For all their technical might, vehicles made by Tesla have become notorious for their mechanical and software issues.
For example, one TikTok user alleged that a Tesla vehicle wouldn’t open in 93 degree heat, trapping her inside. Another Tesla owner went viral after begging Elon Musk for a new car following his vehicle’s fourth breakdown. A further internet user claimed that his Tesla’s much-touted “self-driving” feature nearly ran his car into a police cruiser.
Now, another internet user has sparked discussion after revealing a possible issue with his Tesla car.
A door that won’t let you leave
In a clip with over 2.7 million views, TikTok user Kosh (@teslapeg) shows a malfunctioning door on a Tesla Model X.
In the video, he presses the button to open the car door. The door quickly opens and then shuts, leaving barely any time for the passenger to exit the car.
“Model X does not want driver to leave,” he writes in the text overlaying the video.
It’s unclear exactly what issue is causing this problem, though it’s possible the video was choreographed by Kosh. In short, Tesla doors automatically close when the brake pedal is pressed; it’s possible that Kosh simply depressed the brake pedal once the door reached its apex.
That said, doors behaving strangely or opening too aggressively is a common complaint among Tesla owners.
In one Reddit thread, a Tesla owner described his driver door opening, writing, “It is super aggressive and I am thinking that if a small kid would stand next to the door it would knock him/her down.” In another post, a user complained about the door closing on its own, saying, “As I was getting in the driver’s seat, the door auto closed on me, smacking my ear and head against the car frame.”
@teslapeg Model X: YOU SHALL NOT LEAVE!! #teslapeg #tesla #modelx ♬ original sound – Kosh
Commenters share their thoughts
In the comments section, several users made jokes about the TikToker’s predicament.
“I’d be stepping out to get paid tbh,” said a user.
“You’re behind on the Autopilot subscription payment,” offered another.
“Hear me out: what if we put a handle what we can operate manualy, so if the electrics goin mad, we still can use our car. Revolutionary,” added a third.
Concerning this comment, Tesla’s locks are operated electronically. This can lead to issues: while the front doors of the Model X can be opened with the manual door release if there is a complete power failure, opening the back doors in such an event requires “[removing] the speaker grille from the door and pull[ing] the mechanical release cable down and towards the front of the vehicle,” per Tesla’s website.
“Everyday the cheapness of Tesla’s are shown and people still spend $60k+ on them,” declared a further commenter.
The Daily Dot reached out to Tesla and Kosh via email.
Update 11:15am CT May 30: In an email to the Daily Dot, the TikToker clarified that this was not caused by his actions. Rather, it seemed to be a genuine problem with the vehicle.
“The events in the video are not caused by any intentional actions; it appears to be a glitch in the motors,” he wrote. “As you know, Tesla got rid of the ultrasonic sensors on their cars which is why the Model X’s door did not open all the way anymore like they used to before Model Xs with USS. I initially believed it might just be wacky software, but after visiting Tesla service, they said it’s a known issue on Model X for the motors to be acting up like this.”
He added that he was able to fix the problem temporarily by rebooting the car; that said, he is currently waiting for parts to make sure this does not happen again.
“Overall, I believe that while Tesla doors are innovative, they can sometimes present issues that need addressing, as demonstrated in my video,” he concluded.
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