Heated door handles?

[Brentt]

Has anyone noticed their door handles being warm since the latest software update?
It's about 40 degrees out, and I left our car plugged in with the heater on to keep the cabin warm.
When I came out about an hour later I noticed the door handle was warm. I thought it might have been from setting in the sun, but I touched the door panel and it was definitely cool. Is is possible the heater is blowing enough warm air at the handle from the inside to warm it up?

 

[Glamisduner]

Has anyone noticed their door handles being warm since the latest software update?
It's about 40 degrees out, and I left our car plugged in with the heater on to keep the cabin warm.
When I came out about an hour later I noticed the door handle was warm. I thought it might have been from setting in the sun, but I touched the door panel and it was definitely cool. Is is possible the heater is blowing enough warm air at the handle from the inside to warm it up?

How would it blow air from the inside onto the handle?

 

[BobAbooey]

How would it blow air from the inside onto the handle?

Magic?

 

[BobAbooey]

I’ll ha

Has anyone noticed their door handles being warm since the latest software update?
It's about 40 degrees out, and I left our car plugged in with the heater on to keep the cabin warm.
When I came out about an hour later I noticed the door handle was warm. I thought it might have been from setting in the sun, but I touched the door panel and it was definitely cool. Is is possible the heater is blowing enough warm air at the handle from the inside to warm it up?

I’ll have to check this out

 

[Lloyd]

The car is slightly pressurized with the vent fans.

 

[Brentt]

How would it blow air from the inside onto the handle?

The only thing I could figure is below a certain temperature the heater automatically directs the air toward the handles, and left long enough, the heat would transfer through the panel

 

[Runt8]

It’s not unusual for the chrome handles to be much hotter than the surrounding area.

 

[Brentt]

Agree, but the car wasn’t in the sun, it had already set

 

[ngogas]

Amazing if this was true with the software update. Somehow the handles warm itself.

 

[Raechris]

40 and leaving the heat on for an hour to keep cabin warm? Cabin will heat 40-70 in five minutes with app. What was the heat set at? Sounds like simple transfer as OP mentioned. 40 is short sleeve golf weather around here this time of year

 

[Brentt]

40 and leaving the heat on for an hour to keep cabin warm? Cabin will heat 40-70 in five minutes with app. What was the heat set at? Sounds like simple transfer as OP mentioned. 40 is short sleeve golf weather around here this time of year

Temp was set at 73 degrees. The car was plugged in, so leaving the heater on wasn’t a problem. I’ve never noticed it before, but I’ve also never left it with the heat on for an hour.

 

[Brentt]

The car is slightly pressurized with the vent fans.

This makes sense. Should be easy enough to test .

 

[boaterva]

Technically possible for the update to turn off recirculate (if on), turn on the heat, etc. Getting enough warm air to the handles is another thing. Too bad no ducting in the doors! That would fix the frozen handles problem.

 

[SSedan]

As said the cabin is pressurized by the fan, the handles are a deliberate leak point for the air so the warm cabin air keeps them defrosted. You just noticed this time due to lenght of time it was left warming stationary.

 

[wdolson]

Much of the body is made out of aluminum which is one of the best conductors of both electricity and heat. There may be some mechanism where the heat is getting transmitted through some body structure to the handles. It doesn't happen with the Model S.

 

[Big1matt]

Someone will have to test this during a snow fall, and see if the handles are cleared free of snow.

 

[ngogas]

Magic handles. Lol

 

[boaterva]

Much of the body is made out of aluminum which is one of the best conductors of both electricity and heat. There may be some mechanism where the heat is getting transmitted through some body structure to the handles. It doesn't happen with the Model S.

Seriously, how is this different from steel? I take your point but....

 

[SSedan]

Transferring heat that well much of it would disapate by the time it got to the handle..........

 

[Garlan Garner]

IMHO.....

There is no way for air to distinctly travel: 1. Through the plastic Interior of the door. 2. Through the insulation behind the interior. 3. Then through the interior metal frame of the door. 4. Then through the cup that holds the door handle

It would be almost impossible for the interior vent air to focus on just the door handle.