Man claimed Tesla quoted him $22k to replace a battery pack, an electrified garage did it for 75 percent less
- An owner faced a massive repair quote for an aging Tesla
- An independent shop uncovered a more straightforward, cheaper fix
- The result raises some questions about EV servicing costs
Published on May 18, 2025 at 10:30 PM (UTC+4)
by Callum Tokody
Last updated on May 15, 2025 at 1:32 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
A man said Tesla wanted $22k to replace the battery pack in his out-of-warranty EV, but an independent Tesla service resolved the issue for 75 percent less.
The case, shared on the RichRebuilds YouTube channel, involved a 2013 Model S with limited range and an expired warranty.
Rather than accept the high-voltage quote, the owner pursued a more practical repair option.
It is another clear example of how third-party shops can offer cost-effective solutions when official channels do not.
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The car was showing just 50 miles of range and displayed a ‘Maximum Charge Reduced’ warning.
When taken to a Tesla service center, the owner was told that the only way to fix it was to replace battery pack entirely, despite no confirmation that the entire pack had failed.
Since it was an out of warranty EV, there was no financial protection.
That left the owner staring down a bill nearly equal to the car’s market value.
Instead of paying full price, the owner turned to Electrified Garage, an independent Tesla service shop featured frequently by RichRebuilds.
Their technicians conducted an in-depth inspection and found that only two battery modules, modules one and three, were causing the Tesla battery issue.
By replacing just those defective components, the team restored full charging capacity without replacing the entire unit.
This repair method is not supported by Tesla directly, but it proved to be effective and dramatically cheaper.
Replacing each individual battery module cost about $1,500, with additional expenses for upgraded fuses and high-voltage parts.
Including labor, diagnostics, coolant refill, road testing, and validation, the repair totaled around $5,500.
That meant they were able to replace battery pack components for less than a quarter of the original quote.
The garage completed the repair professionally and safely, validating the work through supercharging cycles and extended driving tests.
The video shines a light on the growing need for accessible repair alternatives, especially for an out of warranty EV.
With Tesla limiting access to service tools and replacement parts, customers often feel locked into costly full-system swaps.
The success of this independent Tesla service shows how targeted repairs can resolve a Tesla battery issue without inflating the bill.
It also proves the value of right to repair in a market where owners are increasingly keeping vehicles longer.
By refusing to replace battery pack unnecessarily, Electrified Garage not only saved the owner money, but demonstrated a practical pathway for other Tesla drivers.
More out of warranty EVs will face battery degradation as time goes on, and more people will need help outside of the Tesla network.
Videos like this remind owners that they still have choices and that a Tesla battery issue does not have to come with a luxury-level price tag.
See the full video here:
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Callum Tokody is a content writer at Supercar Blondie, where he covers the latest in the automotive world with a focus on design and performance. Callum has a background in automotive journalism and has contributed to a range of publications in Australia and the UK. Outside of work, he’s a design enthusiast with a soft spot for anything with a V8 and a good story.
