Cold weather warning

[Palros]

Just wanted to share a lesson I learned today. Defrost your car before you open the doors. My rear window didn't go down at all (which I understand), but when I went to shut the door the glass didnt go under the trip and scratched the chrome trim above the door in 2 places.

Lesson always defrost your car before using the doors

 

[Louis0w]

Model 3 Owner's Manual | Tesla

Understand various things you can do to ensure optimal performance in cold weather.

www.tesla.com

 

[btc1k]

Lesson always read the manual before being surprised when something happens through not reading it

 

[Adopado]

Just wanted to share a lesson I learned today. Defrost your car before you open the doors. My rear window didn't go down at all (which I understand), but when I went to shut the door the glass didnt go under the trip and scratched the chrome trim above the door in 2 places.

Lesson always defrost your car before using the doors

Fortunately I have had a car with frameless windows before so the learning had already taken place ... definitely worth a warning to the uninitiated!

 

[Alistairuk]

FYI: defrost doesn’t always work depending how much ice is there - if you open the door and the window doesn’t move you can carefully close the door from the outside by pushing the glass in as it passes the trim…

If your inside the car though your screwed.

On a side note if you open the door and the window doesn’t move it appears that the window controls are disabled until the door has been closed again (regardless of wether the ice has cleared / defrosted - if you try and operate the switch it doesn’t even try and move) - which is a bit of a problem if your trying to shut the door without catching the trim.

 

[Bantam]

While we are on the subject, as per the manual, its always best to disable the "auto fold mirrors on lock" option this time of year to prevent ice build up causing any problems with the mechanism when you unlock the car on a cold morning.

 

[Adopado]

While we are on the subject, as per the manual, its always best to disable the "auto fold mirrors on lock" option this time of year to prevent ice build up causing any problems with the mechanism when you unlock the car on a cold morning.

... and squirt some WD40 into the swivel hinge of the door handles ... one application lasts months, not something that needs doing regularly. Some winter conditions where there is rain or wet snow and then an overnight freeze can lead to water in the handle area freezing solid. The way to release a stuck handle on the Model 3 is to give it a firm thump with the heel of your hand ... let common sense guide you on how hard you can go up to but they are not that delicate.

 

[Alistairuk]

... and squirt some WD40 into the swivel hinge of the door handles ... one application lasts months, not something that needs doing regularly. Some winter conditions where there is rain or wet snow and then an overnight freeze can lead to water in the handle area freezing solid. The way to release a stuck handle on the Model 3 is to give it a firm thump with the heel of your hand ... let common sense guide you on how hard you can go up to but they are not that delicate.

I particularly love the video digaram on the in car display under "cold weather"

 

[glide]

Lesson always read the manual before being surprised when something happens through not reading it

Or don’t design a vehicle intended for cold climates with frameless windows

 

[Xdama]

Or don’t design a vehicle intended for cold climates with frameless windows

There’s a fair few BMW, Audi & Merc with frameless windows. Maybe the difference is the hours put in during cold climate testing at the prototype stage

 

[GtiMart]

Most if not all other frameless windows don't have a window that goes under a trim like the Tesla. That is done for aero concerns.

As some suggested, proper preparation of the car in winter is key. Lubricating the window rubber seals with a rubber-specific lubricant like a silicone lube helps a lot.

The car should have detected the cold weather and slightly lowered the windows in prevention. The manual linked higher up states that, albeit not quite clearly. Maybe your car was sleeping already and the temperature dropped quickly? Otherwise this would not have happened.

 

[Xdama]

Most if not all other frameless windows don't have a window that goes under a trim like the Tesla. That is done for aero concerns.

As some suggested, proper preparation of the car in winter is key. Lubricating the window rubber seals with a rubber-specific lubricant like a silicone lube helps a lot.

The car should have detected the cold weather and slightly lowered the windows in prevention. The manual linked higher up states that, albeit not quite clearly. Maybe your car was sleeping already and the temperature dropped quickly? Otherwise this would not have happened.

Ah, strange but I just noticed the rear windows on mine drop slightly after I closed them. Having only had it a month I just thought I’d not noticed it before lol. Temperature has been abnormally high in UK until last couple of days.

 

[plisken]

The car should have detected the cold weather and slightly lowered the windows in prevention. The manual linked higher up states that, albeit not quite clearly. Maybe your car was sleeping already and the temperature dropped quickly? Otherwise this would not have happened.

I've been waiting to see that happen since I got the car, a month ago and haven't yet seen it or noticed the windows sitting any lower at any time. I did also wonder what would happen if when we parked up, it was not cold enough for the car to roll them down that little bit but maybe the temperature drops during the night when the car is sleeping, but read on here that the roll down only happens when we park the car if the temperature is below a certain point (can't verify this as I've yet to see mine sitting any lower at all).

I wonder how the warranty will look upon such things as a damage trim or broken window as a result of this design flaw

 

[GtiMart]

When you know that things froze over, you can manipulate the door handle a bit slower and wait till you feel the door free up and the window go down. You can help yourself

 

[Bantam]

I wonder how the warranty will look upon such things as a damage trim or broken window as a result of this design flaw

Regarding getting them replaced under warranty I am sure I have read on this Forum where a user got Tesla to replace the damaged trim under warranty (cant find the actually Thread at the moment).

 

[Adopado]

Ah, strange but I just noticed the rear windows on mine drop slightly after I closed them. Having only had it a month I just thought I’d not noticed it before lol. Temperature has been abnormally high in UK until last couple of days.

Crikey it was -5C here in the middle of the night ... those warm days disappeared! (Yes, the windows do drop in cold weather.)

 

[Xdama]

Crikey it was -5C here in the middle of the night ... those warm days disappeared! (Yes, the windows do drop in cold weather.)

-5C in the middle of the night is classed as positively “balmy” in a lot of places. I spent many a night in a sleeping bag & bivi in a lot colder than that many years ago whilst dressed in camo

 

[Adopado]

-5C in the middle of the night is classed as positively “balmy” in a lot of places. I spent many a night in a sleeping bag & bivi in a lot colder than that many years ago whilst dressed in camo

... and you're welcome to it! I'll have my electric blanket on thanks!

 

[btc1k]

Or don’t design a vehicle intended for cold climates with frameless windows

I didn't design it but I did read the operating instructions.

 

[MrT3]

The car should have detected the cold weather and slightly lowered the windows in prevention. The manual linked higher up states that, albeit not quite clearly.

Mine did that last night, but only the driver’s door. The others that I didn’t use remained up, so I’d have the same issue if I had a passenger today or wanted to put something in the back.

I didn’t use my car first thing, went to it a lunch time to find water over the window switches and interior door handle where the ice defrosted and ran inside because it left a gap by dropping the window too much.