Just letting you all know that expect issues with your door handles even if you have the refreshed model S. Mine was one of the first delivered refreshed, June 2016 and I just had my driver handle replaced because it would not open the door and my passenger rear is starting to take half a second longer to open. It will progressively get worse I am sure just like the driver one. You would have thought that after 4 years of production and issues they would have figured it out by then.
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Refresh door handles...
- Thread starter zambono
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- door handle handles
I've had no problem with my fronts, but this winter both rear handles started to act up. They always present, but sometimes wouldn't open the door when you pulled on them. I had to get service for another issue and told them about the door handles acting up. Here's what they did, hopefully it does the trick:
arlorose
Member
My S that went back had front passenger die completely, and rear passenger with the "delay". The delay is actually that the point from where it's pulled starts to become very specific. In my case if I opened the door holding the handle as close to the front of the car as possible is had no issue. If I did it as close to the back as possible (which is where our brains grab them due to how traditional handle work) it would fail or require a stronger pull.
Just something to note in case you're showing a tech what's up.
Just something to note in case you're showing a tech what's up.
Forty years ago Mercedes used to have many parts that were rebuildable. Perhaps that is the trick for the door handles. You could make the parts specific to the car, the chrome handle and the frame and latch, then have the electronics in a separate module. Electronic modules could be universal to all cars. The chrome handle looks expensive. Tesla should consider manufacturing more things in-house, IMHO. Outside suppliers are too unreliable it seems. Elon wants the factory to be the primary product, make everything, but the tires.
When my second door handle failed, last May (2018), the service writer told me that the replacement was a recently-introduced new design that "should" be more durable. What I did not ask, and he may not have known, is whether or not the new design was also being used on new cars, and if so when it was introduced to production. If what he said was true, there were indeed many cars built before the new design was (apparently) available, so not only will fairly recent cars (say, possibly those built before early 2018?) be likely to have failures, I would assume that many of the replacement handles installed before then will also fail again at some point.
Then again, I may have been given bad dope.
Then again, I may have been given bad dope.
arlorose
Member
I needed to test drive my car for service while the rear handle replacement was in-progess.
Nothing about what they were doing was a simple swap of anything. The whole rear door was disassembled, there were nuts, washers, and cut zip ties all over, and a huge mechanical module resting on the folded down back seat.
Tesla could stand to modularize a lot of this stuff for sure. If they're grabbing parts from Mercedes, they might take a manufacturing and build lesson from them as well.
Or maybe, just maybe, they could have used a (GASP!) traditional door handle?
As a potential owner (and likely out of warranty), is there a way to disable retraction? Does the extended door handle use a mechanical latch to release the door, or is it an electronic signal to pop open a solenoid latch or something?
As a potential owner (and likely out of warranty), is there a way to disable retraction? Does the extended door handle use a mechanical latch to release the door, or is it an electronic signal to pop open a solenoid latch or something?
FYI
the door handle parts are relatively easy and cheap to fix - even with an upgrade to original parts
Model S Door Handle Rebuild Kit/Service
the door handle parts are relatively easy and cheap to fix - even with an upgrade to original parts
Model S Door Handle Rebuild Kit/Service
The problem I had has nothing to do with retraction. All handles presented without a problem, the door would not open when pulling. It’s an electrical switch that opens the door, not mechanical and at some point it starts to fail.
Good point. And in my opinion, a most unfortunate design choice. I think the frameless windows are the biggest design error in my Model S. The feature serves no apparent purpose -- the car has B pillars, so it cannot look like a coupe or convertible, so what on earth is the point? The windows are an extra hassle in the winter -- they must be free of ice or you run the risk of either damaging them or of being unable either to open or close the doors. Plus as you pointed out, the frameless window requires this extra complex mechanism for opening the door and moving the windows up and down for every instance of opening the door. And what is most amazing to me is that Tesla continued this poor design choice for Model 3! Even though Model 3 should be less expensive and simpler. Poor choice.
Please pardon my rant! But if you live in the snow belt and park your car outside as I do, the frameless windows are a winter headache.
Pinot.Noir
Member
Interesting. My right rear door has a slight delay when pulling on it. Guess I'll have to get it checked out before it fails completely.
If that's the only item on your warranty list you can wait, no hurry till you actually have a to pull more than once on the handle for it to open. At that point you might have a couple weeks till you have to pull numerous times.
This is one of the main reasons why I am still on the fence about purchasing a Tesla, I really hate that they have these silly door handles, frameless windows, and an SUV on which you can't mount a roof rack (and silly doors). I was hoping that someone would make an aftermarket door handle that doesn't retract.
SpudLime
Active Member
I have had about 4 cars with frameless windows. In NOVA we have gotten to negative numbers but not on long stints like the northern states. That being said ive had the frozen windows, sleet turning my windows to solid ice. Ive only had a few issues with the windows not going down. I used a silicone grease on the rubber part along the top edge where the window meets it. Solved the issue easily. Ive seen other post from folks in the norther states and Canada that did the same thing and had no issues.
I can understand if this is someones first frameless window that it would freak them out. However there is a simple solution.
I can understand if this is someones first frameless window that it would freak them out. However there is a simple solution.
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
76,000 miles on my Dec 2016 S and all door handles are tip top, knock on wood. I've no doubt they still occasionally fail but it's gotten far, far better in recent years. I've read enough on how to fix them that I'm considering buying a couple gears and microswitches just to have on hand for when one finally does give up the ghost.
I got my (2018 showroom inventory model) Model S less than two weeks ago and just had my driver door handle fail. At first it wouldn't let me close the door (instantly unlatched) as the handle sensor seemed to think I was trying to open it. I was able to get the door to close by pressing the lock button on the touch screen then closing the door (I believe this makes the car ignore the user trying to open the door). It's been working on and off, but currently it extends correctly but pulling it does nothing and it doesn't fully retract without me pushing it in. Thankfully I already had a service appointment tomorrow to get my tire that came with a tear replaced, so they should take care of it then.
My car (279xxx) was built in September 2018 and was pulled from the showroom in late March. I'm not sure when it went into service as a showroom model, but it had 450 miles on it when I got it.
My car (279xxx) was built in September 2018 and was pulled from the showroom in late March. I'm not sure when it went into service as a showroom model, but it had 450 miles on it when I got it.
mbhforum
Active Member
I have a 2015 and have had 3 out of 4 handles replaced. If it wasn’t for mobile service and then fact it’s still under warranty, I might have sold the car already. The mobile ranger had the nerve to tell me on Thursday when he replaced my most recent door handle failure that it’s a “wear and tear” part and that’s why it’s failing. He recommended I turn off auto-present handles for less wear and tear. I consider this a safety issue if I can’t open the door with my children in the car during an emergency. What a joke.
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