Fast charging is supposed to add power, not take it away. But for one Tesla Model Y owner, plugging in a brand-new Wawa charger caused it to suddenly turn off and left her wondering how a car with so much range could suddenly go dark.
In a TikTok video filled with directions and warnings for Tesla owners, content creator Emma Renee @the.emmarenee shares details of her and her 15-year-old son being temporarily trapped in the car and then locked out, despite indications that she was charged for over 100 additional miles of travel.
“I literally plugged it in, and I had about 110 miles to drive, and I sat here for three seconds, and it said, ‘Car low on power,'” she says in the clip. It will shut down.” “Nothing was working. Not even an exit button.”
The video quickly struck a chord with EV owners, many of whom were confused by how a vehicle could suddenly lose power showing over 100 miles of range remaining. As several commenters have pointed out, the issue does not appear to be with the high-voltage main battery that powers the Tesla Model Y’s drivetrain, but rather with the car’s low-voltage electrical system.
accident TeslaIt, like most electric cars, relies on a separate Low voltage battery– Traditionally a 12-volt unit, although newer models have moved to lithium-ion systems – to operate basic functions such as door locks, infotainment screens, and consoles. If so System failurethe vehicle can become largely unresponsive even if the main battery pack is fully charged.
In her responses to commenters, Emma Renee said that technicians at the Tesla service center later attributed the failure to a fault in the charging port that shorted out the low-voltage system, rather than to an automatic battery malfunction.
Discussion of 12 volt battery
Viewers quickly flooded the comments section with theories, with many pointing to a familiar culprit. “12 volt battery needs to be replaced,” one commenter wrote, echoing dozens of similar responses. Others noted that internal combustion vehicles can also become malfunctioning when using their accessories Batteries failalthough mechanical door handles usually remain operable in those cases.
Low-voltage battery failures are a known problem throughout the auto industry, and Tesla has admitted that previous lead-acid units often need to be replaced after two to four years of service. In response, the automaker has begun rolling out lithium-ion Low voltage batteries In newer vehicles, including updated versions of the Model 3 and Model Y, for improved longevity and reliability.
However, Emma Renee confirmed that her car had fewer than 20,000 miles on it at the time, and said that Tesla replaced multiple components after the accident. She also stressed that the same charger was newly installed at the recently opened Wawa store, raising questions about whether an error during the charging handshake could have led to the shutdown.
One of the most controversial aspects of the video is the emergency opening of the doors, especially for rear seat passengers. In the clip, the creator initially mentioned that the rear seats lacked an emergency latch, a claim that many commenters questioned.
Tesla vehicles include manual emergency releases for the rear doors, but unlike the front doors, they are often hidden inside door pockets or under trim panels. Tesla owner documents indicate that these versions were intentionally hidden to reduce the risk of accidental activation, especially by children.
While many commentators criticized the creator for not knowing his whereabouts Backend versions It was located, and others admitted that it can be difficult to locate the design under pressure. Some owners said they added aftermarket stickers or glow-in-the-dark tags to make the product Versions It’s easier to find in emergency situations.
In later comments, Emma Renee explained that her primary concern was not that she got out herself, but rather the possibility that someone, like her grandmother, might be trapped in the back seat without guidance during a similar fiasco.
Is it a domain failure or a system problem?
Despite the dramatic nature of the video, the incident does not appear to indicate a widespread malfunction or new malfunction affecting Tesla vehicles. There are no recalls associated with the charging outlet closures, and regulators have reported no similar incidents at Wawa charging locations.
Instead, experts generally describe these scenarios as cascading electrical failures, where a fault in a component, such as a low-voltage battery or charging interface, shuts down the vehicle as a precaution. Because electric vehicles rely heavily on… Electronic systems Instead of mechanical connections, the effects can seem more surprising to drivers unfamiliar with the architecture.
This distinction is important, especially since viral videos can blur the line between rare cases and everyday risks. A car that loses its electronic function while stationary is fundamentally different from a car Payment failed Quickly, and there is no indication that the Model Y in this case was a driving hazard before it was shut down.
However, the incident sparked renewed debate about owner education, emergency preparedness, and how clearly manufacturers communicate fail-safe features. It also highlights how electric vehicles are increasingly being adopted It depends on trustAnd not just technology. As charging infrastructure expands and vehicles become more dependent on software Uncommon failures They can feel upset when basic expectations about control and access are challenged.
For this Tesla owner, the experience ended with a tow truck and repair, not an injury. But the video highlights how moments like this can have an impact far beyond a single parking lot, shaping perceptions of electric cars one piece at a time.
InsideEVs I reached out to Emma Renee via direct message and comment on the clip. We will update this if she responds.
