Auto present door handles

[brkaus]

I’m by no means an electrician but I think you have the general function correct. When my third one failed I had the tech show me the bad paddle assembly. He said what normally fails is the roller mechanism. It’s basically two ball and socket joints on the back of each paddle. A motor pushes the sockets, the balls on the end of the paddle rotate within the socket, forcing the handles to extend. Over time, on the previous generation handles (which is what broke on my car every time and was replaced with the same generation instead of the new generation) the back half of both sockets shear off and prevent the paddles from presenting. You can actually hear the motor trying to push the paddle out.

Looks like this and the back loop(s) break? Tesla Model S door handle repair part | eBay

I'm still curious as to why some fail more than others. And if putting in a higher strength part is just going to push the failure to the next weakest point (possibly one more expensive).

For what it is worth, if the part above is what your referring to, the "B" parts have only been out for a few weeks from what I have read.

 

[brkaus]

Stupid question - do people push their doors closed by pushing on the “presented” handle?

 

[Hornedfrog1]

Looks like this and the back loop(s) break? Tesla Model S door handle repair part | eBay

I'm still curious as to why some fail more than others. And if putting in a higher strength part is just going to push the failure to the next weakest point (possibly one more expensive).

For what it is worth, if the part above is what your referring to, the "B" parts have only been out for a few weeks from what I have read.

I believe that is the right part. The assembly is correct so I would think so. Maybe it was a different manufacturer for the actual roller mechanism. So the earlier ones, or the later ones, have better quality and are holding up better. Maybe it has to do with the torque due to the setting of the paddle itself...is it flush with the car or is it recessed a little when retracted? I have mine flush but who knows.

I used to fly airplanes and on every pre flight you are checking for small, hairline, stress fractures. these failing parts are probably developing the same kind of stress fractures that airplane parts do. So to truly get to the bottom of the snapping door paddle mechanisms they need to study that. Tesla needs to require that when you do your regular maintenance they take the door apart and inspect that part on every door. If they find a fracture they replace the whole mechanism so that we don’t have to deal with not being able to get in our cars and then they shop the unit back to the engineers so they can study them for commonalities to determine why the breaks are occurring. Then they can come up with a better part. I think I’m gonna call headquarters today and make a suggestion.

 

[Hornedfrog1]

Stupid question - do people push their doors closed by pushing on the “presented” handle?

Boy I hope not! My whole family places their hands on the actual car door and pushes. I could see how that might weaken things sooner though.

 

[brkaus]

I believe that is the right part. The assembly is correct so I would think so. Maybe it was a different manufacturer for the actual roller mechanism. So the earlier ones, or the later ones, have better quality and are holding up better. Maybe it has to do with the torque due to the setting of the paddle itself...is it flush with the car or is it recessed a little when retracted? I have mine flush but who knows.

I used to fly airplanes and on every pre flight you are checking for small, hairline, stress fractures. these failing parts are probably developing the same kind of stress fractures that airplane parts do. So to truly get to the bottom of the snapping door paddle mechanisms they need to study that. Tesla needs to require that when you do your regular maintenance they take the door apart and inspect that part on every door. If they find a fracture they replace the whole mechanism so that we don’t have to deal with not being able to get in our cars and then they shop the unit back to the engineers so they can study them for commonalities to determine why the breaks are occurring. Then they can come up with a better part. I think I’m gonna call headquarters today and make a suggestion.

Yes, that was a part someone manufactured themselves out of higher quality metal. I couldn't quickly locate the official OEM part photo.

Boy I hope not! My whole family places their hands on the actual car door and pushes. I could see how that might weaken things sooner though.

I was just thinking out loud

 

[scottm]

Correct. You can either use the fob, or you can select a separate function on your Control screen "Walk-Away Door Lock". If that is also hit as ON, then the doors will lock whenever you walk away with the fob in your pocket. But if it is not ON, and you walk away, the doors will not lock and the car remains unlocked. (after a few minutes the handles will automatically close, but the car remains unlocked. Just press any handle and they all 4 pop out). And assuming Auto Present Handles is not turned on, every time you walk past your near your car, the handles won't pop out at you. The point is there are two different settings. 1 - Auto Present Handles, and 2 - Walk-Away Door Locks. One fucntion determines if the handles pop out at you automatically every time you are within range even if you choose to keep the car unlocked, the other actively locks or unlocks the car whenever the fob becomes within range.

Highlighted part is not true for my car.

Doors always lock when fob is out of range. No matter what the settings are on the console. It is irksome. It seems Tesla changed the locking policy maybe about a year ago. They originally would stay unlocked... not anymore. This may only be a rule for some countries (I'm in Canada), or maybe some cars (only Tesla knows which ones) but try it yourself to see for your situation.

My auto-present is off. I've fixed microswitch wires on all 4 doors, and yes repetitive flexing breaks wires and is the reason why auto-present remains off - fewer actuations.

When fob is in range, you must press a front door handle, not any handle, to get all 4 to present. (What you posted is also the way it used to be on a previous version of software... but has changed.) The only time touching rear handles works to present all 4 handles is when the hatch is up. Also, opening the hatch by the button on the hatch or by double press on the remote, is two different effects on door handles. One way presents all four handles, the other method (fob, I think) does not cause handle presentation. When the hatch remains up and if you used the method that presented handles, the handles will eventually retract, and that is when you discover touching a rear handle works to open all 4. This is the only situation where touching the rear handles does anything to present. All other situations and they are ignored.

Isn't this fun?!

 

[iffatall]

I have not got 100% proof either way on pressing which handles triggers presenting. Yesterday, while I was around my car, the handles retracted (car still unlocked). I stopped moving. I was standing one step backwards from the left rear door. I just extended my arm and put my hand close to the rear door handle. Nothing happened. Then I just moved one finger to slightly press the handle, and immediately all handles presented. Up until this point, I was getting pretty sure only the front handles were sensitive, but now I am back to doubt.

 

[RCWtristan]

Highlighted part is not true for my car.

Doors always lock when fob is out of range. No matter what the settings are on the console. It is irksome. It seems Tesla changed the locking policy maybe about a year ago. They originally would stay unlocked... not anymore. This may only be a rule for some countries (I'm in Canada), or maybe some cars (only Tesla knows which ones) but try it yourself to see for your situation.

My auto-present is off. I've fixed microswitch wires on all 4 doors, and yes repetitive flexing breaks wires and is the reason why auto-present remains off - fewer actuations.

When fob is in range, you must press a front door handle, not any handle, to get all 4 to present. (What you posted is also the way it used to be on a previous version of software... but has changed.) The only time touching rear handles works to present all 4 handles is when the hatch is up. Also, opening the hatch by the button on the hatch or by double press on the remote, is two different effects on door handles. One way presents all four handles, the other method (fob, I think) does not cause handle presentation. When the hatch remains up and if you used the method that presented handles, the handles will eventually retract, and that is when you discover touching a rear handle works to open all 4. This is the only situation where touching the rear handles does anything to present. All other situations and they are ignored.

Isn't this fun?!

I have not got 100% proof either way on pressing which handles triggers presenting. Yesterday, while I was around my car, the handles retracted (car still unlocked). I stopped moving. I was standing one step backwards from the left rear door. I just extended my arm and put my hand close to the rear door handle. Nothing happened. Then I just moved one finger to slightly press the handle, and immediately all handles presented. Up until this point, I was getting pretty sure only the front handles were sensitive, but now I am back to doubt.

To All but espec scottm and ifatall - Appears that different models and different years are setup in different fashion by Tesla. Yours responding differently than mine. Mine is a model S, 2017 100D mnfr recently, mid-Nov 2017. When car has not been locked by key fob, i can press any of the 4 recessed handles and all 4 pop out simultaneously. With Auto Present turned off and when car not set to Walk Away Locking, if I put car in Park and get out and shut door, walk away with fob, the car's two screens go black immediately, car dome light stays on maybe 2 minutes, then the dome lights turn out and simultaneously the 4 handles recess and the car just sits there (unlocked). I or anyone else walking near the car obviously doesn't cause handles to pop out, but at any time at all after that, merely touch any handle will cause them all to pop out again. (Then can get in the car, turn on screens, music, heat,etc. but not drive away if no fob within range.)

 

[scottm]

To All but espec scottm and ifatall - Appears that different models and different years are setup in different fashion by Tesla. Yours responding differently than mine. Mine is a model S, 2017 100D mnfr recently, mid-Nov 2017. When car has not been locked by key fob, i can press any of the 4 recessed handles and all 4 pop out simultaneously. With Auto Present turned off and when car not set to Walk Away Locking, if I put car in Park and get out and shut door, walk away with fob, the car's two screens go black immediately, car dome light stays on maybe 2 minutes, then the dome lights turn out and simultaneously the 4 handles recess and the car just sits there (unlocked). I or anyone else walking near the car obviously doesn't cause handles to pop out, but at any time at all after that, merely touch any handle will cause them all to pop out again. (Then can get in the car, turn on screens, music, heat,etc. but not drive away if no fob within range.)

I miss those days when things worked this way for me.

I know my car is capable of doing as you describe... because it did. But Tesla changed it with software on some release through their infinite wisdom, or lack of software testing oversight.

 

[Sawyer8888]

BUT they are only being put into new cars. They won’t allow them to be put into cars already on the road because as he put it, they have to use and get rid of the old ones first.

Thank you for sharing your experience with the door handles - even if you have done so on other threads, which I may have missed.

This is one of the reasons I let all the handles auto-present all the time - in hopes one or more will fail before the end of the warranty period. With my luck, they begin to fail as soon as I reach 51K miles.

You can at least set the driver's handle to auto while keeping the rest in place. I did this for a while but got tired of having to initiate the process manually for passengers.

 

[Hornedfrog1]

Thank you for sharing your experience with the door handles - even if you have done so on other threads, which I may have missed.

This is one of the reasons I let all the handles auto-present all the time - in hopes one or more will fail before the end of the warranty period. With my luck, they begin to fail as soon as I reach 51K miles.

You can at least set the driver's handle to auto while keeping the rest in place. I did this for a while but got tired of having to initiate the process manually for passengers.

No problem. If we use the info from each other’s bad experiences maybe we can all lick these problems and be happy.

 

[JMG]

I keep hearing about "new" versions of the door handles. Are we talking about Gen 1 vs Gen 2? In other words, the Gen 2 pull out slightly when tugged? Or are we talking about reinforced paddle gears?

My driver's side door handle won't present, and I'm 99% sure its the paddle broken because I can hear the motor running in there. I think I'm close to ordering some reinforced ones from a TMC member who designed his own, but I didn't know if Tesla redesigned theirs to last longer?

 

[Jashev]

No problem. If we use the info from each other’s bad experiences maybe we can all lick these problems and be happy.

Not sure if this is helpful, but I occasionally spray some WD40 into the handles. I think the water displacement feature of WD40 helps keep water from sitting in there. On my second Model S and only had one handle stick on me and it freed up as soon as I sprayed some WD40 in it.

 

[dipper]

Not sure if this is helpful, but I occasionally spray some WD40 into the handles. I think the water displacement feature of WD40 helps keep water from sitting in there. On my second Model S and only had one handle stick on me and it freed up as soon as I sprayed some WD40 in it.

If you use WD40, you should look into "lightning grease". It's the fancy name for silicone grease. It stays on better to keep water away.

 

[Jashev]

If you use WD40, you should look into "lightning grease". It's the fancy name for silicone grease. It stays on better to keep water away.

I'm familiar with Lightning Grease. May give it a try. I like the WD because of the water displacement capability but you make a good point that the Lightning Grease would do a better job keeping the water away to begin with.

 

[Robotpedlr]

I have a late Nov ‘17 build model S 100D. And my passenger door handle started sticking today (washed car yesterday...maybe related). It works but a few time it needs to be bumped to close (retract). Seems to always come out, but not retract.

Where are you guys spraying the WD40 or greeze? Don’t really see any openings. I suspect water is the cause of my issue.

Edit - just tested again. Lock/unlock presents and retracts 100%. But if I use the passenger door handle to open the door and close/lock. It does not retract until I push slightly with my hand. It seems that once the door is actually opened with the handle, the handle extends slightly further and that is where it sticks. Lubing it my solve it if I knew where or may go to the SC to have them do it.

 

[Jashev]

[QUOTE="Robotpedlr, post: 2558866, member: 69422"

Edit - just tested again. Lock/unlock presents and retracts 100%. But if I use the passenger door handle to open the door and close/lock. It does not retract until I push slightly with my hand. It seems that once the door is actually opened with the handle, the handle extends slightly further and that is where it sticks. Lubing it my solve it if I knew where or may go to the SC to have them do it.[/QUOTE]

That's the problem I have run into also. With the door handles extended out, there are plenty of gaps around the handles. I spray in over the top of the bars on each side, into the door. Then exercise the handle a number of times to circulate.

 

[Robotpedlr]

@Jashev that did the trick. Working great now. If it happens again may run to the SC for some deeper lubing.

 

[Jashev]

@Jashev that did the trick. Working great now. If it happens again may run to the SC for some deeper lubing.

Glad I could help.

 

[berkeley_ecar]

2. Passenger front door handle was stuck in extended position. No matter what, could not budge it. Contemplated removing mechanism but impossible with handle extended. I had visions of expensive Service Center replacement job out of warranty. Thank heavens for the knowledge on TMC. Suggestion was to pull fuse 72. As soon as I pulled it, handle popped into normal extended position and all was well.

I had this happen on my March 2017 Model S last week. I noticed it as I was leaving the car parked for a breakfast engagement, but noted that the door was still locked, so I carried on with my schedule, and called Tesla service a bit later. They immediately said this was a problem best handled by a mobile service call to my home (where I work), and that I would be contacted later. Within several hours I got a call from the service technician who was nearing my home.

Knowing that reliability of the self-presenting door handles has been a major topic in this and other forums, I asked if I could watch the repair, and the tech. could not have been more gracious about it, explaining his work as he progressed and answering all my questions very clearly. He immediately realized it was an subtle alignment issue of the handle mechanism, and after popping the window trim and inside door panel, he had loosened the mechanism, and, using what appeared to be a 3-D printed alignment template, shifted the vertical alignment of the mechanism a tiny bit. He then retightened the mechanism and restored the remaining parts, and voila, the door handle worked perfectly.

I discussed the infamous paddle gear with him, and he explained that the mechanism had been re-engineered in more recent models, and that I fortunately had the newer mechanism; he showed me the two different parts in his vehicle inventory, and the newer one looked more mechanically robust, including a paddle gear out of a different type of metal. The geometry and mount points of the two parts are slightly different, so it's uncertain to me that even if you were able to obtain the newer part, you would be able to modify it successfully to fit an older model door. I'm certain that someone who has rebuilt an older mechanism will be able to chime in here with further observations.

So the cure for my door handle failure was quite distinct from that of mrElbe (solved electrically), and I'm certain there must be still other failure modes. I'm not a fan of using products like WD40 to fix such problems, as penetrating oil or grease have a tendency to collect crud over time and simply defer executing a cleaner solution to the underlying problem.

This was my first experience with Tesla mobile service, and it left me deeply impressed and thankful. I'm also happy to know my S has the newer version of the door handle mechanism. The tech. was very efficient, and I don't think my questions slowed him down in the least.