Cybertruck fire deaths prompt a re-write of our Get Out page

Get Out page

The recent announcement of lawsuits over the deaths of two college students in a Cybertruck fire has us rethinking and re-writing out Get Out page.

We believe we were first to call attention to electronic locks and latches some ten years ago with the death a man in the hot Texas sun in a Chevy Corvette. And, because of what we deemed a very poor placement of the car’s back-up door opening lever, we immediately called for a build to intuition, which seems a difficult challenge for most auto manufacturers.

None of which accounts for our rewrite. The Cybertruck had crashed into a tree which resulted in heavy front-end damage. The driver was incapacitated and possible the front passenger as well and at least the driver’s door was inoperable. The question then concerned the rear doors.

This is where we failed as well.

We had focused on front door mechanisms, anticipated electrical problems only, and had not looked further for rear door operation. There are mechanical means for exiting the Cybertruck from the rear.

The rear passengers are believed to have been alive after the crash and unable to get out. Had they known of the back-up mechanism, they might could have escaped with their lives.

Unfortunately, there is absolutely nothing obvious or intuitive about the back-up method. A mat at the bottom of either door’s map pocket needs to be removed and a then-visible cable pulled to release the door. The front door releases are at the front of each armrest, which is at least somewhere someone might look.

We’ve now completed a re-write of Tesla vehicles, adding the back-up exit mechanism in the Model X, which are, sadly, behind the back doors’ speaker grilles and discovered that the Model 3 and Model Y do not have mechanical back-ups for the back doors!

This oversight will very likely come back to haunt the manufacturer.

In the meantime, we urge anyone reading this, particularly auto manufacturers, to look into the very simple and completely intuitive offerings from Audi, Lucid, Polestar and Volvo. Same door handle, just pull harder (Audi example below right).

And better yet, we will continue to advocate for the complete elimination of electronic locks and latches. Given that a mechanical back-up is necessary, they are a complete waste of money for both the seller and buyer.

And, as has been seen too often, potentially lethal.

In the interim, we will continue to re-examine all manufacturers for rear door back-up exit mechanisms and adding them to our Get Out page.

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The material on these pages is provided for information sharing purposes only and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business, nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

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