Model 3 Door Handles - Here is how they actually work

[neroden]

I live in that area (Lake Tahoe) elevation 6200 feet. Highest average snowfall... it's snowing today, in fact.
Occasionally we get ice storms which freeze up the handles of the cars. My Land Rover is the worst to get unstuck. When things are bad, I just pour hot water over them and they free up easily.

You clearly have never dealt with weather cold enough that the hot water just freezes. I have, in Minnesota. (We used a hair dryer.)

 

[neroden]

Just about to say similar...There are some serious mountains near the bay area. I would bet that the locals travel to them to ski and play in them. I also bet that not all Tesla employees grew up in California - some may have experiences gained in previous life locations where ice happened. Just because the building of the car is in nice weather does not mean the designers have not seen tough winter conditions.

Yeah, but in fact, they haven't dealt with tough winter conditions. They proved their failure to pay attention to this stuff on Model S.

Do I need to mention the retrofit to the ventilation system which was necessary to get the windshield to de-ice? (Which still isn't really that great?) Or the lack of consideration for getting ice off the chargeport door?

 

[neroden]

With the sort of ice people are talking about, would the Model S handles work? I can't imagine the motor to extend the handles is very powerful.

It's actually crazy strong. It did work, I've tested it. So that's one thing they got right.

(Had to drive through an ice storm a year and a half ago; I may have mentioned it.)

 

[Topher]

I've had far more issues with manual windows than powered windows.

What issues have you had? I have never even heard of problems with crank windows that would have not existed with powered windows.

For the record, the ratio of powered window issues to cars I have owned with them is 100%. That is actual mechanism failures, not just failure to open because of conditions (of which there are many more).

Thank you kindly.

 

[JRP3]

What issues have you had?

Crank handles coming off, the crank mechanism stripping out, and windows jamming.

 

[graphic]

Just saw this video of Model 3 in the wild, the door handles here look like MS handles.

 

[MissAutobahn]

Just saw this video of Model 3 in the wild, the door handles here look like MS handles.

No, they are not the same

 

[graphic]

No, they are not the same

You are right!

 

[Zaphod]

Just saw this video of Model 3 in the wild, the door handles here look like MS handles.

That is just one of the original cars at the reveal (unless they have more matte black prototype(s) around). It was stated somewhere that the production handles will be the "hockey stick" shaped handles.

 

[stopcrazypp]

That is just one of the original cars at the reveal (unless they have more matte black prototype(s) around). It was stated somewhere that the production handles will be the "hockey stick" shaped handles.

Yes, both types were present in the unveiling and I believe it was mentioned the production version would use the hockey stick style.

 

[Trev Page]

Wouldn't take much to make those heated to prevent icing. I like that they're oil-dampened for soft-closing. Those Tesla touches

 

[ecarfan]

The dark grey Model 3 prototype in that video appears to be the same dark grey car that was at the reveal. It had door handles that were different than the silver and red prototypes at the reveal. The video that @MissAutobahn linked to clearly shows how the handles on the grey 3 work. But those are not the same style of handles as are shown on the Model 3 page on Tesla's website, and which I assume will be the production handles since they are like the handles on the silver and red prototype cars.

 

[AZ Desert Driver]

Wouldn't take much to make those heated to prevent icing. I like that they're oil-dampened for soft-closing. Those Tesla touches

How can you see that the handles are oil dampened from a video of a car headed down the freeway? You are SOOO good.

 

[JeffK]

The dark grey Model 3 prototype in that video appears to be the same dark grey car that was at the reveal.

Do you mean matte black?

 

[garsh]

How can you see that the handles are oil dampened from a video of a car headed down the freeway? You are SOOO good.

Wrong video. See the video that MissAutobahn posted on page 5 of this thread.

 

[ecarfan]

Do you mean matte black?

Looks dark grey to me. But I find matte colors confusing. I do not have "normal" color vision.

 

[JeffK]

Looks dark grey to me. But I find matte colors confusing. I do not have "normal" color vision.

It's the lighting combined with improper exposure, it's more clear in other photos or mentioned in text straight from Elon Musk on Twitter

Here's another pic too:

 

[ecarfan]

Thanks Jeff, the photo you posted makes it clear to me that the car is in fact a matte black, not a grey. I had not seen that photo before.

Personally I don't like matte finish cars, and am pretty sure that the 3 will not be offered with matte finishes. But that's just me.

 

[JeffK]

Thanks Jeff, the photo you posted makes it clear to me that the car is in fact a matte black, not a grey. I had not seen that photo before.

Personally I don't like matte finish cars, and am pretty sure that the 3 will not be offered with matte finishes. But that's just me.

From his twitter post Elon is saying they are considering it... I don't personally like it either but everytime I say that and explain why, I attract dislikes

Although if it was guaranteed radar and lidar absorbing then I'd be all over that for a performance version to avoid speeding tickets. Yet, it'd probably screw with future autonomous cars and I'd get rear ended.

My fiance has already forbidden me from getting red or matte black so it's not really a choice.

 

[alseTrick]

From his twitter post Elon is saying they are considering it... I don't personally like it either but everytime I say that and explain why, I attract dislikes

Although if it was guaranteed radar and lidar absorbing then I'd be all over that for a performance version to avoid speeding tickets. Yet, it'd probably screw with future autonomous cars and I'd get rear ended.

My fiance has already forbidden me from getting red or matte black so it's not really a choice.

You mean because it's ugly?