Driver Door Self-Opened

[TorqueIt]

Today when I went for lunch I approached my car and noticed the driver door was slightly ajar. Very strange obviously, but perhaps I forgot to close it in the morning after getting to work (not likely, but possible).

Then after lunch at the local restaurant, while approaching the car, I actually saw my driver side door pop open!

I hadn't driven the car for about a week (wife had it), and she did mention there was a new software update (I'm currently on version 7.1).

I went back to my car this afternoon and it did not "self-open". The only difference from when it self-opened and did not, is that every time it self-opened, there were multiple people approaching the car (co-workers). Could it be that when there are multiple people approaching, it "triggers" a sensor to open the driver door, but it's not enough to trigger when it's only the driver approaching the car?

Someone please tell me I'm not hallucinating!

My car is VIN 123xxx, pre-refresh, with autopilot hardware (non-software activated).

 

[Max*]

What do you mean "self opened"? The door itself? Or the handle popped out?

If you mean the handle, then that's a setting in the car. Auto unlock or something like that. When you have the key fob, and are approaching the car, the drivers door will open. You can also set it to open all 4 doors.

 

[Gizmotoy]

What do you mean "self opened"? The door itself? Or the handle popped out?

If you mean the handle, then that's a setting in the car. Auto unlock or something like that. When you have the key fob, and are approaching the car, the drivers door will open. You can also set it to open all 4 doors.

This is not very well-worded. The door will not open, the handles will deploy and it will *unlock* (assuming those features are present and enabled).

Handles deploying automatically: normal
Door popping open: not normal

It sounds like you may have a failure in the handle sensor. When you give the door handle a tug, or pull on the handle from the inside, a little actuator pops the door out a tiny amount. It sounds like this may be what is happening.

Try yourself while someone else is in the car. Have them pull the inside handle on a front door just a bit and let go. The door should pop out a few mm to a cm or so. Is that what you saw? That's the actuator opening the door. If you continue to pull the front handles from the inside, the manual actuator will open the door (so if power fails, this is how you exit - note the rear door's manual release is not in the handle, but in a pull cord under the seat).

 

[Max*]

This is not very well-worded. The door will not open, the handles will deploy and it will *unlock* (assuming those features are present and enabled).

Thanks for clearing up what I meant.

 

[TorqueIt]

Self-opened, as in the handles popped out AND the door PHYSICALLY opened a few cm's.

Here is a picture I pulled from another thread, just imagine it is the DRIVER door.

 

[mikeash]

I'd guess the handle has a bad switch that triggers intermittently, and the reason it pops open as you approach is because the presence of your key fob causes the car to unlock. The seeming link with multiple people approaching is probably just coincidence.

Take it in to service and tell them what's going on, and I bet they'll replace the handle and you'll be all set. Until then, I'd recommend turning off auto-present and auto-unlock (are those separate? I don't have my car right here to check) and manually lock and unlock the car with the key fob.

 

[studiojon]

Correct. This used to happen a while ago where some handles would extend slightly too far and cause the door to actually open. Service can fix easily. Haven't heard about this in a long time now though.

 

[TorqueIt]

This is happening much more often now, almost every time. Almost seems like a feature, I kind of like it...

 

[mikeash]

It's almost like you got a Model X.

When I saw your problem, I actually briefly wondered if maybe you had an X, were clueless about the auto-open feature on it, and managed to wander into the wrong forum. After looking at your signature I decided you probably weren't that clueless.

 

[TorqueIt]

It's almost like you got a Model X.

When I saw your problem, I actually briefly wondered if maybe you had an X, were clueless about the auto-open feature on it, and managed to wander into the wrong forum. After looking at your signature I decided you probably weren't that clueless.

Ha, thanks for the vote of confidence

 

[Electric700]

TorqueIt, I agree with the other poster about taking your car in for service. It looks like something with the latch could be causing the problem.

 

[bob_p]

I've had my P85 since early 2013. Started having this problem while I was on a road trip recently - when the driver's door would unlock and the handle extended, several times the door also opened by itself.

Tesla did maintenance on the handle - and that corrected the problem.

 

[DDotJ]

One time I was waiting for the light at an intersection and heard a loud sound followed by error chimes from the car. Scared the living daylights out of me.

I read the message on the display and its told me that my door is open. I look to my left and sure enough the door was open. Took it to Tesla and they promptly replaced my defective door handle. Haven't had issues with the handle since.

 

[TorqueIt]

Thanks all for the replies, will be taking in the car next week.

 

[sorka]

T
Then after lunch at the local restaurant, while approaching the car, I actually saw my driver side door pop open!

Your MS has MX envy