How To Open A Tesla's Doors In An Emergency

[@flyingspirit3549]

"Any problem for which you are fully prepared will never happen". Thanks for posting this! I'd heard of people being trapped in Teslas when the 12v battery died. Now, since I know where to look for the mechanical door release, I can rest assured that it will never happen to me!

[@lesthanzero]

Not silly video at all. This was good and explained exactly what I was looking for. Thanks again and continue to make your videos as it would always help someone.

[@willbryanmedina3515]

Aside from it being in emergency use, it really helps for people like me who work repairing these cars and most of the times they arrive with a dead battery or a damaged harness. Thank you

[@simonyoung5620]

It's frankly baffling that a car is allowed on the road that could lock the fucking rear passengers inside in the event of an accident.

[@killbeas]

All modern cars can lock the rear passengers in if the child locks are set to the locked position. (I've seen them come new from the factory set to locked) You actually have to open the rear doors to reset them to the opening position. Be aware of this as it could indeed be dangerous.

[@chrisdoutre101]

Unfortunately, all cop cars are like this.

[@adrianthoroughgood1191]

Stopping children letting themselves out on the motorway is considered a higher priority as that is much more likely than an accident that causes the doors to stop working. If you need to get out in a hurry most people would be able to climb through to the front to go out that way.

[@Awoo-]

So if your kids are in the car and it catches fire with them in it you're absolutely fucked.

[@jonathantan2469]

Not to mention you're right on top of the closest equivalent of a mattress-sized Samsung Note 7...

[@adrianthoroughgood1191]

The door locks work on the 12v battery so I'm most cases you could still just open them normally.

[@sails180]

It’s always good to know these things. You can also get out of the Model 3 by pulling the back seat down then crawling to the trunk and pulling the trunk emergency release.

[@glasslinger]

very easy to do when the car was rear-ended and smashed to the back seat!

[@ThePiachu]

Man, it's an awful design for the back door release. I wonder how fast you could open up that door in case of an emergency, with the car filling with smoke, or water, or being upside down...

[@adrianthoroughgood1191]

The mechanical door release overrides all the electronic controls including locks and child locks. It's a fail safe system in case for whatever reason the electronic locks aren't working. Because the door can always be opened with it, even when the child locks are on, they have to hide the release in the back so children can't open the door when you're on the motorway etc. That is why they are like that. I'm not saying it's the best way to do it, but there is a good reason. They have to make a balance between making it hard for a child to the door when they shouldn't vs making it easy for an adult to open the door in an emergency.

[@Alt-Key_Here]

on the model 3, the back seats fold down an then you open the trunk using the child manual unlock switch required on all vehicles to open the trunk from inside

[@janabsahib5429]

Manual open for trunk is availablebit not for the door. Musk needs to have his head examined.

[@dwalley1234]

You are very inventive and come up with topics not covered by others. Keep up the good work Alex, thank you.

[@dumbdemolition1012]

so what if your in the backseat and there is a fire and you need to get out fast?

[@Some0ne001]

You die, I clicked on this video because of a news story about someone burning to death after a crash in their Tesla which they couldn’t get out nor did anybody outside know how to get in the car because the handles never popped out to pull on. This is one of the many reasons why I’m never buying a Tesla.

[@adrianthoroughgood1191]

Climb through to the front.

[@LittleCutieABDL]

Very insightful and not silly at all man! If I'm ever stuck in a Tesla or someone is, now I know what to do to help me/them. I wonder how the mechanics work if it got submerged though. In a normal car you're advised not to try pry open a door as 1 that is silly due to the pressure difference between the car's inside and the pressure compressing against the vehicle as you're sinking which changes, which even if you tried you probably would not be able to and the car would sink further. Guess a similar principle would apply as the car is electric and its systems' would dysfunction or simply shut down but then again I haven't done much research behind the mechanics of a Tesla, though I like to learn things for fun and would love to own 1 in the future. I've always wanted an electric car.

[@janabsahib5429]

Anyone who thinks these methods are ok need to have their heads checked. Tesla needs to be slapped with a multi billion dollar fine.

[@wkrbtg9]

Thanks for this video. It might save my life someday. Tesla should put it up on their site.

[@abhhhhahakajiajaisnwns]

It’s in the owners manual

[@gaborkevlar2821]

can't read the owner's manual?

[@fatboy19831]

Remember braking the window is always an option. It is not as easy as they make it look in the movies. I have an glass braking tool in all my cars. With enough force if you punch dead center with the side of your fist the drivers window will turn into 1000 little squares of glass. Never seen it done on an rear window though.

[@wire_writer]

Windows generally don't have brakes on them

[@fatboy19831]

@@wire_writer they do if you have glass rims.

[@SkyyPiano]

Teslas are designed for the windows to be shatterproof. A few people have burned alive in Teslas because paramedics couldn't figure out how to shatter the windows or open the doors manually from the outside.

[@fatboy19831]

@@SkyyPiano not true, all windows in the us must shatter in order to pass us certification. Only the top glass is designed to stay in place during a crash.

[@SkyyPiano]

@@fatboy19831 Read the case of Dr. Omar Awan. He burned to death in a Tesla because of some mechanical failure on Tesla's part. "First responders then arrived on the scene, and were also left stumped. Teslas are meant to have two back-up safety mechanisms. The first sees the door handles pop out automatically in the event of an accident, unless it happens very abruptly. A second option can allow first responders to break the car's window, and manually pop the doors out using a special mechanism inside. But neither happened, and Awan's family insist it is because his 2016 model car was faulty. "

[@TechieMotorsports]

My front driver door doesn't open from the inside even if I pull the handle all the way. Any fix or way around this? I need to look at the wiring harness as I've got loss of power in the front and back offside doors

[@tyrellfrazier4889]

Thank for you keeping us informed about Tesla. I can’t wait to afford one

[@d7mysterio7]

Wow. Thank you for that. I really didnt know the Tesla had that options in the event of a power loss. Appreciate you Alex.

[@thevaultdwellergaming]

This video is perfect for when those commercials go on at 2am (if you purchased a Tesla and have been stuck and experienced death?! Then you may be entitled to compensation!)

[@mid191]

I dunno how they even passed safety regulations. If your car is on fire and your injured your basically screwed. Oh let's remove the speaker grill pull on a piece of wire and lift the door.

[@rapnjoe]

If you kick the speaker grill in the middle it will pop off , but I 100% agree Tesla should of designed like an Airliner over wing emergency exit latch that is clearly visible with instructions placard, after all you do get the sensation your in the cockpit of a fighter Jet in a Model X

[@jamo8896]

Just jump in the front and goooooo that's what I'd do model 3 style xd

[@santoshs5244]

A person died trapped in a model S that engulfed after an accident, responders couldnt open the door to save him. Came to this video and saw your comment :(

[@santoshs5244]

@Ole Brumm The family filed a lawsuit, not sure about the latest developments..

[@santoshs5244]

@Ole Brumm Same even I'd want to hear what they say, I mean it's not a small issue. They need to explain this to the public regardless of the lawsuit. RIP to the guy..

[@daveharrison84]

In an airplane, before the flights starts, they tell you how to evacuate in an emergency. This is also something you should know in a car.

[@jm100368]

Since it is impossible to find, can someone tell me if I’m an accident power is lost and you are injured , will the model 3 doors open mechanically from the OUTSIDE?

[@AlexVenz]

Nope. Bust the window and pull the mechanical release, or cut the door off, or cut the roof off, etc., etc. It's all in the first responder guide on Tesla's website.

[@michaelhughes3302]

​@@AlexVenz I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that the guy cutting open the door or roof might not actually be the "first" responder.

[@Some0ne001]

One of the many reasons why I’m never going to buy a Tesla. I came to this video after hearing about someone burning to death in their Tesla after a crash which caused the battery to catch fire and nobody could get the door open from the outside and the occupant inside struggling to open the door after the crash. What a horrific way to die.

[@t_rex8767]

didnt work on my tesla s 2014, got locked in in 86F/30c in 40 minutes today. By sheer luck, the passenger-door got open when i decided to try it, but then window got halfway between the trim on top of door-frame

[@MrV8eater]

No joke I just got trap in my Tesla in in 92 degrees weather this video just save my life thank you

[@gaborkevlar2821]

good thing you do not have a Lexus, you would be dead now,

[@superargo5806]

What worries me is getting out ofi the model x back door if it gets submerged? That's a lot of weight against exterior water pressure. Especially if access to front door been cut off.

[@adrianthoroughgood1191]

It'd be crazy to try and open the gull wings under water. You have to climb through to the front.

[@NickDeubert]

This does not work on my 2015 S. A real mechanical release would open the door from the inside even if it is locked, because if there is no electricity you can't use the unlock buttons either. There must be some other way?

[@AlexVenz]

This was demonstrated using a 2015 Model S and the manual release does override the locks, even for the rear doors.

[@NickDeubert]

@@AlexVenz thanks for the quick reply, in theory of it was a mechanical release shouldn't I be able to pop open doors while driving if I pulled hard enough?

[@AlexVenz]

I can't say I've tried opening the doors while in motion but activating the manual front door release isn't a matter of pulling hard enough, you just have to pull the handle all the way back.

[@TechieMotorsports]

I have a 2015 ms and the front door doesn't open with loss of power. The drivers side (I suspect) has a broken wire in the wire harness and so there's no power to the front and back. I can't get in or out the drivers side regardless of how far back I pull the handle. But I can on the passenger side.

[@NickDeubert]

Yeah same for me. Kind of scary. Must be broken too People should test their car or ahead of time to be aware.

[@Dinoraptor101]

Model 3 rear doors contain a pull a wire inside the door frame itself, you have to pry a panel open for it too

[@CrazyNickOO7]

I have a question. What if you’re on the highway and the accelerator is stuck on? How do you stop it? In an ICE car you can simply turn off the key/ignition and press the breaks. What about with a Tesla? How do you shut off the car in an emergency?

[@AlexVenz]

Pressing the brake at the same time as the accelerator results in motor power being cut. So, hypothetically depending on the specific nature of the failure, just press the brake to bring the vehicle to a stop and put it in park.

[@proudparnt]

Never EVER turn the ignition key to OFF in an ICE vehicle while in motion..... the steering will lock and not allow you to safely steer your car to the emergency lane.

[@CrazyNickOO7]

proudparnt The steering will not lock. It will only stop the power steering since the power steering pump will stop. You can still steer, it's just much harder and requires a good amount of force. I had that happen to me back in highschool with an old car I had haha. Lucky I was only going 35mph and not highway speeds

[@proudparnt]

Nick ....quote from the owner's manual of my wife's car: "Never turn the ignition key toward OFF while the car is in Drive as this will activate the steering wheel lock and make it impossible to steer the car." ... her's is a 2007 so it may be different now but I'd err on the side of caution and slip the car into Neutral in an emergency rather than try to turn off the ignition.

[@CrazyNickOO7]

proudparnt Hmm ok it happened in my 07 grand Prix. In my scenario my engine died while on the road so the key was still in the "run" position so this would not have activated the steering lock

[@frederickfrost6561]

Great information, thank you!

[@TRYtoHELPyou]

Postin' videos and saving lives :)

[@ryanchen9010]

Imagine you have to pivot off the speaker plate, pull on the end of a wire, then lift the doors right after a crash

[@janabsahib5429]

One can only imagine this right after dreaming of smelling a musky fart.

[@BenSchmerler]

I know nothing about engineering, but why should the doors require electronics at all? Maybe the locks on other cars are electronic (or electronic and manual), but if a door is unlocked on most cars they just don't require electricity to open. I don't see the point in making the door latch itself electronically actuated. Maybe I'm missing something.

[@adrianthoroughgood1191]

I think on Teslas there is just one latch and "locked" just means the outside door opening button gets ignored by the computer. I think doing the doors the way they have makes them harder to break into without smashing the window. Maybe it avoids damage to the door handle from people trying to force it open.

[@jayralston2305]

What if there is a fire doesn’t sound very simple if your in the back seat

[@geries1980]

respect very very important video

[@jlove4eva1234]

But should it be easier in an emergency situation. For the back seat exit

[@CTimmerman]

I'm not sure how much water there is near roads there, or how long the doors function under water but a bright floating emergency hammer would be more useful than a hidden manual latch, also for cutting seat belts.

[@gaborkevlar2821]

you recommend this for al cars I guess

[@CTimmerman]

@@gaborkevlar2821 All cars with windows and/or seatbelts. Front windows have plastic in them, so break the side one.

[@dominicthomas1455]

What bothers me is the back doors are more difficult to open mechanically.. that's where the kids would sit, and if they can't open the door easily then they are screwed

[@mizinamo]

The parent sitting in the front should be able to open the door from the outside, hopefully. Yet another reason not to leave children alone in the car.

[@adrianthoroughgood1191]

The reason it's hidden in the back is so kids can't open the doors when it's not safe. This is deliberate.

[@1998232v6]

Why not just use the traditional “dumb door?” It would save power and open even if the car was dead.

[@guostudios4865]

i ratter kicking or breaking the glass or if i'm not injured get out through the front door

[@eunicezhan1950]

We need an emergency door release flap

[@nomad91910]

Sometimes completely mechanical is the way to go, of course i will have time [and probably mobility] to remove the speaker cover and pull the thing in case of an emergency 😏😏😏

[@GF-mf7ml]

Why these are allowed?

[@mikahakinen6106]

Not a silly video! People might actually die in those stupid Tesla's because opening some doors requires "hacking"! Why keep it simple when you can keep it cool and endanger people during a crash!

[@nealo7414]

Great Video.... Can we just have normal Doors lol

[@michelleha2767]

It is really important. A man died because after the accident rescuers couldn’t open the door from out side. No power no opening.

[@DavidDrivesElectric]

Good tip!

[@biaohan4358]

The government should establish laws mandating all door release should be mechanical and prohibit any type of electronic door lock release that can fail when power is out. That's the same idea as the law prohibit blocking the fire escape of any building. Nobody wants to be in the situation that need to move obstacles when trying to escape a building on fire.

[@geraldb.2245]

I am surprised that mechanical emergency openings in the front and rear are not legally required. Not being able to use them in the Model 3 or only with great difficulty in the Model S and especially the Model X is unacceptable. How are children supposed to do this after a crash, for example, if their parents are unconscious or seriously injured?

[@adrianthoroughgood1191]

It's because of children that they are like this. If they just had a simple handle then they could open the door when you are driving along.

[@geraldb.2245]

@@adrianthoroughgood1191 Nonsense. Every car has normal handles without children opening the door while driving.

[@adrianthoroughgood1191]

@@geraldb.2245 all cars have some form of locking mechanism to prevent the back doors from being opened. Since the Teslas locks and child locks are electronic the mechanical override overrides the child locks as well. So they hide them.

[@ShapeCZ]

2:05 MISSING - Link in the description to one instance of it happening.

[@AlexVenz]

The Jalopnik link is still in the video description and still works--just checked.

[@ShapeCZ]

@@AlexVenzmy bad, thank you! 🙏🏻

[@fdk7014]

Yeah I'm sure people in a panic will figure that out. This thing is a death trap, especially the model 3.

[@Vision33r]

In majority of cases when the car is on fire after an accident. Strangers on the scene are the only ones that can rescue passengers that are either not conscious or unable to do anything such as kids and seniors. They have no idea how to open the trunk or doors from the outside. They can only stand and watch someone get cooked to death.

[@konradkurcz2999]

@@Vision33r always u can kick the glass off

[@janabsahib5429]

@@konradkurcz2999 stop defending these idiotic tesla designs

[@R0ckingR0cker]

It should be illegal to make a car without a manual door handle for each seat. This is ridiculous.

[@St_JohnYam_Steve]

Very simple logic, why this thing is bad but people are OK with it. That why manufacture keeps making it because nobody complain about it.

[@DrDre001]

Send the dude who’s Tesla caught on fire this

[@kitty5439]

What a dangerous car

[@wrennybih]

if i need a tutorial to open my car they've made the car wrong

[@youtert]

These are comically stupid and dangerous designs. (You're supposed to take the speaker grilles off when you're drowning or burning alive?!!!) And they serve no purpose. Did anybody have trouble opening the doors before these "innovations"?

[@adrianthoroughgood1191]

In an emergency you're supposed to climb into the front and get out there. The manual release is hidden to stop kids opening the door while you are driving.

[@ralphfirley3882]

Who the funk designed this!!??

[@tommy_egan]

Some tech bros.

[@jaowashingtune8729]

I wonder if these features would have helped the doctor in florida accident.

[@gaborkevlar2821]

it would not for sure, remember what they said? the car was driverless, since it was a fake scam, the driver ran away, tried to blame the self driving,

[@kennymiles1481]

This bad. It shouldn't be this complicated and should be very ease to see and pull out. This isn't good in case of any emergency.

[@jimgill5706]

Good video. Keep a hammer in the glove compartment just in case.

[@johnhossbach6193]

Except you can't open the glovebox without power, so center console

[@jonathancrutcher8980]

@@johnhossbach6193 another example of why technology will kill us

[@AlbionSupreme]

@@johnhossbach6193 The regret of enslaving yourself to technology as you roast to death inside your "car" is going to be real

[@Krzeszny95]

I'll keep riding my bicycle

[@arunsubramanian7949]

Electric car fires I am searching for emergency release great

[@jonussmith7404]

Next time back the camera up a little bit. lol

[@Vision33r]

The people in the back will be burned to a crisp before they figure out how to open the rear doors.

[@PHLFANJAN]

Lmao this is comically badly engineered. And I am not a Tesla hater. Is this an issue at all with other cars? Or is it just Tesla? Does every car have an emergency latch, or do they just use the regular doorhandles as such?

[@AlexVenz]

This is an issue with any car that uses electronic door latches, which are becoming increasingly common in higher-end cars.

[@jonathantan2469]

@@AlexVenz Electronic door latches are a gimmick which just adds complexity to the vehicle, and a point of failure in the event of loss of power, circuitry damage, or damage to the electronics after an accident. On any other car with mechanical door handles, you can still open the doors even if the battery is flat.

[@danielcovert1023]

If you have an electric vehicle. Probably a good idea to keep a small hammer in your glove box in case you are in a bad spot.

[@jamesocker5235]

Anther death trap from tesla

[@Whazzar]

Very expensive coffins...

[@nexusly6720]

WOW SO THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED OMG

[@Sadin15]

Death trap!!!

[@johnr39]

By the time u find and try to open the door u will burn in car. Rip to all tesla owners. Its a question of time

[@normanwells2755]

Passengers in the back who aren't familiar with the process will burn up in a battery fire. But the government wants to make this mandatory.

[@gaborkevlar2821]

same in the gasoline car, you will burn in the gasoline fire,

[@normanwells2755]

@@gaborkevlar2821 What gasoline powered cars have door latches in the back seats that don't work after a battery failure like some Teslas do?

[@Arkiasis]

How the fuck do these shit cars pass safety? Tesla is a joke.

[@EdwardOskarsson]

No need to make this vid 90% face. Also wtf properly show the mechanism in action.

[@blackops.bowhunter559]

Death traps