Renee Sanchez was all set to enjoy a day at the Phoenix Zoo with her 20-month-old granddaughter. She placed her in her car seat, shut the car door, and went to get in the driver seat.
However, when going to open the front door she encountered a major problem.
“My car was d_ead,” she told AZFamily. “I could not get in. My phone key wouldn’t open it. My card key wouldn’t open it.”
Because Sanchez was trapped outside of her vehicle and her granddaughter was already strapped into her car seat, she was forced to call 911.
“And when they got here, the first thing they said was, ‘Uggh, it’s a Tesla. We can’t get in these cars,’” she said. “And I said, ‘I don’t care if you have to cut my car in half. Just get her out.’”
According to Sanchez, her granddaughter was “OK” for the first few minutes of the incident, but once firefighters responded to the scene and began using an axe to break the Tesla’s window, the little girl began to cry.
Once the 20-month-old was safe in her grandmother’s arms, Sanchez said then the anger began to settle in.
The 12-volt battery in her vehicle had d_ied without warning.
Tesla drivers are supposed to receive three warnings before the battery d_ies, but Tesla’s service department confirmed that Sanchez did not receive any warnings.
Now Sanchez wants first responders educated on how to handle d_ead electric vehicles.
“They were as much in the dark as I was.”
Despite the terrifying incident, Sanchez is still a big supporter of Tesla, though now she’s a bit more cautious.
“I give Tesla props. When it works, it’s great. But when it doesn’t, it can be deadly,” Sanchez said.
