This is an embarrassing but true tale that demonstrates how quickly habits can form. I have owned my MS P100D for a bit over 100 days and love pretty much everything about it. While traveling on business, I rented "normal" car and appreciated just how special the TESLA really is. Its an entirely different experience- which led to an embarrassing mistake. I pulled into my office at 7:30 am, gathered my personal effects and went to in to work. When I returned to my vehicle with a colleague to go to lunch we realized that I had left the keys in the ignition with the engine running for 5 hours. I know I am going to get flamed by the forum for being so absent minded and it was certainly a stupid mistake, but I cant help but wonder if any other TESLA drivers have had similar muscle memory blunders. Anyone?
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Caution: TESLA caused me to leave my rental car running for 5 hours.
- Thread starter IamJohnGalt
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- Model S User Interface
My wife has had to remind me to turn off our minivan after parking. I however have rarely (if ever) driven alone in a gas-powered car since I got my Tesla 2 years ago, so it is possible I could make the same mistake if given the opportunity 
I also forget to look at the gas gauge. I find it very nerve-racking to never know how much gas I have until after I get in the car and start driving. Hard to plan out your day.
I also forget to look at the gas gauge. I find it very nerve-racking to never know how much gas I have until after I get in the car and start driving. Hard to plan out your day.
Reciprocity
Active Member
Haha.. same thing happened to me, but only for breakfast at a diner, so about an hour and a half.
Garlan Garner
Banned
The furthest I have gotten is just stepping out of my wife's car before realizing it was still running. Though nearly every time I drive it I accidentally turn on the windshield wipers trying to put the car in drive.
I have owned my MS for about 3 months now, I still own a Chevy Silverado, I drive it every once in awhile so that the battery doesn't die, this past Saturday I used it to run some errands. I had to put gas in it (oh the humanity!!) I pulled into the gas station, put it in park and jumped out of the truck, as I started to pump gas, I noticed the engine was still on!!!! LoL
jerjozwik
Active Member
back when i still had my 500e and just got my model s, i was moving the 500e around to fit my cars better when i got home from work. went outside the next morning and heard a very small electric hum will walking past the 500e. looked inside to see the dash fully illuminated, keys in ignition and car on. all... night... long. after that little incident ive been very aware of my other evs that still have standard key and ignition setups.
muleferg
Active Member
This has happened to me several times when I drive my wife's Ford Flex. When I drive my F150. it blows the horn 2 blast. And almost every time it blows the horn to remind me.
mknox
Well-Known Member
Opposite problem here. I'd driven my Model S for nearly 90,000 miles over 4.5 years and still, on occasion, reach up to where the ignition switch would be before getting out of the car. I have never once even come close to leaving an ICE car running (i.e rentals or other ICE cars I might drive from time to time).
Veritas1980
Electric Viking
Yes, with a rental car when travelling with work. Remembered to turn off then engine when I arrived at the hotel, but left the key in the ignition. Just realized it before I entered the reception.
You get used to a lot of things with a Tesla, I like this youtube video posted a short while ago. It's quite spot on if you ask me.
Pezpunk
Active Member
haha, yeah i any time i am driving my wife's minivan, i get out with the engine running.
chibi_kurochan
Member
We've had our tesla for a little over 3 months now.. and the very rare occasion I have to drive our Honda Accord hybrid, I would always walk away from the car without turning the ignition off.. good thing the accord would always beeps whenever you close the door with ignition on..
Our Prius beeps and our Volt honks if you get out and close the doors with the car running. It's annoying when you're doing it deliberately, _especially_ when it's the Volt because it's much louder. I have to put the door to, instead of close it, but sometimes forget.
So, not a problem I'll be facing.
So, not a problem I'll be facing.
bonnie
I play a nice person on twitter.
I took my Jeep to a detailer this morning (selling it, will have no ICE ever again) - and this strange BONG BONG BONG sound went off a few minutes after leaving the house.
My first thought was 'Oh great, something to repair before selling.' And then I realized it was warning me that it was low on fuel.
What the hell, Jeep???!!! You're not FULL every morning? This is nuts. Glad I'm selling it. (And don't even let me get started on the fact I had to go to an actual gas station.)
My first thought was 'Oh great, something to repair before selling.' And then I realized it was warning me that it was low on fuel.
What the hell, Jeep???!!! You're not FULL every morning? This is nuts. Glad I'm selling it. (And don't even let me get started on the fact I had to go to an actual gas station.)
Twice.
Once I had a loaner from the service center, and I parked in my work garage, start walking to work and go "what's that sound?". Engine was obviously still running.
Second time, I take my wife's ICE (I think she had the Tesla for some reason...). Like many cars, she has a keyless ignition. But she has a bunch of keychains on her keything, so I can't fit in my pocket. So I throw her keys on the passenger seat. I park, go to Target to buy a few things, come out to the garage and go "where are the keys?" as I'm approaching the car, it's still parked and running with the lights on. I tell her the story and she goes "well thankfully it wasn't stolen with our house keys and address".
Not doing that again (the leaving the keys on the seat, not the leaving the car running, I'm sure that'll happen again).
Once I had a loaner from the service center, and I parked in my work garage, start walking to work and go "what's that sound?". Engine was obviously still running.
Second time, I take my wife's ICE (I think she had the Tesla for some reason...). Like many cars, she has a keyless ignition. But she has a bunch of keychains on her keything, so I can't fit in my pocket. So I throw her keys on the passenger seat. I park, go to Target to buy a few things, come out to the garage and go "where are the keys?" as I'm approaching the car, it's still parked and running with the lights on. I tell her the story and she goes "well thankfully it wasn't stolen with our house keys and address".
Not doing that again (the leaving the keys on the seat, not the leaving the car running, I'm sure that'll happen again).
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