Toddler Trapped in Tesla During Heatwave Due to Dangerous Malfunction

(BrightPress.org) – An Arizona grandmother recently faced a terrifying ordeal when her Tesla’s battery died, leaving her 20-month-old granddaughter trapped inside the car. The incident occurred during a heatwave in the Phoenix area, where temperatures often exceed 100 degrees.

Sanchez explained that after securing her granddaughter in the car seat, she closed the door and moved to the front seat, only to find that her Tesla was completely dead. Both her phone key and card key failed to unlock the car, leaving her granddaughter trapped inside.

In a panic, Sanchez called 911 for help. When the Scottsdale firefighters arrived, they were initially dismayed to see it was a Tesla, acknowledging that accessing these cars can be especially challenging when the battery is dead.

Firefighters used an axe to break one of the windows, carefully taping it first to minimize the spread of broken glass. As they worked, the toddler began to panic, frightened by the commotion and the breaking glass. Eventually, they managed to pull her out, much to the relief of Sanchez, who then expressed her anger and concern over the incident.

Sanchez noted that Tesla is supposed to warn owners when the battery is low, but she received no such alert. Tesla’s service department confirmed the issue, highlighting a significant safety concern. Without a backup manual lock mechanism, situations like this can become life-threatening, especially when young children or pets are involved.

The incident raised questions about Tesla’s safety features and the preparedness of first responders to handle emergencies involving electric vehicles. EV expert Mike Klimkosky emphasized the need for fire departments to educate themselves about handling such situations.

Sanchez’s experience highlights a critical gap in Tesla’s design, especially in emergencies. While Tesla offers a manual method to open doors from the inside, this is useless if a toddler is the one trapped. In light of this incident, many are calling for better safety protocols and more robust emergency measures for electric vehicles.