KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Every Tesla leaves Number 5 Road on a flat deck, never with wheels on the ground.
- Tow mode needs the car unplugged, a key detected and working low-voltage power.
- A dead low-voltage battery has to be powered from outside before the car can be put in tow mode.
- Tight visitor stalls may call for wheel skates rather than rolling the car out.
- You pick the drop-off: a Tesla service centre, a body shop or home.
Tesla towing on Number 5 Road: what to do before the truck reaches your stall
Before Tesla towing on Number 5 Road starts, have your phone key or key card with you and stay by the car, because tow mode cannot be set without a key. Tesla's Instructions for Transporters for the Model Y list what tow mode needs: the car unplugged, a key detected, the parking brake on, the brake pedal held and low-voltage power available. The setting is under Controls, then Service, then Towing. If you are inside a warehouse unit when the truck arrives, come out to the visitor stall so the driver can work through it with you. Our Bridgeport Tesla towing page and our 24 hour roadside assistance on Number 5 Road explain the after-hours side.
Tell us the model and year when you call, along with the unit number and whether the car is out front or behind the building. If the touchscreen shows an error or the car will not wake up, say so, because that changes what the driver brings. Clear personal items off the floor and the frunk if the car was hit at the front, and note any warning messages for the service centre. If you are locked out rather than broken down, car lockout unlock on Number 5 Road is the first step, and our contact page lists other ways to reach us.
Why Tesla towing on Number 5 Road is always done on a flatbed
Tesla towing on Number 5 Road is flatbed only because the motors can generate power if the wheels turn. Tesla says all four tires must be off the ground and unable to spin during transport, and warns that spinning wheels can cause serious damage and overheating. A wheel-lift that leaves two wheels on the road is not an option. We use the flatbed towing on Number 5 Road trucks for every Tesla, and our flatbed versus wheel-lift guide explains the difference for other cars.
On the deck, the car is secured at the tires with an eight-point tie-down, not by straps over body panels or around suspension parts. Tesla also tells transporters to keep metal strap hardware off paint and wheel faces. Model 3 owners will find the same section, Instructions for Transporters, in the Model 3 owner's manual for Canada. If your car is low on charge rather than broken, fuel delivery will not help, so ask whether a tow to the nearest charger makes sense, and see Tesla towing in Tait for home drop-offs north of Bridgeport Rd.
- All four wheels on the deck, none turning
- Tie-downs on the tires, eight points
- No straps over panels, through wheels or on suspension
- Strap hardware kept off paint and wheel faces
Tesla towing on Number 5 Road when the low-voltage battery is flat
If the car is completely dead in a Number 5 Road stall, Tesla towing starts with power, not with the winch. Tow mode needs low-voltage power, so a flat low-voltage battery has to be supplied from outside before the car can be set free-rolling. Tesla's procedure is to open the hood using the no-power method and then jump the low-voltage system. A car left in the staff row through a long weekend is a typical case. Our battery boost on Number 5 Road covers that step, and the Bridgeport battery boost page explains what we check.
Sometimes the boost is all the car needs and it wakes up and drives away. If it wakes but shows a drive fault, we set tow mode and load it. If the car still has no power, we use self-loading dollies or wheel skates, which Tesla lists for cars whose touchscreen cannot be reached. Ask us on the call which approach fits, check the Tesla towing on Mitchell Island page for the same problem near the wreckers, or read about 24 hour roadside assistance in Bridgeport for night calls.
Tesla towing on Number 5 Road from tight stalls and rear aprons
Tesla towing on Number 5 Road often means moving the car a few metres before it can be loaded, because business-park stalls are nose-in against walls and planters. Tow mode lets the car roll only slowly, under 8 km/h, and for less than 10 metres, so the driver plans the shortest path from the stall into the drive aisle. If the car sits under a covered loading area or a low canopy, our underground towing on Number 5 Road team has low-profile gear for that first move. A Tesla with a flat tire against a curb may only need a mobile tire change on Number 5 Road.
Rear aprons behind the Vulcan Way and No. 5 Rd units are wider, but trucks and forklifts use them all day. If a forklift touched the car, treat it as accident towing in Bridgeport. We line up the flatbed so the bay doors stay open and ask staff to pause traffic while the car is winched. Our roadside assistance team can talk through the loading plan with the warehouse on the call.
Where Tesla towing from Number 5 Road drops the car
Tesla towing from Number 5 Road goes wherever you choose: a Tesla service centre, an independent EV shop, a body shop or your home. Book the service appointment first if you can, and tell us the address and opening hours so the car is not left outside a closed shop. If the car was in a collision in the lot, Tesla's guidance is to treat high-voltage parts as live until emergency responders say otherwise. Our accident towing on Number 5 Road page and our BCAA and ICBC towing coverage guide cover the claim side.
For trips outside the Lower Mainland, ask about long distance hauling from Bridgeport. For drivers living along the river, Tesla towing on River Drive handles parkade drop-offs.
| Situation | First step | How it leaves the lot |
|---|---|---|
| Drive fault, car has power | Set tow mode with key present | Winched onto the flatbed |
| Car fully dead | Power the low-voltage system | Tow mode or wheel skates, then flatbed |
| Flat tire only | Check for a spare or plug option | May drive away, no tow |
| Hit in the lot | Photos, then treat high voltage as live | Flatbed to the body shop you choose |
Tesla Towing on Number 5 Road: questions drivers ask
Can a Tesla be towed with two wheels on the ground?
No. Tesla says all four wheels must be off the ground. We load every Tesla from Number 5 Road onto a flatbed.
Do I need to be there for a Tesla tow?
It helps a lot. Tow mode needs a key present, so your phone key or key card has to be at the car when the driver sets it.
Can you tow my Tesla to the service centre?
Yes. Tell us which service centre and your appointment time, and we will drop it there.
How much is Tesla towing on Number 5 Road?
It depends on the car's condition and the destination. We confirm the price on the phone before loading.