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Power Folding Mirrors
- Thread starter mrfeb14
- Start date
umuhk
Member
My mirrors have failed to automatically unfold a few times. Sometimes one partly unfolds and I think I have set the position wrong. Other times one side will stay completely closed while the other opens.
All cases fixed by using the mirror button on the door.
Anyone else have this happen? I'm on the latest firmware (5.8.4).
All cases fixed by using the mirror button on the door.
Anyone else have this happen? I'm on the latest firmware (5.8.4).
Yes, mine have done the same a couple of times also. I am also on 5.8.4 It happened once on the drivers side and once (yesterday) on the passenger's side. Car was parked in the garage and was not at all cold (60's).
I have had the car for only a month. On 1/23/14 neither rear mirrors extended when in car. Called Sunnyvale Service Center and was told a SW update would take care of it. It did. Today, 1;25, I got into the car and driver side mirror did not extend passenger side did. Had to extend with door button. Went home and parked car, came back few minutes later and both mirrors extended (they should not have until driver is inside) but the door handles did not extend as they are set to do. The car is not ready for prime time.:frown:
myron
myron
First off, so sorry that your first post to this forum had to be one that is a note of dissatisfaction. But I understand. Many of us have experienced these small kinds of issues with our new cars. Some have higher expectations than others. Some compare the Model S to other cars based on price alone and they complain about luxury items that they think belong in the cars--the appointments, the carpeting, the floormats, or even the kind of leather used. Others compare based on performance and compare their Model S to a previous performance car--a Porsche, Ferrari, or even a Corvette, but how many of them seat 7?
Personally, I don't know whether the Model is is ready for prime time or not. I just know the model S was ready for ME. The mirrors you have an issue with--and don't misunderstand, this IS an issue worth reporting and getting fixed--are less than 2 months old on the Model S. Tesla continues to improve its car. Three months ago you could not even get a MS with folding mirrors! Virtually EVERYTHING about this car is new, particularly the technology. The reason the Model S was ready for me was because I wanted to be in on the ground floor of this revolution. I make no excuses for Tesla. They have made some mistakes, some more egregious than others, and they have fielded parts that have not withstood the rigors of the marketplace. The really good news is, they have ALWAYS stood by their product and these kinds of issues get worked out to the customer's satisfaction. Is it a pain to have to take your brand new car back to the "dealer" for a fix? Absolutely! Is the car ready for prime time? Only you can be the judge of whether the car is ready enough for you. Me? I will work through the niggling issues with Tesla and hopefully not let it affect the Tesla grin I wear every time I drive my car.
In any event, Myron, welcome to the forum. You will find commiserating friends and a wealth of knowledge here.
Ven Rala
Member
+1 Chipper. Very well said.
I don't have the power folding mirrors (was not available when I ordered my car in Nov 2012) . I am not a Tesla apologizer, I have posted on this forum what Tesla needs to improve on as well. However, all cars have issues and I do think they make improvements light years faster than any other car manufacturer. When I had my previous Lexus, though I really liked the car and it was reliable, I had a recall almost once a year for the 7 years I had the car. Often I would call the dealership and I would have to wait several weeks to set-up an appointment to get the recall fixed (these were usually not safety related). Also I would often wait weeks to months to take my car in for annoying issues (until it was due for service), since I would have to physically drive my car to the dealership, leave it for at least a day and pick it up etc. to have the issue fixed.
With Tesla, so many issues can be fixed by over the air updates, it is quite amazing. I was especially impressed how fast they put out the update regarding wall chargers after the ONE garage fire. Most manufacturers would send you a letter in snail mail and set up an appointment several weeks ahead (if they would even care about one garage fire that was not even due to the car itself). So I do think we give up some growing pains for having a car that has other technology that is easily a decade ahead of its competitors.
In saying that, I agree Myron that it is frustrating when something simple like folding mirrors don't work right. I hope you are still enjoying your Tesla experience and hope you enjoy the forum as much as I have.
Say, has anyone one out there with Power Folding Mirrors tried to see if folding in the mirrors during freeway speed driving improves range? I know it would be extremely difficult to really quantify with all the variables, but was just curious if anyone has tried to experiment.
I'm guessing that folding them in would reduce the frontal area, but I'm also guessing that it would increase the turbulence around the mirrors, so I'm not sure if there would be any benefit or potentially more drag (thus reduced efficiency) created. I believe somewhere Tesla stated that going to cameras vs. mirrors would improve efficiency at freeway speeds somewhere around 3-5%. Could folding in the mirrors improve range by maybe 1-3% at freeway speeds?
I'm guessing that folding them in would reduce the frontal area, but I'm also guessing that it would increase the turbulence around the mirrors, so I'm not sure if there would be any benefit or potentially more drag (thus reduced efficiency) created. I believe somewhere Tesla stated that going to cameras vs. mirrors would improve efficiency at freeway speeds somewhere around 3-5%. Could folding in the mirrors improve range by maybe 1-3% at freeway speeds?
I think the drag will be worse when folded, but it's worth a test.
I have a long trip from San Diego to Tucson coming up, so there will be long stretches of flat, straight highway to test on (and really nothing better to do
).I'll set cruise control to 65MPH and do 5 miles with the mirrors out and 5 in and record power usage differences.
I think the drag will be worse when folded, but it's worth a test.
I have a long trip from San Diego to Tucson coming up, so there will be long stretches of flat, straight highway to test on (and really nothing better to do
I'll set cruise control to 65MPH and do 5 miles with the mirrors out and 5 in and record power usage differences.
Look forward to the report, thanks! I also have a trip coming up this weekend and will see if I can find some long flat stretches and set the cruise control and then reset the trip meters. Didn't think about testing it out the way you described.
Mayhemm
Model S P85+ "Lola"
Will the mirrors even fold at highway speeds? Since it is currently illegal for a vehicle not to have side mirrors (see Model X), you'd think the folding function would only activate at low speed (say, sub 10mph).
Yes, the mirrors can be manually folded in at highway speeds. I was experimenting with it on my road trip yesterday. I have no hard data to prove anything, but my subjective experience was that at higher speeds with the mirrors folded in, it felt like there was just a touch less wind resistance on the car vs. with the mirrors out in extended position. But that's just what I felt with the seat-of-my-pants analysis. It's almost impossible to really do an accurate real world analysis on the road because there are just so many other variables and I suspect any improved energy consumption would be on the order of a few percent. While that is significant over a long distance, in terms of someone actually being able to measure that in real world conditions, I think it will be very difficult to do. Just to many variable to account for that one can't control (Wind, road conditions, temperature, traffic etc.).
We bought in mid-December 2013, and looking back it was $3750 then- honestly I did not notice until I read this thread. Two more weeks to delivery with the folding mirrors. My wife will miss the lights on the visors, but I will create something with LEDs.
This has probably already been said but I did not realize it. At the service center today in Toronto they told me that the folding mirror retrofit is available on all older Model S's including the Sigs (only about the first 10 US sigs can't have it done - different harness.). It is a whopping $3,500 but it is available.
Well, the mirrors are still present on the car when they are folded, you just can't see anything in them ;-)
gg_got_a_tesla
Model S: VIN 65513, Model 3: VIN 1913
Having had loaners recently with the power folding mirrors, I did like them for use in tight parking spots. It's also nice how they can be set to fold once the car locks up. Not sure if they are worth a $3,500 retrofit though.
I'll take a parking sensor retrofit instead if that were offered; those are way more useful and their integration with the displays is very cool!
I'll take a parking sensor retrofit instead if that were offered; those are way more useful and their integration with the displays is very cool!
Check with your service center to see if the parking sensor retrofit is available. I believe it should be based on this thread:
Parking sensor retrofit - $6000 ?? - Page 16
