Tesla Model Y Rear Crash Shows Concerning Front Seat Damage

Why did the seat twist like that?

By: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo

Jul 27, 2020 at 9:14am ET

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Tesla vehicles have a reputation for being remarkably safe vehicles. We hoped it would take longer for us to see that tested on the Model Y, preferably with official tests, but reality jumped in and we have now seen the first documented rear crash in the electric CUV.

It happened in Arizona, and it seems no one got hurt on the accident, but the pictures reveal the front passenger seat twisted from the impact. Why?

We learned about this accident on the Tesla Model Y Facebook group. Trevor Thompson posted it on July 15. We tried to get in touch with Thompson on July 23 but still have not heard from him. We asked him for help in contacting the owner of that Model Y. Both Thompson and he live in Arizona.

The Facebook user is the only source of information. Besides the pictures, which you can see in this article, he also said that he did not know what happened to the front passenger seat and that the crash would be “scary if it had a 3rd row with passengers.”

Thompson presents the only clarification about the seat. The owner told him he was “relaxed slightly reclined” on it when the accident happened.

“So maybe that was the result of me being thrown forward and seat belt pulling me back.”

Tell us what you think!

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The only additional explanation from Thompson came when someone asked what hit the Model Y and he said it was a truck pulling a trailer. All other comments are from people that imagine the owner was a big guy, hence the damage. Or that the seat frame is made of aluminum. Much of the discussion relates to the safety of a third row in such an impact.

We would like to contact the owner to learn precisely what happened. Why was he in the passenger seat? Was he waiting for assistance when the truck hit his car? Was someone else driving it? We have already contacted Tesla to see if the company can explain what caused the weird seat twist.

If you can help us get the answers we need, please get in touch with us by email contact@insideevs.com or through our Facebook page. If you heard about other seats presenting the same damage, we would also like to hear about them.

Source: Tesla Model Y Facebook group