Tesla changed FSD transfer promo terms from “ordered by Mar 31” to “delivered by Mar 31.” Do buyers who ordered before the change have any legal recourse?

Contracts

I’m trying to understand whether Tesla can legally change the terms of a promotion after customers have already placed orders based on the previous terms.

Tesla has been running a promotion allowing owners to transfer Full Self-Driving (FSD) from an existing Tesla to a newly purchased Tesla.

Until recently, the terms stated that you could transfer FSD as long as the new vehicle was ordered before March 31, 2026. For example, the terms referenced online yesterday indicated the eligibility requirement was ordering before March 31. Example of marketing text on their site and sent to potential transfer customers.

However, Tesla has now changed the wording on their support page to say the vehicle must be delivered before March 31, 2026 instead.
https://www.tesla.com/support/fsd-transfer

Because delivery timing is controlled by Tesla and can take weeks or months, this change could make many buyers who already placed orders relying on the earlier terms suddenly ineligible for the transfer if their delivery happens after March 31.

There has also been reporting on the change here:
https://electrek.co/2026/03/04/tesla-changes-fsd-transfer-rules-again-cybertruck-buyers/

From what I understand, Tesla vehicle orders usually require a deposit (often $250) that is refundable if the order is cancelled.

My questions are:

  1. If someone ordered a vehicle while the promotion said “ordered by March 31”, can Tesla later change the terms to “delivered by March 31” and apply that to existing orders?
  2. If Tesla refuses the FSD transfer but simply refunds the deposit, does that eliminate any potential claim that the buyer relied on the promotion when placing the order?
  3. Would this potentially fall under false advertising, bait-and-switch, or promissory estoppel, or does Tesla’s purchase agreement likely give them the right to change promotional terms?

Location: Wisconsin. However, the question likely applies broadly since Tesla orders are national.

I’m mainly trying to understand whether buyers who ordered before the rule change have any realistic legal recourse, or if the ability to cancel and get the deposit back effectively shields Tesla.

Posted Mar 6, 2026, 4:05 AM UTC

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