# Model 3 LRDM Suddenly Unresponsive



## dougman4 (10 mo ago)

Last night my car was working normally and I decided to charge it at home in the garage from 90 miles to 200. My phone got notification charging was complete at 3 AM. But when I got in the car to take the kids to school it would not wake up and is completely unresponsive. I don’t know if there’s a way to remove the charging cable from the car in this state. I tried to make a service appointment hoping the mobile team would come take a look but it wants me to take it to a service center in two weeks. Obviously there’s no way for me to get it there other than a tow. I could not wake it with my phone or with my card key. Has anyone heard of this happening or what I might try?


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## Harriscott (Apr 16, 2021)

To clarify: the app cannot find (connect to) the car? I presume your tried the card several times, holding it for a few seconds at different places on the pillar below the camera.

(Maybe the 12v battery died?)


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

Harriscott said:


> (Maybe the 12v battery died?)


Sounds like it.

@dougman4, will it not even unlock the doors for you? If so, there's a procedure for popping the hood to get access to the 12v battery. At that point, you can "jump-start" it or replace the 12v battery.


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## dougman4 (10 mo ago)

So I took another look at it. The app on my iPhone cannot find the car at all or make it do anything. The credit card style key when swiped on the driver side pillar on the outside the vehicle will get the car to make a beep and a light flash. Trying to swipe the card key over the console between the front seats does not get any response. If you press the brake pedal or touch the screen or touch the stock to put it in drive or reverse it is completely unresponsive. Nothing in the car seems like it does anything. I know how to cycle the view screen but nothing happens when I try. The only thing that makes it seem like there’s anything alive about the car is that it will make the beep and flash when I swipe on the outside pillar.


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## Bigriver (Jan 26, 2018)

dougman4 said:


> I don't know if there's a way to remove the charging cable from the car in this state.


From the owner's manual, there is a backup release. I've had to do this once.





















dougman4 said:


> I tried to make a service appointment hoping the mobile team would come


I think this would be a situation to call Tesla roadside assistance.


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## dougman4 (10 mo ago)

I have one of the first model three deliveries. I don’t know how often the 12 V battery needs to be replaced. I don’t know if it goes bad without warning. In a conventional car you usually have an indication it’s going bad over a period of time. I suppose there’s no harm in trying to replace the battery in the model three even if it doesn’t need it. Worth trying something just because anything else will end up being more costly. Is the 12 V battery easy enough to replace and is it special somehow that I should get directly from Tesla or could I get one anywhere? And since it does make the flash and beep when I swipe on the outside pillar, maybe that means the 12 V battery is fine after all?


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## Ed Woodrick (May 26, 2018)

Have you tried rebooting the computer?
Was the car set to lock at home and did it unlock to be able to get in?
@Bigriver posted the cord release instructions. Before you do so, what is the charger showing? Can you reset it to start charging again?
The hole in the front bumper gives you access to the wires that you can use to open the frunk. From there you can see if the 12V battery is charged.
Did you mention to Tesla that the car is in the garage and immovable?

It sounds as if it may be the 12V battery, it may just need charging to be able to get it somewhere to replace it.


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## JasonF (Oct 26, 2018)

You’re in luck, if you want to replace your own 12V battery, right now Autozone, Oreilly, Advance, and Walmart all seem to have Group 51R batteries in stock. Tesla might too, if you make a mobile service appointment they will bring one to you.

To move the car you just need enough power to close the contactors in the main battery. You can access it by using the emergency frunk release wires inside the front bumper, and then a jump pack on the 12V battery.

There is a chance that might not work - since the 12V died so suddenly it might have gone dead cell, which means current won’t even pass through it. In that case you’ll have to remove the 12V battery and connect the jump starter to the battery cables. It’s not a good idea to drive it like that unless you absolutely have no choice (and then use could use tape to keep the jaws attached and the battery cables tied down so they don’t touch stuff and short out).


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## francoisp (Sep 28, 2018)

I experienced a similar situation and a reboot took care of it.


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## TrevP (Oct 20, 2015)

dougman4 said:


> I have one of the first model three deliveries. I don't know how often the 12 V battery needs to be replaced. I don't know if it goes bad without warning. In a conventional car you usually have an indication it's going bad over a period of time. I suppose there's no harm in trying to replace the battery in the model three even if it doesn't need it. Worth trying something just because anything else will end up being more costly. Is the 12 V battery easy enough to replace and is it special somehow that I should get directly from Tesla or could I get one anywhere? And since it does make the flash and beep when I swipe on the outside pillar, maybe that means the 12 V battery is fine after all?


If the car detects a low voltage situation with the lead acid 12V battery you'll get a message on the screen. Be sure to heed that IMMEDIATELY and get it replaced otherwise you risk being stranded and not being able to operate the car.


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