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My Gravity bricked after 3 weeks of ownership

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plastex

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My car randomly bricked itself today.
I was driving normally when I suddenly got a "Drive System Error" warning and had to pull over.

Everything seemed fine, but the car refused to switch into Neutral, Reverse, or Drive.
Rebooting it and walking away for five minutes didn't help.

While I was waiting for the tow truck, things got worse as the car started shutting down every 5–15 seconds.
Once the tow truck arrived, it took us about 30 minutes just to load it because the wheels were locked and the car wouldn't allow us to rotate them at all.

This whole situation feels extremely weird, as the drive system theoretically shouldn't have anything to do with the 12-volt battery, which is likely the reason it started randomly shutting down.

It has been towed to Lucid and as it's Sunday today, I'd have to wait until at least tomorrow to find out what was the reason this happened.
 
this happened to me while I was driving, I was told it was an issue with the battery terminal connector.
 
Oh the fix was super quick, issue was the SC was overloaded before I had to have it towed in without an appt…I don’t remember, maybe a week
 
It seems I'm not as lucky as you. Just got a call and they said the battery pack needs to be replaced. They say it will take at least a week but I wouldn't really hold my breath :(
 
Daaaaammmmnnnnn sorry for your loss

Do you have a SC near you?
 
plastex said:
It seems I'm not as lucky as you. Just got a call and they said the battery pack needs to be replaced. They say it will take at least a week but I wouldn't really hold my breath :(
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that's crazy. when was your build if I may ask?
 
did they end up giving you a loaner to drive in the meantime?
 
The term "bricked" is not accurate in this context, at least in my understanding of that term. I understand "bricked" to mean the vehicle is not serviceable and not repairable (only good for scrap and part-scavenging). While having a defective battery that needs to be replaced is certainly a big deal, it's not the same as "bricked".
 
plastex said:
Yes, just about 3 miles from me.


I grabbed the one from inventory and I think it has completed production on November 4th or 5th
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Imagine how much worse this would be compounded if you had to have it towed ~8 hours away...
 
From what we’ve seen, battery pack failure is rare, but when it happens, it tends to happen early.

Sorry you got unlucky on this one. But hopefully that’ll be your one major issue and they’ll get it back to you soon good as new.
 
Ughwhy said:
The term "bricked" is not accurate in this context, at least in my understanding of that term. I understand "bricked" to mean the vehicle is not serviceable and not repairable (only good for scrap and part-scavenging). While having a defective battery that needs to be replaced is certainly a big deal, it's not the same as "bricked".
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I still think it's very much accurate, as almost any car is repairable as long as you have time and/or money. :)
In any event, I ended up being parked on the street not being able to move my car and a bit later, not even being able to switch into flatbed mode.

joec said:
From what we’ve seen, battery pack failure is rare, but when it happens, it tends to happen early.

Sorry you got unlucky on this one. But hopefully that’ll be your one major issue and they’ll get it back to you soon good as new.
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Yes, I got a call today, and they've told me this is the first battery failure on the Gravity they see in San Jose (CA) Service Center.
I guess I just got extremely unlucky.
 
Ughwhy said:
The term "bricked" is not accurate in this context, at least in my understanding of that term. I understand "bricked" to mean the vehicle is not serviceable and not repairable (only good for scrap and part-scavenging). While having a defective battery that needs to be replaced is certainly a big deal, it's not the same as "bricked".
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Actually bricked is all from a POV. To the owner, it’s bricked. And needs serious intervention by the manufacturer to get it back to normal operation. And without a new $20K-ish battery it would remain a brick. I’d call that accurately labeled as a brick.
 
Ughwhy said:
The term "bricked" is not accurate in this context, at least in my understanding of that term. I understand "bricked" to mean the vehicle is not serviceable and not repairable (only good for scrap and part-scavenging). While having a defective battery that needs to be replaced is certainly a big deal, it's not the same as "bricked".
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"So, just what does “bricked” mean? Like a brick, the term refers to an inanimate, motionless object. With regards to ICE cars and EVs, bricked means an expensive, complicated vehicle is motionless. Think of a modern ICE car without a battery. That’s bricked; better suited as a paperweight than a vehicle."

www.motorbiscuit.com

Bricked EVs are as good as 'lawn ornaments' for Fisker owners

Defunct EV maker plus software-based platforms equals 'lawn ornaments', apparently.
www.motorbiscuit.com www.motorbiscuit.com

Asking Google "What is bricked in EVs":

In electric vehicles (EVs), "bricked" means the car becomes completely unresponsive, like a useless paperweight (a "brick"), often due to software glitches (failed updates, malware) or hardware failures (like the 12-volt battery dying), rendering it unable to power on, drive, or be easily fixed, requiring professional intervention. It signifies a total, unrecoverable failure of core electronic systems, not just running out of charge.

Common Causes of Bricking
  • 12-Volt Battery Failure: The standard 12V battery, which runs crucial vehicle systems, can die, leaving the car unresponsive, even if the main high-voltage battery is full.
  • Software Issues: Corrupted firmware from a bad over-the-air (OTA) update can render the car inoperable.
  • Cyberattacks: Malicious code injected via public chargers has been shown to brick EVs in minutes.
  • Extreme Temperatures: Severe heat or cold can trigger protective systems, preventing operation.

How it's Different from Running Out of Charge
  • Bricked: The car won't start, respond to keys/apps, or show signs of life, even with a jump start (if possible).
  • Out of Charge: You're stranded, but the car's systems (lights, warnings) might still work, and it's potentially recoverable with a tow to a charger.

What Happens When Bricked?
  • The vehicle becomes as useful as a literal brick.
  • It often requires towing to a service center for complex software fixes or hardware replacements.
 
Cosmo Cruz said:
I would call an EV that has locked wheels a brick.
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Some only reserve that word for a car in a junk yard.

I am more liberal: Whenever a driver wants a car to move but it refuses, then it's just as useful as a brick until its condition is changed and start moving again.
 
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