Door Handle Replacement

[skboston]

I encountered rather unusual problem - my rear right door handle failed and the door won't open even though the handle comes out, but door is still locked.
It's a door I've used the least amount of time, I doubt it's used more than 20 times in the 18k miles on the car. At first I thought it's the subzero temperatures and the door was just frozen and ignored the issue, but yesterday I played around with it and it turned out it's completely locked and not possible to open.
Tesla is replacing it next week, but it would be weird if the driver's door fail.
How common are door handle replacement on Tesla and have you experienced something like this on your car?

 

[Banahogg]

The first revision of handles were prone to failing like that, though I would have thought you'd have the second revision with a P85+. Apparently, after two fail, the service center just preemptively replaces all of them - after my second rear handle failed a year after the first one, the service center replaced all four

The service center told me that sometimes rebooting the center screen can bring the handles back, which seems odd, but did seem to help sometimes during my second handle failure.

 

[skboston]

I don't think the handle itself is the problem, but rather the mechanism that open it, the handle comes out when you approach the car as it would normally do, but once you try to pull nothing happens.
I don't know which versions mine are, my VIN is 17xxx.

 

[stevet]

My rear-right door makes a funny scraping noise when it pulls itself back in. Is this the beginning of the problem?

 

[William13]

My Sig had this happen for two weeks where the back door handle on the drivers side stopped coming out completely and would not open. The light did not come on. Then the light came on. The the handle started to work again. Multiple reboots during this time. I did not get the handles replaced as my wife doesn't like the give/movement of the redesigned handles. I don't like the decreased light from the new handles LED being partially recessed.

Six months on and no recurrence.

 

[cwave1]

I had my driver side rear handle replaced around 20k kms for a similar problem.

 

[kizagjo]

My rear passenger door handle had the 'weird' noise, like it was scratching something, and Tesla replaced it.

Last week, my driver handle started acting up, and would open after 2-3 pulls.
I took this video yesterday: Tesla Model S door handle not opening - YouTube

This morning, i had to crawl in through the passenger seat, to open the door, then i opened the window to test it a few times, and it wouldn't open at all.
I dropped my service center an email, and will be getting it fixed tomorrow.

 

[russman]

I've had 3 of my 4 handles replaced. One was replaced right at delivery as the door wouldn't open all the time. They've been fine since, but I do worry what it will cost later...

 

[supratachophobia]

My rear-right door makes a funny scraping noise when it pulls itself back in. Is this the beginning of the problem?

That usually means it wasn't shimmed properly on installation.

 

[tmyl21]

I was told by the service manager that out of warranty the cost is around $1000 per door handle when my drivers door handle went faulty and needed replacement too.

 

[TroyGuy]

I was told by the service manager that out of warranty the cost is around $1000 per door handle when my drivers door handle went faulty and needed replacement too.

Actually, the cost is about $1,300 with sales tax, labor, all in.

 

[islandbayy]

Mine have a mind of their own this past week. First the rear drivers stopped working, wouldn't even extend. Then, the light went out on the Passengers front. A few hours later, that one failed to extend (And I had complained about this one taking a few trys to get it to open the door previously), then the rear passenger stopped working (Replaced last visit), then all of them started working fine (at the same time), then drivers one got stuck extended, but would still open the door, but I could not force it back in. Following a few short trips, it went back in on it's own, but then the passengers side wouldn't extend. And now today, all are working fine again.

This thing is possessed @_@ Didn't bother calling service, as it's getting traded in within the next few weeks, and don't want to pay ESA Deductibles when it's going back (Though the repair list is growing for them when they do get it back, and all covereable under the ESA).

I like the "Look" of these door handles, but, reliability is to be desired. I've seen a few other makes that had body flush door handles, and the design, would be much more reliable then extension. Personal Opinion, as I have more door handle problems in the winter then Summer--- These handles were not designed to cope with Freezing Temps, and snow/rain/slush well enough.

 

[loganss]

Yup the door handles look cool but I'd much rather have something simpler like the Aston Martin Vanquish door handles. The replacement cost people are quoting is ridiculous. I hope Tesla chooses a simpler more robust design for the Model 3

 

[MsElectric]

Actually, the cost is about $1,300 with sales tax, labor, all in.

Could someone else confirm the out of warranty cost of a door handle replacement?

 

[qwk]

Could someone else confirm the out of warranty cost of a door handle replacement?

It probably depends on the SC. It used to be $1900 per handle.....