An ‘Almighty Explosion’ – Parked Tesla Bursts Into Flames After Owner Hears a ‘Weird Hissing Noise’
A Tesla owner was shocked when his car suddenly caught fire while sitting parked in the street. The fire also raised questions about the potential danger of damaged electric vehicles.
The owner of the Tesla, retired teacher Rich Farrant, said he had trouble charging the EV before the fire occurred. He said he had owned the 2022 Model 3 Performance for about a month before the incident. He bought it from the auction site Copart. He was aware that it had been in an accident before his purchase.
“It was my dream car, really, and it just went up in smoke,” he told Talk To The Press. “There was this really weird hissing noise outside and then this almighty explosion. “I was really shaken up. If someone was walking past the car, that would have been horrific.”
A Ring camera captured the scary scene outside the house. Luckily, Farrant said his neighbor used an extinguisher to put out the fire. Firefighters later checked it to make sure there wouldn’t be any further issues.
Buyer beware when purchasing a used electric vehicle
He ended up purchasing another Tesla from Copart. because he “always wanted” a self-driving Tesla. Sadly, the model he bought left him disappointed because it didn’t include Full Self-Driving or Enhanced Autopilot. When he asked the company to install the features on his new vehicle. Tesla refused to do so without a fee.
“Upon review, we are unable to offer any goodwill gesture in response to the concerns raised,” Tesla wrote in a correspondence with Farrant. The company cited the fact that a third party had sold him the vehicle and that it had been in an accident. Additionally, Tesla did not inspect the vehicle on-site, and their local teams did not investigate the cause of the fire damage.
As Guessing Headlights writer Philip Uwaoma points out, problems like Farrant’s are only going to become more common as the used EV market continues to grow.
Customers should understand that properly repairing complicated and costly EV battery systems can be challenging, even though the cheaper price may be alluring. Altering such systems beyond manufacturer specifications or damaging them in an accident can significantly changes their risk profile.
Now, Farrant doesn’t have his dream car anymore. He also doesn’t even have the satisfaction of knowing what caused the fire.
