Fix your door that won't open

[scottm]

Window glass does not need to come out.. front or back.

Do you think the chrome trim and/or window guide loosening trick would help on front doors too?

Can you get a small 10mm box end wrench on it, instead of a socket driver?. Ratcheting type even better.

The socket driver I used is maybe unfair weaponry, it's a low profile head. Meant for tight spaces. As you can see (on the left) it gains you almost half inch of clearance.

If it's the socket depth and driver thickness causing the issue of being able to get the tool on it behind the window, maybe consider sacrificing the socket and grind it down to just enough height to reach over the bolt end to get on the nut... if you know what I mean?

A replacement socket to put back in the toolbox is peanuts.

 

[GreyP85]

ok, awesome. I got it.
I took the trim off then went in from the top with 10mm box wrench.
Should be interesting getting it back in, but I'm up for the challenge.

The root cause of the failure was exactly what you pointed out, the white wire on the microswitch was severed.

You just saved me 6 hours of driving (upstate NY) plus a vacation day!

 

[scottm]

You just saved Tesla the resources of labour and parts for a simple fix, so they can redirect those resources into Model 3!

 

[scottm]

By the way, the handle in my video and what I've got in the car are circa summer 2014 build which are not the original design for first model S's, but generation 2 handles.

I see some handles for sale on ebay, which appear to be different than mine. Probably original design.

People with gen 1 handles will look a bit different inside with the orientation of switches but the principles of broken wires on microswitches apply to them as well. There could actually be a few slight variations of handles over the years, for that matter. Who would ever know?

 

[jcaspar]

Very nice write up! Excellent. Only question is "zap strap"?!?! Never heard of "zip ties" being referred to as that. Is it a Canuck think??

 

[S'toon]

Very nice write up! Excellent. Only question is "zap strap"?!?! Never heard of "zip ties" being referred to as that. Is it a Canuck think??

<shrug> I never heard them called zip ties before. Zap strap was what we always called them.

Do you know what a bunnyhug is?

 

[scottm]

Zap strap = zip strip = zip tie = nylon cable tie

..sometimes used by cops as temporary handcuffs for crowd control.

 

[f-stop]

<shrug> I never heard them called zip ties before. Zap strap was what we always called them.

Do you know what a bunnyhug is?

I've always known them as zap straps too - ever since I worked a couple summers for the phone company, a long long time ago. So.. maybe Cdn thing? OTOH, I've never heard the term bunnyhug

back on-topic - very informative thread from the OP, though hopefully I never actually need to use the info on my own car!

 

[Dithermaster]

Thanks for the tips @scottm & @GreyP85; I was able to fix this myself (after waiting two weeks and I still don't have a service appointment). It took me 2.5 hrs to get it out (including 6 trips back in the house for various tools and one trip to the hardware store for a slim 10 mm wrench), 15 minutes to fix the broken wire, and 30 minutes to put it all back together. Bonus: Everything else still works afterwards!

Additional notes: As shown elsewhere (

), there are two Torx bolts under the inner door handle panel (that pops off), and one 10 mm nut under the rubber piece in the door close handle that need to be removed before pulling off the door panel. Use plastic panel removers (available at auto parts store) to pop inner door panel straight off (do not pivot or you'll break the trees). The door pull cable unhooks by pivoting it out (and reconnects easily later). There are multiple wires with plugs connected to the door panel; mark them with different color tape so you hook them back up correctly. Remove the Torx screws that hold on the metal panel with the door control electronics box on it to open up the hole to get to some of the nuts. You have to take off a handful of the black circle stickers to get to all the nuts. Keep track of where they go back (they prevent water ingress). For two of the nuts you go in through these holes; one hole was small enough that I put the socket wrench extension through and then put the socket on (on the other side). I unplugged the rear-most multipin connector from the door control electronics box to prevent any unintended movements (I didn't want the handle to present while I was extracting it). I had to roll the window down and fold down the rearmost rubber trim piece to get to the top rear nut. Of course moving the window requires that connector back on and the door panel that has the window switch to be reconnected (at the switch). Re-attaching that nut was a challenge as well; I used one tool to hold it on the threaded post and another to turn it 1/8 turn at a time until it caught, and then the wrench to tighten. Finally, before tightening the nuts use toothpicks to raise up the handle so it is centered in the door cutout. I noticed when the multipin was disconnected that the rear door handle did not present, so I think that box runs both doors.

I don't know if my handle is an old style or new, but from what I can tell a horizontal high-pressure car wash jet probably soaks the inside of it, and then drips down into the door, unless I missed seeing a seal somewhere. I wish I knew if they sealed better one way or the other (in or out) and then I'd always make sure they were that way in the car wash.

 

[scottm]

Yup, water sprays in there around the chrome handle and gets everything wet, and drips down inside the door. And hopefully out holes in the bottom. I don't apply high pressure wash to the doors around the handles.

 

[Skotty]

I live in Missouri and they have always been called zip ties in my neck of the woods.

Hm...these types of questions are always fun. Sometimes you can find maps of where certain things are called different things, and I always find it interesting. Like coke vs pop vs soda.

 

[wcfinvader]

Where can I get the microswitch at? I called the service center in Kansas City and they're not sure they can sell me the part. I read in this thread that you can buy it at some store. Is there a certain part number? I'd like to work on it this weekend if I can get the part. Is it possible to just solder the wire back on somehow?

 

[Dithermaster]

Is it possible to just solder the wire back on somehow?

Yes, you can remove the black rubber bit and gain access to the switch's terminals.

 

[scottm]

Here you go:

http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/panasonic-electric-works/ASQ10410/255-3525-ND/1739456

..you could corner the market, 410 on hand at time of post.

 

[MartinAustin]

THIS IS AMAZING. I literally have an appointment at 9am tomorrow morning to get my car fixed for this exact problem. 17hrs before the appointment... and I find this thread. It's a $934 fix out of warranty. (per handle! Fortunately only one is affected)

It seems like a design flaw. I expect they have redesigned the modern cars (remember the 20 improvements per week Elon once mentioned?)

I do not want to have to pay $934 for something if it is likely to break due to being a design flaw. I'm going to try to fix it myself

 

[scottm]

It is a design flaw. Given the choice to mount a microswitch on a moving versus non-moving component... you mount the switch on the non-moving component and let the moving thing hit the plunger. Not the way as seen in these handles. Plain and simple.

I would accept your $8 donation as crowd sourced funding to produce the next DIY tip for Model S!

 

[MartinAustin]

Of course! And I second your motion to create a "DIY" forum here... as there are more and more Teslas out of warranty... there are a lot of tech-head owners who would rather tinker and do their own repairs. And of course there are no manuals easily available so we have to create our own.

 

[supratachophobia]

By the way, the handle in my video and what I've got in the car are circa summer 2014 build which are not the original design for first model S's, but generation 2 handles.

I see some handles for sale on ebay, which appear to be different than mine. Probably original design.

People with gen 1 handles will look a bit different inside with the orientation of switches but the principles of broken wires on microswitches apply to them as well. There could actually be a few slight variations of handles over the years, for that matter. Who would ever know?

Gen 1 handles don't have the play when you go to open when extended.

 

[scottm]

Gen 1 handles don't have the play when you go to open when extended.

Interesting.

So you're saying with Gen 1 the body color plate behind the chrome handle is flush with the body when presented and ready to open?

Does this mean that just touching the chrome handle is enough (capacitive sensing) to pop the door open? Or, what physical action does it take to actually open the door when presented? If there's no more available "play" in the handle for the final pull action to close a switch contact..

 

[supratachophobia]

Interesting.

So you're saying with Gen 1 the body color plate behind the chrome handle is flush with the body when presented and ready to open?

Does this mean that just touching the chrome handle is enough (capacitive sensing) to pop the door open? Or, what physical action does it take to actually open the door when presented? If there's no more available "play" in the handle for the final pull action to close a switch contact..

It's really odd, you pull on the handle and it just opens. There really is no perceptable movement, save for the door opening.