Door Handles Failed

[Doug_G]

Yes, it could be an intermittent contact. It could also be a defective electronic component (they do have temperature dependence). It's a warranty issue though so I'm going to let Tesla fight with it.

Doug

Hmmm... functional handle ..sometimes. Cold sensitivity. Could be poor electrical contact of a connector, maybe the door handle harness plug on the car side if replacing handles (as many times as you've had) has not gotten to the problem yet. With plug-n-play modular replacement the module works for awhile .. because it sufficiently disturbed the connector back into working condition for a while.

It could be a poor wire crimp on a pin, a dirty pin, or a stretched open pin not providing enough contact.. It could be wire flex fracture at the crimp on the pin.

What I sometimes do in cases like this is try to get at the failing part while leaving everything in its place in the failing condition, then wiggle, flex, move, hold at funny angles, warm the connectors .. (hair dryer) see if the thing becomes suddenly operable again if you hit some sweet spot. In hot environments, I spray canned air on points to freeze them.

Take the connector apart on both sides look for cleanliness, tarnish, corrosion on any pin. Bright light, jeweler's loupe, or other strong magnification helps. Gently tug wires from the back of the connector. Did one just break and pull out with ease?

Take a properly sized mating spare male pin (meant for the connector) and insert it into each hole of the connector side with female pins, using just fingertips to feeling for loose or weak insertion / removal forces. (You can sometimes find extra unused male pin in a similar connector on the car or the same connector ... extract it as a probing donor.) Any weak holding female pin might be improved with a gentle squeeze of needle nose pliers when extracted.

Using a contact cleaner and electrical contact lube can mean the difference when putting it back together.

A non-responsive handle (won't present) is not getting the message. Power or data. Can at least test that power is getting through the connector using your VOM testing the power carrying wires with an insulation displacement piercing probe (fancy name for needle).

An intermittent wire problem might be mid-harness anywhere it is overly flexed (going into the door from the hinged pillar side) ... or any connector along the way backward to the commander and supplier of life.

Mechanics can really rack up the hours diagnosing these things. Sometimes in frustration will start cutting out connectors and hardwiring (solder and tape) each wire pair... to make sure they never see that problem again.

 

[RAM_Eh]

So they rebuilt the micro switches on the handle $300.00 later. They said $ 1900.00 if they had to put a new one in.

BTW my car is our to warrantee.

 

[scottm]

So they rebuilt the micro switches on the handle $300.00 later. They said $ 1900.00 if they had to put a new one in.

BTW my car is our to warrantee.

Refer to post #55 in this thread, for the case: handles present but do not open when pulled. The fix can be basically free (your time) if you have soldering skills. Handy when off-warranty.

 

[hingisfan]

So they rebuilt the micro switches on the handle $300.00 later. They said $ 1900.00 if they had to put a new one in.

BTW my car is our to warrantee.

$1900?!?! Holy crap... One of the reasons I'm considering trading in my S for a 3. Almost out of warranty... Plus I want AP, but if it's limited to the speed limit on non divided highways, that's a big turn off for me.

 

[mrElbe]

I hope they find the problem with your handles before the warranty period.

 

[Drone Flyer]

I hope they find the problem with your handles before the warranty period.

I'm sure they have a handle on it!

 

[Drone Flyer]

$1900?!?! Holy crap... One of the reasons I'm considering trading in my S for a 3. Almost out of warranty... Plus I want AP, but if it's limited to the speed limit on non divided highways, that's a big turn off for me.

Why is it a turn off? Tacc works ok no matter what speed you use and AP ( or I should say, driver assistance) should not be used on rural roads anyway
Tacc is by far. the most useful function on the car.

 

[hingisfan]

Why is it a turn off? Tacc works ok no matter what speed you use and AP ( or I should say, driver assistance) should not be used on rural roads anyway
Tacc is by far. the most useful function on the car.

10km/hr over the posted limit is pretty reasonable, ie 90 in an 80...going 80 in an 80 on an empty secondary highway is pretty painful.

 

[Drone Flyer]

10km/hr over the posted limit is pretty reasonable, ie 90 in an 80...going 80 in an 80 on an empty secondary highway is pretty painful.

Then don't use Autopilot!
Simple as that. As I said earlier, Tacc is wonderful in whatever speed you set it.
Or you could drive the old fashioned way where you have to press the accelerator, hold on to the wheel and press the brake when you need to stop!
Oh the humanity of it all!

 

[tinanbran]

I will be honest I travel a lot on secondary highways and not to often do I find that autopilot works "Great" on them. Don't misquote me as it does work well but I find that you have to be very vigilante what its doing. I find it does a much much better job on divided highways where its not restricted till 140km I believe. I do agree that I would have preferred them to have left it at 10km over though but it is what it is.

 

[Doug_G]

It's on its way back from the 4th year annual service. They replaced the LEDs in the front and rear right handles (burned out). LF door handle was replaced, and the electronic module for the RR handle was replaced.

As much as I will be happy to see my car back, I'm going to miss the P90D/Ludicrous!

 

[scottm]

10km/hr over the posted limit is pretty reasonable, ie 90 in an 80...going 80 in an 80 on an empty secondary highway is pretty painful.

Yep, aint autopilot fun?

 

[scottm]

It's on its way back from the 4th year annual service. They replaced the LEDs in the front and rear right handles (burned out). LF door handle was replaced, and the electronic module for the RR handle was replaced.

As much as I will be happy to see my car back, I'm going to miss the P90D/Ludicrous!

Wow.

Did a power surge hit the car? Did you take boost from a tow truck to get it cranked over lately, or whaaaa?

Burnt out LEDs!? LEDs should last life of the car.

Module and whole handle ...

did this basically happen all at once?

And.. are you covered for any of this under warranty / extended service / goodwill?

 

[Doug_G]

It's not the first time an LED has burned out. One of the left-hand doors had an LED replacement already. Yes LEDs should last a very long time, although high brightness white LEDs generate a moderate amount of heat and require proper cooling (i.e. a heat sink).

In the early days I had the original door handle design, which had issues with extremely critical microswitch adjustments. I had doors fail to open, doors open when they weren't supposed to, and the driver's door handle badly corroded for some reason (bad coating?). I had a bunch of door handle replacements.

Then one day service replaced a couple of handles, and when they went to wash it prior to delivery another door wouldn't present. So they decided to heck with it and swapped all of them to the newer 90% extend style handles. After that I had one develop a corrosion problem and it was replaced again. Then it all went quiet for a couple of years and then the problems started up again.

I've also had a whole bunch of problems with the Pano roof, although (cross fingers) it looks like they finally sorted it. And I kept getting water in the reversing lights, which they just fixed again.

That's the perils of buying one of the first cars built, I guess!

This was my final service under the original 4-year warranty.

I do have the extended warranty though. Hopefully I won't be making good use of it.

 

[hingisfan]

I will be honest I travel a lot on secondary highways and not to often do I find that autopilot works "Great" on them. Don't misquote me as it does work well but I find that you have to be very vigilante what its doing. I find it does a much much better job on divided highways where its not restricted till 140km I believe. I do agree that I would have preferred them to have left it at 10km over though but it is what it is.

I'm assuming AP2 will work much better on secondary roads. I don't have AP at all right now.

 

[hingisfan]

As much as I will be happy to see my car back, I'm going to miss the P90D/Ludicrous!

I'm sure you enjoyed your P90D almost as much as I enjoyed my Chevy Tahoe Enterprise rental.... Ugggh, 3rd time in a row I haven't got a Tesla loaner for my 250km drive each way. Would love to have an X for a few days sometime, test drove it again when I dropped off and we just love it.

Also got newest firmware. Supercharger locations list amenities with icons, and idle fees. Also, standard sound now has 5 equalizer sliders instead of 3.

 

[Destiny1701]

Water in the rear brake lights. I had this issue on our 90D since purchase date back in March 16'. Service said it's normal and unless it starts corroding to just leave it. That's doesn't sound right? I don't believe water leakage into light housings should be considered normal by any means.

Also have 2 led's on the front lights that seem to be slightly dimmer than all the rest. Again the answer by service was 'it's hardly noticeable'.

Anyone have this issues like this and received 'brush off' responses?

 

[hingisfan]

Water in the rear brake lights. I had this issue on our 90D since purchase date back in March 16'. Service said it's normal and unless it starts corroding to just leave it. That's doesn't sound right? I don't believe water leakage into light housings should be considered normal by any means.

Also have 2 led's on the front lights that seem to be slightly dimmer than all the rest. Again the answer by service was 'it's hardly noticeable'.

Anyone have this issues like this and received 'brush off' responses?

Not usually.... My manual liftgate wasn't opening quite as nice as it used to and they replaced both struts on it. I used to get water in my reversing lights and they installed the newer style applique.

 

[scottm]

Water in tail lights is not OK. it's a safety hazard if brake lights fail. I had both rear light assemblies replaced when a gasket over one of them allowed water to enter into my rear hatch. water poured out of the grab handle one day when the hatch was lifted... 2 new tail lights was the fix.

Fog under lens is normal, on fronts.. sadly.

New style rear applique deleted the reverse light lens cover for this reason.

Dim LEDs on headlight surrounds is not OK, bad batch. Others have gotten them replaced for some being dim.

 

[Destiny1701]

Water in tail lights is not OK. it's a safety hazard if brake lights fail. I had both rear light assemblies replaced when a gasket over one of them allowed water to enter into my rear hatch. water poured out of the grab handle one day when the hatch was lifted... 2 new tail lights was the fix.

Fog under lens is normal, on fronts.. sadly.

New style rear applique deleted the reverse light lens cover for this reason.

Dim LEDs on headlight surrounds is not OK, bad batch. Others have gotten them replaced for some being dim.

Thanks for your reply. I have an appt set with the Mississauga service centre Friday and will bring it all up!