‘My Worst Fear’: Colorado Woman Parks Her Tesla Model Y. Then It Hails

A Tesla Model Y owner showed the lengths she went through to help minimize any hail damage her new ride would sustain during a storm. Printee (@printee24) posted her clip to TikTok, where it’s recently accrued more than 7,000 views. In a caption of her video she writes that she had to watch her “brand new Tesla Model Y get trashed by Colorado hail helplessly.” The recording shows a constant stream of large ice chips rain down from the sky, cascading off of her recently acquired ride. In what appears to be a move to minimize the damage to her EV, Printee placed large blankets on the vehicle to help soften the impact of the inclement weather.

Given their unique design and snazzy features, Tesla drivers have more to consider when it storms. Here's what to know.

Hail Has Destroyed Teslas Before

Unfortunately, there have been more than a few Tesla owners who’ve had their prized cars obliterated by hail. InsideEVs previously reported on a Model 3 driver who recorded themselves seated in their car during a hail storm. The first person view of the damage may resonate with folks who saw the T-Rex Ford Explorer attack scene in the first Jurassic Park film.

From the beginning of the video, the windshield is smashed beyond usability. Large chunks of ice puncture the already cracked glass, and there are numerous, visible impact points.

The Model 3’s glass panoramic roof doesn’t fare any better, either. Water droplets from the storm trickle into the car as more and more hail hits the car.

At any second in the video, it looks like the window is about to give out, leaving whoever is inside completely exposed to the elements. The aftermath showed a grisly sight: His Model 3 was covered in large dents, with one of the car’s cameras coming loose from its body.

Another Tesla driver posted photos of what happened to their ride after it was stuck in a hailstorm. The black Model S was wrecked by the hail, with large indentations blemishing every part of the vehicle’s body. Its windshield was also cracked in several places. And while not as severe as the Model 3 driver caught in the freak storm, the car was still a sorry sight.

In Bavaria, another Tesla driver showed what happened to their Model Y parked outside during a hail storm. Golf ball sized chips of ice rained down upon the EV as the YouTuber witnessed their back windshield getting decimated by the elements.

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How Do Teslas Hold Up In Hail Vs. Other Cars?

Because many Teslas sport all glass panoramic roofs, drivers are worried about the potential damage that could befall their cars. But hail can cause damage to all rides, like this Subaru WRX that was caught in what was surely a gnarly ice storm.

One Cybertruck user recorded himself in a hail storm to document if any damage would befall his Tesla. It appears the vehicle drove away from the incident relatively unscathed. However, he did notice that after he got his car inside of a garage, that the rear bed gate controls were inoperable. Attempts at utilizing the Cybertruck’s on-board buttons to lift or bring down the bed cover were unsuccessful. Furthermore, the button to drop the Cybertruck’s tailgate also didn’t work.

He was able to engage these features through the car’s infotainment system once inside of it. Which led him to believe that hail, or moisture from the storm, somehow fried the buttons located on the back of the Cybertruck.

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Another Tesla product, its solar roof tiles, seem to have held up to hail quite well. One domicile outfitted with the energy solution withstood baseball sized pelts of ice that struck its tiles. However, no substantial damage was caused to the solar roof, indicating that the exterior sun-powered fixtures are indeed durable.

Tesla Total Loss Roof Crack

Even if one’s Tesla doesn’t end up looking like it barely survived a day of shooting with Michael Bay, drivers may have to file a big insurance claim. This Tesla driver’s car was subjected to hail, but didn’t realize the extent of the damage her vehicle sustained until she went inside her ride. Upon doing so, she noticed a crack in the panoramic roof of her car.

Despite not “look[ing] that bad from the outside…it…[was] totaled,” she says. Ultimately, her ride had to be reported as a total loss to insurance, as the threat of driving with a significantly cracked panoramic roof meant curtains for her EV. That’s because, at any time during one of her commutes, the cracks could spread and ultimately break and fall down on her. Which is certainly not the type of surprise anyone wants while they’re out on a cruise.

Commenters Respond

Other Tesla drivers who replied to Printee’s video shared their own trepidation over being caught in hail. “My worst fear,” one person said.

One person said that they’re thankful to keep their rides inside of a garage at all times. “We have two cars and they are both in the garage. I hate the extreme heat and cold,” they penned.

But another shared their own additional protection measures for their vehicles: car covers. “Sometimes you just have to use what you got. Another accessory that I purchased as an essential was a car cover for this reason,” they wrote. Indeed, there are some manufacturers that specifically make car covers designed to repel hail. So if ice damaging your car is something you’re worried about while your ride’s exposed to the elements, opting for one of these covers could be a good idea.

But there was one person who noticed Printee’s home had a garage. Unfortunately, she said that space inside was limited. “2 garage slots, four cars. I picked the short straw,” she wrote in response to the aforementioned used.

InsideEVs has reached out to Printee via TikTok comment for further information. We’ll be sure to update the post if we hear back.

 

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