Ben Baller Locked in Car

[Economite]

This is a kind of interesting Instagram thread: on Instagram: “To those who been asking about an update on #Tesla. I have to say, They reached back out to me somewhat quickly as it was a weekend and by…”

There's apparently quite a saga on this: A celebrity jeweler who made a $37,000 ring for Elon Musk said the Tesla CEO canceled their meeting after the jeweler posted on Instagram about being locked in his Model X

Once again, I don't understand Elon's obsession with making doors that don't have a standard, mechanical, latch to open from the inside. He's gotta stop innovating on doors. It shouldn't be fly-by-wire.

 

[Tam]

...mechanical, latch to open from the inside...

The Manual says:

"Opening Interior Doors with No Power
If Model X has no electrical power, the front doors open as usual using the interior door handles. To open the rear doors, carefully remove the speaker grille from the door and pull the mechanical release cable down and towards the front of the vehicle. After the latch is released, manually lift up the door."

Model S front doors can be open from inside the usual way with no power needed too.

Model 3 front doors can be open from inside by a separate mechanical latch when there's no power.

Something is missing in this story.

 

[Cirrus MS100D]

Once again, I don't understand Elon's obsession with making doors that don't have a standard, mechanical, latch to open from the inside. He's gotta stop innovating on doors. It shouldn't be fly-by-wire.

To be fair, my last 2 Subaru’s (and most other cars on earth) had a mechanical switch that prevented the rear doors from opening from the inside. They were the child locks. When they were engaged, that’s it. You can pull the damned handle off and those doors were not opening.

I’m only bringing up the fact that there will also be some sort of “undesirable state” whether mechanical or electromechanical. It’s unclear why his front doors didn’t work, though it wouldn’t be shocking if he had the child locks engaged, it might explain why the falcon doors didn’t open (though he also didn’t try the emergency release...)

I don’t know or follow the guy, but it’s interesting somebody on his IG asked whether they thought any of his “aftermarket mods” might have played a role. I don’t know even IF he had any aftermarket mods, but that would good to know.

 

[Flyguy]

The wine on my MS auto-lower to clear the roof rail when opening the door. How does that happen with no power?

 

[Cirrus MS100D]

The wine on my MS auto-lower to clear the roof rail when opening the door. How does that happen with no power?

It doesn't; it grinds and makes a nasty scraping sound of glass on trim, but you can still get out. (Careful closing the door, though, as the window will scrap again on the way back!)

 

[Peteybabes]

The wine on my MS auto-lower to clear the roof rail when opening the door. How does that happen with no power?

i think you mean window? might have to just break it?

 

[TheGrimSweeper]

Was he in the front seat? If so his story makes no sense. The front door level act as both an electrical and mechanical release.

 

[ngogas]

why endorse someone when they talk crap about you. i'd cancelled the meeting too! haha

 

[clyjr]

A man died in a corvette a few years ago because the battery died and he didn't know how to get out. Not having a "standard" mechanical latch isn't exclusive to Tesla...

 

[Tam]

I have no doubt that he was locked in the car for 47 minutes just like I believed the picture of John Broder's loaner car with the proof that was towed in the middle of the New York Times' report.

But something was missing as if there was a lack of knowledge and basic competency.

 

[Flyguy]

It doesn't; it grinds and makes a nasty scraping sound of glass on trim, but you can still get out. (Careful closing the door, though, as the window will scrap again on the way back!)

Ah, good to know, thanks. It would be pretty serious flaw if it prevented the door from opening...

 

[Flyguy]

i think you mean window? might have to just break it?

Yes, window, thanks. Damn that auto correct! Cirrus seems pretty sure that it would scrape, and not prevent the door from opening.

 

[stephenti]

A man died in a corvette a few years ago because the battery died and he didn't know how to get out. Not having a "standard" mechanical latch isn't exclusive to Tesla...

Except... there WAS a mechanical latch by his left foot. Vettes have it, and I have the same in my CTS-V Coupe.

 

[clyjr]

Except... there WAS a mechanical latch by his left foot. Vettes have it, and I have the same in my CTS-V Coupe.

Sure, I've had a couple vettes myself. Still, the X front doors are supposed to open with no power anyway. There is also the mechanical release for the rear doors as mentioned. It all sounds fishy to me, especially the part where he gave up the lease an a P100D for $1078 / month...

If they truly wouldn't open, then hopefully Tesla figures it out and does a recall to fix the issue...

 

[losangeles]

it seems like the mechanical release didn't function on the front seats. with 3 child seats across in the back, it would be difficult for him to open up the speaker and pull the release.

to be fair, in normal driving, i would not expect all my passengers to be informed on how to find the emergency release. it's not like every person i drive is given a manual and explicit instructions on how to escape in an emergency. i myself might know it but if i was incapacitated, then everyone else would be on their own.

even looking at this video and knowing where the emergency release is, i don't think any toddler or small child would be able to open the FWD in a timely manner. it's not like the manual wire is clearly labeled even and even then, the doors are exceptionally heavy for a small child to open.

in the end the manual release for the FWD is not what i would consider easy for people to understand/use in an event of an emergency

 

[Economite]

A man died in a corvette a few years ago because the battery died and he didn't know how to get out. Not having a "standard" mechanical latch isn't exclusive to Tesla...

I'd argue it is a bad idea for any manufacturer. But Tesla seems to take the prize for the sheer number of different electronic controls it installs either in series with or redundant to its mechanical door mechanisms. Not a big fan of the lie-flat external door handles on the S and X either; or with the need for the power windows to operate on the M3 as part of the door opening process.

 

[Cirrus MS100D]

...
even looking at this video and knowing where the emergency release is, i don't think any toddler or small child would be able to open the FWD in a timely manner. it's not like the manual wire is clearly labeled even and even then, the doors are exceptionally heavy for a small child to open.

(Putting on my dad hat...) TBF, a toddler or small child will be in a 5 point harness attached to their car seat, which should make it impossible for them to get out, if properly buckled. If the kid is slightly older and has the dexterity to be able to unbuckle the car seat seatbelt, I will be damned sure to have the child locks engaged, which on an "old fashioned" car are "un-overridable", meaning they're not realistically getting out either way.