Model S: DANGEROUS Retracting Door Handle !!!

[4vircom]

We own a Model X, a Model S, 2 home wall chargers and 2 Powerwalls.

We purchased a 2020 Model S in November 2019. The other day, when my wife put her hands on the retracting door handle to open the front passenger door, the retracting door handle trapped her fingernail in the groove and kept pulling it in. As I was unable to control the locks for the car from my key fob and the phone app was too slow to connect to the car, I had to unlock the door which pulled her nail in further,and quickly get in the cabin to LOCK the door from the console, which thankfully stopped the door handle from pulling the finger nail completely off her finger and released her fingernail ! Phew! The entire experience caused her excruciating pain and blood loss. This was an extremely traumatic experience for both of us! We are concerned that if this happens to little kids, they could lose their tiny fingers. This is a major safety hazard that definitely needs attention ASAP. We went to the Rocklin, CA Tesla showroom and communicated our concerns to a customer representative, Daniel, who appeared to be least bothered by the incident and informed us that the service department will reach out to us to address the issue. It has been more than 2 weeks and someone from Tesla has yet to contact us. We already know that Tesla customer service could be better, however, this is a major safety issue and we want to ensure that this does not happen to anyone else.

Did anyone else have a similar experience with the Model S retracting door handle? Please vote, comment and/or retweet: The Jawads on Twitter

 

[bob_p]

We had this issue with our passenger side front door handle - Tesla repaired the handle and we haven't had the issue since.

 

[Chaserr]

I've had the handle retract on me but it doesn't "pull it in" - I left my hand there and it stops pulling. There's a little pressure from the return spring but not enough to hurt my skin. It scared me more than hurt, though a nail might sting more than scare. When I pulled my fingers out it snapped closed rather than motoring in so I think it's just that spring pressure.

Tesla won't contact you. If you get the news' attention they might respond to "you" in a press statement but they don't really have any other form of communication.

 

[ucmndd]

I've had the handle retract on me but it doesn't "pull it in" - I left my hand there and it stops pulling. There's a little pressure from the return spring but not enough to hurt my skin. It scared me more than hurt, though a nail might sting more than scare. When I pulled my fingers out it snapped closed rather than motoring in so I think it's just that spring pressure.

Tesla won't contact you. If you get the news' attention they might respond to "you" in a press statement but they don't really have any other form of communication.

Agree on both accounts.

 

[JWood]

Are the 2020 Model S handles different than the 2015 Model S? I just went out and looked at mine and don't see how it could trap a finger nail. Also on mine it is only spring tension which just barley break a toothpick as I showed my wife years ago.

 

[Ludalicious]

Have had the handle spring shut a few times on people. Wasn't enough tension to cause any harm but threw a few people off

 

[Simon_Emes]

My kids are afraid of the handles after a few such incidents...

 

[Rogue Synapse]

I've gone to grab the door handle just as it happened to be retracting once and gotten my fingers stuck in there. It was quite startling. I was able to pry the door handle open (against the spring pressure, I guess) and it snapped back in as soon as my fingers were out. I would imagine getting a long fingernail in there would be much harder to get out because you have no leverage to pry the door handle out again.

 

[SucreTease]

I've had the handle retract on me but it doesn't "pull it in" - I left my hand there and it stops pulling. There's a little pressure from the return spring but not enough to hurt my skin

This is true. The handles are pulled in by a spring, not a motor, and the spring is not strong enough to hurt ones hand (although it could be problematic for a very long fingernail). The motor is only used to push the handle out.

 

[SSonnentag]

The door handles only retract with about 1 pound of force, hardly enough to do any damage. Sure it can scare people when they think their fingers may get amputated, but it's just that, a scare.

 

[richrootes]

Here we go again....

 

[Fishy Fish]

The door handles only retract with about 1 pound of force, hardly enough to do any damage. Sure it can scare people when they think their fingers may get amputated, but it's just that, a scare.

From reading the OP I gather that the fingernail got stuck in the tiny gap between the top edge of the handle and the sheet metal of the door, thus creating a kind of a wedge preventing the handle from moving in or out without pulling the finger with some force. So I doubt it's the pulling force of the handle that created the injury, but the force required to pull the fingernail out of a wedged situation, or the injury that would happen from flattening a very curved and long fingernail by wedging it in a flat gap not much larger than the thickness of a credit card.

 

[SOULPEDL]

We own a Model X, a Model S, 2 home wall chargers and 2 Powerwalls.

... The entire experience caused her excruciating pain and blood loss. This was an extremely traumatic experience for both of us! We are concerned that if this happens to little kids, they could lose their tiny fingers

Your first post ever on TMC, after owning practically every Tesla product? Plus a survey and a Twitter social mention to retweet the drama? Could be wrong, just sayin'.

TSLAQ, is that you being desperate? Lol

 

[SSonnentag]

From reading the OP I gather that the fingernail got stuck in the tiny gap between the top edge of the handle and the sheet metal of the door, thus creating a kind of a wedge preventing the handle from moving in or out without pulling the finger with some force. So I doubt it's the pulling force of the handle that created the injury, but the force required to pull the fingernail out of a wedged situation, or the injury that would happen from flattening a very curved and long fingernail by wedging it in a flat gap not much larger than the thickness of a credit card.

I knew there was a good reason I keep my nails trimmed short.

 

[randy206]

I haven't had my fingernail caught but it has pinched my fingers very hard and it hurts. It has also pinched the fingers of my passengers. Very dangerous, especially if a child were to get their fingers caught under the handle when it retracts. It's a lawsuit waiting to happen!! If it hasn't already

 

[SSonnentag]

Apparently it's about a 4-pound spring.

 

[TonyT]

I've also gotten caught. I have done handle repairs, 1st and 2nd gen are spring close not motor driven close, so it can be startling. Just like frunk, trunk, doors, windows. All these parts should be used with care.

 

[ucmndd]

Apparently it's about a 4-pound spring.

Yes, the idea that this is gonna cause a kid to "lose their tiny fingers" is absurd.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Your first post ever on TMC, after owning practically every Tesla product? Plus a survey and a Twitter social mention to retweet the drama? Could be wrong, just sayin'.

TSLAQ, is that you being desperate? Lol

Fortunately, TSLA currently up $40 today.

I've had the handle start to close on my fingers once or twice in the last three years but all I needed to do was pull my fingers out. No injury or mark, just a bit of stimulus/response.

 

[f205v]

eh?
This can't be true!
Please check this video I made already a few months ago.

The spring is very light, and there is ZERO possibility it will cause any harm.