Don't drive my Tesla in heavy rain due to battery damage???

[father_of_6]

Oh, and I *just* received a text that my Tesla Ecommerce Package is arriving tomorrow. What the **** is that? Nobody had told me anything about this and I have no idea of what it is. Great, another thing to chase down. Sigh.

My guess is... this is the mobile or wall connector that you selected at checkout.

 

[Richard__G]

My guess is... this is the mobile or wall connector that you selected at checkout.

Ahh, makes sense. Thanks!

 

[Richard__G]

My guess is... this is the mobile or wall connector that you selected at checkout.

Yup, you were right!

 

[10111MYLR]

Every Tesla is driven through deep water as part of final QC before releasing for delivery, I read here somewhere.

Stories all over the place driving through 12 inches or more of water. Not safe, just in general, but people do it.


I've driven ours for hours in heavy downpour with the wipers on full speed, hitting bad standing water dozens of times. No issues at all. (I should have stopped and waited for the storm to pass, that's how bad it was. Trucks pulled over, no one going over 45 on the freeway. Just felt adventurous I guess.)

What are you saying? It's industry practice to test cars that are sold in wetter climates more stringently? Like extra water testing for cars in Seattle vs LA? Source?

I worked with manufacturing engineers formerly from Toyota and Tesla, never heard of anything close to that. At a previous company, we supplied components to Caterpillar for equipment used on every continent, there was never any location based difference in end of line quality checks.

I can't say for sure because I've never worked for auto industry. But I worked for a large (probably #1 or 2) testing equipment company. We developed qualification testing that would subject new products to harsh environment that is beyond normal working environment. We cycled them too. Once we qualify a product, we'll have a different set of testing, called production test, more or less than just verifying that specs are met. Water testing seems like a qualification test and I would doubt that they test it on every single one. That's just crazy. To think of it, if they did, their cars wouldn't have left factories with **** quality issues.

You can kind of make a distinction between two things:
Buying a car from Tesla: Super easy
Trying to do a trade-in to Tesla who really doesn't want to deal with buying people's used cars: yeah, likely a pain in the ass.

Bingo. Their "no deal" mentality sucks.

 

[CyberGus]

Obviously if you drive in the rain, you'll be electrocuted

Even water-resistant products like watches specify "depth up to X meters for Y minutes". If the pack is submerged long enough, water will find a way in.

 

[father_of_6]

Obviously if you drive in the rain, you'll be electrocuted

Yeah, this has happened to me 3 times already. The first time it was scary, but now I consider it exhilarating and look forward to every opportunity to experience it. I don't need to drink coffee anymore either.

 

[EVer Hopeful]

Well I live in Texas, and if it rained so hard that it'd destroy the main battery . . .



. . . I'd just move over a lane

 

[Fourdoor]

Perhaps I am different than some, but when there were people at my job a few years ago who were asking questions about EV that were basically "leading" questions ("Did you know about? Arent you worried its going to catch on fire? These things arent mainstream yet..." etc.... I just replied "thanks for your input" and changed the subject.

I was at a job testing site for a new very competitive job (my now current job) and one of the other candidates asked if that was my Tesla in the parking lot. I said yes, and he gleefully informed me that it runs on coal... to which I replied "Yup, I currently work at a coal fired power plant, I enjoy getting high on my own supply"... he didn't know what to say to that. He then asked why I don't hook up an alternator to the wheels so I never have to plug in the car. I thought he was joking and made a smart-alec comment about how having a perpetual motion machine would be nice. He repeated the question, and several other candidates agreed with him. At that point I realized there was less competition for the job than I had thought.

Keith

 

[Richard__G]

I was at a job testing site for a new very competitive job (my now current job) and one of the other candidates asked if that was my Tesla in the parking lot. I said yes, and he gleefully informed me that it runs on coal... to which I replied "Yup, I currently work at a coal fired power plant, I enjoy getting high on my own supply"... he didn't know what to say to that. He then asked why I don't hook up an alternator to the wheels so I never have to plug in the car. I thought he was joking and made a smart-alec comment about how having a perpetual motion machine would be nice. He repeated the question, and several other candidates agreed with him. At that point I realized there was less competition for the job than I had thought.

Keith

GREAT story! I'm still waiting for delivery, but am telling my friends to wear insulated clothing when I take them out for a spin.

 

[father_of_6]

GREAT story! I'm still waiting for delivery, but am telling my friends to wear insulated clothing when I take them out for a spin.

LOL, and absolutely NO water near the car, lest they risk electrocution.

 

[EVer Hopeful]

At that point I realized there was less competition for the job than I had thought.

You say that but tbh, it depends on management to spot the same thing . . .

 

[Fourdoor]

You say that but tbh, it depends on management to spot the same thing . . .

Four hours allotted time to complete 4 tests, the person mentioned above taped out after 15 min. Took me 3 hours to complete and review (twice) the tests and when I was done there was one person left in the testing room... I considered him potential competition Everyone else lasted an hour or less and probably wrote down random crap or left most of the pages blank.

Keith

 

[Richard__G]

LOL, and absolutely NO water near the car, lest they risk electrocution.

Well.... I may carry a bucket of water with me on those occasions, dump it on ground on the passenger side, and warn them not to step in it while touching the car, just for shock value of course .

 

[EVer Hopeful]

I took a French test (B1 if you're up on that stuff) and one of the candidates in front of me absolutely covered her writing pad with doodles. I figured she was either really crap at French ... or really good

(but if she was that good, why was she sitting the B1?)

 

[flixden]

I was at a job testing site for a new very competitive job (my now current job) and one of the other candidates asked if that was my Tesla in the parking lot. I said yes, and he gleefully informed me that it runs on coal... to which I replied "Yup, I currently work at a coal fired power plant, I enjoy getting high on my own supply"... he didn't know what to say to that. He then asked why I don't hook up an alternator to the wheels so I never have to plug in the car. I thought he was joking and made a smart-alec comment about how having a perpetual motion machine would be nice. He repeated the question, and several other candidates agreed with him. At that point I realized there was less competition for the job than I had thought.

Keith

 

[CyberGus]

Four hours allotted time to complete 4 tests, the person mentioned above taped out after 15 min. Took me 3 hours to complete and review (twice) the tests and when I was done there was one person left in the testing room... I considered him potential competition Everyone else lasted an hour or less and probably wrote down random crap or left most of the pages blank.

Keith

As a kid I competed in a regional math test, many pages long and hours allotted. When I approached the end of the test, I glanced around the room to see how my peers were doing, and found myself alone. I assumed they were all smarter than me and had finished early.

Nope! They all gave up when it got hard. I ended up getting first place.

Good luck with your new job.

 

[Fourdoor]

As a kid I competed in a regional math test, many pages long and hours allotted. When I approached the end of the test, I glanced around the room to see how my peers were doing, and found myself alone. I assumed they were all smarter than me and had finished early.

Nope! They all gave up when it got hard. I ended up getting first place.

Good luck with your new job.

This took place a bit over a year ago, I love the new job and just purchased a house here... moving in end of this week / begining of next week. Glad I locked in my interest rate a month and a half ago!

Keith

 

[EVer Hopeful]

. . . and I'm glad my CDs and savings accounts are finally paying a worthwhile return

 

[plusplusjames]

I had a 2014 Model S and drove it from New Jersey to my office in Massachusetts the day after Labor Day 2022. As you may recall, there was a huge nor’easter that day. Wet interstate and driving rains. I never drove through open water, just the deluge of a standard heavy rainstorm.

That evening after work, the car issued 5 serious faults and would not drive. It was flatbedded away with the diagnosis of water egress in the main battery through the junction box. $15,000 to replace the battery and Tesla service would not budge.

I coughed up the 15 large and sold the car right away on eBay. Ive never had a car die because of standard wet roads. In my opinion this is a design flaw and needs to be addressed. In the meantime, I am very happy driving my 2023 Kia Stinger GT2 at half the price.

I’m still annoyed.

 

[Iron]

Ive never had a car die because of standard wet roads. In my opinion this is a design flaw and needs to be addressed. In the meantime, I am very happy driving my 2023 Kia Stinger GT2 at half the price.

I’m still annoyed.

So you just like hanging in the Tesla forums then?

While I've bought old ICE vehicles with tons of miles on them, I don't think I'd do that with an EV, even with low miles. The technology was so young back then that I'd worry about longevity, range and pack aging. Batteries and tech are improving so fast that an eight year old Ev just wouldnt appeal to me. Yeah, cheaper.... till it's not. I'd even dare guess that they are better sealed these days. And did you inspect the underside before purchase? A lot can happen to compromise a battery in 8 yrs.