Tesla owner unlocks wring car and drives away

[oldbrownhat]

Article here.

There's nothing quite like getting in your car and feeling that something's off, only to realize you've gotten into someone else's car by mistake. Last week, one Tesla owner went even further, when they realized a glitch had seemingly allowed them to not only enter someone else's car but also drive it all over town...

...Rajesh Randev was in a rush when he went to pick up his white Tesla Model 3 on March 7. He used the Tesla app to open the door, got in the car, and drove away. As he drove to pick up his children from school, he noticed an unfamiliar crack in the windshield and rang his wife to ask what had happened. Randev's wife was unaware of the damage, and he also couldn't find his phone charger. Shortly afterward, he got a concerning text that told him he was driving the wrong car....

Modern technology. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[JohnHL]

I don't know much about Tesla security.

Back in the old days when cars had keys, there were limits on the number of different combinations on the cuts of the keys that one key could fit a fairly large number of cars.

In short, there were more cars produced then there were different and unique keys.

There were many instances of people getting in familiar looking cars and not realizing they were in the wrong car because their key worked.

John

 

[DWalt]

I don't know much about Tesla security.

Back in the old days when cars had keys, there were limits on the number of different combinations on the cuts of the keys that one key could fit a fairly large number of cars.

In short, there were more cars produced then there were different and unique keys.

There were many instances of people getting in familiar looking cars and not realizing they were in the wrong car because their key worked.

John

That once happened to me, back about 40 years ago. The other car was parked in the same lot near mine, was the same model (1978 Ford LTD 4 door), and the same color (yellow). My key even fit the door and ignition. I got inside, started it, and was about to drive away, but then noticed some things didn’t seem quite right and it dawned on me that it wasn’t my car.

I remember hearing that locksmiths could get sets of car keys that included every key used for each make, like several hundred of them.

 

[arjay]

That’s funny lol. Several months ago I was loading bags of groceries into the back seat of my suv when I noticed an old guy sitting in the passenger seat up front and several rolls of wallpaper on the floor….ooops..sorry ….[emoji15] (In my defense it looks like every other white grocery getter [emoji16])

 

[WardenRoss]

I don't know much about Tesla security.

Back in the old days when cars had keys, there were limits on the number of different combinations on the cuts of the keys that one key could fit a fairly large number of cars...

John

Back in the day, this was a "trade secret" amongst us Crown Vic operators. If another officer locked his keys in his car, just try yours.


,

 

[oldbrownhat]

Back in the day, this was a "trade secret" amongst us Crown Vic operators. If another officer locked his keys in his car, just try yours.

That worked for my neighbour's JD tractor years ago. They had several keys but all had somehow disappeared. On a hunch I wondered if the key from my old Yanmar might work. "You just saved my marriage" was the comment from the neighbour's wife

 

[snowman]

That’s funny lol. Several months ago I was loading bags of groceries into the back seat of my suv when I noticed an old guy sitting in the passenger seat up front and several rolls of wallpaper on the floor….ooops..sorry ….[emoji15] (In my defense it looks like every other white grocery getter [emoji16])

HaHaHaHaHaHaHa(tried to find a laughing emoji but couldn't. I'm laughing -believe me.) Would have loved to see the look on the fellow's face.

Andy

 

[johngalt]

It's also interesting that Tesla is becoming so commonplace that this could happen.

 

[SMSgt]

In high school I drove a '64 GTO and my buddy drove a '66 Chevelle. His key would unlock my doors, but my key would unlock his and work in the ignition. He got cute once and filled my car with trash. Ha! Took him an hour to find his car.

 

[oldbrownhat]

It's also interesting that Tesla is becoming so commonplace that this could happen.

I see them just about very day up here - all white. This in a small city of 40,00. A year ago my gf & I were at our fav. restaurant for breakfast in Bellingham WA and there were two blue ones parked side by side outside. Presumably both drivers were also having breakfast.

 

[Kiwi cop]

On our 2018 visit to America we were in Pigeon Forge, TN, overnight. Our rental car was a blue Hyundai Elantra.

We had dinner at Dolly's Stampeed and on returning to our hotel I found a carpark, just to the right (left as you exit the building) of the hotel's side door and in the second row.

The next morning I was bringing our luggage down. I stepped out of the side door and seeing "our" car I moved towards it. Putting down one of the case I was carrying I reached for the door handle button to unlock the car. Nothing happened.

Checking I had the remote in my pocket I tried again. The I tried the buttons on the remote. The car would not unlock.

Next I tried the trunk release. No luck.

I stood back a bit, alternating with the lock/unlock buttons on the remote. Then I realised I was hearing the 'clunck' of the door locks coming from a few cars to my left, where I saw an identical blue Hyundai Elantra, with the lights flashing every time I pushed a button.

It happens.

 

[Rustyt1953]

 

[10Mad]

Back in the day, this was a "trade secret" amongst us Crown Vic operators. If another officer locked his keys in his car, just try yours.


,

Saturn only had 3 combinations of keys. You had a 33% chance you could unlock and start any Saturn vehicle. I watched the brother of a bride bring back the wrong car after she asked him to go get her car. He asked which one and she replied it was the Saturn parked behind the church. Never seeing her new car he brought back the Saturn behind the church. Apparently there were 2.

 

[lihpster]

I once saw a couple in their 60's come out of a local tavern one night. They proceeded to stumble along the sidewalk, trying their keys in each vehicle they came across. They tried a pickup, then a small hatchback or 2 and finally came to a huge '70s station wagon. That one seemed to fit the key, so they got in and started it up, backed out of the parking spot and started off down the road. This took about 10 minutes, with lots of stumbling around and dropping of keys and such. I didn't try to stop them as I was almost as amazed as the 2 police officers, in marked cars, sitting across the street. They got maybe 50 yards before the lights came on and they were boxed in. It turned out it was their car. But they were so drunk they didn't know what general shape their car was. I believe the tavern owner got a talking to about overserving.

 

[llowry61]

On our 2018 visit to America we were in Pigeon Forge, TN, overnight. Our rental car was a blue Hyundai Elantra.

We had dinner at Dolly's Stampeed and on returning to our hotel I found a carpark, just to the right (left as you exit the building) of the hotel's side door and in the second row.

The next morning I was bringing our luggage down. I stepped out of the side door and seeing "our" car I moved towards it. Putting down one of the case I was carrying I reached for the door handle button to unlock the car. Nothing happened.

Checking I had the remote in my pocket I tried again. The I tried the buttons on the remote. The car would not unlock.

Next I tried the trunk release. No luck.

I stood back a bit, alternating with the lock/unlock buttons on the remote. Then I realised I was hearing the 'clunck' of the door locks coming from a few cars to my left, where I saw an identical blue Hyundai Elantra, with the lights flashing every time I pushed a button.

It happens.

Back when I was frequently traveling for work, I would just step out into the lot and hit the lock button and listen for the beeping to find the car. I never knew how many white Ford Taurus' were produced till I rented a car every week. The hotel lots were full of them.

 

[Squarebutt]

A few of us had Austin Healy roadsters back in the day, and there were quite a few around, with a major military base nearby. I never saw one that couldn't be started with my key, and mine could be started with everyone else's key. Lots of pranks ensued.

 

[SC_Mike]

Looks like the Bigfoot Monster Truck had a baby with a DeLorean.

 

[Lee in Quartzsite]

Got this story today, it’s unverified….

Comments from State Trooper

Can you imagine the owners frustration after laying down $75,000 for this car????

No all-electric EV for me.
From an anonymous State Trooper in Wisconsin.

I’m not a fan of all electric vehicles. Too many variables affecting battery consumption. Definitely not suited for cold climates. The following experience just cements my distaste for EV’s, especially Tesla.
I get sent to a motorist assist the other day, at the start of our snow storm. Tesla on the side of the interstate, dead battery. So I arrive on scene and the occupants have the right-front door open. They tell me that they can’t open any other doors, because the battery is dead. Sure enough. Can’t open the doors from inside or outside. The driver also can’t get her license out of the glove box where she put it during their trip. Because the glovebox opens electronically… and the battery is dead. You actually have to use the computer in the center of the dash to open the glovebox.
They said they had 10% battery left, should’ve been plenty to get from that location to the charging station nearby. Then all of a sudden the whole car shut off and they coasted to the shoulder.
So now I have to find them a tow. No one wants to tow EV’s. Finally found one company to do it. 8 mile trip to the charging station in Tomah. $1,000! Normal vehicle on the flatbed would’ve been $150.
So now we’re at the Tesla superchargers. Guess what. Can’t open the charging port because the battery is dead!!! The ports open, you guessed it, electronically!!! . And we also can’t open the doors now (had to close the one open door when it was loaded onto the wrecker). The owners manual is in the on board computer, but the battery is dead.
I got the occupants to a store where they’d be warm while calling the rental company to figure out how to charge this nightmare so I’m not sure of the outcome. I had to leave for a crash report.
I’ll stick with my dinosaur burner.