Is it possible to leave climate control on when leaving car (without app)

[Superloud]

I couldn't find a thread that already answered this.

Is it possible, from the touchscreen controls, to tell the car to keep the climate control going even after you leave the car?

I know that you can fire up the smartphone app, and turn on climate control (which I believe will keep running for 30min). But my phone often takes ages to connect. I end up walking and staring at my phone until it connects, just so I can turn climate control on. It's just a big pain. It would be nice to just use the car's controls somehow.

Now that it's getting hotter. It's just kind of nice when I'm running in and out of preschool to get the little ones. In a matter of minutes the car can heat up quite a bit. And it feels like if you're quick enough, it might not even be a waste of energy to simply maintain the cars temperature rather than let it heat way up, and require max cooling to bring the temperature rapidly back down again.

 

[jerry33]

Thread is here. Post #3

 

[Superloud]

Thanks! But yuck...not sure I love that parking brake solution...

 

[jerry33]

Thanks! But yuck...not sure I love that parking brake solution...

I've never needed to use it myself and where I live it does get hot in the summer. If there is someone else in the car just have them touch the screen when it's off. To avoid having the A/C run at full blast when starting up, just set the temperature higher. If it's really hot, it will still feel cool comparatively. If I'm going to be out of the car for more than a couple of minutes, I set the roof to 15% or 20% and crack the windows a bit. This reduces the heat build up.

 

[RichieTheC]

Smartphone app shouldn't take ages to start. It works best if you completely shut it down first. Give that a try.

 

[Todd Burch]

1. You can set the car to "Always Connected" and the smartphone app will connect faster.

2. An alternative to the parking brake solution above: Slowly close your driver's door to the first click. The door won't be fully closed and the handles will remain extended, but the A/C and touchscreen will stay on. I'm not sure if when you walk away the car will lock so that the door can't be opened, or if it is openable in this state--so verify yourself. However, certainly assuming you walk away with the key, nobody else will be able to take your car.

 

[jerry33]

2. An alternative to the parking brake solution above: Slowly close your driver's door to the first click. The door won't be fully closed and the handles will remain extended, but the A/C and touchscreen will stay on. I'm not sure if when you walk away the car will lock so that the door can't be opened, or if it is openable in this state--so verify yourself. However, certainly assuming you walk away with the key, nobody else will be able to take your car.

That method works, but once in a while the handle won't trigger the unlocking mechanism. If that occurs, open the back door and that should refresh the handle actuator. (I had this happen when drying the pano roof, when the driver's door opened to the first click.)

 

[brec]

Thanks! But yuck...not sure I love that parking brake solution...

Why?

 

[Superloud]

Why?

I dunno. It just seems like a "hack", in the sense that it doesn't seem like tesla intended for people to do this. I don't like leaving my car in a state that I don't fully understand, other than from what people tell me on a Internet forum (or, is this procedure somewhere described in the owners manual?)

It's also a few steps - I'm sure I could get used to it. But I was hoping for something way quicker. I'll probably just try the app solution for a while and see how painful it really is. And if it seems way more annoying than the above then maybe I'll switch

 

[brec]

I dunno. It just seems like a "hack", in the sense that it doesn't seem like tesla intended for people to do this. I don't like leaving my car in a state that I don't fully understand, other than from what people tell me on a Internet forum (or, is this procedure somewhere described in the owners manual?)

It's also a few steps - I'm sure I could get used to it. But I was hoping for something way quicker. I'll probably just try the app solution for a while and see how painful it really is. And if it seems way more annoying than the above then maybe I'll switch

It's a User-side Hack (tm brec), but I see no harm. The procedure is not described in the Owner's Manual. In fact, the manual's page 41, Starting and Powering Off, incorrectly states:

Note: Model S automatically shifts into Park
whenever you leave the vehicle, even if you
shift into Neutral before exiting. ...

It should add "unless you've set the parking brake using Controls::E-Brake & Power Off:: Parking Brake".

A downside is that not only HVAC remains on, but so do other systems that are normally on when you're in the car, such as the screens and external lights. The latter in particular may require extra steps at night if you don't want the headlights to remain on and they're set for automatic.

 

[bredi]

The app should have a timer to tell you when climate control is going to shut off.

 

[Superloud]

The app should have a timer to tell you when climate control is going to shut off.

I saw a reply to this thread and thought you were going to mention that the 8.0 software update seems to have "fixed" this(??). The notes say that the car can (will?) now keep the cabin temperature cool by keeping the fans running. I don't yet know if this is something you can turn on/off (my guess is yes). And if you can select a temperature to hold at - presumably a temperature that's safe but not necessarily your preferred driving temperature? Or, will this new feature never engage the A/C, and only be "passive" so to speak. Meaning, by only working the fans, maybe the best it can ever do is keep the car at whatever the temperature of the outside air is.

This is all speculation at the moment - cant wait to learn how it really works

 

[JPUConn]

You can leave the door open a crack

 

[SW2Fiddler]

Just get out, step on the brake pedal, and then close the door.

Easy.

After 8.0, this answer will likely change

 

[JPUConn]

Just get out, step on the brake pedal, and then close the door.

Tried this today at daycare pickup and 90 degrees outside.

When I got back to my car that was sitting there with the screen lit up I realized that anyone could have driven off with the car. Maybe I could have locked it - will have to try that next.

Also can't wait for 8 / 8.1

 

[SW2Fiddler]

Tried this today at daycare pickup and 90 degrees outside.

When I got back to my car that was sitting there with the screen lit up I realized that anyone could have driven off with the car. Maybe I could have locked it - will have to try that next.

Also can't wait for 8 / 8.1

Sorry, this usually is asked in the context of a passenger (Sleeping Spouse Syndrome). Unoccupied car, I always use an app to remotely cool it ... so I am not actually qualified to answer what you asked.