Door Handle Failures

[scottm]

still under warranty

Maybe the shop or ranger could rip off the sticky back covering and give the thing a poke or two and provide comment on the breakage...

And if you have a real cool ranger, maybe they could drop the broken part into your garbage bin...

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Invoice says corrosion on the motor.

 

[EVTuning]

Spent several years replacing these as a Tesla Tech. Sat down and redesigned the switch wiring/routing and had a stainless paddle gear machined. Should be bulletproof going forward. Take a look all parts are available separately or as a complete rebuild kit.

Door Handle

 

[Doug_G]

And my driver’s door handle is acting up again.

Why is it always the one handle that is the most inconvenient???

 

[EVTuning]

And my driver’s door handle is acting up again.

Why is it always the one handle that is the most inconvenient???

It’s the door that’s used the most so that makes sense it’s the first to fail.

I now have the gear, microswitches and a rebuild service available.

Door Handle

 

[Doug_G]

Cool but it’s under warranty.

I dunno though... they all extend at the same time. And the front passenger door gets pulled almost as often.

 

[Skotty]

It’s the door that’s used the most so that makes sense it’s the first to fail.

I now have the gear, microswitches and a rebuild service available.

Door Handle

Nice. Quite possible I might buy some of these in another 6 months or so.

I don't know the difference between the 1st gen, 2nd gen, etc. Which ones will they work with? I'm not even sure which ones I've got. My S is a mid 2014 model, pre-AP.

 

[EVTuning]

Nice. Quite possible I might buy some of these in another 6 months or so.

I don't know the difference between the 1st gen, 2nd gen, etc. Which ones will they work with? I'm not even sure which ones I've got. My S is a mid 2014 model, pre-AP.

You would have gen 2-2.5 handles.

 

[Top]

My 3rd door handle broke yesterday. This time the motor keeps making sound as if it wants to push out or pull in the handle. Doesn’t this (eventually) drain the battery? Currently on vacation and no service center close by...

 

[EVTuning]

My 3rd door handle broke yesterday. This time the motor keeps making sound as if it wants to push out or pull in the handle. Doesn’t this (eventually) drain the battery? Currently on vacation and no service center close by...

It will eventually time out and stop. It’s not a noticeable amount of power that you’ll come back and your car is missing 10-15 miles overnight or something.

 

[Barry]

It will eventually time out and stop.

really? Mine whirred for 5 days until the ranger came and replaced the broken pivot gear.

 

[EVTuning]

really? Mine whirred for 5 days until the ranger came and replaced the broken pivot gear.

Did you only check it when you had your FOB on you? It should time out and the car shut down so long as you don’t come near it with the key.

 

[doctorwho]

I've just had a broken door handle a week for 3 weeks. First, the right rear was repaired, the day after the repair the left rear broke. Two days after that was repaired, the driver's door broke. One of the rear doors was whirring away for 4 days, even when the key hadn't been near it for >24 hours. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed, especially as I live 300km from the service centre. I didn't wait for the fourth one to break, I had them replace that one anyway

 

[MIT_S60]

You would have gen 2-2.5 handles.

It might be too new to tell, but any idea if the 3rd gen ones actually improve reliability?

I've just had a broken door handle a week for 3 weeks. First, the right rear was repaired, the day after the repair the left rear broke. Two days after that was repaired, the driver's door broke. One of the rear doors was whirring away for 4 days, even when the key hadn't been near it for >24 hours. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed, especially as I live 300km from the service centre. I didn't wait for the fourth one to break, I had them replace that one anyway

Did they just replace it with the same gen or did they retrofit the 3rd gen parts?

 

[Top]

Did you only check it when you had your FOB on you? It should time out and the car shut down so long as you don’t come near it with the key.

Without fob: both broken door handles continue making sound 24h+. Indeed, my first broken door handle last year did time out after 5mins or so. NB my third broken door handle is the same one as my first broken handle they replaced last year. Apparently no improvement.

 

[Rockster]

My third handle just broke. The first was slightly out of warranty and Tesla fixed it at no charge. The second I fixed using EV Tuning Solutions' wonderful kit that includes a stainless steel paddle gear and superior microswitches. Another replacement kit is due to arrive tomorrow so the third I'll fix this weekend, possibly, if I'm inclined to brave the incredible heat that's even made my garage intolerable.

Surprisingly, the only one that hasn't yet broken is the driver's handle (which will probably break next Wednesday now that I've jinxed it).

 

[doctorwho]

It might be too new to tell, but any idea if the 3rd gen ones actually improve reliability?


Did they just replace it with the same gen or did they retrofit the 3rd gen parts?

They replaced the broken paddle gear, the part cost $10

 

[EVTuning]

It might be too new to tell, but any idea if the 3rd gen ones actually improve reliability?

The third gen parts are somewhat more reliable and somewhat not. The microswitches are now a hall effect sensor but even that appears to crap out. The new stand alone module also craps out. Still too soon for many to have gear failures but even the new redesigned gear with all the windows in the metal is cast so it'll eventually break as well.

Did they just replace it with the same gen or did they retrofit the 3rd gen parts?

3rd gen have a different plastic housing. They're now offering the Gen 2.0 handle housing but iwth gen 3 hall effect sensor and module. It's still going to fail it's just a question of how and why. It's really wierd the modules keep shorting out.

 

[Barry]

Did you only check it when you had your FOB on you?

Yes, but I always approach my car in a parking garage, with a concrete wall on the right side, from the rear, and I believe I heard it from a spot that normally wouldn't activate the handle, though I'm not 100% certain at this point.

 

[Skotty]

How much to get the door handles made out of vibranium? Might be worth it.