Door handle failure

[1windy]

Brand new 2021 400 miles. Handle used 2 times. Wont retract and when I open any other door that door just pops open. No screen warnings either. When I manually push the handle close definite audible gear disfunction. Earliest appt is 3 weeks out via app. Drove to SC and got appt for a week out . They say part is not in stock.

Off to a great start...


IS this common ?

 

[DMC-Orangeville]

Brand new 2021 400 miles. Handle used 2 times. Wont retract and when I open any other door that door just pops open. No screen warnings either. When I manually push the handle close definite audible gear disfunction. Earliest appt is 3 weeks out via app. Drove to SC and got appt for a week out . They say part is not in stock.

Off to a great start...


IS this common ?

The S door handles have always been a bit of an issue. Your issue is "early". I have replaced 2 in 6 years - 1 after 3 years and 4..... both under warranty.

In both cases, it was replaced by a ranger. Do they offer ranger service in the UK?

 

[irish26]

Very common. Previous owner of my car said he had 3 of the 4 handles replaced. I'm waiting for the 4th to fail any day now. I've heard out of warranty that it is about a $1000 fix... Yipeee

 

[Deleanides]

Very common. Previous owner of my car said he had 3 of the 4 handles replaced. I'm waiting for the 4th to fail any day now. I've heard out of warranty that it is about a $1000 fix... Yipeee

Irish i see you are in Florida. When the time comes Electrified Garage will rebuild them bulletproof for 350 including parts and labor.

 

[irish26]

Irish i see you are in Florida. When the time comes Electrified Garage will rebuild them bulletproof for 350 including parts and labor.

Wow! Thank you for that tip!

 

[jelloslug]

Very common. Previous owner of my car said he had 3 of the 4 handles replaced. I'm waiting for the 4th to fail any day now. I've heard out of warranty that it is about a $1000 fix... Yipeee

It's about $200 if you have Tesla fix it. You can fix it yourself for about $15. The two major failure modes are broken wiring harnessed and broken gears.

 

[pabla]

My 2021 LR+ has the rear passenger door getting stuck while trying to open it. Requires a few pulls to finally open it and the trunk occasionally doesn’t latch. Thankfully I have mobile service coming in today to fix it.

 

[1windy]

Im just surprised since if they are such a problem why are they not in stock. Unless......
Thats the reason they are not in stock. Just crazy that with less than 400 miles my wife wont go in it until it is fixed. Don't blame her, was freaky when it popped open for a slow left turn.

 

[random155]

His problem does not sound like the normal handle failure. His is stuck OUT not in. Also, when he opens other doors this door pops open. To me it sounds like something different than the normal gear failure.

 

[Huskyf]

My car 3 years never changed one handle but I have the latest version of the handle.

 

[jelloslug]

My car 3 years never changed one handle but I have the latest version of the handle.

I have not had any door handle problems with my 2016 Model S either. I wonder if people closing the door with the handle could cause some of the problems. I never close the door with the handle.

 

[random155]

Kids slamming doors is what caused my one failure. The other was the wire harness on the driver side front door (between door and car) began to fray (inside the rubber boot).

 

[1windy]

This particular door was used 2 times. 2 times. Just really unlucky or I don't know what else to think. It was used 2 times by my wife. I really am upset that it will take 2 weeks for the part to come in. But I will say service manager was really great.
And I noticed that the top weather stripping is bunched up in the corner.

 

[Sfallert]

Mine broke multiple times when brand new, always on the driver's door. After that no issues till last week when the left passenger handle broke. I think some water got in before freezing tempatures.

 

[thebishop]

This particular door was used 2 times. 2 times. Just really unlucky or I don't know what else to think. It was used 2 times by my wife. I really am upset that it will take 2 weeks for the part to come in. But I will say service manager was really great.
And I noticed that the top weather stripping is bunched up in the corner.

I don’t think it is the normal handle failures you are experiencing based on the description that the door actually opened like that.

I have some experience with failed handles, now having replaced 5 of them (yep, the driver door broke twice...) luckily all under warranty. And no, I don’t close the doors using the handle, but hold the metal of the door side. And no kids (then). But I had a 2015 p85d, I know there are later revisions of the handles than what that one came with, so “shouldn’t “ be an issue with new cars.

 

[quickstrike12]

I agree with @random155 this doesn’t sound the same as typical failure we have seen. lve had very similar weird issues with door handles on occasion over the years. Turned out to be some software issue that eventually I was able to restart and or reboot etc.....and it just magically went away.
Sounds crazy I know ....but I wouldn’t be surprised if it cleared after a restart .....
These days nothing surprises me about this car. Good and bad.....

 

[random155]

I agree with @random155 this doesn’t sound the same as typical failure we have seen. lve had very similar weird issues with door handles on occasion over the years. Turned out to be some software issue that eventually I was able to restart and or reboot etc.....and it just magically went away.
Sounds crazy I know ....but I wouldn’t be surprised if it cleared after a restart .....
These days nothing surprises me about this car. Good and bad.....

Great point. Have your tried a scroll wheel reboot or a "shutdown" of the car? Even pulling the door handles fuse has helped some people.

 

[1windy]

Tried multiple reboots and power off. When using the door now it makes loud bang after closing normally. It definitely is mechanical. When that happens the car makes a weird whining noise when I pull away. Then I had my wife roll down the window and manually push the handle in. The noise stops and it functions properly. There is a definite resistance to it retracting. It makes a sound of gears not moving in synch.

 

[Lasttoy]

I've fixed 6 of mine. Gear or micro switch wire. Gear is $1.20, wire with switch is $30

 

[TimT]

Irish i see you are in Florida. When the time comes Electrified Garage will rebuild them bulletproof for 350 including parts and labor.

Good to know!