Posted on 08/01/2023 10:04:07 PM PDT by algore
An Arizona man says he was trapped in his Tesla in the extreme heat after the power died and he didn't know how to escape.
Investigators at Scripps News Phoenix found dozens of drivers have filed complaints with federal auto safety regulators who are urging car owners to learn how to manually get out in an emergency.
"It's definitely a safety concern; it was one of the hotter days," said 73-year-old Rick Meggison.
He said he was stuck in his Tesla Model Y in his garage back in June.
"I couldn't open the doors. I couldn't lower the windows. The computer was dead, so I couldn't open the glove box. I couldn't open anything." Meggison said his main lithium-ion battery, what's needed to propel his electric car, had plenty of range.
He later learned a separate 12-volt battery in his Tesla Model Y died after he opened the door, and he said he was trapped inside on a 100° day for 20 minutes. The low-voltage battery powers what's inside a Tesla including the doors, computer display, and windows.
"Being caught in there for a couple hours could be dangerous," he said.
Meggison said he eventually called his sister who somehow got the passenger door to open through the Tesla app, but it cracked his window. He said he had to call a tow truck to take his Tesla to the company's service center. His invoice reads, "Car won't power on… remove and replace 12v battery."
"I think that Tesla needs to address this," Meggison said.
"It's essentially a computer on wheels that's run on a battery," said car safety expert Norma Hubele.
Hubele is the founder of theautoprofessor.com, a data-based website that ranks how cars perform in crashes. She's also been an expert witness in over 120 consumer-related cases with the majority involving automotive safety.
"If that battery is not reliable or if for some reason the consumer isn't aware of how to override a problem with the battery, then you can have real safety problems," she said.
When the electric system fails, there is a way to get out of an electric car, which is clearly outlined in Tesla's manual, but experts believe many drivers, like Meggison, are unaware.
Even when they still gave you printed manuals, like for my 2007 Titan, the darn thing was so big the you could never get through it. compare that to my other vehicle, a 1969 VW Beetle. Owner’s manual almost small enough to carry in your back pocket, and it even showed you haw to do routine maintenance.
this is the other thing about today’s cars. Nothing is labeled in words, it’s all symbols.
Who would guess that symbol means door release?
Chit out luck if the battery is dead? Can’t roll your
windows down either.
In the Titan I wouldn’t be able to roll down the windows, but I can still manually unlock and open the doors.
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