Door Handles: Warning! Random Door Opening While Locked!

[Doug_G]

I've had the car one month, and have had this happen twice now.

This morning at 10:47 am I parked the car at a local mall. As we walked away I hit the FOB to lock it and watched the handles retract. I was being careful because we had some valuables in the trunk (laptops).

When we returned at 11:37 am there was a guy taking pictures of the car. He told me, "Do you realize your back door is open?" Yes, my left rear door was indeed open, and all four doors had their handles extended. The car was completely unlocked! There is no explanation other than the car unlocking itself and opening the door while unattended.

This is actually the second time this has happened to me. The previous time it was the rear right door.

Update: Tesla replaced the offending door handles.

 

[brianman]

First - eep!

Second, sounds like in the near-term it might be a good idea to keep non-living valuables in the frunk for your particular vehicle.

 

[mnx]

Thanks for the warning Doug! Hope your laptops etc. were still there.

 

[FlasherZ]

Second, sounds like in the near-term it might be a good idea to keep non-living valuables in the frunk for your particular vehicle.

If you can get the door open, I think you can get access to the frunk through the touchscreen, even without the key, yes?

 

[kinddog]

Fourth!

at least the doors aren't opening while you're going 80 on the highway. that's the bright-side.

 

[mknox]

at least the doors aren't opening while you're going 80 on the highway. that's the bright-side.

Other have reported doors opening while under way...

 

[Doug_G]

No, we didn't lose anything.

I'm thinking the Frunk might be safer because a lot of people wouldn't know it was there.

 

[Sigma4Life]

I've seen this happen with my car as well. Tesla needs to figure out the problem and fix it ASAP.

 

[Zythryn]

I do hope you reported this both times?
I would assume so, but you didn't mention what Tesla told you, or if they were able to tell anything from the logs?
While I don't know, I would hope any commands issued my the control system would be logged.

Please keep us updated on the resolution.

 

[mknox]

Yes, my left rear door was indeed open, and all four doors had their handles extended. The car was completely unlocked! There is no explanation other than the car unlocking itself and opening the door while unattended.

I'm sure you've thought of this, but do you have it set up to auto-present the handles? Do you suppose as you were walking to the car, the handles simply presented in the normal manner and then the random door opening occurred as has been documented by others? Or maybe there was some stray RF interference that the car mistook for your fob, presented the handles and accidental door opening as per above? Could someone else's remote access fob have interfered?

I'm still suspicious of the mechanical handles. I wonder if something cause the car to think you were there (stray RF, someone else's fob etc.) which initiated the unlock and extend sequence and then the too sensitive (in my opinion) door handles popped the door.

 

[Doug_G]

Tesla is aware of both incidents, and they are actively working on it.

I have a lot of sympathy for the Tesla engineers on this; rare random events are horrible to troubleshoot.

 

[smoothoperator2]

This happened to me as well, I am on 1.15.14. I have started to lock the door manually (key fob push) rather than depending on the car to lock/unlock automatically. This seems to be a decent interim solution.

 

[AnOutsider]

Aside from the discussion of the retractable handles being practical, do we know why Tesla made it so that the car actually pops open the door vs pulling the handle releasing? If the car didn't have the ability to physically open the door, that would be less of a problem (and would also prevent getting locked out when the car doesn't recognize that you're pulling the dang handle).

 

[Doug_G]

I'm sure you've thought of this, but do you have it set up to auto-present the handles? Do you suppose as you were walking to the car, the handles simply presented in the normal manner and then the random door opening occurred as has been documented by others? Or maybe there was some stray RF interference that the car mistook for your fob, presented the handles and accidental door opening as per above? Could someone else's remote access fob have interfered?

I'm still suspicious of the mechanical handles. I wonder if something cause the car to think you were there (stray RF, someone else's fob etc.) which initiated the unlock and extend sequence and then the too sensitive (in my opinion) door handles popped the door.

I do have it set to auto-present; however, this time I had a witness who had observed the open door before I arrived.

I really doubt stray RF or another FOB could cause this. Canada has stringent requirements on how the FOB coding system operates. It would be a miracle.

 

[mknox]

Aside from the discussion of the retractable handles being practical, do we know why Tesla made it so that the car actually pops open the door vs pulling the handle releasing? If the car didn't have the ability to physically open the door, that would be less of a problem (and would also prevent getting locked out when the car doesn't recognize that you're pulling the dang handle).

Tesla uses an electric solenoid to release the door. This is not uncommon. My current ICE does the same thing, but uses a more conventional handle that requires an inch or so of travel before the switch that activates the solenoid is closed. The Tesla handle seems to need a very small amount of travel (maybe it's just a bit of pressure) to trigger the switch, and I (personally) believe this is the root cause of the random door openings. Other owners have reported that handles had to be replaced to correct the problem, and this is likely because the switch is too sensitive.

- - - Updated - - -

I do have it set to auto-present; however, this time I had a witness who had observed the open door before I arrived.

I really doubt stray RF or another FOB could cause this. Canada has stringent requirements on how the FOB coding system operates. It would be a miracle.

You're probably right about the RF, but something caused the car to think you were nearby. I might suggest turning the auto presenting handles off until Tesla sorts this out (I believe a too sensitive switch is triggering the solenoid when the door handles extend).

 

[Doug_G]

You're probably right about the RF, but something caused the car to think you were nearby. I might suggest turning the auto presenting handles off until Tesla sorts this out (I believe a too sensitive switch is triggering the solenoid when the door handles extend).

The doors can be opened from the inside without the FOB being present.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

The doors can be opened from the inside without the FOB being present.

but..does the alarm go on?

My wife did that yesterday and the alarm went on but fortunately I was just returning to the car w/ my fob. She though she had one in the car but we didn't figure out where it was

 

[Doug_G]

but..does the alarm go on?

I don't know. Unfortunately today I couldn't park as close as I usually do; otherwise if it did go off I might have been able to hear it.

 

[DrComputer]

The car can also unlocked from the app. You didn't 'butt unlock' the car did you?

 

[Doug_G]

What app?