Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

CA DMV failing Tesla car for behind the wheel drive test

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
I took my daughter this morning for her behind the wheel drive test at the DMV office in our Model 3. She was failed for "Mechanical Failure". According to the examiner, because of the regenerative braking which she was calling "auto braking". She was failed just because it was a Tesla and has regenerative braking. According to the examiner the car is braking by itself and therefore my daughter was failed for "Mechanical Failure". I got into a heated argument explaining that all electric cars have regenerative braking .....it is not "auto braking". This is ridiculous has anyone else run into this issue. This is idiotic....
This happened to my son this afternoon. I got into the same argument with the supervisor, telling them that this is just the way the car works, and how can they fail people this this, and they need to modernize their thinking. It old them they are penalizing people for going electric. But, it’s the DMV, and I got nowhere. We have two Teslas, and now need to borrow another car for the next test …
 
This happened to my son this afternoon. I got into the same argument with the supervisor, telling them that this is just the way the car works, and how can they fail people this this, and they need to modernize their thinking. It old them they are penalizing people for going electric. But, it’s the DMV, and I got nowhere. We have two Teslas, and now need to borrow another car for the next test …
Some people are just too stupid to deal with. You’ll have to go higher up the food chain to find someone with half a brain.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FlatSix911
This happened to my son this afternoon. I got into the same argument with the supervisor, telling them that this is just the way the car works, and how can they fail people this this, and they need to modernize their thinking. It old them they are penalizing people for going electric. But, it’s the DMV, and I got nowhere. We have two Teslas, and now need to borrow another car for the next test …
You can always use the brake pedal rather than the regenerative braking for the re-test. I am sure all the inspector wants to see is that the driver knows how to use the brakes in the car and is proficient at that skill. When the DMV hands you a license, its a license to drive ANY car. Not just Tesla. Sometimes you just have to play the game rather than fight the system.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Thp3
This happened to my son this afternoon. I got into the same argument with the supervisor, telling them that this is just the way the car works, and how can they fail people this this, and they need to modernize their thinking. It old them they are penalizing people for going electric. But, it’s the DMV, and I got nowhere. We have two Teslas, and now need to borrow another car for the next test …
You might want to try talking to the manager about the test, BEFORE the test. That seems to be the recommendation Teslarati got anyway.

“In the event (that) a customer has questions about taking a driving test in a particular vehicle, they should ask to speak with a manager before the test. DMV employees who give behind-the-wheel tests receive updated training as necessary,” the DMV Public Affairs Office noted."

 
  • Like
Reactions: CyberGus
That's a very good point and i would bring that up with the governor and the news media when I reported the incident.
It worked. It took a small town Gilroy DMV rogue employee who flunked the tester with Tesla regenerative brake to bring enough attention for the press to reverse the tide. After the TV station sent an e-mail, within 1 hour DMV reversed that flunking score into passing one!

 
Yup, next time reduce regen as much as the car permits & just tell her to put her foot on the brake like She is driving without regen. My Tesla has not arrived yet so hopefully this is possible. my wife drives my 2013 Volt like an ICE car and doesn’t try to rely on regen. Works fine in a Volt.
 
It's not even legal to *sell* Teslas in some states, nevermind drive them.

If the DMV right across the street from Tesla's Fremont factory doesn't think that Tesla's are road legal, what do you think is going to happen in other states?
Citation please. Did they register and collect tax on the vehicle? I'll bet they did. Your comment is typical rhetoric and narrative. Give citation that California does not consider the car 'road legal'.
 
  • Funny
Reactions: FlatSix911
It may not be an official California law to specifically name Tesla as illegal on the road but case after case, DMV test drive Examiners told drivers that if they want to pass, get a gasoline car.

I'm pretty sure this has now officially entered the category of internet mythology.

My buddy has a M3P, and his kid needed to take the driving test in San Jose. I recommended that they set the car to low regen and creep, to emulate an ICE car, based on the good recommendation in this thread. Kid passed the test on the first try. There was never any question about using an EV as the testing car.
 
I took my daughter this morning for her behind the wheel drive test at the DMV office in our Model 3. She was failed for "Mechanical Failure". According to the examiner, because of the regenerative braking which she was calling "auto braking". She was failed just because it was a Tesla and has regenerative braking. According to the examiner the car is braking by itself and therefore my daughter was failed for "Mechanical Failure". I got into a heated argument explaining that all electric cars have regenerative braking .....it is not "auto braking". This is ridiculous has anyone else run into this issue. This is idiotic....
The examiner should have also asked her to apply the brakes in a couple of scenarios.
It sounds like he or she didn’t and for that reason I would fault the examiner.