Model X Crash

[AnxietyRanger]

Sorry to hear about your accident! Very glad nobody got hurt.

IMO the silverlining is that, that would actually look like a fairly "clean" repair job. I guess local cultures can be different, but I find that on TMC the talk turns to totalling a car quite a bit sooner than I would expect from other experience. In this case for instance it seems only two metal panels would need replacement, requiring no painted seams which is great (and no hit to the tyre/axle), plus of course a new bumper, airbags, replacement of related interior trim and front corner items, but those are just new click-on parts... The only "dirty" part would be potentially straightening of chassis bits up front...

As far as repairs go, it would seem like a clean end result could be expected?

 

[MP3Mike]

The only "dirty" part would be potentially straightening of chassis bits up front...

You don't get to straighten the chassis bits, if they are out of factory specs they have to be replaced. (At least according to Tesla procedures.)

 

[AnxietyRanger]

You don't get to straighten the chassis bits, if they are out of factory specs they have to be replaced. (At least according to Tesla procedures.)

Fair enough, I don't know the Tesla procedure. I do know that in some other cars certain chassis parts certainly are straightened if the aberration is minor enough. Hard to tell from the photos if something is bent.

 

[HabitualUser]

Update : the local Tesla approved body shop has the vehicle and are looking it over to determine total loss or repair, I am worried they will try to repair... Stay tuned. Either way we will be out a Tesla for 2-3 months... And I'm waiting on my model 3 as well... We may end up getting 2 Tesla's in February... Right now stuck with 2 ICE and it sucks

Be prepared to wait twice as long for the repair. The damage doesn't look quite bad enough to be considered totaled, which is unfortunate, as ordering a new Model X would be faster than the repair. Though depending on the insurance payout it might not be worth it.

 

[chelseap]

Airbag deployment indicates a hard hit. Your wife may feel fine, even initially euphoric at having survived. Nevertheless, she should keep a daily journal, from here on out, on what she's doing and how she's feeling physically, mentally and emotionally, and note the date and time of recording. Issues can surface days, weeks, months and years after a crash. That journal may end up being continued on the instructions of counsel. I learned more than I ever wanted to know, from unfortunate experience. Glad to be alive, but...

 

[verygreen]

New I tried this on my S and, unfortunately, Tesla claims that the cameras do NOT record footage so I don't think there's anything you an do.

This is not entirely truthful.
When a car detects it's in an accident, it makes a record of last 10 seconds of all cameras (on AP2+, on AP1 something like 7 seconds).

Now there are accidents when the card did not detect it was in an accident, but I am pretty sure this one was not one of them.

If you let the AP2 car connect to wifi, it would send the footage to the mothership and I think erase it locally. It also tends to remove "stale" snapshots all on it's own over time.
"accident" footage might be special-casedto be held longer/ sent over 4g too, I've never been into one to witness this with my own eyes.

 

[DrivingTheFuture]

Airbag deployment indicates a hard hit. Your wife may feel fine, even initially euphoric at having survived. Nevertheless, she should keep a daily journal, from here on out, on what she's doing and how she's feeling physically, mentally and emotionally, and note the date and time of recording. Issues can surface days, weeks, months and years after a crash. That journal may end up being continued on the instructions of counsel. I learned more than I ever wanted to know, from unfortunate experience. Glad to be alive, but...

Please feel free to message me directly and share anything you're willing to about your story. I really want to make sure we are prepared for anything

 

[DrivingTheFuture]

Sorry to hear about your accident! Very glad nobody got hurt.

IMO the silverlining is that, that would actually look like a fairly "clean" repair job. I guess local cultures can be different, but I find that on TMC the talk turns to totalling a car quite a bit sooner than I would expect from other experience. In this case for instance it seems only two metal panels would need replacement, requiring no painted seams which is great (and no hit to the tyre/axle), plus of course a new bumper, airbags, replacement of related interior trim and front corner items, but those are just new click-on parts... The only "dirty" part would be potentially straightening of chassis bits up front...

As far as repairs go, it would seem like a clean end result could be expected?

My biggest fear with repair is time... However, the more I think about it I think there still may be a chance for it to be written off. Here's another photo (of the interior) that makes me think the B pillar might be bent ... Or perhaps it's an optical illusion. But I did notice that the trunk refused to close and made the obstacle detected sound even with multiple tries, which makes me think there may be a domino effect of twisted chassis that subtly carries through the whole left side of the car. For those who are interested or might have pricing advice, here's a list of all that needs to be fixed or replaced:

-9 airbags
-2 middle row seats (6 seat version, Tesla service confirmed that if airbags deployed out of seat, entire seat needs replaced)
-Steering wheel (at least the center)
-Front footwell trim
-driver side dash trim
- frunk lid
-Left front quarter panel
-entire front bumper
-interior frunk assembly, latch, related parts
-front left headlight, assembly, wiring harness, related parts
-left wheel arch trim
-front right wheel arch trim
-both front wheel arch mudguards
-front left b pillar (straightened?) And window seal replaced
- inside falcon wing door panels on both sides
-front right footwell trim
-driver side visor
-both rear falcon wing window trim
-new aluminum pieces painted to match
-new smart air suspension system (dash was throwing multiple error codes, messages that it needs service)

That's all I can think of from a visual inspection. Wife seems to be her usual self and is feeling well. Small bruise on her arm appeared day 2 (or we just didn't notice it). She is complaining about her Nissan Rogue rental tho

 

[mattack4000]

Time to put in a deposit for another one!

 

[DrivingTheFuture]

Time to put in a deposit for another one!

And a dash cam!

 

[AnxietyRanger]

@DrivingTheFuture Thank you for the added insight. Good luck!

 

[Canuck]

Glad no one was hurt but sorry to see that accident @DrivingTheFuture

If it's not your fault and they do repair it, don't forget about the diminished value claim. You can use that to help fund your Model 3. But looking at the pics, I'd be hoping it's totaled -- just mentioning a potential silver lining in case it's not.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

The price of safety in modern car design is that, at least on quick glance, incidents like this look like the airbag deployments can almost cause more material and financial damage than the actual crash. This is not jut Tesla of course, but most modern cars.

Of course that may be an exaggeration and there is no price too high for saving people, so I'm glad that the airbags are (and were in this case) there, but in longer-term I do wonder if it weren't possible or prudent to design interior trim and seats that wouldn't need complete replacement in the event of an otherwise "clean" passenger compartment crash (assuming a crash that didn't result in structural damage there). I guess returning to the old times of "openings" for airbags isn't plausible, but just a thought if manufacturers could design for more environmentally friendly (less waste) in this area in general? Some of this is of course already mitigated by the car's computers deciding when to deploy and when not to...

Tesla's policy on the seat replacements may be a tad bit unique, though, they tend to replace seats where other manufacturers merely replace the seat covers and, of course, the airbags as need may be. Well, the monopost seats especially are unique in many ways.

 

[MelaniainLA]

Glad no one was hurt but sorry to see that accident @DrivingTheFuture

If it's not your fault and they do repair it, don't forget about the diminished value claim. You can use that to help fund your Model 3. But looking at the pics, I'd be hoping it's totaled -- just mentioning a potential silver lining in case it's not.

And demand that they give you a Tesla rental until your old car is totaled or returned to you fixed! You're entitled to a Tesla not a Rogue.

 

[DrivingTheFuture]

Glad no one was hurt but sorry to see that accident @DrivingTheFuture

If it's not your fault and they do repair it, don't forget about the diminished value claim. You can use that to help fund your Model 3. But looking at the pics, I'd be hoping it's totaled -- just mentioning a potential silver lining in case it's not.

Tell me more about this diminished value claim...

 

[DrivingTheFuture]

And demand that they give you a Tesla rental until your old car is totaled or returned to you fixed! You're entitled to a Tesla not a Rogue.

Who would we demand that from? It's not Teslas fault so I feel they don't owe us anything, and our insurance covers rentals of $50 a day. I don't see them covering it either :-/ I guess if the delays to repair became unbearably long then Tesla would owe us something... But this is a tough one

 

[sub]

Tell me more about this diminished value claim...

I've never done this but basically you get compensated for the decreased value of your vehicle if it's fixable. If you ever go to sell it the carfax will list the accident and a buyer won't pay as much.

 

[Canuck]

Tell me more about this diminished value claim...

How do I get full value for my crashed car?

 

[MelaniainLA]

Who would we demand that from? It's not Teslas fault so I feel they don't owe us anything, and our insurance covers rentals of $50 a day. I don't see them covering it either :-/ I guess if the delays to repair became unbearably long then Tesla would owe us something... But this is a tough one

If someone else's fault, the insurance of the person who hit you...

 

[Buddyroe]

The price of safety in modern car design is that, at least on quick glance, incidents like this look like the airbag deployments can almost cause more material and financial damage than the actual crash. This is not jut Tesla of course, but most modern cars.

I wonder why they can't build an intelligent system that knows when someone is in the seat. The OP made it sound like there was no one else in the car but his wife. So what's the point of the rear seat airbags deploying?