On social media, many viewers were stunned after a Tesla owner shared her experience of being locked out during a winter storm.
On Twitter, a viral video showed her car failing to work in harsh conditions, gaining attention.
Furious Tesla owners are expressing their frustrations on social media.
Tesla owner faced to significant issues during a severe winter storm that swept through Canada and the U.S.
Many found themselves locked out of their vehicles due to frozen door handles.
This prompted a wave of social media complaints.
Tesla owners locked out in frigid conditions
One notable case involves Rachel Modestino, a meteorologist from Ontario.
On December 23, when temperatures plummeted to five degrees Fahrenheit, she was unable to access her sleek black Tesla as the door latch froze shut.
Modestino shared her struggle in a now-viral video o Twitter.
The video has the caption: ” bet ya didn’t think of ice in the Tesla design”
The footage showed her car partially covered in ice.
She quipped in her tweet, “Bet ya didn’t think of ice in the Tesla design.”
The video quickly went viral and sparked debate on social media
The post sparked a mix of sympathy and criticism.
In the comment selection, some users offered advice on using the Tesla app to unlatch the door.
Others criticized the brand’s design.
One person said: Hold the main row of icons on the app for additional features, these two should help. Unlatch only works for drivers door as far as I know. Stay warm
A second wrote: To be fair, all car doors freeze in this situation. But yes, Tesla could add an anti-freeze feature.
While a third commented: Remote vehicle defrost works perfectly!.
Another added: I bet most cars covered in ice would have similar problems.
Someone else said: I actually saw a video where a Tesla self started, heated up the car to melt the ice and notified the owner when the car was ready. So apparently He did.
Despite charging failures amid the freeze, Modestino also praised the vehicle.
Modestino clarified that her intention was not to critique Tesla or Elon Musk.
She also highlighted what she considered a flaw for the price of the vehicle.
She responded to critics: “OKAY, this went off… Not meant to dig Elon (I love my car). I only tweeted because I thought it was a silly flaw for the price.” She added, “I learnt: unlatch capability, defrost longer, be less gentle with your 2nd baby & car covers. Ty for the help, be kind, Merry Christmas.”
Despite her defense, some users continued to criticize her for not having a garage to protect her car from the elements. One commenter stated, “If you have a Tesla, you should have enough money to have it in a garage,” to which Modestino replied, “Okay but I don’t.”
Modestino wasn’t alone in her struggles.
Previously, Domenick Nati, a 44-year-old Tesla owner from Virginia, faced his own winter woes when he had to cancel Christmas plans with his son.
Nati plugged his Tesla S into a supercharger in Lynchburg during freezing temperatures.
However, as the hours passed, the battery charge decreased rather than increased.
He attempted to charge the vehicle on Christmas Eve but was met with the same disappointing results.
In a TikTok video, Nati documented his efforts to revive the car’s charge.
Despite multiple attempts and contacting Tesla for assistance, he received no response.
The winter storm has exposed vulnerabilities in Tesla vehicles, particularly in extreme weather.
Rachel Modestino and Domenick Nati shared their experience and sparked debate on social media.
It highlighted the challenges of owning an electric vehicle in cold climates.
Many users questioning the practicality of Tesla’s features. It also remains to be seen how the company will respond to these concerns moving forward.