The First Place to Look if Your Tesla is Missing

Some Tesla owners are facing a new problem with their Teslas: If you own one and it has mysteriously disappeared, where is the first place you should look?

According to a recent Steve Lehto YouTube channel episode, if your Tesla is not where you last left it, you might consider checking with the local police to see if they have confiscated your vehicle.

Based on a San Franciso Chronicle news article, the host of the video reports that Tesla owners are discovering that their vehicles can legally be impounded (via a warrant) by the police for its video footage whenever their car's Sentry Mode feature might have recorded criminal activity―just for being near the scene of a crime.

One problem is that in some cases the police state they had tried to notify the owners of the Tesla before impoundment, but that impoundment does sometimes take place before the owners were duly notified.

The Story and a Legal Take of the Problem

Here's the story told by the host and his take on the questions of legality and who really has the power to control the data the police want?

Steve comments on:

This is yet another instance of automotive Big Brother surveillance.
Is seizing a car the least obtrusive way to get the info police need?
What really happens with Tesla data that has been recorded by the car's Sentry Mode feature?
Should Tesla be subpoenaed instead of the vehicle seized?

Police Seize Teslas That Witnessed Crimes

One Practical Problem of Your Tesla Being Impounded by the Police

However, there is another issue that needs to be addressed: Not only who pays for the towing and other impoundment charges, but what happens if your Tesla is damaged?

In previous articles we've touched on the problems car owners face with towing services that are not as careful with your car as you would like them to be after an accident or breakdown on the road necessitates towing to a repair shop or garage.

While Tesla owners are understandably outraged by the fact that their car can be confiscated at will by the police, a commenter of the Steve Lehto YouTube channel raises some concerns aside from the inconvenience and actual legality of the police towing your vehicle. Will your Tesla wind up damaged by the towing service used by the police?

Post commenter @marksenesac3360 makes the following points verbatim:

"A few significant issues arise with police towing a Tesla in the hopes of recovering video footage."

Teslas must be put into Transport Mode (or Towing Mode) to be safely towed without risking damage to the vehicle. This requires the vehicle to detect a key card or be accessed through the Tesla app. Without this, it cannot enter the proper mode and towing it improperly could lead to serious damage to the car's drivetrain or electrical.
Teslas must always be towed on a flatbed truck. If any of the wheels are left on the ground and allowed to spin during towing, the car's electric motors will generate electricity. This can lead to overheating or, in extreme cases, a fire. The risk of fire is particularly concerning due to the nature of Tesla's high-voltage lithium-ion battery. The potential for catastrophic damage far outweighs any speculative benefits of retrieving footage.
Another important consideration is Tesla's recording system. While the vehicle may have Sentry Mode enabled, which can record footage from the car's cameras, this feature relies on the presence of a USB drive to store the video. If no USB drive is installed, there is no chance of recovering footage. Even if a USB drive is present, it is stored in the glove compartment, which can be password-protected. Without access to this password, retrieving the footage would be difficult without damaging the interior.
All of these factors make towing a Tesla in this context an unreasonable and risky course of action. Improper towing could result in severe damage to the vehicle and personal property inside, including the possibility of a total loss due to fire. The risks associated with towing a Tesla for the 'hope' of recovering video footage far outweigh any potential benefit.

In fact, according to these instructions regarding towing a Tesla Model 3 as an example, all of the above comments/concerns are warranted, as well as the required towing hookup and strapping precautions necessary while loading a Tesla on a flatbed trailer to avoid damage to a Tesla.

In other words, would you trust your Tesla with just any towing service contracted with the local police?

We Would Like to Hear From You

Have you ever experienced your Tesla being improperly towed? If so, what happened and what was the extent and cost of the damage? Please let us know in the comments section below.

For additional Tesla-related articles, here are two useful ones for your consideration.

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWritesfor daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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The First Place to Look if Your Tesla is Missing

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