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Wind chill does apply when the car has an internal heat source. But it's obviously a bit different in effect, depending on conductivity, insulation, etc., than its effects on humans. The "wind chill" numbers are an approximation to how it would feel, and they're subject to a bunch of assumptions.
beeeerock
Active Member
I wonder if the LED's activate only when the handles begin to move, or if they would light up even if the handles didn't budge. Given the weather extremes you've been seeing out there, and also the fact that it's the left side, I have to wonder if humidity from the cabin freezing inside the door somewhere could have anything to do with it. That's a long shot, I know, but I've noticed that the windows fog where the occupants are - more than in previous cars... in my case, I'm usually the only one in the car and my side is the one that requires the defroster. Maybe they need to build the cars with vapour barriers, just like a house... LOL
I'll be interested to hear what the cause/solution turns out to be.
mknox
Well-Known Member
So far, so good with my similar in age car and in similar frigid temperatures. But... I do still feel the door handles are way too complex for the intended function and are going to be a source of ongoing grief. Recently on my car something on the interior side of the handle mechanism came loose and interfered with the window mechanism making it so that I could not close my drivers door window without a lot of fiddling around. Tesla service was great and took the car in straight away, but they did have to repair/replace a number of window mechanism parts as well as the door handle mechanism.
Kalud
Active Member
I agree and assume they will eventually refresh the Model S with Model X style handles, for new cars, not retrofittable.
Still on my original handles, but my car is newer (25XXX).
Trev Page
Member
Sorry to hear about your troubles. I've heard all sorts of stories about the Model S door handles. While I really like the retracting handles they must be a warranty nightmare for Tesla even though they were redesigned.
Woudn't surprise me if they went with push button handles of the Model X on the upcoming Model 3. Even if the car doesn't have self opening doors they could at least have them open just a crack so you can open them manually.
Woudn't surprise me if they went with push button handles of the Model X on the upcoming Model 3. Even if the car doesn't have self opening doors they could at least have them open just a crack so you can open them manually.
Lon12
Member
When I had my handle replaced I was shown the micro switch was at the front of the door handle. Try pulling from there.
This issue is a breaking wire on microswitch, that is not a completely severed yet. Hence, intermittently would / could / might make contact and you get lucky when it does and microswitch transmits its signal that gets through.
This is going in one direction. Intermittent becomes more intermittent until finally, no hope of conductors within the wire touching enough to make a circuit.
Each time the handle presents the wires are flexed. They eventually break.
If you notice a "time delay" of pulling on handle constantly and when it actually opens the door. Or have to do a couple pulls to get it to open...
You are in the downward spiral zone of an imminent failure. Call / get services when you notice two strange events in a row... to get a jump on the repair.
My most recent 2 door handle failures happened over Christmas break when we were road tripping in places of -20C or so.
Cold stiffens the wires. Makes them less compliant. They are more susceptible to break when the insulation is more rigid.
Wires having better flexibility characteristics in cold temperatures, and repetitive stress tolerance (more "flexi") would go a long way to fixing these problems, permanently.
I'll see if the 2 handles going in tomorrow are any different than that last one that got done a year ago. I suspect not.
Kalud
Active Member
A nice set of pictures of the door handle mechanism and wires are available
here: Model S door handle replacement in pictures
and
here: door handle retraction mechanism
here: Model S door handle replacement in pictures
and
here: door handle retraction mechanism
I wonder if we`ll see aftermarket modifications to the doorhandles? Kits to modify them to make them more reliable (i.e. removal of electric extension, better release mechanism etc.
I for one would be happy with ordinary doorhandles. The handles look cool, and work great. But they seem too complex and prone to failure. I had one handle break on my car (didn`t extend), but I often read about handles breaking.
There are no good alternatives to a Tesla, so they could easily have gone with traditional handles. Must`ve been cheaper as well for both Tesla and owners. However, the handles aren`t the biggest door issue in cold climates. It`s the windows freezing so the don`t lower when you open the door. This results in the glass being stuck behind the chrome. Elon was in Norway februaru 2014 where he amongst other things showed a winter video report in the giant q&a session. Kinda ridicilous that freezing windows are still an issue after promoting the car as a great winter car. A tad of an adjustment to the chrome=problem solved.
I for one would be happy with ordinary doorhandles. The handles look cool, and work great. But they seem too complex and prone to failure. I had one handle break on my car (didn`t extend), but I often read about handles breaking.
There are no good alternatives to a Tesla, so they could easily have gone with traditional handles. Must`ve been cheaper as well for both Tesla and owners. However, the handles aren`t the biggest door issue in cold climates. It`s the windows freezing so the don`t lower when you open the door. This results in the glass being stuck behind the chrome. Elon was in Norway februaru 2014 where he amongst other things showed a winter video report in the giant q&a session. Kinda ridicilous that freezing windows are still an issue after promoting the car as a great winter car. A tad of an adjustment to the chrome=problem solved.
I am happy to report that Tesla is now just retrofitting new switches onto your existing handle when this failure happens, rather than whole handle replacement.
There is a parts kit of two microswitches, wires, and a connector that goes in. They replace both microswitches if either one fails, because they share a common connector.
Off warranty, this has got to be a bunch cheaper than ponying up for a whole handle.
So, if your issue is "handle presents but pull doesn't open" you're a strong candidate for having switches replaced.
If you are "handle won't present" then you are likely to be getting a whole handle mechansim.
BTW, microswitches failing in doors is not as Tesla specific as you might think. Many cars have similar issues...
There is a parts kit of two microswitches, wires, and a connector that goes in. They replace both microswitches if either one fails, because they share a common connector.
Off warranty, this has got to be a bunch cheaper than ponying up for a whole handle.
So, if your issue is "handle presents but pull doesn't open" you're a strong candidate for having switches replaced.
If you are "handle won't present" then you are likely to be getting a whole handle mechansim.
BTW, microswitches failing in doors is not as Tesla specific as you might think. Many cars have similar issues...
mknox
Well-Known Member
I would imagine that's true. My prior Cadillac had micro-switch activated solenoid door release mechanisms as well, but with a more conventional handle design. I never had any problems with them.
I've had another incident of being locked out of the driver's door. The door handles either don't present at all or move out a centimeter or so and stall. If the latter you can pull on them all you want but it won't open. The white illumination LED also doesn't light up.
Here's the weird thing - the previous time I noticed the door handle came back to life after I opened the driver's window fully. So this time instead of crawling in the passenger side and pulling the lever, I crawled in the back and reached in and lowered the window. Hopped out of the car and the lever was extended properly, so I pulled and got in.
Seriously strange stuff. I'm thinking this isn't a microswitch problem.
And then something much weirder happened about 10 minutes later - the passenger rear door popped open while I was in motion.
Here's the weird thing - the previous time I noticed the door handle came back to life after I opened the driver's window fully. So this time instead of crawling in the passenger side and pulling the lever, I crawled in the back and reached in and lowered the window. Hopped out of the car and the lever was extended properly, so I pulled and got in.
Seriously strange stuff. I'm thinking this isn't a microswitch problem.
And then something much weirder happened about 10 minutes later - the passenger rear door popped open while I was in motion.
mknox
Well-Known Member
Man! That was being discussed way back in 2012/early 2013 with the Gen 1 handles but I haven't heard of it for at least 2 years now. And I'm pretty sure you had all your handles replaced as I did. The new handles fixed my "random door popping open" issue.
As a possible explanation... I had a problem where my window wouldn't close properly. Tesla fixed it and said it was due to interference with the door handle mechanism. The had to replace a number of the window track mechanisms and "repair" the door handle. I wonder if your car has the same interference issue only instead of mucking up the window mechanism, it did some damage to the door handle mechanism instead.
Yeah I was really surprised; I haven't heard of (or experienced) an incident of the popping door phenomenon for a couple of years now. And yes I do have the revised 90/10 handles.
They're sending a Ranger (!) to work on it on Friday. We're going all retro this year...
They're sending a Ranger (!) to work on it on Friday. We're going all retro this year...
I had my rear door pop open on its own, P85D with 2nd gen handles. That door had other handle issues from that point on, and the handle was replaced. (now my driver handle isn't working, which really sucks!)
Peter_M
Member
I had the rear driver side door popping open too, with new handles, in Feb 2015. They replaced the handle and it has been fine since.
fancy door handles, fancy falcon wing doors - self inflicted wounds. Tesla deserves all the negative press it gets on these two mistakes. Only hope they don't end up being colossal mistakes - especially the FWD - that will end up as a Wikipedia entry and used as a case study for future MBAs.
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