Scottish couple facing $33k repair bill after driving Tesla in heavy rain

Happened to my friend in a 2017 or 2018 model S earlier this year. Drove through a large puddle, not like deep standing water, and after the stopped the car it wouldn’t start back. Water had gotten into the motor case and tripped a sensor. Whole thing shut down. Only fix was replacing the assembly.<p>Essentially this issue, <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;insideevs.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;534878&#x2F;tesla-models-motor-fail-rain&#x2F;" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;insideevs.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;534878&#x2F;tesla-models-motor-fail-ra...</a>

I know ICEs don&#x27;t take well to being flooded either, but still I feel like &quot;water ingress damaged the battery&quot; should fall under warranty in basically all cases. Driving in rain and through puddles is in the normal operating conditions of a car, and having the battery water tight and with good self-protection sounds very doable (as opposed to making a combustion engine watertight, or corrosion, or wear-and-tear).

From here[1] in 2016:<p>&gt; <i>We *def* don&#x27;t recommended this, but Model S floats well enough to turn it into a boat for short periods of time. Thrust via wheel rotation.</i><p>And here[2] in 2020:<p>&gt; <i>A Tesla works as a boat for short periods of time, as an electric car has no air intake or exhaust to block &amp; battery&#x2F;motor&#x2F;electronics are water-sealed. Submarines are just underwater EVs.</i><p>[1] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;twitter.com&#x2F;elonmusk&#x2F;status&#x2F;744551674082136066" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;twitter.com&#x2F;elonmusk&#x2F;status&#x2F;744551674082136066</a><p>[2] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;twitter.com&#x2F;elonmusk&#x2F;status&#x2F;1221176639339425792" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;twitter.com&#x2F;elonmusk&#x2F;status&#x2F;1221176639339425792</a>

Unless this is a different couple, I think this has been discussed here<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=37907519">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=37907519</a>

I was told the battery is supposed to be fully water sealed. According to Elon, &quot;it can serve briefly as a boat.&quot; Are such statements completely worthless? Consumers are buying these cars based on these kind of statements, and Elon knows it.

[dupe]<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=37907519">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=37907519</a><p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=37918373">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=37918373</a>

It’s the only Tesla in the country that died due to the rain? Something else must have happened, no?

Is it just me or does the number keep going up every time this story is reposted?

Tesla is extremely popular in Norway. Norway gets ungodly amounts of rain every year. I think this would’ve happened many times to many owners by now?

Why do people keep buying low quality products such as teslas? Is it a status symbol or something? They feel like buckets on wheels. I dont get it.

Surely insurance would cover something like this?

Tesla has sold 5 million cars. I think a good proportion of those will have been driven in heavy rain at some point. If this was a common problem someone would have some stats.<p>Speculation: I suspect somewhere inside the car they have markers that let the engineers know whether the car has been submerged. If those markers have tripped then you&#x27;re out of warranty.

Never buy a Tesla. I will buy BMW and flood that car and yell at them instead.

Interesting that there is no mention of car insurance!

What % of ICE cars would be covered by warranty if there was moisture ingress causing electronics failures?

I&#x27;m so confused why this is news, and why this is news worthy of hacker news? am I missing something?

&gt; The thing is, Elon Musk could buy everyone in the world a Tesla if he wanted to.<p>I don&#x27;t think this checks out, carexpert.com.au