Tesla tells HW3 owner to ‘be patient’ after 7 years of waiting for FSD

The phone call

Mischa Sigtermans, a Dutch Model 3 owner who paid €6,400 for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving package in 2019, called Tesla to ask when the promised capability would arrive on his HW3-equipped car. It has been reported that during the recorded call Tesla told him there was “no information about when it comes, or if it comes at all,” and — after he raised the fact that his invoice promises “full self-drive capability” — that he should “just be patient.” He posted the recording and a thread on X; it has been reported that Tesla then closed his support case and sent an automated “Your question is closed” email with a link to book a test drive.

Broken promises and the hardware gap

The exchange lays bare a widening hardware disconnect. Tesla sold FSD in 2019 as a software-upgrade path, assuring buyers the hardware was sufficient. By August 2024, a Tesla executive acknowledged HW3 ran “a relatively smaller model” and relied on workarounds. In January 2025 Elon Musk admitted HW3 would need replacement in vehicles where FSD was bought — a retrofit he called “painful and difficult.” It has been reported that Tesla plans a pared-back “v14 Lite” for HW3 in Q2 2026, but owners argue that a diet version of a still-Level-2 system isn’t what they paid for. Waiting seven years for a replacement — or a refund — leaves a bitter aftertaste. What did buyers actually buy?

Rising legal pressure in Europe

Sigtermans isn’t alone. He launched a collective claim site that, it has been reported, has attracted about 3,000 HW3 owners across 29 countries — roughly €6.5 million in purchases — seeking redress. With the Dutch vehicle authority (RDW) approving an FSD Supervised build that runs only on Tesla’s newer AI4 computer, HW3 owners now face a clear regulatory and commercial split. The tone-deaf “be patient” reply will likely add fuel to lawsuits and consumer complaints across Europe. And Tesla? For now, the company’s silence — or lack of concrete remedies — is speaking louder than any PR line.

Sources: electrek.co, Hacker News