xpitxbullx
Member
The bumper issue makes any water above 5 inches a no-go despite any other reason. I heard the newer Tesla models have airtight batteries. The older ones built in 2017 and earlier are not. Just what I heard. Not confirmed.
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What to do with flooded streets? how high?
- Thread starter ninpb
- Start date
chronopc
Active Member
Almost certainly. But the bumper issue being talked about was that there were two people that claimed they hit a puddle and it took bumper fasteners out. One of those people admitted they were going quickly when they hit the water, the other I don't remember.
Either way, driving any car through standing water is a very bad idea. There are several panels on the bottom of a Model 3 that can be torn off or can be caught by flowing water and drag you down stream. If you want to see just how fast a flooded street turns into people being dead, https://www.google.com/search?q=car+flood+death&oq=car+flood+death
My TM3 bumper cover did rip off from driving slowly in water just high enough to reach the bottom of the car. IMO this would be prevented if Tesla would add a few strategically placed holes in the rear bumper cover to allow some water to flow through in these events. This part acts like a big scoop when driven in water.
contrary to what has been posted by at least one jerk on these forums, those of use who live in areas with sudden torrential thunder storms cannot always avoid driving through some water. I did not choose to enter a flooded street, it surrounded me suddenly on a previously sunny day.
contrary to what has been posted by at least one jerk on these forums, those of use who live in areas with sudden torrential thunder storms cannot always avoid driving through some water. I did not choose to enter a flooded street, it surrounded me suddenly on a previously sunny day.
chronopc
Active Member
I don't plan on ever driving through standing water. As long as the Model 3 can handle driving in a large rain storm, I'm satisfied.
IMO, the answer is not relevant. If water is high enough to be of concern to your vehicle that is high enough to risk the car being carried away. If it's more than a few inches then turn around.
I'm in the same boat as the OP. Today its raining in SoCal (SGV Area) and my house has only 2 ways to enter and both side of the street is not flooded like 6 inches but there are water that collects and sits about 4 inches. There is no other way to get into my house except to drive through it. Based on my location alot of street area are flooded due to drainage issues. I just drove outside using my Prius but was thinking should I be driving my 3 if it rains at due to streets having draining issues.
There's no evidence to suggest that the Model 3 is any less capable in the rain than any other car. A couple people out of 100,000 or so, had a bumper ripped off by water. It's likely a manufacturing defect on a couple cars, likely missing or loose fasteners. Better to find out when the car is new and under warranty than down the road.
redscott
Member
Obviously driving in standing water is not a best practice, but sometimes, during an extremely rain storm you're stuck on a road and knowing how deep you can cross without permanently damaging or frying the car is useful information.
chronopc
Active Member
Tesla service would not accept this as their problem. I took TM3 -> Tesla approved body shop -> repair completed to my satisfaction -> my insurance company paid ~$2500 for the repair. I sent an email to Tesla with my suggestion for how IMHO this should be dealt with and never got a reply. I do not agree that it is a manufacturing defect. I do believe that it's a design oversight. FWIW I am in love with my car even 5000 miles later
Interesting. My Teslas are the first cars I've owned that actually have a relatively sealed undercarriage due to the aerodynamic concerns. On the others, with nothing to actually attempt to divert water away from the bumper skin, they would act like the Model 3 does with the shield compromised.Tesla service would not accept this as their problem. I took TM3 -> Tesla approved body shop -> repair completed to my satisfaction -> my insurance company paid ~$2500 for the repair. I sent an email to Tesla with my suggestion for how IMHO this should be dealt with and never got a reply. I do not agree that it is a manufacturing defect. I do believe that it's a design oversight. FWIW I am in love with my car even 5000 miles later
WileyTheMan
Peanut Gallery Member
Well I don't know about the lot of you in the CA bay area, but I've been having fun hitting water puddles on the street as of late!
Honestly, I plan on taking the same precautions as I did with my ICE cars. Avoid large pools of water and try to slow down when unavoidable. You know, be safe and all that.
Honestly, I plan on taking the same precautions as I did with my ICE cars. Avoid large pools of water and try to slow down when unavoidable. You know, be safe and all that.
I drove I405 and I110 in Los Angeles County on Dec 6 to the Auto Show. This turned out to be the heaviest rain of this season so far in So Cal, though that wasn't specifically predicted. Some freeways had flooded areas and lanes. I happened to choose to drive our Bolt EV instead of my TM3 LR RWD because our Bolt EV has its HOV stickers and I have been waiting until 2019 to apply for the HOVs for the TM3. Im very happy I drove the Bolt. Driving the freeway, with no good way to rapidly respond to sudden flooding in certain lanes, except to change lanes as possible in crowded lanes and pouring rain, I drove through several inches of rain at perhaps 40 mph several times. I would have been very nervous about losing my rear bumper in my Tesla. It just wasn't possible to predict where I would run into deep water and in which lanes, and how deep it would be until I hit the water. At several points, rooster tails of water were splashing from the HOV center lane on the opposite side of the freeway onto my side.
Assuming that drivers can always predict and avoid water deep enough to cause trouble with the rear bumper is unrealistic.
Tesla needs to examine the rear bumper cover situation in rain and implement retrofits that make the bumper cover as secure as industry standards.
Assuming that drivers can always predict and avoid water deep enough to cause trouble with the rear bumper is unrealistic.
Tesla needs to examine the rear bumper cover situation in rain and implement retrofits that make the bumper cover as secure as industry standards.
AlanSubie4Life
Efficiency Obsessed Member
Tesla service would not accept this as their problem. I took TM3 -> Tesla approved body shop -> repair completed to my satisfaction -> my insurance company paid ~$2500 for the repair. I sent an email to Tesla with my suggestion for how IMHO this should be dealt with and never got a reply. I do not agree that it is a manufacturing defect. I do believe that it's a design oversight. FWIW I am in love with my car even 5000 miles later
I think the way to determine whether it was Tesla’s “fault” is whether you had all 7 or 8 fasteners (bolts specifically) attached to the car after the bumper was forcibly removed. (Plus two Torx screws.) Unfortunately this is probably unknowable at this point? If you had them all intact then it was probably bad luck on your part to hit very high water and not Tesla’s issue other than (arguably) a design problem. Otherwise (missing bolts), Tesla probably did not assemble the car fully/properly (this is not uncommon for this particular part of the car), and really they should have made it right.
As I said, probably unknowable, unless you have detailed pictures under the car, post incident, pre repair.
chronopc
Active Member
I drove through heavy rain and my rear bumper was fine. I think those were isolated incidents.
ℬête Noire
Active Member
An FYI on standing water. It's not happened to me so I can't speak to how deep or how fast you need to be traveling to cause it, however at least a couple local people here have had Aero caps get forced off by hydraulic pressure from the water squirting outwards. Not quite as expensive as a bumper parts ripping free but annoying and something.
Seeking advice on driving through water. I have a 3. We often drive on the valley ford franklin school road in Marin, that has water continuously running across road, about 6 inches deep. Is it ok to drive through it, ir just stupid and can long term damage to the underbelly and motors? There is a longer route to avoid it if necessary. Thsnks
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