Model X front doors un-able to open or close when car tilted

[heosat]

We just took delivery of our Model X last week and we immediately noticed an issue with the front doors. If the car is tilted at all, from left-to-right or vice versa, then the higher door is unable to open itself and the lower door is unable to close itself. As an example, if I'm pulled up the curb and the left side of the car is lower than the right, then the right door cannot push itself open and the left door cannot close itself once open.

I've seen a few people mention this early last year in threads but I've never seen a resolution. Has anyone had any luck with Tesla addressing this? Our service centre has no idea whether this is normal behaviour, as our car is the first, but it is definitely making entering the car quite interesting in hilly Sydney.

 

[Aljohn]

I have no issue when parking "sideways" in the turn out in my driveway which is slightly slanted. So in my case the driver's door is somewhat down hill and the passenger is uphill. The doors open and close normally. However, in sever tilt the uphill front door may not stay open due to weight. Otherwise there were no issues. I have never had an issue with a door not closing.

 

[travwill]

We just took delivery of our Model X last week and we immediately noticed an issue with the front doors. If the car is tilted at all, from left-to-right or vice versa, then the higher door is unable to open itself and the lower door is unable to close itself. As an example, if I'm pulled up the curb and the left side of the car is lower than the right, then the right door cannot push itself open and the left door cannot close itself once open.

I've seen a few people mention this early last year in threads but I've never seen a resolution. Has anyone had any luck with Tesla addressing this? Our service centre has no idea whether this is normal behaviour, as our car is the first, but it is definitely making entering the car quite interesting in hilly Sydney.

In general the doors are stronger than I expected. I've have one at a pretty good slant and it still closed. The motor is stronger than you expect in opening/closing - you'll notice that when you also feel it resisting you at times when it thinks there is an obstruction and your trying to get out even hehehe... Don't know the exact degree.

 

[heosat]

Thanks for the replies. So it sounds like then that my issue is unique - I wonder if it has something to do with being an early RHD car.

I definitely wouldn't say the slopes I've been on have been severe at all (maybe 10 degrees at most) so it's quite unusual that it is refusing to open. It's almost like the car is feeling an obstruction and stopping but really all the obstruction is is the weight of the door.

 

[FequalsMA]

Could the auto presenting doors be disabled on purpose when parking on uneven surfaces in order to prevent door dings?
I would actually prefer that for more peace of mind.

 

[vandacca]

My driver's door has begun to have a similar issue. It starts to close and then stops, possibly due to too much resistance and thinking that it hit an obstacle. I think Tesla service needs to investigate and resolve this issue.

 

[Aljohn]

My driver's door has begun to have a similar issue. It starts to close and then stops, possibly due to too much resistance and thinking that it hit an obstacle. I think Tesla service needs to investigate and resolve this issue.

It seems a few have this issue. However, the forum won't get Service involved, so for those having the issue should schedule an appointment. Severe slopes could be a problem, as could high winds. Otherwise, I have never experienced an issue in the last few months. If there are a number of owners with the issue, SC can collect the data and fix if pervasive.[/QUOTE]

 

[cheekychappie]

I have the same issue at home - we are on a very slight slant, and the pax door will not open without putting your finger in the small gap and pulling it, whilst the drivers door slams fully open and if I don't catch it will hit the car next door, it also will not close as the motor doesn't appear strong enough

 

[bikeandsail]

Be glad you didn't have my problem. Tired to enter car today from a parking lot. Drivers door would not open. Had to enter through the passenger door. After exiting the same way contacted roadside service after a full reboot no luck. Had to enter again through the passenger side to drive it to SC, glad they had a loner.

Car thought door was open but could not open it from either inside or outside manually or with fob or screen. SC indicated others have had the same problem!

 

[FarmerDave]

Be glad you didn't have my problem. Tired to enter car today from a parking lot. Drivers door would not open. Had to enter through the passenger door. After exiting the same way contacted roadside service after a full reboot no luck. Had to enter again through the passenger side to drive it to SC, glad they had a loner.

Car thought door was open but could not open it from either inside or outside manually or with fob or screen. SC indicated others have had the same problem!

Yes, it's a known problem with door latches to be fixed with redesigned latches. They should replace the passenger side latch as well.

 

[Aljohn]

Correct... both my front latches were replaced "proactively" during SC visit in November. I never experienced an issue, but the SC replaced with the upgraded latches anyway. Go TESLA... thanks.

 

[Only Trons]

I've noticed that the doors don't open or close "normally" when the car is on a slant --- they may open slowly or partially or not at all. And in windy conditions, be careful! Mine opened once fully and rather rapidly (IMO) on a windy day.

 

[Merrill]

It seems to me that is you are parked next to a high curb that the drivers door opens part way and resists opening all the way. I move it back and forth and eventually it will open, not sure if this is a sensor that thinks the door might hit the curb.

 

[Aljohn]

It seems to me that is you are parked next to a high curb that the drivers door opens part way and resists opening all the way. I move it back and forth and eventually it will open, not sure if this is a sensor that thinks the door might hit the curb.

Interestingly I have notice driving through my neighborhood at 25 mph that the X recognizes curbs with a "shadowed arc". It is one of the few times I can watch the dash and where the curb is close enough to the lane for the sensors to "see" the curb. Typically they are white (recognized, but not a hazard), but sometimes are yellow (potential hazard). So it appears the X does actually "see" low objects and endeavors to protect the bottom of the door from hitting a object. The engineers may have cautioned on the side of safety.

 

[Sanj]

I am having the same issue. When the car is at a slat (downhill) the passenger door opens fully & it is unable to shut on its own due to weight of the door or due to the distance from the frame I am guessing. Shall ask Tesla to check this issue.

 

[Paul in PalmCity]

Today I noticed that when I had pulled off the pavement and parked with a very slight roll to the right (< 5 degrees), I couldn't open right FWD more than a few inches, the system complaining of an obstacle when there was none. In that same location a week ago (it's where I pick up my daughter from school) I couldn't close the passenger door - it tried, but stopped mid-close. These two events I believe are totally unrelated.

I have to wonder if its the fact that the right-hand sensors are looking down at unusual targets on this tiny gravel / dry dirt surface. Perhaps the ultrasonic reflections from various ground targets appear more intense due to the phenomenon of "inside corner" reflections. Since the transducer wavelength is likely ~ 200 kHz the wavelength is small enough to easily and quite efficiently bounce off of closely packed rocks (like gravel often is) then sound will actually bounce back from the transmission source more intensely than the typical ground scatter. I used to sell these types of transducers in the '80s before their first use on a car (which I think was offered as an OEM design supplied by TRW). It amazed me just how intense the acoustic reflections are when a transducer is aimed at an inside corner (like the corner where the ceiling meets two walls and all angles are 90 degrees).

As for my passenger door not closing, there was a bit of wind coming from behind the car and it was fully open. I just got the impression that the closing motor drew enough current to make the system think an object or obstacle was in the path of the closing door (like fingers).

 

[mrpseudonym]

Thanks for the replies. So it sounds like then that my issue is unique - I wonder if it has something to do with being an early RHD car.

I definitely wouldn't say the slopes I've been on have been severe at all (maybe 10 degrees at most) so it's quite unusual that it is refusing to open. It's almost like the car is feeling an obstruction and stopping but really all the obstruction is is the weight of the door.

Heosat you are not alone. I have the issue you described but maybe worse. On a slight slope and slight camber the downhill door will act in an uncommanded fashion, i.e. It will violently swing open when given a command to close (by any method, touch screen, handle etc). I also have a problem with unpredictable hill hold on gentle slopes. Car has already been damaged because of these issues. Car is currently with Tesla in Sydney and has been for the last 2.5 weeks (for the second time). Car has been with the dealer longer than it has been in my garage. I am trying hard to be patient and maintain the faith, but it's getting harder.

 

[Mr. Ed]

Heosat you are not alone. I have the issue you described but maybe worse. On a slight slope and slight camber the downhill door will act in an uncommanded fashion, i.e. It will violently swing open when given a command to close (by any method, touch screen, handle etc). I also have a problem with unpredictable hill hold on gentle slopes. Car has already been damaged because of these issues. Car is currently with Tesla in Sydney and has been for the last 2.5 weeks (for the second time). Car has been with the dealer longer than it has been in my garage. I am trying hard to be patient and maintain the faith, but it's getting harder.

With a wind blowing from behind the car, the front doors uncontrollably swing wide open. From this wide open position, they can not be closed with the electric motors. If I roll down the windows so there is less air pressure on them they sometimes will close without my assistant. I can also backup quickly and stop to close them, however they then swing closed hard and fast. I think the setting to let them work manually is set to too low a pressure.

 

[Aljohn]

There are some "laws of physics" that reasonable motors will not overcome. So having to close/control in the wind or on a hill is the common sense that we all had before automatic doors.

 

[Mr. Ed]

There are some "laws of physics" that reasonable motors will not overcome. So having to close/control in the wind or on a hill is the common sense that we all had before automatic doors.

I agree that the doors can not be expected to close on their own on every situation. However, I've had the car for a month and a half and this has happen numerous times, often in light wind. I had the motor replaced already in the right door because it quit closing. I think they reprogrammed them to protect them being forced open. We have been extra careful with the doors since the repair. We have been asking passengers not to force them and wait for them to open and close without touching them.