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Tesla's Vehicle Logs Combat Owner's Claim of Door Malfunction Leading to Crash

It's safe to say that the Model X's doors have caused problems and pushed sales in equal measure for Tesla. If it weren't for the Falcon Wing Doors, the Model X would have lost about 100 styling points out of its 105.
Tesla Model X door crash in Australia 1 photo
Photo: YouTube screenshot
The Model X is far from Tesla's finest hour regarding the work of the company's designers, and that's down to a list of things: the aero restrictions, the brand identity elements or the need to make the car as spacious as possible while keeping the dimensions in check. All these added up to something that looks like a Model S after it had swallowed the garden hose and somebody turned the water on at full blast.

But apart from the phenomenal dynamic performance - the Model X P100D is the world's quickest SUV to 60 mph - it was the doors that captured people's attention. The rear ones, in particular, with their Falcon Wing design, were the reason behind the vehicle's late release, a falling out with the initial supplier as well as countless technical issues after the launch.

The front ones, however, proved to be just as problematic, even though they use the regular front-mounted hinges like the doors on your car or mine. Being fully electric, that means they can open wide with a touch (actually, two) of the key fob, or they can even activate themselves when they sense the driver is nearby.

These are convenience features that, even though not strictly necessary, any driver would like to have. The problem is that, under certain circumstances, they can also lead to unwanted results, as was the case with this owner in Norway who had their door open right in front of a streetcar earlier this year.

Largely the same thing happened now to a veterinarian in Sydney, Australia. Dr. Sam Kovac parked his white Model X on the side of the road in front of his practice and proceeded with his routine. The security cameras then capture the moment the vehicle opens its two front doors moments before a large semi truck speeds by.

Leather and plastic on the bitumen

The impact tore the door right off, spreading "leather and plastic [..] over the bitumen for the next 50 metres," as Mr. Kovac describes the crime scene. The footage leaves no questions over what happened, but the two parties - the owner and Tesla - don't seem to see eye to eye on what caused the doors to open.

Here is the company's version, as presented to CarAdvice: “Model X contains an optional convenience feature whereby when the user double-clicks on the vehicle key fob, the driver-side front door will both unlock and open automatically. A second double-click on the vehicle key fob unlocks and opens the passenger-side front door […] Our data records clearly show that the customer had this feature set to ‘on’ at the time of the incident, and that both front doors of the car were unlocked and opened via two double-clicks of the key fob, four consecutive clicks, within operating proximity to the car.”

The owner was the first to get in touch with the website, telling his side of the story: “Just like a regular day, I arrived at work and started attending to pets committed to my care. At about 2:30 pm, while in consultation with a distressed owner of a sick pet, a nurse tapped me on my shoulder that something disastrously wrong had happened to my pride and joy. I walked out to the Princes Hwy to find my front door completely torn off the driver’s side, with leather and plastic strewn over the bitumen for the next 50 meters past my car. I met with a shaky truck driver who said that he was petrified as the Model X door opened into his truck and he thought he had killed the driver.”

No admission of guilt

In response, Tesla claims that Kovac changed his view on the event after initially admitting to pressing the key fob multiple times. “During our conversations with the customer, he not only made it clear to us that understands how the doors function, but that he indeed pressed the key fob multiple times, causing the front driver and passenger doors to open. We’re glad that no one was harmed in this incident.”

Dr. Kovac says he doesn't feel safe driving the Model X anymore calling the self-presenting doors "a design flaw." Tesla has offered to buy the SUV for $115,000 after repairs, which is a significant cut over the original $197,000. What's more, the company insisted that it wouldn't be an admission of fault, but just a regular buyback like any other.

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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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