Model X shift stick lock / child safety

[HenryCH]

Hello all - I just took delivery of a Model X 100D. I am aiming to do a post about it but for now I have a question which I could not find an answer for in my many hours in the forum. I have two kids and they normally play in the car when we park somewhere etc - however I am concerned that they might accidentally put the car in D or R (so I have forbade them from the front seats). So my question:

is there a lock feature that effectively switches off the car or locks the shifter so that even if moved it would not put the car on D or R?

Or is there a workaround that would achieve the same?

Thank you everyone

 

[JPP]

Are you in the car with them and have the fob? Are they alone in the car and no fob inside the car? If there is not an object (person) of sufficient weight sitting in the drivers seat, then even with the fob present the car cannot be shifted out of Park. If no fob present, then no worry at all.

 

[HenryCH]

That's great thank you for the answer. In some cases I will be in the car with the fob, I'm less worried about this scenario. I'm more concerned about a case when they jump to my seat when I leave the car for unloading etc.

As I understand the functionality is 1. Certain weight on seat and 2. Fob near/around driver's seat.

Ok that gives me some flexibility I just need to make sure that I am aware of where the two fobs are when/if the kids are in the front seat. I will test this out (not with the kids )

 

[outie]

You need to press the brake to shift out of park. Since you have two kids... that might be an issue. If they deliberately want to shift the car out of park one can press on the brake the other touches the stalk.

 

[HenryCH]

Isn't that you need to press the break only when the car is off?
I'm not sure they would want to or could coordinate to move the stalk deliberately but I'm more concerned about doing so accidentally.

 

[HenryCH]

Quick update I was abke to drive the car with the fob outside the car about two meters. My wife stepped out with the fob while I parked.

 

[mxnym]

Quick update I was abke to drive the car with the fob outside the car about two meters. My wife stepped out with the fob while I parked.

Once a vehicle's "ignition switch" is on, it can be driven until the "ignition switch" is turned off. For ICE vehicles with intelligent keys and push start buttons, this requires putting the vehicle in park and then pressing the button to move the "ignition switch" back to the off (and locked) position. Removing the key from the vehicle while the engine is running will not shut off the engine. Pressing the button to turn off the ICE engine while the vehicle is not in park will not prevent someone else from starting it up without the key because the "ignition switch" will be in the accessory position and not locked. It is not much different with a Tesla. Specifically, once someone in the driver's seat presses the brake pedal while a key is inside the vehicle, it will switch out of "car off" mode (equivalent to ignition switch off and locked) and be drivable until it is put into park and the driver gets out of the vehicle (or sits in the vehicle while it is in park for something like 30 minutes) and the vehicle goes back to "car off" mode. In the case you are referring to, it sounds like your wife got out of the passenger seat while you were driving. If so, the behavior you describe is expected (in a push button start ICE and in a Tesla). On the other hand, if she was driving and got out with the key so the IC showed "car off" then you should not have been able to get in and switch out of "car off" mode. In that scenario, you should contact service about the issue, especially if it is consistently reproducible. On the other hand, as I haven't paid extreme attention to the details of how this system works, if the IC still showed PRNDS even though she got out, it is possible it won't switch to "car off" mode until the door is closed, in which case the behavior could arguable be considered expected if she hadn't closed the door.

 

[Aljohn]

All is true. However, you need to make sure the X of OFF before leaving the car. I think your original instincts are correct -- keep out of the front seats.

 

[ninefiveone]

We have a 5 year old and recognize little ones have an impressive ability to accomplish what seems impossible but it’s a decent list of things they need to accomplish at the same time to shift the car out of park:

- fob in car
- enough weight in driver seat
- foot on brake
- push shifter

Hard to imagine even 2 little kids pulling that off at the exact same time.

 

[commasign]

The problem isn't that different than any modern car with push button start/stop. But I would like to see Tesla release some sort of customizable lockout mode with the ability to disable driving, touchscreen, falcon wing doors, etc., This would be helpful when showing off the car at National Drive Electric Week events and other EV or Tesla meetups.

 

[outie]

Quick update I was abke to drive the car with the fob outside the car about two meters. My wife stepped out with the fob while I parked.

That’s the same behavior on any other keyless cars. If the car is started, one can walk out with the key and continue to drive, until the car is turned off.

If you made sure the car is in P before you left the car, they’d need to press on the brake to shift the car out of P.

 

[Lloyd]

You also have to be about 80 lbs in weight to actuate the seat sensor or it goes back into park.