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The roof on a brand new Tesla Model Y just flew off while cruising down the highway

Published Oct 5th, 2020 7:10PM EDT
Tesla Model Y
Image: Tesla

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  • A Tesla owner was shocked when the roof on his brand new Model Y flew right off while driving down the highway.
  • Quality control has long been an issue for Tesla vehicles. The Model X, famously, was beloved by users but was accompanied but a seemingly endless list of fit and finish issues when it was first released.

Tesla’s transformation from a niche automaker into a legit player in the auto industry has been nothing short of astounding. Despite a constant cloud of pessimism that continues to surround the company, Tesla has proven that it is in fact capable of turning a profit. What’s more, the success Tesla experienced with the Model S, and later the Model X and Model 3, convinced more traditional automakers like Ford and Porsche to take electric vehicles more seriously.

One of the cornerstones of Tesla’s success has been its steady rollout of new models. The company’s first vehicle was famously the Roadster, which was followed by the luxury sedan that was the Model S. Following that, Tesla introduced an SUV (Model X) and a mass-market car otherwise known as the Model 3. Following that, Tesla recently started delivering the Model Y, a crossover version of the Model 3 that has thus far received glowing reviews.

All that said, an ongoing knock against Tesla is that the fit and finish on its cars can leave much to be desired. From trunks that don’t quite close correctly to issues with the falcon-wing doors on the Model X, Tesla has long been plagued by quality control issues.

With that said, one recent story involving a new Model Y owner takes things to a new level. In a post put up on Twitter earlier today, a Model Y owner said that the roof on his new Model Y just fell off while cruising down the highway.

The video is hilarious and sad all at the same time.

Shedding some further light on the issue on the Tesla subreddit, Nathaniel adds:

My dad bought a brand new model Y today, and he brought me along to pick it up just in case he needed help with any tech problems. Everything was going fine and we were driving back home when we started to hear a ton of wind. I thought maybe a window was open but a minute later the entire glass roof just blew off. After a brief panic we turned around and drove the new Tesla convertible back to the dealership.

When we got back we called highway patrol to tell them that there was a car roof somewhere on the 580, but somebody might have gotten into an accident, I’m not sure. The manager at the dealership said that either the seal for the roof was faulty, or the factory just … forgot to seal the roof on? I can’t imagine how something as big as the roof not being attached could make it past quality control. Has this ever happened before?

Tesla has yet to make an official comment on the matter.

Yoni Heisler Contributing Writer

Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry at large with over 15 years of experience. A life long expert Mac user and Apple expert, his writing has appeared in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and TUAW.

When not analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys catching Improv shows in Chicago, playing soccer, and cultivating new TV show addictions.