I have thought about that before, I personally dont like them but maybe I will just use one for winter time when its about to rain and temp will drop.
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
My first unpleasant experience with my MY
- Thread starter Sebat4
- Start date
I have thought about that before, I personally dont like them but maybe I will just use one for winter time when its about to rain and temp will drop.
If that's the only thing preventing the window from opening when the door is opened then perhaps spraying the bottom edge of the outside of the glass where the window meets the door with alcohol will work to thaw the felt strip. Many different brands of de-icing spray available; Prestone, CRC, many others in both aerosol cans and pump spray bottles. You can also mix up your own. Mix 2/3rds Isopropyl alcohol and 1/3rd water with small amount of dishwashing detergent in a spray bottle. If you don't over do it the alcohol will evaporate before it can damage the paint on the vehicle. With an extension tip attachment the pressurized de-icer spray would probably work well on a frozen door handle/lock mechanism. (My 1st vehicle was a VW Beetle with no working heat; I used many cans of this type of de-icing spray that winter to thaw and clear a frozen windshield.)
Last edited:
Probably the safest thing is some warmed up windshield fluid. I typically don't have that in my coat pocket when I'm leaving work though
And I've been frozen out at work where it rained that day and cooled down, I left at like 7PM and the ground was dry and the car was dry but all windows were frozen solid. I avoid taking the Tesla on days I think it could be a problem, if I think of it. At home I have a garage.
The X isn't as bad as the Model 3 but they both did it on me at work.
On other cars I've looked at some have a second flap gasket above the felt one that goes along the window and they also don't have such a wide band of felt to retain water. And if it does freeze since it's thinner (much less surface area frozen to the glass) it can break free from the window motor.
Last edited:
Most washer fluid that is premixed for temperatures below freezing, down to -20F, contains some Methanol, same thing with many of the de-icer products. As Methanol is highly toxic you want to minimize physical contact, i.e. getting any of the washer fluid on your hands, definitely not ingesting any of it. Ingesting even a small amount (as little as 2 to 8 ounces) of Methanol can cause blindness and death.Probably the safest thing is some warmed up windshield fluid. I typically don't have that in my coat pocket when I'm leaving work though
And I've been frozen out at work where it rained that day and cooled down, I left at like 7PM and the ground was dry and the car was dry but all windows were frozen solid. I avoid taking the Tesla on days I think it could be a problem, if I think of it. At home I have a garage.
The X isn't as bad as the Model 3 but they both did it on me at work.
Isopropyl alcohol (70%) is the same compound used in rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer. Don't attempt to drink Isopropyl alcohol or you will become violently ill.
Given these two forms of alcohol I would look for a product that contains Isopropyl alcohol or make up my own spray using Isopropyl. (I'm not sure if standard 80 proof vodka will melt ice; at 40% Ethanol by volume the alcohol content may be too low.)
Last edited:
I don't think the alcohol content in mouthwash is high enough to melt ice. I found this article that stated that plain old 80 proof vodka did not work to deice a driveway so would have to test the Listerine theory.
We Tested It: Homemade Driveway Deicers | Networx
MikeHolliday
Member
Do you own a Model Y? I have heat in about 15 or 20 seconds with the Heat Pump! It was 17 degrees F a couple of days. Most days I try to remember to preheat the car, but I forgot one morning and was extremely pleased at how quickly I got heat...
Also, why not try the Prestone Ice and Frost Shield. It works great preventing Ice from sticking to the glass. Spray it on the night before and the next morning you are all set. A few other companies make similar products...
Last edited:
PJFW8
Red Menace may hurt me
Why do you assume the heat pump would take a long time? That has not been my experience. Bear in mind that the temperatures we are experiencing are in the upper teens low 20s at worst. I have not noticed a difference in performance. I have noticed a significant increase in efficiency.
Do you own a Model 3 or an X? I’ve read complaints from Y owners and it’s simple physics that it WILL take longer. I know my AC isn’t instant either. And it will take even longer as it gets colder. Perhaps it’s fast enough enough for you. My point was it was so fast on Model 3 I didn’t miss heated wheel at all. I guess your happy without heated wheel too. Because I was absolutely fine with no heated wheel in model 3. I see lots of complaints on that. Model X does not have heat come out as fast. I suspect the heating element might be deeper in the system or something. It’s still quick compared to Ice but not as instant as Model 3.
I have a garage. It works better than Prestone. And I just take my Volt to work if I think it might freeze at work. I’m fortunate I can do that. If I had to pour prestone on my $100K car every night it might freeze I wouldn’t own that car. Preheating does work, but it’s slow and wasteful. EV is barely cost effective as it is in New England. If I preheat every day then I start to approach a V8 Suburban on efficiency. I never preheat unless I have no choice. But it will work eventually.
MikeHolliday
Member
I keep my Car in my garage beside my 1972 Triumph TR6.
I posted the Prestone information for those who need the info. The efficiency of the Model Y in cold weather is excellent as far as I am concerned. I only preheated my car when we had 17 degree days and only for about 3 minutes or so.
I took my Model Y on a 1,200 mile trip on the Interstate at Thanksgiving with temperatures between 27 and 43 degrees F. Driving between 65-70 mph and for periods at 75 mph and occasionally at 80 mph. Not that the speed bothered me, but it was my first road trip and I just was not sure how efficient the car would be. During the 1,200 miles each leg was between 246 and 266 Wh/mile. I had the heat at 71 degrees, which kept my wife and I very comfortable.
PJFW8
Red Menace may hurt me
I have owned a Model 3 and now a Y. The only difference in heating performance that I have noticed is better efficiency in the Y. But I live in the mountains of North Carolina. I have driven the 3 at 0' F but the Y has not been driven below 14". Very low temperatures (from my southern perspective) may affect relative performance.
All of them? I don’t think I’ve owned a frameless door car that didn’t drop the windows.
As others have said all of them. My Audi A3 convertible did it and I had the added benefit of the ice being more likely to stick to the fabric roof and glass effectively sealing the door shut from both the bottom and the top where the window tucked into the roof.
