some other option than the Lucid shop and rejecting everything and then refusing to communicate, causing 5 weeks of delays before repairs even started until I reported them to the National Insurance Commissioner, which then resulted in an upper manager one day later at NGIC/Esurance saying everything had been suddenly approved. The Lucid shops undergo months of training and quarterly inspections and recertifications and even Lucid service centers aren’t allowed to do much of the body work as they aren’t specially trained for that part of working on the car. I strongly recommend you switch insurance companies the minute repairs are complete, I switched to GEICO as soon as I picked the car up. Sorry for the headache, I looked into the class action against AllState in Florida the Taycan owner filed for similar company wide internal policy to reject certified shops, but couldn’t make any progress in figuring out how to get involved with it.

Thanks for sharing. Liberty Mutual is NOT my insurance company -- it's the other driver's. And I will be filing a complaint with both the NJ Department of Insurance and Banking and the NJ Attorney General. I have also prepared a certified letter that will be going to the other driver and her mother (the insured) advising that they are liable for any charges not covered by their insurance.

 

[Bunnylebowski]

Thanks for sharing. Liberty Mutual is NOT my insurance company -- it's the other driver's. And I will be filing a complaint with both the NJ Department of Insurance and Banking and the NJ Attorney General. I have also prepared a certified letter that will be going to the other driver and her mother (the insured) advising that they are liable for any charges not covered by their insurance.

Oh right you got hit so it wasn’t your insurer. Sorry for the headaches!

 

[borski]

If a non-Lucid certified shop TOUCHES or does anything to the vehicle, the car's warranty is immediately VOIDED

Just so we’re on the same page - this isn’t true. Your *entire* warranty doesn’t get voided; just anything they touched. So if they work on the front, you’d still be warrantied for trunk issues or anything else.

I’m not saying that’s good, to be clear - I just wanted to clarify what happens.

 

[swertheim22]

Just so we’re on the same page - this isn’t true. Your *entire* warranty doesn’t get voided; just anything they touched. So if they work on the front, you’d still be warrantied for trunk issues or anything else.

I’m not saying that’s good, to be clear - I just wanted to clarify what happens.

That's good to know but that was not the message I received from Lucid -- so thank you.

 

[Bobby]

Just so we’re on the same page - this isn’t true. Your *entire* warranty doesn’t get voided; just anything they touched. So if they work on the front, you’d still be warrantied for trunk issues or anything else.

I’m not saying that’s good, to be clear - I just wanted to clarify what happens.

Borski is exactly correct here. Familiarize yourself with the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which prohibits manufactures from taking the actions you described.

 

[Steveinarizona]

Borski is exactly correct here. Familiarize yourself with the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which prohibits manufactures from taking the actions you described.

You are correct but auto manufacturers have been notorious for claiming that almost anything invalidates the warranty and they have been counting on the expense of litigation (compared to the benefit) to support their (illegal) position.

I hope that Lucid will not join this coterie of law breakers.

 

[borski]

You are correct but auto manufacturers have been notorious for claiming that almost anything invalidates the warranty and they have been counting on the expense of litigation (compared to the benefit) to support their (illegal) position.

I hope that Lucid will not join this coterie of law breakers.

As @Bobby mentioned, this is prohibited by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and even just the threat of litigation causes companies to shape up.

 

[Steveinarizona]

As @Bobby mentioned, this is prohibited by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and even just the threat of litigation causes companies to shape up.

Yeah...right!

Here is a detailed law review article on the law:

https://digitalcommons.law.mercer.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1095&context=jour_mlr

the key conclusion:

The Act's attempt to create a federal cause of action for breach of most consumer warranties is successful, but its promise that such an action can be brought in federal court is largely illusory. Thus, the new remedies envisioned in the Act must be pursued in state courts which are, for the most part, unaccustomed to granting many of them. For this reason there is a very real question with the practical availability of these remedies.

 

[borski]

Yeah...right!

Here is a detailed law review article on the law:

https://digitalcommons.law.mercer.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1095&context=jour_mlr

the key conclusion:

The Act's attempt to create a federal cause of action for breach of most consumer warranties is successful, but its promise that such an action can be brought in federal court is largely illusory. Thus, the new remedies envisioned in the Act must be pursued in state courts which are, for the most part, unaccustomed to granting many of them. For this reason there is a very real question with the practical availability of these remedies.

That law review is from 1976. States have had experience since then.

 

[Steveinarizona]

That law review is from 1976. States have had experience since then.

I know. The problem is that I can't find a good source for current. Law firms will tell you one thing, government officials another. I have not been able to find a relilable third party source on this.

 

[Blkturbos2k]

Owning an EV is still something of a novelty -- and sometimes organizations and people don't know quite what to do. If you're ever in my situation, hopefully this will help.

Last Friday early evening, I was stopped at an intersection waiting to make a left turn. While stopped, I was suddenly rammed from behind by a Jeep Wrangler. The crash basically destroyed the rear end of the car.

While the police were writing up their information, I called Lucid Customer care and got the name of two certified Lucid body shops. So here's what I've learned since...

1) The insurance company (in my case, the other party's insurance) tried to steer me to one of their "preferred" body shops -- don't accept it -- if you do not use a Lucid-certified body shop it will not be properly fixed.
2) Since it was the rear-end collision, I have to consider the car as undrivable as all of the electrical control components are in the trunk -- they cannot get wet. The care will be taken via flatbed and tarp to the body shop.
3) The insurance company is bucking my requirement that they pay for an EV rental -- they don't want to -- and I told them that I have no intention of paying for gasoline.
4) Since I am not at fault, "diminished value" of an EV will come into play. The key will be to get the residual value of the car quoted by a dealer with and without an accident to determine the claim against the insurance company (if one is at fault, that won't fly).
5) The LucidAir certified shop already warned me that parts or going to take longer than normal. With this process just starting, I'm figuring on 3 months without the car.
6) If, and it currently appears it is not likely, that the car is viewed as total, I will have to include years 2 and 3 of free Electrify America charging into my claim. Stay tuned.

My LucidAir Pure has been great so far -- 6 weeks old and 2500 miles...

Great write up, where are you located?

 

[RCLAUSSEN]

Glad to hear USAA is working well for you. I have had them for almost 50 years and no major issues. My annual premiums on Lucid Air GT with 1k deductible is about 1500 every six months. They seem to be pretty familiar with Lucid at this present time.

We were quoted $1400 6 mos from USAA today w 500 ded, member for 35 years on our soon to arrive AGT, got our vin today, sounds like it's not a bad quote.

 

[swertheim22]

Today marks 15 weeks since my car went to the shop to be repaired. Yesterday, I received a note indicating that the vehicle was going to begin reassembly this morning. That means, subject the the whims of the insurance company, I may finally get my car back the latter half of next week.

However, that will not end the process. Once I return the rental, I will have to file a claim for the gasoline purchased over the last 3 1/2 plus months. Then, I have to schedule the assessment for the Diminished Value Loss claim with the insurance company. The verbal assessment is free — but the written assessment is $4,000. I fully expect that the insurance company will insist on a written assessment — which will ultimately be part of a lawsuit.

The key takeaway is that the insurance companies have not yet adjusted to the reality of EV ownership.

 

[Electrified]

Today marks 15 weeks since my car went to the shop to be repaired. Yesterday, I received a note indicating that the vehicle was going to begin reassembly this morning. That means, subject the the whims of the insurance company, I may finally get my car back the latter half of next week.

However, that will not end the process. Once I return the rental, I will have to file a claim for the gasoline purchased over the last 3 1/2 plus months. Then, I have to schedule the assessment for the Diminished Value Loss claim with the insurance company. The verbal assessment is free — but the written assessment is $4,000. I fully expect that the insurance company will insist on a written assessment — which will ultimately be part of a lawsuit.

The key takeaway is that the insurance companies have not yet adjusted to the reality of EV ownership.

Less the cost of charging, or do you charge at EA 100% of the time?

 

[DBV]

We were quoted $1400 6 mos from USAA today w 500 ded, member for 35 years on our soon to arrive AGT, got our vin today, sounds like it's not a bad quote.

That seems so high, but I think Ohio is a cheap insurance State. I pay $472 ($1000 deductible) a year for 21 Model S LR thru Erie Insurance and was quoted $748 a year for the Lucid GT.