Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Question about performance in hot weather

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Early on (2012-2013 timeframe) Model S owners realized that a very small amount of air seemed to escape around the door handles. My 2012 was like this.

Not 100% sure if that's still the case as I haven't tested with my newer car, but if so you'd just slight forced convection over the handles when the car is precooling, which would probably be enough to reduce the handle temperature from "ouchy" to "hmm, that's a little warm."
Yesterday I confirmed that this actually works. I had used the app to turn on the air conditioning before returning to the car, so the A/C was on as I approached and the handles presented themselves. When I put my hand into the handle, I could feel cool air actually blowing onto the back of my hand from the opening in the door that the handle retracts into. (Todd, according to your VIN we have the same vintage Model S, 2014 P85 w/AP, but I suspect this hasn't changed in later versions of the Model S.)