Brake failure on brand new MYP?

[H4V0C]

Looking for advice on how to collect vehicle logs and or how to start a discussion with Tesla.
I was driving apx 30mph when traffic in front of me made an abrupt stop. I applied the brakes but the car barely slowed. Considering the MYP has performance brakes, I would have expected it would easily stop in 10-15ft max? If I had to guess, I was still going about 15mph when I collided with the car in front of me. Felt like the brakes just never engaged. I must have watched the dash cam video 20 times trying to make sense of it. From what I can see, the nose dove slightly when I first applied the brakes, but after that, there didn't appear to be any reduction of speed.

I had less than 1k miles on it at the time and never had to do an emergency brake before this. I know Teslas are heavy but I have plenty of seat time with my wife's Model 3 so I'm fairly confident that this was some form of braking malfunction. Also a bit curious why the collision avoidance system didn't help in this situation, it does a pretty stellar job of phantom braking for vehicles crossing way down the road ahead of me.
Anyway, I let my insurance company know that I want this investigated as a brake failure. Any thoughts on whether I should reach out to Tesla to have them investigate or let my insurance do their thing? Or is anyone aware of any other Model Ys having a similar issue? In hindsight I'm wondering if I should've asked for a police report to have it documented that the roads were in good condition (ie no rain or sand) at the time. Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[jjrandorin]

Not a single one (not one) of these claims of "brake failure" has so far turned out to be actually a brake failure. Maybe yours will be the first.

I guess I should also note that I have a model 3 performance, and have had it for 3.5 years, and picked up a model Y performance for my wife in the beginning of march of this year, and find these cars to be fairly different in how they drive, and how they feel braking. Said another way, I dont think your seat time in the model 3 means much as it pertains to "how long will it take to slow this heavier car".

 

[Tam]

...vehicle logs...

It's your data so you are entitled to have it. However, I don't think you can easily get it by just calling Tesla. It might get you to jump through many hoops and by the time they get it, the data might be not there!

Thus, the most practical thing to do is:

1) Get it yourself: Pay to get your own Tesla Event Data Recorder (EDR) resources:

Event Data Recorder

2) Get it through your lawyer: Your lawyer can go to court to make sure Tesla preserves the data if there's a lengthy holdup.

3) Get it through your Insurance: Not as good as your lawyer because its goal is to settle the coverage and not necessarily there's a need for data if there's a settlement ready.

 

[thesmokingman]

I was driving apx 30mph when traffic in front of me made an abrupt stop... I would have expected it would easily stop in 10-15ft max?

You're way *off* on your expectations. It takes around 40ft+ just to react at 30mph and about the same in actual braking distance on average. But you expect it to stop in 15ft???

 

[zecar]

It's your fault. Move on.

 

[H4V0C]

You're way *off* on your expectations. It takes around 40ft+ just to react at 30mph and about the same in actual braking distance on average. But you expect it to stop in 15ft???

Yeah that's fair, 15ft wasn't realistic (at all). I was just poorly guesstimating what the stopping distance felt like based on similar experiences. Clearly I was way off.

I'm willing to accept that I was the sole reason for the crash, but something definitely seemed off. Guess I need the logs for some closure?

 

[thesmokingman]

I guess it wouldn't hurt though I don''t know much about the request process. Also there's stipulations depending on your state, etc.

 

[jcanoe]

Did you have the Forward Collision Warning and the Automatic Emergency Braking features engaged?

 

[H4V0C]

Did you have the Forward Collision Warning and the Automatic Emergency Braking features engaged?

It's at the collision center now but I'll verify when I have a chance. I don't think I would've turned those off. I believe my rationale was I'll leave everything alone and only tinker if I experience some of the more severe phantom braking issues that others mention. I've only had a handful of phantom braking issues and they weren't abrupt stops so it was definitely gaining my trust.

 

[jeremymc7]

Did you have the Forward Collision Warning and the Automatic Emergency Braking features engaged?

Not OP, but personally I keep everything and set to early and audible when possible. Can be annoying at some times; but still worth it.

 

[Wahnyc]

Can we see the dashcam video?

 

[PACEMD]

Brakes? What are brakes?

 

[Pianewman]

Just guessing here, but depending on ambient temps, overnight rust on the rotors, temp of the brakes at the time, and (hard?) performance brake pads, there might not have been much bite in the brakes.

I'm also wondering about the distances you're remembering, and how little time you had to react might indicate how close you actually were prior to engaging the brakes and the ultimate crash.

The laws of physics win every time.

 

[jjrandorin]

Can we see the dashcam video?

OP I am going to give you the same caution that I give others when someone asks this question. There is little that TMC members seem to enjoy more, than "digging in" to a video of a crash here, dissecting it frame by frame, and saying things like "if you look at 45 seconds into the video and pause it, you can clearly see......"

You have absolutely NOTHING to gain from posting this video, other than the potential acceptance of your position by a bunch of internet strangers. What you have to lose, however, is what many times turns into a proverbial "witch hunt", that will last long past this thread.

TL ; DR ... I advise that you dont post any video, but of course thats up to you.

 

[Mattemsmy]

This is why I use my brakes hard at least once a week. With the regen on high you really don’t use the brakes and they could have build up on the rotors and pads. When you try to panic stop it won’t. Every time I wash my car the next day I go and do 3 moderates stops and by the 4th she stops very well. Sorry to hear this and hope I’m wrong. But this is my opinion.

as far as the collision avoidance system I keep mine off I had it try to pull me into another lane on a two-lane highway after it told me I was going to go off road sometimes this car is not smarter than the driver. I do use auto pilot in traffic but that’s pretty much it again sorry to hear about your brand new model Y hope it works out for you. If you plan on getting a lawyer I would not post your dash cam video.

 

[MY-Y]

If you never bedded your brakes, they won't be at peak performance.

 

[HellsKitchen]

Were you charged to 100% when this happened?

 

[Pianewman]

jjrandorin: I respect your caution to the OP, but seriously, I think this thread has maintained a level of dignity and respect. I think we would all LEARN from the OP posting his dashcam video. Seeking facts benefits all of us.

"Witch hunt"? Hardly. I see no indication of that in this thread. A dashcam video would allow the OP, and the collective here at TMC, to determine is it was "operator error" or possibly a failure of the braking system. The OP seems to be open about this, and hasn't been defensive about his responsibility.

 

[bluetrep1]

Be careful OP, there is consequence if you fight with Tesla and its fanboys

Tesla owner who claimed “brake failure” ordered to issue formal apology in 10 days

A former Model 3 The case of a former Tesla Model 3 owner from China who claimed that his vehicle experienced “brake failure” and unintended acceleration has been ordered by a court to issue a formal apology to the company in 10 days. According to the court, the Model 3 owner was entirely...

www.teslarati.com

 

[jjrandorin]

jjrandorin: I respect your caution to the OP, but seriously, I think this thread has maintained a level of dignity and respect. I think we would all LEARN from the OP posting his dashcam video. Seeking facts benefits all of us.

"Witch hunt"? Hardly. I see no indication of that in this thread. A dashcam video would allow the OP, and the collective here at TMC, to determine is it was "operator error" or possibly a failure of the braking system. The OP seems to be open about this, and hasn't been defensive about his responsibility.

I didnt say that it was happening in this thread. I said it happens in virtually every thread that someone posts a crash video that they were involved in here, and says "I couldnt have" or "it was so and so". If you havent seen that in other threads like this when someone posts a video, then... shrug.