Tesla introduced its Emergency Drive-Away feature in the United States on October 1, two months after a deadly shooting in Twin Falls in which a gunman targeted cars charging at a Supercharger. The feature is designed to let a driver escape an immediate threat without leaving the vehicle to unplug: the driver selects forward gear, holds the brake pedal and taps “Activate” on the screen, allowing the car to pull away while the connector separates from the charging post.
But reports shared on Reddit and cited by InsideEVs on November 2 suggest that some owners have tried the function without an emergency, either out of curiosity or after pressing the control accidentally. In most reported cases, the car did not move. At least one driver did pull away with the cable attached, leaving the Supercharger out of service.
Tesla warns that activating the feature can damage the car’s charging port, while the connector is designed to break away to prevent the charging post from toppling. If it separates, the cable falls to the ground and that charging point becomes unusable until it is repaired.
Even when the car stays put and nothing is torn off, activating the feature triggers a persistent dashboard alert saying that the vehicle needs service. According to the report, the warning cannot be cleared by restarting the screen or using Service Mode. Tesla requires an in-person inspection of the charging port and its own tools to clear the fault, citing high-voltage safety concerns.
The service charges shared by owners vary. One driver said Tesla initially quoted $255, then charged $33.15 to clear the warning. Another said the company treated the visit as a goodwill repair and charged nothing. Other reported bills included $178.20 and, in a case shared by an account that tracks Tesla service issues, $539 for an inspection and alert reset, despite the car not having moved.
Tesla’s warning says short clips from the car’s cameras may be sent to the company and that misuse could bring additional penalties. The report also says repairing a damaged Supercharger stall can cost up to $25,000. None of the accounts it cites said that a driver had been charged for repairing a damaged charging post.
Sources: Numerama.