Crashed Tesla burst into flames -- twice

"Unstable" Tesla Battery Reignites Days After Bursting Into Flames As NTSB Probes Latest Deadly Tesla Crash

Back in March, there was a fatal crash in Mountain View, CA, where a Model X crashed into a center divide and then caught fire. Elon Musk and the NTSB have been bickering over whether the autopilot was responsible.

Now, we're learning that the battery pack for the car caught fire again, 6 days later!!!

In the report (via KTVU), the fire department said that they monitored the battery pack and it reignited days after the March 23 accident, with Mountain View Fire Chief Juan Diaz commenting:

“In this particular case, six days later, the temperature inside those cells increased to the point of ignition. That’s why the car reignited. You have stored energy that is frankly unstable.”

Tesla's helpful advice is to "use large amounts of water to cool the battery. DO NOT extinguish with a small amount of water."

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

I am starting to think these cars are unsafe death traps. I just read that two kids died the other day in a Tesla crash that resulted in instantaneous fire. Either Tesla's customers are horrible drivers or these things have become autonomous and are attempting to kill whoever enters them. I saw another article where somebody drove through a building, they claim the car just took off on it's own. The person is lucky the car didn't just spontaneously combust while they were in it. I hope Tesla's come with extra life insurance as a standard option, it looks like your family is going to need it not long after you purchase one. Where is Ralph Nader when you need him?

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

Two teens died in florida after crashing their tesla.

www.wsj.com...

Those batteries can be dangerous.

This isn't going to help tesla especially after their last earnings repprt.

a reply to: Bluntone22

Oh don't worry about Tesla's stock price. It's up again today. Apparently the average Tesla investor thinks Musk is a magician. He better be, because he is going to need to pull $2 billion out of his ass next year.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

These are the growing pains that are expected when exploring new technologies and such.

Years down the road, this may turn in to battery technology that revolutionizes many industries.

We shall see.

yup folks - batteries are " DANGEROUS " and 85 litres of hi-octane petrol = totally safe

I am not sure the cause of death is the correct way to look at car safety.

Tesla's are still less dangerous by percentage than other makers by far.

Two or three high profile accidents don't really make the cars unsafe.

You have to examinine the percentage of fatal accidents from car design vs other manufactures with design failure. Which can include structure.

originally posted by: MRinder
a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

I am starting to think these cars are unsafe death traps. I just read that two kids died the other day in a Tesla crash that resulted in instantaneous fire. Either Tesla's customers are horrible drivers or these things have become autonomous and are attempting to kill whoever enters them. I saw another article where somebody drove through a building, they claim the car just took off on it's own. The person is lucky the car didn't just spontaneously combust while they were in it. I hope Tesla's come with extra life insurance as a standard option, it looks like your family is going to need it not long after you purchase one. Where is Ralph Nader when you need him?

A little perspective...

37,000 people in the US die in car crashes each year.... so on the day that one Tesla crashed killing the two teens (who were speeding and probably driving recklessly), there were 100 other auto fatalities that didn't make the front page of the Wall Street Journal.

Also, keep in mind there are more than 200,000 Tesla Model S's on the road...

Crashing a car at a high rate of speed is likely not to end well whether electric or gas... are we really going to act like gas cars don't go boom?

a reply to: MRinder

Too true

a reply to: Edumakated

124 people died in their cars from a faulty ignition switch thanks to chevy.

originally posted by: luthier
a reply to: Edumakated

124 people died in their cars from a faulty ignition switch thanks to chevy.

This is exactly the issue here.

Tesla is unique. Because it's a unique car design and company, people think the problems it has are also unique.

They are not.

Tesla will be just fine, and while there are problems with the vehicles, they are no more prevalent or dangerous than a regular gas-powered vehicle.

I recently took both of my gas-powered vehicles in for recall work that, if not done, could have resulted in serious safety issues.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

Tesla is in some trouble.... I have a feeling the government will go soft on them if they can. Tesla is right up there with Google and Facebook as being very useful and cooperative companies for the government

originally posted by: luthier
a reply to: Edumakated

124 people died in their cars from a faulty ignition switch thanks to chevy.

Also true,
But how many chevys were on the road at the time compared to how many teslas?
At least a 10k to 1 ratio at a guess.

An unstable battery pack should have been closely examined and then taken apart to prevent the second fire from happening.

What did we learn in basic chemistry about lithium, kids?

It's the Ford Pinto of the future.

a reply to: MRinder

California mandating solar panels is good for Solar City.

Sure both can be dangerous but has won't ignite 6 days after the initial fire.

The people who towed it should have been aware of the possibility that the batteries needed more attention and should have been disabled properly.

originally posted by: sligtlyskeptical
a reply to: MRinder

California mandating solar panels is good for Solar City.

Solar City no longer exists. It was acquired by Tesla because it was about to go bankrupt.

Consider this.

1)Tesla will examine the details and adjust. Make some changes if necessary.
2)It's a little bit of a witch hunt for Tesla. More Fords were involved in fatal crashes this year than Teslas but that's not making the news and nobody is saying Fords are Death Traps. Only Tesla. That's your clue right there. In 2016 alone there were 7,322 Fords involved in fatal traffic accidents.

a reply to: amazing

Good God at least look at the numbers.
Ford sold 2.5 million vehicles in 2016 alone and that doesn't include multiple millions of Ford's sold before 2016.
Tesla produced 83k cars in 2016.

So I would think there were more ford crashes than tesla.