“The only thing that I’ve received was commentary, laughter.”
A second-time Tesla buyer from Atlanta has sworn off the brand for how it handled a cracked windshield on her new car.
Jalee Noel (@ajale.noel) claims in a viral TikTok that even though she alerted the dealership she bought her vehicle from right after noticing the damage, the problem has yet to be remedied two months later.
“I don’t know if anyone else has a Tesla … hold off on buying them,” she warns viewers. She adds that if someone is intent on purchasing one, they should ensure the vehicle is in perfect condition before leaving the lot.
“If you don’t and there’s something wrong with your car, good luck on getting it fixed,” she warns.
She says she purchased what was supposed to be a pristine, brand-new electric vehicle. However, she noticed “a huge crack on the windshield” shortly after buying it.
Upon making this discovery, she says she brought the car back to Tesla to exchange it for a different car. Instead, the dealership told her that they would get the cracked glass fixed, she says.
However, she says that after waiting two months for a resolution, she’s still driving “around with a cracked windshield.”
Following this, Noel shows viewers the crack in question. She says Tesla surmised the fissure occurred during delivery of her vehicle. “So you guys didn’t check the car before you gave it to me?” she asks. “Because all I did was look up, and I seen it.”
According to Noel, Tesla wasn’t exactly helpful in rectifying the situation.“
You would think they would be on my side and try to help me. The only thing that I’ve … received was commentary, laughter—OK, one month free self-driving,” she states. “No, I want my car fixed or a brand-new car.”
Noel stresses that she needed a loaner vehicle if her car was going to be in the shop.
“Each appointment they have booked, I made sure that I insisted I needed a loaner vehicle. Like, I cannot not have a vehicle. I need a loaner vehicle. So, I get here today. Guess what? I’m sorry, my appointment was at 8:15. I get here. There’s no loaner vehicles,” she says, frowning.
Noel says she was “guaranteed a loaner car” but still didn’t receive one as she was informed that the loaners were doled out on a “first come, first serve” basis.
She also says that this isn’t her first Tesla ownership experience, either. She says she “loved” her first EV from the brand and calls that experience was “beautiful.”
Noel adds that she directed her ire particularly towards Tesla’s Fayatteville and Duluth locations and called out managers in these spots for being difficult to get in contact with.
Toward the end of her video, she says that she’s considering taking “legal action” against the dealership because “there’s no way [she’s] riding around in a damaged car three months later.”
Consumer Affairs highlights some of the dissatisfaction folks have had with the electric car maker after purchasing a vehicle from them. It currently sits at 1.2 out of 5 stars on the group’s website.
One online commenter wrote that they, too, had trouble getting in touch with a live representative and critiqued the brand for not being proactive in resolving their claims. “Messages sent through open service tickets go unanswered, emails receive no response, and there seems to be absolutely no accountability when it comes to customer communication… The most frustrating part is the complete lack of human communication and accountability. Everything is automated texts, delayed responses, and dismissive interactions,” they wrote.
The Better Business Bureau’s online profile of Tesla fared even worse, with a 1.1 out of 5 star evaluation rating. Some customers highlighted matters pertaining to pre-delivery defects, delays for scheduled repairs, and hardships in connecting with service managers.
Despite these qualms, some Tesla cars maintain high customer satisfaction scores. J.D. Power’s 2026 CarPro EV Satisfaction Study Results indicates that the Model 3 “ranks highest overall and highest in the premium BEV segment.” The Model Y ranked second on the list, followed by the BMW i4. CBT News penned that Tesla’s overall satisfaction has climbed when stacked against other manufacturers throughout the years. However, some have said despite improvements, there are still brand new cars rolling off the line with defects in paint, body panel alignment, and glass chipping.
As for the chip damage on Noel’s windshield, Tesla instructs customers who have spotted any defects with their vehicle to document the issues with 24 hours or the first 100 miles of delivery. These fixes are covered under the brand’s new vehicle limited warranty. However, buyers must schedule these repairs in Tesla’s mobile app.
Motor1 has reached out to Noel via email for further comment.
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