Model S decides to halt while backing up

[AB4EJ]

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I was at a Nissan dealer and they were going to let me charge on their J1772 for a while. There was an electronically-controlled gate, which they opened for me, and I was going to back up through this (very wide) road to the charger location. The gate was completely open (vertical). When I tried to back up the MS past this point, the MS would halt and not go past the gate's location. I didn't see any vehicles or obstacles close by that I thought would trigger any collision avoidance; there was no warning message or chime - the MS just would come to an abrupt halt when I tried to back through this point. After 3 tries, I had to turn the car around and go thru it going forward. No problem.

The only thing else I can add was that there was an in-ground sensor, so that the gate would open for cars coming out of the parking lot. I don't know what sensor in the back of the car would somehow react to this.

Has anyone else noticed this odd behavior?

 

[ChadFeldheimer]

Any chance you leaned out of the seat slightly to get a better view while backing up?

There's a sensor in the driver's seat. If it detects no one in the driver's seat, the S will apply the parking brake. The sensor is pretty sensitive and false positives on me occasionally - usually when I stick my head out the window to check on clearance to an obstacle.

It took a while for me to figure this out and adjust my behavior.

 

[AB4EJ]

Any chance you leaned out of the seat slightly to get a better view while backing up?

There's a sensor in the driver's seat. If it detects no one in the driver's seat, the S will apply the parking brake. The sensor is pretty sensitive and false positives on me occasionally - usually when I stick my head out the window to check on clearance to an obstacle.

It took a while for me to figure this out and adjust my behavior.

Not that I recall - seems to me that I was looking at the backup camera; but I suppose this is a possible explanation, my memory may be faulty...

 

[Donalee]

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I was at a Nissan dealer and they were going to let me charge on their J1772 for a while. There was an electronically-controlled gate, which they opened for me, and I was going to back up through this (very wide) road to the charger location. The gate was completely open (vertical). When I tried to back up the MS past this point, the MS would halt and not go past the gate's location. I didn't see any vehicles or obstacles close by that I thought would trigger any collision avoidance; there was no warning message or chime - the MS just would come to an abrupt halt when I tried to back through this point. After 3 tries, I had to turn the car around and go thru it going forward. No problem.

The only thing else I can add was that there was an in-ground sensor, so that the gate would open for cars coming out of the parking lot. I don't know what sensor in the back of the car would somehow react to this.

Has anyone else noticed this odd behavior?

Yes, I too experience this often, I was at a Tesla gathering yesterday and backing out of my parking spot my MS jolted me into park while reversing 3 times. Other Tesla owners said the same thing about the seat - But I already know to be aware of the and was NOT looking around my shoulder - I was watching the camera in front of me. It happens to me a LOT, mostly backing up out of my garage. But when it does it out somewhere... It is almost embarrassing. I too would love to figure this out.

 

[AB4EJ]

Isn't that intriguing... this has only happened to me that one time; so far it has not happened when backing out of garage. Has this been reported to service center?

 

[Bill D]

Did any of you having this halt-while-backing problem ever have the Tesla SC apply their Seat Fix Service Bulletin to your driver's seat that lowered the springs about 1.5 inches?

The reason I ask is that my wife has intermittently experienced this halt-while-backing problem in her P85 (while seated normally). We've recreated the problem, but only by lifting our butts almost completely off the seat. The problem has never happened to either of us in my P90D, so I've been suspecting an intermittent weight-sensing switch in her P85 or possibly a residual problem caused from Tesla's application of that Seat Fix Service Bulletin to her car in 2014.

 

[jlucero]

i had this issue one time last week in an apartment parking lot. it was from backing out as well from a spot. there were no obstructions. i park in the same spot all the time and never had this issue as well. so odd. it hasnt happened again. but it was disconcerting.

 

[AB4EJ]

Did any of you having this halt-while-backing problem ever have the Tesla SC apply their Seat Fix Service Bulletin to your driver's seat that lowered the springs about 1.5 inches?

The reason I ask is that my wife has intermittently experienced this halt-while-backing problem in her P85 (while seated normally). We've recreated the problem, but only by lifting our butts almost completely off the seat. The problem has never happened to either of us in my P90D, so I've been suspecting an intermittent weight-sensing switch in her P85 or possibly a residual problem caused from Tesla's application of that Seat Fix Service Bulletin to her car in 2014.

When did the Seat Fix Service Bulletin come out? My car was only built about 6 weeks ago.

 

[Bill D]

When did the Seat Fix Service Bulletin come out? My car was only built about 6 weeks ago.

It obviously doesn't apply to you. Our P85 was built in Jan 2014 and the Seat Fix was applied to it in mid-2014. I've suspected the Seat Fix modification damaged the switch.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

"Sorry Officer, I was driving down the road in reverse trying to replicate an issue a poster on Telsa Motors club was talking about".

 

[EV-lutioin]

Yes, this happened to me in my Model X yesterday, I was trying to back up and it kept stopping... I don't recall if I was turing around to look back or not, but after three attempts and abrupt stops, it backed up without stopping. Maybe I unweighted the seat???

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

If I was the OP I would have given up and used Summons.

Wouldn't that be funny? To sit outside your car holding the remote summing your car backwards cause you couldn't get it to drive in reverse sitting in the car.

 

[Todd Burch]

When backing,

1. Make sure your seat belt is fastened.
2. Make sure all doors are closed.

I think one of these things (can't remember which for certain) will cause the car to shift into park when you try to back with open doors or seat belt unfastened.

 

[jomo25]

Isn't that intriguing... this has only happened to me that one time; so far it has not happened when backing out of garage. Has this been reported to service center?

my bet is on seat belt wasn't fastened. You probably always fasten your seat belt when backing out of your garage. But in this case, you may not had it fastened.

 

[supratachophobia]

You people need to put your damn seat-belts on.

 

[Tree95]

When backing,

1. Make sure your seat belt is fastened.
2. Make sure all doors are closed.

I think one of these things (can't remember which for certain) will cause the car to shift into park when you try to back with open doors or seat belt unfastened.

3. There needs to be a butt of sufficient mass pushing down on the driver's seat. Lifting the butt while stretching over your shoulder will cause the car to shift into Park.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I have a 2013 without autopilot. This happens to me when I quickly get in, put foot on brake and immediately go into reverse and let go of brake. Sometimes it jolts me right into park.

 

[Whitmarsh]

This has never happened to me. I never put my belt on until I'm well out of the garage, so I don't think it can be that. I don't turn round either.

 

[RossS]

Was wondering what was causing this. I'm guessing it is butt-lift while looking behind me. Weird.