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Florida Woman Leaves Chipotle, Sees Tesla Being Towed. The Company Charges $185 To Get It Back—After They ‘Completely Ruined’ It

"I was telling her that they improperly towed my car."

Florida Woman Leaves Chipotle, Sees Tesla Being Towed

Photo by: Robbie/Unsplash

Mustafa Gatollari

By: Mustafa Gatollari

Oct 26, at 6:00am ET

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A Florida Tesla owner says that a towing company ruined her car by using the wrong kind of tow truck. Then it charged her $185 for the privilege.

Makyla Monroe (@makylaamonroee) accuses Target Towing of dragging her Tesla Model 3 when it should have placed the car on a flatbed instead. Consequently, she alleges, her EV’s seatbelts and parking assist systems are no longer functioning properly.

Tesla Towed By Its Rear Wheels

“My car got towed by Target Towing in Tampa, Florida in the beginning of the month and they completely ruined my car,” she claims. Monroe continues, “I drive a Tesla and it cannot be dragged, it has to go on a flatbed because of it being an electric vehicle, right? Well, as I was coming out of Chipotle, this is what I walked out to.”

Following this, her video cuts to footage of a red Tesla Model 3 being towed by its back wheels as if it was in reverse. Monroe says that, after going to the towing company to retrieve the Tesla, she informed an employee that they'd towed it incorrectly.

“So I finally make it to the towing company after having to miss work. They made me pay I think $185 dollars or $183 dollars. And … she wouldn’t let me get my car until I paid it. But I was telling her that they improperly towed my car. She was like you can reach out to a manager and they can escalate it from there,” Monroe said.

Unfortunately, Monroe says that these instructions were a case of workers kicking the can down the road. That’s because, the Tesla owner says, she hasn’t received any type of acknowledgment or remediation for the way her car was towed. “I’ve know e-mailed twice, called back a hundred times and every single time I call back they’re like you can e-mail the managers are like on-site. Well no one’s answered my e-mail and it’s halfway through October,” she continued.

Gallery: 2024 Tesla Model 3 Performance

2024 Tesla Model 3 Performance

What Does She Say Happened To Her Tesla?

Monroe claims that her car was damaged by the towing company. Her video cuts to a photo of the Tesla's infotainment screen. It says “Park Assist Unavailable.” In another photo, her Tesla indicates that there’s an issue with the “safety restraint system” and “service is required.” She also posted photos of the underside of her car. You can see black scuffs on the back that bleed into its red paint.

Another photo of the Tesla’s infotainment display indicates the vehicle must be placed on a flatbed truck for towing. She accuses the towing company of argueing that flatbed towing wasn’t necessary for all Tesla models.

However, Monroe says that the car’s owner manual explicitly states otherwise and that she spoke with Tesla regarding the incident, which recommended that she send the business two pictures: one of a “do” towing scenario that depicts the Tesla on the back of a flatbed truck. The second reads “don’t” in red, and shows the Tesla being towed with its back wheels on the ground.

"The lady then told me that not all Teslas have to be on a flatbed, some can be dragged. I spoke to Tesla and they told me to send them this, which basically says the car cannot be dragged it has to go on a flatbed,” she says.

Monroe then said that her car’s “seatbelts don’t work, and [she has] … a safety restraint now due to them towing my car like that.

“Sue Them Yourself”

Monroe is now considering a few options. “Basically what I’m trying to get here is I don’t know if I should just go to small claims or if I should get a lawyer. But I just don’t know if a lawyer would take it like pro bono or whatever it’s called … I just need like someone to tell me what they would do,” she says.

Most commenters urged Monroe to sue the towing company. “Sue tf out of them! Hillsborough County Court has free legal services to file your claim,” one said. Another wrote: “Sue them yourself this is clearly a mistake on their end."

One person recommended that she go to the insurance company that provides liability coverage for Target Towing.

“File a claim with the tow company’s liability insurance. They will settle quick to avoid a rate increase,” they said.

Tesla’s owner’s guide clearly indicates that “a flatbed is Tesla’s recommended way to move the car. All four tires must stay off the road during transport … do not transport the vehicle with wheels on the ground." The Model X manual also stresses that owners “ensure … the tires are unable to spin at any time during [tow] transport.”

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Gulisano Law says that towing companies can indeed be required to foot the bill for any damage sustained to a vehicle as a result of negligence during a tow. “Tow companies are liable for any damage negligently caused to the vehicle. Fla. Stat. § 715.07(2)(a)(8)... According to Florida law, the towing service bears sole responsibility for any damage your vehicle sustained during the tow, transport, and storage process."

Motor1 has reached out to Monroe via email and Target Recovery & Towing for further comment. We'll update this if either responds.

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