Tesla 3 trunk safety

[Jill Ross]

Twice I’ve had the trunk start to close on me while getting things out of the trunk, perhaps because I inadvertently hit the close button. Why isn’t there a sensor that prevents this? This is incredibly dangerous.

 

[jjrandorin]

Twice I’ve had the trunk start to close on me while getting things out of the trunk, perhaps because I inadvertently hit the close button. Why isn’t there a sensor that prevents this? This is incredibly dangerous.

It does. Just because it started closing doesnt mean it would completely close on you (although you need to monitor that). Just like the windows, or a garage door, etc. No, its not "incredibly dangerous" (any more so than closing any other door etc).

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Directly from the manual:

Model 3 Owner's Manual | Tesla

Learn how to open and close the rear trunk and access the cargo area.

www.tesla.com

Closing​

To close the powered trunk (if equipped), do one of the following:

• Touch the associated Close button on the touchscreen.
• Press the switch located by the rear trunk's exterior handle.
• Double-click the rear trunk button on the key fob.

If the powered trunk senses an obstruction when closing, it stops moving and sounds two chimes. Remove the obstruction and try closing it again.

 

[Jill Ross]

As you can see, the trunk closed right on top of the “obstruction”- a pillow. Good thing it wasn’t my arm… which is still sore from the door coming down on it yesterday

 

[Jill Ross]

PS, there were no chimes.

 

[Kimmi]

If you can not avoid a slow closing trunk lid, do you think you should be driving a 4000lb+ automobile?

 

[jjrandorin]

As you can see, the trunk closed right on top of the “obstruction”- a pillow. Good thing it wasn’t my arm… which is still sore from the door coming down on it yesterday

I could take the same screenshot by pulling the door down on top of a pillow, regardless of whether the car has sensors or not. You asked "why doesnt the car have sensors". I provided proof from the manual that it has sensors. The manual also says that its up to you to check your surroundings.

Automatic garage door openers have sensors too, but sometimes close on obstructions. If you stick your hand in the window and pull the switch to close the window, there is a sensor there too to hopefully stop it from fully closing on you, but technology is not perfect.

Perhaps you should focus on why you are inadvertently pushing the button the close the trunk while you are in it.

 

[Transformer]

PS, there were no chimes.

This is a useful debugging clue.

Suggestion: Next time the problem happens, take note about the chime and report the precise time of occurrence to the service team so they can find the relevant log events for debugging. (I assume the car logs these events.)

 

[dbeiler]

I could take the same screenshot by pulling the door down on top of a pillow, regardless of whether the car has sensors or not. You asked "why doesnt the car have sensors". I provided proof from the manual that it has sensors. The manual also says that its up to you to check your surroundings.

Automatic garage door openers have sensors too, but sometimes close on obstructions. If you stick your hand in the window and pull the switch to close the window, there is a sensor there too to hopefully stop it from fully closing on you, but technology is not perfect.

Perhaps you should focus on why you are inadvertently pushing the button the close the trunk while you are in it.

Twice I’ve had the trunk start to close on me while getting things out of the trunk, perhaps because I inadvertently hit the close button. Why isn’t there a sensor that prevents this? This is incredibly dangerous.

Garage door opener sensors use an infrared beam to detect objects and will not even attempt to close the door if an object is detected. Tesla doors and trunks do not have infrared sensors; instead they rely on the more traditionally automotive method of motor current monitoring and management. When the trunk contacts an object, the current required to keep the motor turning will increase. The module monitoring the current will cut power to the motor when current being used exceeds a certain threshold; hopefully before the trunk/window completely severs the fingers you left in it's path. It is VERY IMPORTANT to understand the limitations of the system. It cannot detect an object until it has MADE CONTACT with the object.

 

[jjrandorin]

Garage door opener sensors use an infrared beam to detect objects and will not even attempt to close the door if an object is detected

The key words there are "if an object is detected", and "if the sensors are working properly". My wife once closed our automatic garage door after pulling into the garage, and she had not pulled the car in quite far enough. The door came down on the edge of the trunk and continued down until it made full contact with the bumper, then reversed course.

I had a gouge down to the metal in the trunk of the car, a BMW 535. The tires were past the sensors, which are down by the ground (where they are supposed to be installed), but she had mis judged how far to pull the car in as it was new to us at the time and she didnt have a good idea of its actual size.

We are making the same point though, in that doesnt matter if there are sensors, one still has to be diligent about this kind of thing.

 

[Zacster]

Maybe the pillow muffled the chimes??? It isn’t very loud.

Have you seen all the threads about the trunk not opening all the way Because it is too sensitive to obstructions?