An Australian Tesla Model Y owner has been left with a hefty bill after the car deployed its pedestrian protection system in a 'near miss' with a kangaroo.
A motorist recently posted a photo to the Tesla Owners Australia group of their new 2025 Tesla Model Y with the active bonnet feature activated despite never being in a collision.
"I had a very close call with a kangaroo the other day, but I managed to avoid it. Unfortunately, the pedestrian safety system on the car activated, and now the car will be out of action for a number of months while I wait for new frunk hinges and a number of other parts to arrive," said the owner.
Accompanied were three photos of an undamaged Model Y with the single-use safety system deployed and the bonnet lifted from the body.
The bonnet lifting is part of Tesla's safety feature, called Active Hood, which is fitted on the current-generation Model 3. It is supposed to "reduce head injuries to pedestrians and cyclists in a frontal collision" by raising the rear portion of the bonnet by 80mm.
While it does reduce the injuries on pedestrians, even in a light impact, the bonnet is deployed. It sounds like a straightforward fix, but others have reported that the bonnet warps in the accident, which leaves more than the pistons and hinges needing to be replaced.
Mason told us that the Tesla-approved panel beaters quoted $2000 to $5000 because it wasn't just the pistons that needed to be replaced; the bonnet had warped, and the hinges had bent.
"We went to see them, and they told us we had to replace the whole bonnet, which is bizarre because there was no damage. But he showed us that the pistons dented the hinges so much that if they just replaced the pistons, then the bonnet wouldn't go all the way down," she explained.
Initially, the facelift 2024–current Model 3 was the only model fitted with the active bonnet system in Australia, but it has since become a standard feature for the facelifted Model Y as well. Any Tesla owners with pre-facelift models need not worry, as these earlier models are not equipped with the system.
Commenters were quick to point out that, in the event the bonnet does not buckle, replacement pistons cost around $300, and the hinges could possibly be repaired at home.
Drive reached out to Tesla to find out if unnecessary deployments would be covered under warranty in early 2025, and the manufacturer responded with "Repairs due to a collision are not covered under warranty".
With this information, Mason had no trouble claiming this incident on her insurance and paying a small excess.
Zane Dobie comes from a background of motorcycle journalism, working for notable titles such as Australian Motorcycle News Magazine, Just Bikes and BikeReview. Despite his fresh age, Zane brings a lifetime of racing and hands-on experience. His passion now resides on four wheels as an avid car collector, restorer, drift car pilot and weekend go-kart racer.
