Late 2021 onwards MIC Model 3s Have poor/faulty air conditioning from factory

[DBM3P]

I’ve got a September 21 M3P and have this issues. Noticed it the first week of pickup. Couldn’t stop it blowing cold air onto my knees - seems to come down behind the screen. I forgot about it because in winter you don’t notice. It’s only hot summers days.

Recently I drove a 2019 M3LR and that was like night and day. Strong air wherever you placed it. SC admitted it was different and are going to look into it next month.

What I don’t understand is if it’s software or a design flaw then why aren’t all the owners complaining? Is it RHD only?

 

[ElectricNerd]

Our 2022 M3LR is a night and day difference compared to our 2021 SR+. The ‘22 blows more air and is COLD.

We are on software 2022.15.101.1 on the new ‘22 if that makes a difference. 2022.16.3 on our ‘21

 

[tm1v2]

Our 2022 M3LR is a night and day difference compared to our 2021 SR+. The ‘22 blows more air and is COLD.

We are on software 2022.15.101.1 on the new ‘22 if that makes a difference. 2022.16.3 on our ‘21

@ElectricNerd Let us know if that comparison changes after your 2022 M3LR gets 2022.16.3 or newer software.

Your 2021 SR+ has the octovalve heat pump setup right? Is it NCA or LFP battery?

 

[ElectricNerd]

@ElectricNerd Let us know if that comparison changes after your 2022 M3LR gets 2022.16.3 or newer software.

Your 2021 SR+ has the octovalve heat pump setup right? Is it NCA or LFP battery?

NCA battery and it does have the heat pump according to the info screen.

 

[ElectricNerd]

So our new 2022 M3LR updated to 2022.20.6 and the HVAC was still as cold and powerful as it was on factory firmware. My ‘21 M3SR+ has been having this issue for at least a month and a half. It got 2022.20.6 and I noticed it was blowing cold and powerful again, even in the rear vents! I’m hoping y’all will see the same result.

 

[DBM3P]

Mine has been doing this since new in September '21 - for me it's not come/gone with a software update:

After 4 Months of sending my Model 3 (December 2021, china factory) back to the service center for blowing on my knees and being told that "nothing was wrong" and everything being correct in the dash, it turns out that I was just the first of people noticing that the Model 3 with the new Heat Pump effectively has poorly designed/faulty fans from the factory.

Hi @DashHHat - just wondering if you've had any updates since your post?

 

[D1939]

I’ve got a morning mobile appointment for this issue, I’ll update later.

 

[D1939]

So the Tesla guy has been, I left him to get on with it (while spying on him from the window) he took the dash off and 15 minutes later knocked on the door to say he thinks he has found the fault. He thinks the white cover I’ve got on my dash to hide the wood, was blocking the up stream air, so he's taken it off.
I was surprised as when I fitted the cover, I made sure it wasn’t blocking anything.
I sat in the passenger seat while he blasted the air on level 9 and i could feel it on my face. I’ve never sat in the passenger seat before so wasn’t sure if this was different or not.
So after he went I sat in the drivers side and tested it without the cover and then with the cover- no difference!

So still the same really, the only way to feel it on your face is to have it in 9 or 10 speed

 

[DBM3P]

So the Tesla guy has been, I left him to get on with it (while spying on him from the window) he took the dash off and 15 minutes later knocked on the door to say he thinks he has found the fault. He thinks the white cover I’ve got on my dash to hide the wood, was blocking the up stream air, so he's taken it off.
I was surprised as when I fitted the cover, I made sure it wasn’t blocking anything.
I sat in the passenger seat while he blasted the air on level 9 and i could feel it on my face. I’ve never sat in the passenger seat before so wasn’t sure if this was different or not.
So after he went I sat in the drivers side and tested it without the cover and then with the cover- no difference!

So still the same really, the only way to feel it on your face is to have it in 9 or 10 speed

Try manually turning off air recirculation and/or turning off the rear fans. I’ve been experimenting, and these two changes stop it blowing down in the drivers seat.

Mines the same… passenger seat is OK
Edit: UK car so right hand drive

 

[Bouba]

My MIC M3LR doesn’t this problem (knock on wood) and has handled the South of France heatwave brilliantly. I can get the air to the top of my head and the dog grows icicles on the backseat…in fact it’s the best backseat cooling I’ve ever seen in a car. But if you have the air on in your face and on the floor then it significantly weakens it…so just press the one button is my advice

 

[ChrisSFoot]

My MIC M3LR doesn’t this problem (knock on wood) and has handled the South of France heatwave brilliantly. I can get the air to the top of my head and the dog grows icicles on the backseat…in fact it’s the best backseat cooling I’ve ever seen in a car. But if you have the air on in your face and on the floor then it significantly weakens it…so just press the one button is my advice

It seems more and more like there was an issue for just a few months from the china factory perhaps. Mine is was delivered June 21. It doesn't matter what settings I set on the screen, the air never goes above my neck height, the passenger side does seem to be fine though. Tesla service said they could replicate the issue but found no faults on my car and speculated that it was a software issue!

 

[Bouba]

It seems more and more like there was an issue for just a few months from the china factory perhaps. Mine is was delivered June 21. It doesn't matter what settings I set on the screen, the air never goes above my neck height, the passenger side does seem to be fine though. Tesla service said they could replicate the issue but found no faults on my car and speculated that it was a software issue!

I also had the factory recall where the mobile technician insulated the top hose of the compressor and put a cover over the electrics to protect from any drips (from the top hose)

 

[DBM3P]

It seems more and more like there was an issue for just a few months from the china factory perhaps. Mine is was delivered June 21. It doesn't matter what settings I set on the screen, the air never goes above my neck height, the passenger side does seem to be fine though. Tesla service said they could replicate the issue but found no faults on my car and speculated that it was a software issue!

I agree, mine was manufactured August 21, arrived September. The parts catalogue does have a LHD and RHD part and a Oct 2020 onwards part, wonder if something incorrect was fitted at factory. I hope it’s a simple software fix though.
I’ve had the hose insulation recall done, no difference.

 

[D1939]

I also had the factory recall where the mobile technician insulated the top hose of the compressor and put a cover over the electrics to protect from any drips (from the top hose)

He mentioned this to me but said mine was all how it should be.

 

[Jandieg]

2022 Chinese M3, same issue... air goes to my lap even when I point the flow to the max up.

 

[Jandieg]

I have this issue. Anyone knows whether Tesla is working on this or if this could be just fixed by software? If it's a hardware issue then we are screwed

 

[Leeroy]

I have this issue. Anyone knows whether Tesla is working on this or if this could be just fixed by software? If it's a hardware issue then we are screwed

Not sure tesla are convinced anything is wrong. Sc agreed the airflow wasn’t very high (height not speed) but pulled it apart and said everything was as it’s meant to be.
The loan can they gave me (2022) was noticeably higher. That said they could not find fault with mine.

 

[ChrisSFoot]

Not sure tesla are convinced anything is wrong. Sc agreed the airflow wasn’t very high (height not speed) but pulled it apart and said everything was as it’s meant to be.
The loan can they gave me (2022) was noticeably higher. That said they could not find fault with mine.

MK Service centre agreed that it was not right but couldn't find any hardware issues so they suggested it might be a software fault. My colleague's Fremont M3 delivered 6 months before mine works correctly, mine does not

 

[Jandieg]

This little flap here I am suspecting has to do with it

 

[delta0]

My June 2022 MIC car does not have this issue. I’ve even had to lower it a bit to stop it blowing in my eyes.