2 week old 2021 Model Y - SHUT DOWN while driving

[Pianewman]

Scary situation. You have every right to be uncomfortable about your 2 week old car, and Tesla should be held accountable. They WILL be. They will fix it.

Numerous other examples already posted, so you know the drill. It can happen to any car. For me: 1983 VW GTI, 150 miles, engine seized, instant shutdown, on the highway. Incorrectly installed camshaft seal, all the oil had blown out. 2009-2014 VW diesels had 10s of thousands of cars with fuel pump failures, instant engine shutdown. $6-8k repair, mostly under warranty. Similar high pressure fuel pumps in various diesel engines, Dodge and Ford.

Tesla? Hopefully it's a computer software glitch that they can locate and solve, and assure you it won't happen again.

 

[Hammerhead786]

Sorry you had to face this situation. Anything whether old or new can and will fail, it's only a question of when. I'd suggest you search the term "bathtub curve". Tesla will resolve the issue. I once had a Honda Accord which had a known ignition switch defect. My car cut out at 70 mph on the freeway. Honda refused to fix the fault under a recall as the recall period was over.

 

[Doc Brown]

So you’ve never had a transmission seize up? Okay.
Any other car wouldn’t break 2 weeks after purchase? You’re joking, right?

If you want to post about how the sky is falling and how unsafe you feel, then the only solution is to get rid of the car.

Tesla is not going to give you a new one and there is no guarantee it won’t happen again.

They will diagnose and fix whatever the issue was, but that doesn’t seem to be good enough for you.

Settle down, Francis. One of the difficult and obvious problems with a Tesla, and perhaps all EVs (but I’m not certain), is the inability to move the car when it shits the bed. With any ICE car I’ve ever owned, they were somewhat easily pushed out of traffic when they didn’t want to run.

 

[GeekyDoc]

That’s a great point; I think the other thing is that all these examples highlight cars from decades ago. I would be hard pressed to find a brand new car that totally stops in the middle of operating? It would be a rare occurrence and an exception, not the norm. Trying to justify it by comparing this incident to other inferior ICE models is not the answer; I think we all expect WAY more from Tesla that’s why we are adopting the tech. But if it strands people in the middle of nowhere or stops operating on a highway endangering the driver, that is nothing to take lightly or brush away.

That said, is there a way to get some historical data from similar occurrences with Tesla? Is that public knowledge? I would rest easy knowing this was a one off vs something that happens in certain VINS with certain software versions.

 

[Pianewman]

Bad software is turning some Mustang Mach-Es into ‘electric bricks’

Affected owners need a dealer to fix it.

www.theverge.com

...not exactly a sudden shutdown on the freeway, but...

 

[Automobilist]

It’s totally understandable you’d feel unsafe given the circumstances. I think some of the people on here are a bit skeptical of posts like this and can get a bit defensive.

If it’s any consolation, what has happened in your case is a very rare occurrence, and not something that you’d be expected to deal with under normal circumstances as a owner (in case that wasn’t clear).

You should definitely avoid driving the car until Tesla diagnoses the issue and gives you a reasonable root cause for what happened. I don’t think there’s any need to worry there’s anything fundamentally wrong with your car, they just need to track down what component was responsible for the shutdown. Hopefully they are able to do so quickly and in a way that helps to restore your confidence.

 

[EVHomie]

So funny to see all the Tesla apologists come out of the woodwork whenever somebody even implies that there could be an issue with a Tesla.
The simple fact is that Tesla quality is terrible all around. Terrible fit and finish, terrible reliability, and terrible customer service. I’ve had similar issues with my car actually stranding me twice and Tesla being no help at all. I ended up selling it because of this. Tesla is just junk in my book. They were one of the first in the game and have this cult following of people who don’t want to admit that they spent a bunch of money on a sub-par car. I would take your car back and not but another Tesla.

 

[Pianewman]

EVHomie: So you think your experience represents the majority of Tesla owners?

Since you've never posted here, we have no idea what your experience was with your Tesla "...stranding me twice..." How about starting a new thread and giving us some details? We might all learn from your experience, even those of us (satisfied!) Tesla customers you refer to as "Tesla apologists."

Details, please?

 

[polyphonic54]

One of the difficult and obvious problems with a Tesla, and perhaps all EVs (but I’m not certain), is the inability to move the car when it shits the bed. With any ICE car I’ve ever owned, they were somewhat easily pushed out of traffic when they didn’t want to run.

I read about this happening with at least one Taycan and an e-tron. Pretty scary if there really isn't anything that shifts an EV to neutral in a power loss or motor failure situation. I can't imagine how terrifying this was for the OP.

 

[WADan]

So funny to see all the Tesla apologists come out of the woodwork whenever somebody even implies that there could be an issue with a Tesla.
The simple fact is that Tesla quality is terrible all around. Terrible fit and finish, terrible reliability, and terrible customer service. I’ve had similar issues with my car actually stranding me twice and Tesla being no help at all. I ended up selling it because of this. Tesla is just junk in my book. They were one of the first in the game and have this cult following of people who don’t want to admit that they spent a bunch of money on a sub-par car. I would take your car back and not but another Tesla.

Shall I remind everyone that Tesla is the most satisfying car brand several years in a row!

 

[EVHomie]

Shall I remind everyone that Tesla is the most satisfying car brand several years in a row!

It’s also the lowest ranked in initial quality out of every car brand in the world. And from what I’ve experienced it definitely has earned that title.

 

[bluet3sla]

@AnaS just saw this post and wanted to apologize on behalf of everyone else. I feel so sorry for you. You literally bought a 2 week old car. You did nothing wrong. The car shut down while driving and left you in a position where you weren't even able to move the car (compared to an ICE car). Yet there are people who can still defend Tesla, when they shouldn't be defending them. I would be upset like you too. As you can see there are a lot of other people who empathize with you. We welcome you to the Tesla family and I personally think that Tesla definitely needs to be accountable and have this issue fixed. It is completely unacceptable, and I would ignore the people earlier in the thread trying to defend Tesla with NO basis.

 

[BigTrailer]

WARNING TO DRIVERS: Last night I was driving on a local street when suddenly a warning came up on the screen saying "VEHICLE SHUTTING DOWN - pull over safely". While I was TRYING to pull over safely, the car just shook and stopped. I had less than 5 seconds to react and was still partially in the traffic lane. I couldn't even put the car in neutral to push it to a safe spot. Luckily this did not happen on the freeway or I for sure would have been stalled in the middle of whatever lane and more than likely been hit.

This is a concerning situation. You should report this incident to ensure a thorough investigation is done.

Home | NHTSA

Get resources and info about staying safe on America’s roads. And, find out if there’s a recall on your car or how to report a vehicle safety problem.

www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov

While I trust Tesla will get to the bottom of the issue, the regulators are there to ensure everyone's safety. If everyone reports, it also adds a layer of transparency you may not get from any given manufacturer.

I imagine this situation is very rare, think of yourself as just having won a (bad) lottery. It's a lottery no one wants to play, and the prize sucks.

 

[CF2020]

WARNING TO DRIVERS: Last night I was driving on a local street when suddenly a warning came up on the screen saying "VEHICLE SHUTTING DOWN - pull over safely". While I was TRYING to pull over safely, the car just shook and stopped. I had less than 5 seconds to react and was still partially in the traffic lane. I couldn't even put the car in neutral to push it to a safe spot. Luckily this did not happen on the freeway or I for sure would have been stalled in the middle of whatever lane and more than likely been hit.

I put my hazards on and my husband looked up what could be the issue. He read that it could help to get out, walk away from the car and return. I tried this twice and it didn't work so I contacted "Roadside Assistance" on my app. Another alarming thing was that among options like "flat tire", there was an option to push "Car shut down while driving". What?! I haven't even had the car for 2 weeks and it just shuts down without any warning??? It took 10 minutes for a random number to text me and ask about the issue. I was prompted to troubleshoot, which did not work. I tried it 3 times. Finally, a tow truck arrived 1 hour later. When I asked if it could be quicker because I was in a lane of traffic, I was told that if I felt unsafe to call 911 and nothing else could be done by Tesla. All through random text.

I have had no leaks, and no service warnings. Nothing. This can't be normal and now I feel completely unsafe. What if it happens again on the freeway? I'm scared for my life in this car. To make matters worse, the service center is closed today and the dealership was less than helpful. I need to get to work this week and they told me that they could either reimburse me for Uber rides or "try" to give me a loaner fleet vehicle for 24 hours. That doesn't do me any good.

I'm in complete disbelief at the entire situation. It's absurd and the car I received is clearly defective and doesn't meet minimum safety standards in this condition. They are luck no one has died as a result of this. I feel helpless and so disappointed.

Definitely not ok, has Tesla resolved it yet?

 

[Pianewman]

@AnaS just saw this post and wanted to apologize on behalf of everyone else. I feel so sorry for you. You literally bought a 2 week old car. You did nothing wrong. The car shut down while driving and left you in a position where you weren't even able to move the car (compared to an ICE car). Yet there are people who can still defend Tesla, when they shouldn't be defending them. I would be upset like you too. As you can see there are a lot of other people who empathize with you. We welcome you to the Tesla family and I personally think that Tesla definitely needs to be accountable and have this issue fixed. It is completely unacceptable, and I would ignore the people earlier in the thread trying to defend Tesla with NO basis.

(Seriously? Dangerous, for sure, to speak/apologize on behalf of the those with literally millions of miles, collectively, of auto ownership. [I accept YOUR apology, on behalf of everyone else!] )

As auto forums go, this thread has been exceptionally balanced. Plenty of sympathy/empathy, countered by those stating what should be obvious: ALL autos are extremely complex, and in the manufacture of 100s of thousands of cars (Tesla), failures shortly after delivery still occur. There's actually no way around it.

The reality that many cars (ICE included) can be immobilized by even a simple electronic glitch IS UNACCEPTABLE. Every manufacturer should be called out for this. There should always be a "safe" mode so the car can be moved when power, ICE or EV, is interrupted.

The OP's experience was very real, and most here have acknowledged that. For sure, the OP should file a report with NHTSA.

 

[Jjrss]

(Seriously? Dangerous, for sure, to speak/apologize on behalf of the those with literally millions of miles, collectively, of auto ownership. [I accept YOUR apology, on behalf of everyone else!] )

As auto forums go, this thread has been exceptionally balanced. Plenty of sympathy/empathy, countered by those stating what should be obvious: ALL autos are extremely complex, and in the manufacture of 100s of thousands of cars (Tesla), failures shortly after delivery still occur. There's actually no way around it.

The reality that many cars (ICE included) can be immobilized by even a simple electronic glitch IS UNACCEPTABLE. Every manufacturer should be called out for this. There should always be a "safe" mode so the car can be moved when power, ICE or EV, is interrupted.

The OP's experience was very real, and most here have acknowledged that. For sure, the OP should file a report with NHTSA.

But she wasn't driving an ICE, she wasnt driving the millions of other cars.

She was Driving a brandnew 2021 Tesla Model Y. Her experience is invaluable to the rest of us in the same boat, understanding exactly how a 2021 Model Y could fail and leave a driver stranded... with text messaging troubleshooting from the manufacturer.

Her experience is of value to this community and I'm thankful she has posted it so the rest of us know what to expect.

Your responses have not been. Nor provide any guidance on what to do or how to solve the problem if it happened to the rest of us. You are just playing the "it was 1 car people!!!"

Don't discount her experience and value.

 

[Pianewman]

Jjrss: You have totally misrepresented my posts.

This has been a balanced thread. Plenty of sympathy (from those who have NOT shared the OP's experience) and EMPATHY, from those who HAVE shared the OP's experience. Maybe you don't know the difference?

How can I offer any "...guidance on what to do or how to solve the problem..."? I will leave that to Tesla engineers.

I did state that she should report this to NHTSA, the National HighwayTraffic Safety Administration. They can add it to their list of previous Tesla failures.

Exactly what do you want me to say that would clarify my sympathy? Please re-read my posts and offer me some advice, privately, so we don't clutter an important and valuable thread with a petty pissing contest.

 

[EchoDelta]

This thread is now about how people react to the reaction of the reaction of the reaction to AnaS’s unfortunate incident.

 

[BrianBigNFun]

I actually had this happen in a nightmare of mine the first night after I took delivery and in addition my car wouldn't brake and went off a cliff
Good thing that there arent any cliffs in my area (so why I always dream about falling off one is a mystery)

I feel your anxiety, it would shake me up pretty badly as well

 

[RogerDodger]

It’s also the lowest ranked in initial quality out of every car brand in the world. And from what I’ve experienced it definitely has earned that title.

Someone is short TSLA...