Woman Buys Tesla. Then She Makes A Startling Discovery An Hour Later: 'Why Did Nobody Tell Me?’

A woman who recently purchased a Tesla shared what she wishes she had known about the car before buying it.

Londyn Williams (@lunzlyfe) opined on these discoveries on social media. Firstly, she was surprised by how long it took for the vehicle to be officially added to her Tesla account after she bought it, and she had gripes about its Toybox functionality and air conditioning system.

'Things No One Tells You When You Buy A Tesla'

Williams begins her video by stating that, although her vehicle is a 2026 model, it isn’t exactly “brand spanking new.” Rather, the vehicle had some miles on it from its previous owner. As a result, she says she needed to wait until the previous Tesla owner was no longer associated with her particular EV’s VIN. She was shocked that the VIN wasn’t released right when the previous driver traded in the car.

Williams wasn’t happy that she had to wait after purchasing the vehicle to add the Tesla’s VIN to her account. This presented problems for her when it came time to use her vehicle.

“Yesterday, when I was charging, I had no choice but to charge his [the previous user’s] account. It automatically did it 'cause it was already signed up. … I felt super bad because obviously I needed to charge my car; it was at like 15%. But I had no other choice,” she told her viewers.

Following this, she relayed yet another aspect of her Tesla she was surprised with: “Another thing … there’s literally so much space in here. Maybe just 'cause I [drove] a really small car before … I could literally sleep in the front seat. And the dashboard, it’s huge,” she says, showing off the Tesla’s hallmark large infotainment display and the dash area behind it. Williams records herself stretching her arm across the dash area: “I can’t even reach all of it," she said.

Williams Blasts Tesla’s Air Conditioning Interface

She went on to state that the EV manufacturer’s air conditioning controls are befuddling to use.

“Me and my mom sat in the car for like 20 minutes trying to figure out how to, like, turn it up and down. Like, the air flow, then we figured it out. Today, I must have accidentally hit a button, and now it’s not 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 on the A/C. It’s low, medium, and high. I don’t know what I pressed,” she told her audience.

Williams also said she had trouble using one of the car’s more whimsical features.

“I also put the fart noise on, and I couldn’t get it off when I had my blinker on,” she said. She’s referring to Tesla’s tongue-in-cheek Emissions Testing Mode. By enabling this feature, drivers can enable their car to let out a fart sound whenever a door’s opened, a turn signal’s engaged, or a button is pressed on the Tesla app or the car’s steering wheel. To shut it off, drivers can disable these features in the same Emissions Testing Mode sub-menu within its assortment of Toybox apps.

In the moment, Williams said she didn’t know how to disable it and that the noise became a nuisance while she was driving.

“This car is so, like, futuristic and, like, technology-based. You really should do your research on, like, how to control things and all of that beforehand.”

More Tesla First Impressions

In a follow-up video, she highlighted other aspects of the car that she feels folks considering purchasing a Tesla should know about. She equated driving around in the car to “driving around in a huge fishbowl," due to all of the large panes of glass that compose its construction. Because her windows are large and untinted, Williams states she feels as if other drivers can see every move she makes in the vehicle during her commutes.

She went on to complain about the sound of her car’s horn, opining that every time she swaps it in the infotainment menu, it reverts to the standard horn sound. She demonstrates the noise whilst driving and says that she prefers “the funny DJ one.”

As she continually adjusts her phone, which is falling during her drive, she says that the Tesla’s pre-packaged “Autosteer beta” functions as an autopilot but lacks braking.

“I use it a lot. It helps me not speed, because this car, you can’t even tell how fast you’re going,” she says of Tesla’s driving dynamics.

Tesla Vehicle Transfer Of Ownership

The first issue Williams pointed out is one that’s been written about extensively. Recharged reports that there are two fundamental types of Tesla ownership transfer protocols. The first is a “seller-initiated transfer.” Under this method, the Tesla owner selects the car in their Tesla app and then navigates to the Remove or Transfer Ownership option. The selected buyer taking delivery of the car will then receive an email that guides them through the process of adding the Tesla to their account.

The outlet then went on to highlight the second type of ownership transfer: a “buyer-initiated claim.” These are typically done when the original car owner doesn’t initiate the transfer of ownership themselves. This type of transfer requires Tesla’s assistance. The buyer who takes ownership of the previously owned Tesla installs the Tesla app and creates/logs in to their own Tesla account. Then, they hit “Add Product” and enter the vehicle’s VIN. Furthermore, they must upload an ID card and proof of ownership of the vehicle. This typically constitutes a bill of sale, registration, and/or title of the car in question. After Tesla reviews this documentation, which can take a few days, the car will be added to the new owner’s Tesla account.

The outlet went on to state that buyer-initiated transfers can be instantaneous or take up to 24 hours. A manual review by Tesla, without any issues, will take anywhere from three to five business days. And then, if there are any issues with loans, financing, or title disputes, it could take 10 or more days for a Tesla’s VIN to be assigned to a new owner.

InsideEVs also reported in 2023 how important it is to have a VIN assigned to a new Tesla owner via the Tesla app.

Tesla Air Conditioning Woes

Williams expressed her desire for tinted windows in her Tesla, and she isn’t the first. Other drivers have likened the interior of their Teslas to a “greenhouse,” with a lack of proper shade helping to keep the cabin cool.

In a separate piece, InsideEVs highlights how to properly operate Tesla’s air conditioning systems. The article details how to split airflow, as well as the difference between auto and manual A/C toggles. Williams appears to have accidentally set her vehicle to auto mode, which dispenses air at low, medium, and high flow rates. Manual mode enables the numerical value climate control system, which can be adjusted via the infotainment touchscreen. To learn more about Tesla climate controls, look at the manufacturer’s online owner’s manual pertaining to air conditioning here.

Motor1 has reached out to Williams and Tesla via email for further comment. We will update this story if either responds.