PSA: Don’t leave can of Coke on seat on a hot day, Service required

[zag300zx]

I left a can of Coke Zero on the passenger seat at the airport while on a 36 hour business trip. When I returned I noticed some spots on the window and a puddle of coke on the seat bottom. The can had exploded. Must have been the heat, although it was only 85-90 out that day. The spray covered the half the windshield, passenger window, center console, and headliner, passenger door. Luckily I stopped drinking sugar a week ago, as most of this cleaned up with baby wipes. The seats show no signs of damage, which is impressive.

The real issue is that I have a “Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault – Service Requried”. I’m guessing liquid got into the seat belt latch and shorted out the switch in there. Hopefully nothing worse and hopefully a cheap enough fix.

 

[MP3Mike]

The real issue is that I have a “Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault – Service Requried”. I’m guessing liquid got into the seat belt latch and shorted out the switch in there. Hopefully nothing worse and hopefully a cheap enough fix.

The problem is likely to actually be the occupancy/weight sensor in the seat bottom. Sometimes they can dry out and be OK, other times the seat will need to be replaced. (~$2,500 last I heard.) I think I have seen someone have just the sensor replaced before, but Tesla almost always requires replacing the entire seat.

 

[zag300zx]

$2500 for a seat sensor, ouch. Seems like a waste of resources to replace the entire thing. Hopefully it'll dry out, I'll throw a fan under the seat to help dry it out.

 

[alexcue]

Had it happen to me a week ago too... Lazy on my part to just get it out of the car. Last friday on way home "boom" I thought, damn another windshield... kept looking and looking... oh no a roof glass??? Guess I'll wait till i get home... then i look on back floor and a little puddle of something is sloshing on the floor mat. I have the 3D ones so they are rubber. NOOOOO..... it was near hundred outside and probably 120* in the car.

I had left a soda in the left door pocket, and it had let go when i went over a bump. Seems like I escaped any serious damage, it had leaked mostly thru the door pocket and between the seat and door. Had to clean it up quickly and then rinse it off,, as it was making the door stick and was worried about rubber door seal getting pulled off. Seems okay and the door/window and puddle light are all functioning.

 

[jay1122]

Is the car still under warranty? Just bring it in and be like. I don't know why I've been getting this error.

 

[zag300zx]

Is the car still under warranty? Just bring it in and be like. I don't know why I've been getting this error.

Less than 1000 miles. I put a fan under the seat with it in the sun, and the error went away. I'm hoping that means this will be the last of it, with no lasting issues.

 

[WhiteOnWhiteMY]

Is the car still under warranty? Just bring it in and be like. I don't know why I've been getting this error.

I assure you, the tech will notice dried-up soda inside the seat.

 

[Calliope]

Wow, that would have been an expensive bill for a mislaid can of soda!
My brother had a 6-pack explode in his trunk once; fortunately no damage (just a big mess). That's when I learned about heat and cans of pop.

 

[BitJam]

I always bring a large tote with me when I use the car. It usually has several cold drinks and some snacks. But anything (small) I want to take out to car I put in the bag. Likewise, small things I want to bring back to the house go in the bag.

It's a easy habit to get into and it's very convenient.

 

[mjwojtukiewicz]

I assure you, the tech will notice dried-up soda inside the seat.

YES.THEY.WILL no warranty service

 

[jsight]

I assure you, the tech will notice dried-up soda inside the seat.

Yep, and people not telling them the real cause is one reason that they have to be so suspicious and try to avoid payouts.

I hate it when they do that and get it wrong, just like I hate it when insurance companies cheat their customers. Not that I'd know anything about that.

 

[Tronguy]

Um. Far be it from me to dissuade people from warranty claims, but, for $2500, it might be worthwhile contacting your insurance company. It was an accident; it certainly wasn't on purpose; and there's this thing in most insurance policies called, "Comprehensive".

My son ran into a road hazard a year or so ago and was preparing to pay full freight to get the bumper and sensors fixed when I pointed out that road hazards are why insurance exists. He did pay a deductible, but it was less than the cost of the damage.

Just sayin'.

 

[jsight]

Um. Far be it from me to dissuade people from warranty claims, but, for $2500, it might be worthwhile contacting your insurance company. It was an accident; it certainly wasn't on purpose; and there's this thing in most insurance policies called, "Comprehensive".

My son ran into a road hazard a year or so ago and was preparing to pay full freight to get the bumper and sensors fixed when I pointed out that road hazards are why insurance exists. He did pay a deductible, but it was less than the cost of the damage.

Just sayin'.

That is a good point. $2,500 is right around the threshold that would make it well worth considering, IMO. I do wonder if there'd be a risk that it would potentially hurt your rates in the future, though?

 

[GBMaryland]

I left a can of Coke Zero on the passenger seat at the airport while on a 36 hour business trip. When I returned I noticed some spots on the window and a puddle of coke on the seat bottom. The can had exploded. Must have been the heat, although it was only 85-90 out that day. The spray covered the half the windshield, passenger window, center console, and headliner, passenger door. Luckily I stopped drinking sugar a week ago, as most of this cleaned up with baby wipes. The seats show no signs of damage, which is impressive.

The real issue is that I have a “Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault – Service Requried”. I’m guessing liquid got into the seat belt latch and shorted out the switch in there. Hopefully nothing worse and hopefully a cheap enough fix.

I had the same thing happen with Starbucks, failed to put a lid on securely and as I was going around the corner to get onto the highway the lid popped off and the cup sloshed into the passenger seat. As I attempted to grab it while still trying to drive I spilled the remainder of the cup in my seat.

I started getting passenger seat sensor errors. Turns out that disconnecting the harness in reconnecting It fixed the issue… apparently the stuff got in the contacts and that’s what caused the issue.

 

[Kairide]

Darwinism at its best.

 

[Calliope]

I'm feeling lucky that the container of congee I spilled going too quickly around a corner only spilled into the console storage area and not on the seat.

 

[DaveG_NJ]

Fellas…don’t drink and drive. Problem solved.