A TikToker was locked inside her Tesla Leave model 3 to work for 40 minutes the hot sun during the installation a software update, and as of this writing, her video has been played over 10.7 million times online after a single day. Before you jump to conclusions about them AwkwardnessBrianna Janel actually followed the rules of Tesla.
According to the Tesla user manual“Vehicle functions, including some security systems and opening or closing doors or windows, may be restricted or disabled during installation and you could damage the vehicle.” Janel decided to pay attention Teslas Warning and didn’t attempt to open her doors or windows during the installation process for fear of damaging her vehicle, but it seems like a very dangerous oversight on Tesla’s part that she got stuck inside in the first place.
The door mechanisms on the Tesla Model 3 And Model Y are electrically operated and normally opened from the inside with a simple button to unlock the door. If the vehicle does not have power, these models have additional manual cable release levers, which are also located on the door panel Tesla warns against the use of the manual mechanism and indicates that it should only be used when the car has no power. Janel said she was aware of this option but didn’t want to risk damaging her car and was confident she could handle the heat.
In contrast to Teslas potentially dangerous warnings, Lucid Motors requires all occupants to exit the vehicle before the installation process begins, and the Lucid Air user manual states that owners cannot lock or unlock doors during an update. The Air starts a two-minute countdown when an owner decides to install an update, giving them enough time to get out before the update begins.
The Tesla The owner’s manual states that the car will not initiate a software update when Keep Climate Mode, Dog Mode, Sentry Mode, or Camp Mode are enabled. However, vehicle occupants are not asked to exit the vehicle before the crippling installation process begins. Tesla also recommends that owners install software updates as quickly as possible, which could make some owners feel compelled to update in a vulnerable environment.
Janel said her car’s installation was estimated to only take 24 minutes, but it actually took 40 minutes, which was long enough to get the interior of her car to 115 degrees. In a follow-up video, her caption states that she was afraid of damaging her car by getting out during the installation. She claims to have owned one Tesla for six years, and she said that despite this experience, she will own her car for many years to come.
Tesla must either require all occupants to exit the vehicle before software installation begins, or at least change the wording to prevent incidents like this, especially as we approach a summer of higher global temperatures than ever before. If someone living in a city like Phoenix, Arizona or Las Vegas, Nevada were faced with the same situation, it could pose a more serious health risk. If there are any Tesla When reading the owner, please be careful not to park in direct sunlight when starting a software update if you stay in the car.