My Tesla Model 3 was towed by Towing Company

[TheParad1se]

Greetings ! I can't describe how excited I was after I received my M3 on Monday, but can say how SHOCKED I was this morning after my vehicle was towed by towing company in my apartment complex....

I will not go into details why it happened, because I'm hiring a lawyer to handle this situation. After I went to pick up my M3 at their parking lot, I did inspect visually my almost brand new car and didn't find any scratches or damages. Towing employee described me that they used towing dollies so the tires didn't even touch the ground, but I can't believe them at all. I did drove the vehicle today for about 50 miles and didn't even notice any difference than it was before.

I did read the manual and I do know Tesla requirements for towing the vehicle. I checked this forum and googled, but I didn't see anyone having the same experience. Am I first ? What should I do in this case ? I'm really afraid that they caused damage to the vehicle, but how can I check it ?

 

[Trevor B]

Maybe read and observe parking rules? Just a thought ...

 

[voip-ninja]

Greetings ! I can't describe how excited I was after I received my M3 on Monday, but can say how SHOCKED I was this morning after my vehicle was towed by towing company in my apartment complex....

I will not go into details why it happened, because I'm hiring a lawyer to handle this situation. After I went to pick up my M3 at their parking lot, I did inspect visually my almost brand new car and didn't find any scratches or damages. Towing employee described me that they used towing dollies so the tires didn't even touch the ground, but I can't believe them at all. I did drove the vehicle today for about 50 miles and didn't even notice any difference than it was before.

I did read the manual and I do know Tesla requirements for towing the vehicle. I checked this forum and googled, but I didn't see anyone having the same experience. Am I first ? What should I do in this case ? I'm really afraid that they caused damage to the vehicle, but how can I check it ?

If they used dollies properly your car should be fine. Have Tesla check it out if you need reassurance.

The only other acceptable way to tow a Tesla is get into the car and put it in the mode that lets it be rolled around. It then needs to be towed on a flatbed. Failure to do these things will result in damage of the car.

 

[SJC3]

Maybe read and observe parking rules? Just a thought ...

Doubt he got a lawyer if he violated parking rules.

 

[David3]

Tesla roadside assist towed my car with dollies too so it should be fine.

 

[wdolson]

The ideal is to put the car into towing mode, but there was an S a few years back that ran the battery down to nothing (I believe it wasn't his fault because an entire supercharger he needed was out of service due to a local power outage). Tesla got him a tow to the next working supercharger, but the battery had gotten so low he couldn't get the car to boot up and get to the towing screen. The tow truck driver dragged the car onto a flatbed with the parking brake on. It left a skid mark in the parking lot getting it onto the truck, but the car was fine once they got some charge into the battery. To get one set of tires onto the dolly would require dragging the car a shorter distance than onto a flatbed.

 

[ewoodrick]

Greetings ! I can't describe how excited I was after I received my M3 on Monday, but can say how SHOCKED I was this morning after my vehicle was towed by towing company in my apartment complex....

I will not go into details why it happened, because I'm hiring a lawyer to handle this situation. After I went to pick up my M3 at their parking lot, I did inspect visually my almost brand new car and didn't find any scratches or damages. Towing employee described me that they used towing dollies so the tires didn't even touch the ground, but I can't believe them at all. I did drove the vehicle today for about 50 miles and didn't even notice any difference than it was before.

I did read the manual and I do know Tesla requirements for towing the vehicle. I checked this forum and googled, but I didn't see anyone having the same experience. Am I first ? What should I do in this case ? I'm really afraid that they caused damage to the vehicle, but how can I check it ?

The Tesla requirements are if the wheels are touching the road. Many wrecker companies that do illegal towing use dollies, as you just connect the dollies and pull away. The you don't worry about having to take it out of gear and brakes off. Allows you to get in and out without someone yelling at you.

So I guess there may only be one person to blame.

 

[TeeEmCee]

Doubt he got a lawyer if he violated parking rules.

Right, ‘cause tow company operators and the douches who call them in apartment or condo complexes are some of the finest and most honest people around.

 

[SSedan]

Since tires sliding on the road is so devistating to mechanical parts locking up the brakes before ABS destroyed cars. Junkyards are full of cars with nothing wrong with them other than they slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting something.

Does that make sense?
Tire grip is the weak like in the chain, vehicle damage from sliding tires is a rare exception not typical.

 

[Daniel in SD]

Since tires sliding on the road is so devistating to mechanical parts locking up the brakes before ABS destroyed cars. Junkyards are full of cars with nothing wrong with them other than they slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting something.

Does that make sense?
Tire grip is the weak like in the chain, vehicle damage from sliding tires is a rare exception not typical.

Locking up the wheels can definitely destroy tires but I've never heard of it doing other damage. How could it?

 

[compu85]

Ya, if anything having ABS stop the car puts more stress on the suspension / bushings because the car stops quicker, and it pulses. If you lock the wheels, the tires start sliding and you get less friction.

With a Tesla, you could happily drag it along with the rear wheels skidding. Assuming you had a good pick point, nothing could be damaged except the tires. It's not like a car with an automatic trans park pawl, where you're putting all that force on the small park pawl, and driveline.

-J

 

[wdolson]

Locking up the wheels can definitely destroy tires but I've never heard of it doing other damage. How could it?

I'm not a car expert, but I've never heard of a car getting severe damage from just an emergency stop and not hitting anything. If something did happen to the brakes in such an emergency stop, I would think the car could be put back on the road quite easily with some wheel work. At worst the brake mechanism would have to be replaced.

 

[TT97]

I'm not a car expert, but I've never heard of a car getting severe damage from just an emergency stop and not hitting anything. If something did happen to the brakes in such an emergency stop, I would think the car could be put back on the road quite easily with some wheel work. At worst the brake mechanism would have to be replaced.

The only "car" I ever heard this happening is the original Hummer H1. The Hummer had an inboard braking system where the brakes were attached to the axle and not the wheel. The system had its benefits for offroading, but a panic stop could stress the axle due to the rotational mass of the wheels. Regardless, this damage was not enough to total the vehicle though.

 

[hmgolds]

I plan to keep a hard copy of the towing instructions in the glove compartment. Won't help if I'm not there but handy if I am.

As to towing, I had to have my car towed a couple of years ago. It required a "flat tow" so they used a dolly. Pretty slick; the car didn't move an inch until all 4 wheels off the ground.

But I have seen them tow cars off the street during a "snow emergency" when parking illegal. They work quick and I have no doubt they'd just drag the Tesla up on the truck.

 

[StellarRat]

If the wheels weren't touching the ground I doubt there was any damage. I'd be much more concerned about scratches and dents than a mechanical problem.