May I have another – NJ man buys another Tesla after wheel falls off

🔺 Tesla steering wheel pops off while NJ man was driving his family

🔺 As a good will gesture, Tesla say they will buy the car back

🔺 Man says he will buy another Tesla

Prerak Patel still wants to drive a Tesla. He just didn't want to drive the one where the steering wheel fell off.

Patel's ordeal went viral after he tweeted about driving his family home from a mall in Woodbridge when the wheel just popped off and landed in his lap. He was able to navigate the car safely to the median and wait for police to arrive.

He asked Tesla to fix the problem or buy back the car, because "we lost trust and family is not feeling safe driving it."

"No one should experience what my family experienced," read one tweet, "Tesla should investigate how important basic safety checks were missed."

Initially, Patel says Tesla refused to take any responsibility for the wheel falling off, and even asked him to pay for repairs.

He now says Tesla has now agreed to buy back his Model Y.

After changing his Twitter handle to "Tesla, Y Steering Wheel Fall Off?," Patel showed a copy of a letter sent to him by the company.

Dated Feb. 3, 2023, the letter states "Tesla has determined the vehicle has no defect."

However, as a "gesture of good will to you as a valued Tesla customer," they informed Patel they would be paying off his loan and sending him a check for rest of the money he paid.

What does he plan to do with the money? Buy another Tesla Model Y.

"I am grateful to all of you for continued support and extending it to media coverage," Patel tweeted on Monday. A poll he posted on his Twitter account had 83% recommending he get another Tesla, so he says he will.

Tesla has also agreed to give him a loaner car until his new vehicle comes in, Patel says.

Eric Scott is the senior political director and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

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