2018 Model 3 Resistive Cabin Heater not working while driving

[myers567]

On my drive home from work last night, approx. -6ºC outside, the cabin heater was not working. The fan would work, but the air coming out was cold. Seat heaters worked.
This morning, the cabin heated while plugged in to charge overnight, and was 22ºC by the time I got in the car, but as I started driving, the air became cool, and I turned off the climate control as it was cooling the car down again.
When parked outside at work, unplugged, I started the climate control on the app, and again, the car begins to heat up.
Have scheduled a service, but first available is February 3rd. Windshield gets dicey while the car cools on my 1 hour commute. Any ideas? Tried a soft reset while I was driving last night, and that didn't do anything.

 

[EVRider-FL]

Others have reported issues with the Model 3 heat pump. If you have a fairly new 3 that’s probably what you have, and you might have the same issue. I don’t know if there’s a recall, but you can check that on Recalls | NHTSA.

 

[bedoig]

Title states it's a 2018 with resistive heat. I've seen a couple other similar threads. One example: 2018 Model 3 with Intermittent no heat

 

[KenC]

On my drive home from work last night, approx. -6ºC outside, the cabin heater was not working. The fan would work, but the air coming out was cold. Seat heaters worked.
This morning, the cabin heated while plugged in to charge overnight, and was 22ºC by the time I got in the car, but as I started driving, the air became cool, and I turned off the climate control as it was cooling the car down again.
When parked outside at work, unplugged, I started the climate control on the app, and again, the car begins to heat up.
Have scheduled a service, but first available is February 3rd. Windshield gets dicey while the car cools on my 1 hour commute. Any ideas? Tried a soft reset while I was driving last night, and that didn't do anything.

Since you tried a soft reset, how about a hard reset where the car has a chance to sleep. Until you get your service, maybe crank the heat before driving, clearing the windshield, and driving without on your commute.

 

[DeepFrz]

On my drive home from work last night, approx. -6ºC outside, the cabin heater was not working. The fan would work, but the air coming out was cold. Seat heaters worked.
This morning, the cabin heated while plugged in to charge overnight, and was 22ºC by the time I got in the car, but as I started driving, the air became cool, and I turned off the climate control as it was cooling the car down again.
When parked outside at work, unplugged, I started the climate control on the app, and again, the car begins to heat up.
Have scheduled a service, but first available is February 3rd. Windshield gets dicey while the car cools on my 1 hour commute. Any ideas? Tried a soft reset while I was driving last night, and that didn't do anything.

Did you just install a software update?

 

[Michael A]

My PTC slowly stopped working over a period of a few days, it would turn on for a drive, then not work for a 2nd drive unless it sat for an hour, then slowly stopped working all together. Eventually I had to pay $850 for a new PTC heater as my car is out of warranty. Just got it back on Thursday, new replacement heater works fine.

 

[silenteski]

My PTC slowly stopped working over a period of a few days, it would turn on for a drive, then not work for a 2nd drive unless it sat for an hour, then slowly stopped working all together. Eventually I had to pay $850 for a new PTC heater as my car is out of warranty. Just got it back on Thursday, new replacement heater works fine.

How many miles?

 

[Michael A]

54k, my car spent about 52k miles in northern Michigan, 30 minutes away from Canada, so the heating system had been well used.

 

[myers567]

Did you just install a software update

Sorry for late reply, I thought I'd get an email if someone replied to my thread.
Yes, I just did the software update.
Tesla service is quote $1200 for PTC replacement (out of warranty, 175k miles). This article indicates a lot of people having the same problem - Older Tesla Model 3s without heat pumps also experiencing heater failures
My car worked the rest of the week, if I unplug it from charger, then start max defrost, then get in car and go. The two times I forgot to do this, it failed. I find it hard to believe that its a hardware failure, when the heat works fine most of the time?

 

[DeepFrz]

I have a hunch (that is all it is) but the problem seemed to show up after Tesla made some software changes because of heat pump failures.

 

[mistykup]

So Dad's pride and joy, his ceramic coated white 2018 Model 3 performance blardy blarh threw that dreaded 'sorry, can't heat up your car right now' error. This was in the middle of Ne w England's last cold blast and we couldn't get home from the dinner drive fast enough to get out of that car! Over the next few days, the heat worked off and on, but finally gave up the ghost that next Monday and refused to heat. Dad has +300+ miles left on his warranty and we drove that car to the Tesla repair place faster than opening presents on Christmas morning.

Now, Dad is faaar more savvy and patient than I am when it comes to being ok with not actually talking to a repair man and working solely through the robotic app interface that just keeps telling him, 'sorry, still waiting on your part'. I have no idea why you can't just CALL them and get a real human update. It's been two weeks and thankfully, he lives down the street and has just been using my car, while I work from home. We are outside the city, so 'Uber Credits' mean nothing to us. I am grateful to have found this forum and discovered it wasn't an isolated problem.

It seems that this is a bigger problem than Tesla is letting on and since thankfully he is still under warranty, I hope he won't have to pay anything out of pocket. However, it also seems an issue to actually GET the part, so Im curious what his alternatives will become? He is still under warranty, even if it's less than 500 miles to go, it still counts (..right?). If they can't source the part and a repair what does the warranty cover? A replacement equivalent car? A replacement equivalent part? A software update to fix?

I'm wondering how long they can hold onto it without actually talking to someone with a proper update? When does weeks turn into months?

 

[GtiMart]

Plenty of parts are BO for plenty of things, cars are as affected as anything else. There is a pretty big issue with heatpumps in Tesla cars at the moment but your father's 2018 doesn't have a heatpump. Still, the PTC heater does sometimes die like any other part. IF the car is still under warranty I don't see why it wouldn't be done as a warrantee repair. They just can't just fix it magically without the part.

 

[rpiotro]

I have a hunch (that is all it is) but the problem seemed to show up after Tesla made some software changes because of heat pump failures.

The headline of the thread says the OP has a resistive heater. #2.

 

[android04]

I know it doesn't help everybody, but if you are out of warranty and like to DIY, you can buy a Tesla Model 3 PTC heater on eBay for as little as $95 to $150. If mine ever fails I would replace it myself because it is easy to do. Then I would use a regular software update to get the new one programmed to the car.

 

[Eddiem5]

54k, my car spent about 52k miles in northern Michigan, 30 minutes away from Canada, so the heating system had been well used.

Damn, my just failed, also a 2018 - right at 52k miles...

 

[RunMadM3]

Mine failed as well - 2018 M3 at 54K miles. Their remote analysis seems to have me just replacing two harnesses (see attached); I intend to inquire about the "High Voltage Circuit Integrity Check" (I haven't been able to locate anything other than "General Diagnoses" in similar cases).

 

[okolehao]

M3 2018 Heating with 35k miles failed a month ago. Reboots didn't change much. No error message, no messages just cold air blowing. Sometimes when I preheat the car it warms slightly to 12C from say -3C, but doesn't get much further. Then suddenly the heats starts working again... then stops working. What do I do?

 

[android04]

M3 2018 Heating with 35k miles failed a month ago. Reboots didn't change much. No error message, no messages just cold air blowing. Sometimes when I preheat the car it warms slightly to 12C from say -3C, but doesn't get much further. Then suddenly the heats starts working again... then stops working. What do I do?

Make a service appointment through the app and let Tesla fix it under warranty (unless your car is past the 4 years of warranty coverage).

 

[okolehao]

I brought it in, took about a week to get a new PTC Heater ordered and installed. I was lucky it was still under warranty. I had about 3 weeks of no heat, then occasionally would get a little heat or partial heat for a few drives. On the last day, I did see a message something about "Climate keeper could not hold temp"

 

[DundeeM3]

How many miles?

Hi,
My 2019 tesla model 3 (standard range plus) heater stopped working , car just gave cold air even on ‘HI’ temp setting . Bought the car today at Tesla edinburgh for service & have to replace the heater , estimate quoted with material & labour is gbp 778.00
Saw a few used heaters on ebay going for £140 to £200 , wonder if that wud have been an easier fix to do it myself. Probably something to look for in future