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Tesla 3 Surges Backwards while Parallel Parking

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While parallel parking in reverse very slowly, my Tesla suddenly accelerated throwing me forward and striking the car behind hard. This caused considerable damage (mostly to the other car). My confidence is shaken. Suggested causes include a wheel being locked against the curb and suddenly breaking over/free. Advice has included using "chill" mode.

I presume that this is not a design or system fault with the car, but am not sure. What can I do to prevent this ever happening again?
 
Someone mistakenly hit the accelerator rather than the brake.

Most likely that's the case. It's easy to see the opportunity to blame the car in this case but I don't think auto park could do this. All the auto maneuvers are done very slowly and the ultrasonic sensors would stop smashing into objects.

Also, the theory that it got a wheel stuck and powered up to get over it, is not valid. If there's an undetected obstacle blocking a wheel it will try but not that hard and it will just stop.
 
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Most likely that's the case. It's easy to see the opportunity to blame the car in this case but I don't think auto park could do this. All the auto maneuvers are done very slowly and the ultrasonic sensors would stop smashing into objects.

Also, the theory that it got a wheel stuck and powered up to get over it, is not valid. If there's an undetected obstacle blocking a wheel it will try but not that hard and it will just stop.
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Thank you for answering. I was parking manually with my foot gently (I thought) on the accelerator. I'm not blaming the car but just don't want a repeat.
 
There was another thread started recently on this forum about the amount of acceleration to the same amount of pedal movement while starting out in reverse being drastically different at different times. You should find that thread to see if your issue is related.
 
There was another thread started recently on this forum about the amount of acceleration to the same amount of pedal movement while starting out in reverse being drastically different at different times. You should find that thread to see if your issue is related.

Thank you for this answer. "The amount of acceleration to the same amount of pedal movement while starting out in reverse being drastically different at different times" sounds very very like what I experienced. I'm not sure how to search for that thread but it will be good for me to try.
 
This is why I use creep mode, it keeps your foot on the brake when you're in close quarters. Using hold mode in reverse seems especially problematic since as you accelerate backwards your body weight will shift forwards pressing harder on the accelerator.


How hard are you accelerating in reverse that your body shifts noticably?

I back into my garage every day in hold mode and it's never come remotely close to being an issue, concern, or danger.
 
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And you can have more than one profile for you, e.g. Richard-Normal, Richard-Parking

This is true...and a good idea for people with a twitchy accelerator foot...however, there are some driving selections/modes that won't automatically switch when doing a driving profile change on the fly (you have to be in Park). Is Creep Mode one of them (I thought it was, but I'd have to check myself)?

If so, this solution would require going to Park before switching profiles, which would be pretty annoying when trying to park.
 
This is why I use creep mode, it keeps your foot on the brake when you're in close quarters. Using hold mode in reverse seems especially problematic since as you accelerate backwards your body weight will shift forwards pressing harder on the accelerator.
Thank you Daniel. You are most astute; that is exactly what I presumed exacerbated the situation for me. Yet, it has happened twice, once for my wife going forward and now in reverse for me. She was in "creep" with (we think) her foot hovering while I know that my foot was on the pedal, but with little pressure. As I get deeper into this though I find that there are hundreds of T drivers who have had similar problems. Even if it is technically our doing, there should be a fix for it.
 
How hard are you accelerating in reverse that your body shifts noticably?

I back into my garage every day in hold mode and it's never come remotely close to being an issue, concern, or danger.

The OP could have been hung up on something (driving by "feeling the curb"), or whatever.

Unintended acceleration when driving a relatively unfamiliar car is not that unusual. Been going on for decades. For the reasons mentioned by Daniel, Hold Mode does probably make it more likely. (I use Hold Mode.)

Here's what someone did to my first car. They were just parked in front of me and kind of hit the gas a bit too hard when backing up. Driving a car borrowed from their mom. 2002. They left a note explaining what they thought happened (good on them...).

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