So, my neighbor went to Japan at the start of the pandemic here, and left their MX unplugged in the drive way. Its been that way since about the end of Feb. (going on 7 months). They're not responding to emails and the car is locked. Should I just let it be? is it already a lost cause? Its not even my car, but its a waste.
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not plugged in for 6 months?
- Thread starter Krascow
- Start date
webbah
Active Member
Well, if there was any way you could contact them they could add you as a driver in their Tesla Account and they can remotely open the door with their app. Then once in the car add your phone as a key and find a place to charge it, if it still has enough battery and hasn't been bricked already.
This is a Model X. I don't think they have that "phone as a key" by Bluetooth, which is what you are describing. That is only on the Model 3 and Y.
But the S and X can control the car with the app. So the owners can from the other side of the world, unlock the car, let the neighbor in, and then remotely "start" the car, so the person can drive it to go charge. I've done that a few times with our S, where my wife just drove with the mobile app (didn't bring a key fob) and then her phone couldn't connect to the car again for some reason, so she called me, and I unlocked and started the car from my phone at home.
Yinn
Active Member
Probably a lost cause. At 7 months the 12V is most likely dead. Bluetooth, app, all those connections won't work without battery.
At this point, it's more worrisome about deep discharge of the lithium pack. Deep discharge isn't typically recoverable on lithium cells. If you wanted to save it, you'd have to do the following.
Stick a fork in it IMO.
Well, I wouldn't worry about the main pack, unlike @Yinn 's pessimism. The cars will sacrifice almost everything else to preserve that. Yes, the 12V will be run down and refilled from the main pack down to a certain point, but down near the bottom, with a few real % left, the car will just let the 12V die completely, and have the main pack disconnected from the rest of the car. In that condition, with the main pack totally isolated, it can sit for many months or a year or so and still be revived later with waking up the 12V system.
IdaX
Member
You can break into the frunk to recharge the 12V. Put at 9V battery across the wires that you can find behind the weird circle at the front-left bumper. That will get you in the frunk, and then you can pull off the plastic flashing to get to the 12V battery. Hook it up to a trickle charger.
But what it really needs is to get plugged into the wall after you do that, for which you'll need access. But once the 12V is recharged, then your neighbors could let unlock the charge door from Japan.
I did something similar when my car ran down to zero when I left it at the airport for 2 weeks. Broke into the frunk, jumped the 12V. The main battery was at -4% (!) but I was able to drive it 100m to the airport building to plug it into an extension cord for a few hours and get it to a Level 2 charger. My main battery seems to not have been adversely affected.
But after 6 months... yeah that's not good. Worth it to try and recover, but like others above me here I'm definitely worried that it will have suffered permanent unrecoverable degradation, possibly 100% toast.
But what it really needs is to get plugged into the wall after you do that, for which you'll need access. But once the 12V is recharged, then your neighbors could let unlock the charge door from Japan.
I did something similar when my car ran down to zero when I left it at the airport for 2 weeks. Broke into the frunk, jumped the 12V. The main battery was at -4% (!) but I was able to drive it 100m to the airport building to plug it into an extension cord for a few hours and get it to a Level 2 charger. My main battery seems to not have been adversely affected.
But after 6 months... yeah that's not good. Worth it to try and recover, but like others above me here I'm definitely worried that it will have suffered permanent unrecoverable degradation, possibly 100% toast.
Yinn
Active Member
You're probably right. The BMS should be able to isolate in a low charge condition. Typically the BMS does also take some charge itself though, but I don't know the specs or the design of the BMS to full comment on it. If the BMS also disconnects itself - which is possible, then it could sit for much longer. But if for any reason the BMS remains connected so it can monitor cell temperatures, and even power up some things to keep cell temps in check due to climate then that could still lead to a low cell voltage condition which is quite damaging. I speculated the later but the former could also be true.
Haxster
Member
While the MX may suffer some hardships, your neighbor may be much worse off.
If you've not been able to contact them, and you don't observe anyone visiting their house (maybe leave them a note if you do see activity), you may want to ask the police to investigate. They may be able to reach the neighbor and determine if anything is amiss.
That's an expensive car to be depreciating and decaying in the driveway.
If you've not been able to contact them, and you don't observe anyone visiting their house (maybe leave them a note if you do see activity), you may want to ask the police to investigate. They may be able to reach the neighbor and determine if anything is amiss.
That's an expensive car to be depreciating and decaying in the driveway.
forkee
Member
your neighbor obviously knows nothing about their car. 2 weeks (3 at the max) and phantom drain would have killed it. 6 months?? no way anything is alive at that point. that is going to be one pricey fix
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