So my 2021 M3 died in my garage at home after a firmware update gone bad. I’m still on the original 12v battery and I suspect the replace battery soon warning triggered mid update. The update failed and now I have 40 error codes. Everything from replace low voltage battery to (lol) errors with my air suspension. I opened a service request and asked for a mobile tech to replace the 12v battery and push the software update again. The car will not come out of park. Says software update is required but when I check for updates it reports that I am up to date and no updates are available. I have tried a couple of scroll wheel reboots without success. Tesla declined to send a mobile tech and said the car needs to be brought in to a service center.
This is where it gets interesting. So I initiate my first roadside assistance request. I remind them that the car will not go into neutral or any gear and will not enter tow mode. Tesla dispatches a tow truck. A regular tow truck arrives at my house (not a flatbed). The driver then tells me that he will use the tow truck to lift the car from the rear and place wheel Dollie’s under the rear tires. Then he will roll the car out of the garage down to the street at which point he could lift the front and tow the car with the rear wheel dollies.
I questioned lifting the car from behind as I know there are specific jack points. I also asked about rolling the front wheels while not in tow mode. He said that is how it is done (according to their Tesla training) and that it is perfectly safe as long as they stay below 5mph. Now the manual says otherswise and that when in tow mode not to exceed 5 km/h. It specifically states that if tow mode cannot be enable that the car should be moved using wheel dollies.
I chose not to let them move the car as Tesla clearly states they are not responsible for damages from incorrect towing. Has anyone had experience towing a completely dead Tesla? How did they get the vehicle on and off the tow truck. I’m starting to wonder if I went a little overboard in not letting them move the car in this manner.
I did call the service center and when I asked them someone (who put me on hold a few times to get answers) said it would not be a problem to lift the car from the rear and roll a short distance to the tow truck while not in transport mode. Curious if anybody has had a similar experience.
Nobody I spoke to today inspired any confidence in me that they knew what they were talking about. At the same time I feel a little silly as I’m just reading the manual. I would expect the people that work with these cars regularly know more than I do.
This is where it gets interesting. So I initiate my first roadside assistance request. I remind them that the car will not go into neutral or any gear and will not enter tow mode. Tesla dispatches a tow truck. A regular tow truck arrives at my house (not a flatbed). The driver then tells me that he will use the tow truck to lift the car from the rear and place wheel Dollie’s under the rear tires. Then he will roll the car out of the garage down to the street at which point he could lift the front and tow the car with the rear wheel dollies.
I questioned lifting the car from behind as I know there are specific jack points. I also asked about rolling the front wheels while not in tow mode. He said that is how it is done (according to their Tesla training) and that it is perfectly safe as long as they stay below 5mph. Now the manual says otherswise and that when in tow mode not to exceed 5 km/h. It specifically states that if tow mode cannot be enable that the car should be moved using wheel dollies.
I chose not to let them move the car as Tesla clearly states they are not responsible for damages from incorrect towing. Has anyone had experience towing a completely dead Tesla? How did they get the vehicle on and off the tow truck. I’m starting to wonder if I went a little overboard in not letting them move the car in this manner.
I did call the service center and when I asked them someone (who put me on hold a few times to get answers) said it would not be a problem to lift the car from the rear and roll a short distance to the tow truck while not in transport mode. Curious if anybody has had a similar experience.
Nobody I spoke to today inspired any confidence in me that they knew what they were talking about. At the same time I feel a little silly as I’m just reading the manual. I would expect the people that work with these cars regularly know more than I do.