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Snow clearing mode???

Discussion in 'Canada' started by Smytty, Feb 24, 2021.

  1. Smytty

    Smytty Member

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    Mar 3, 2020
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    Location:
    Colorado Springs, CO
    It snows in Ottawa a fair amount. Before I leave my outdoor parking spot at work, especially on snowy days, I warm/defrost the car through the app, which is awesome. On the days when it has snowed a lot (more than an inch), I brush off the snow before I hit the road, and this is where my car mildly annoys me.

    In an ICE, you unlock the door, start the car and let it run and keep defrosting while you scrape off the snow.

    In my model 3, as soon as I open the door to grab my snow brush (haven’t needed the scraper yet!), it turns off the climate/defrost mode, and the car usually locks itself while I’m brushing the snow off from the passenger side.

    it’s a pain in the backside to have to pull out the phone, open the app and put defrost back on while brushing snow off the car. OK, maybe it’s a very minor inconvenience, but it still bugs me.

    Thankfully, I don’t have this problem in the mornings at home, since the car has warmed itself up in the garage and charged itself before I leave. No complaints there - just another reason why the Model 3 is awesome!

    Am I missing something, or do we need to ask Elon for a ‘snow clearing mode’ that keeps the climate/defrost on until we’re actually sitting in the car? Anyone else have this same problem?
     
    • Like x 2
  2. bpjod

    bpjod Supporting Member

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    I've occasionally been mildly annoyed by this behaviour.
    You can get in the car (or lean in), press the climate button (fan icon), then activate Keep Climate On. I do this when reaching for the snow brush. It's quicker and more convenient than fiddling with the phone/app.
     
    • Like x 1
  3. hingisfan

    hingisfan hingisfan_Mark_V

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    Does it do it if you keep the brush in the trunk?
     
  4. Vawlkus

    Vawlkus Active Member

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    With my X keeping the brush back there doesn’t turn off the preheating, so it should be the same with the 3.
     
  5. martind3

    martind3 Member

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    Location:
    Ottawa
    I leave my phone in the car while I'm brushing off the snow and it doesn't turn off. (Model 3)
     
  6. bpjod

    bpjod Supporting Member

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    Interesting. Not sure I want to chance the car deciding to lock the doors while I’m outside brushing off the snow. Then both my “keys” and phone are locked in the car. I wouldn’t even be able to phone for help.

    One of the disadvantages of me storing my key card in my phone’s case...
     
  7. martind3

    martind3 Member

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    Good point - I always have my wallet on me separate from my phone. Though I don't see why it would lock - though just because its never happened to me doesn't mean it's not a possibility!
     
  8. antoinearnau

    antoinearnau Active Member

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    I got excited for nothing, I was already picturing a M3 plowing snow ! :)
     
    • Funny x 1
  9. malou

    malou Member

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    Montréal
    I agree with OP. Not a big deal, but mildly infuriating for sure.

    I do believe it stop heating when you open the trunk, but I'm not sure.
     
  10. Smytty

    Smytty Member

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    Not quite what I was thinking, but here you go: Model Y snowplow.

     
    • Like x 1
  11. ccudmore

    ccudmore Member

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    There’s a number of quirks in the winter that would have never have happened if the California-based engineers spent even a small amount of time living in a colder climate. Maybe that was a hidden benefit to cars being engineered in Detroit for so many years.
     
    • Like x 2
  12. Bluewish

    Bluewish Member

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    Interesting! I don't even have a brush in my car. I always heat up the car in a snowy day and let the snow melt away before going to the parking lot. If there is a lot of snow, the wipes can help to clear it out as soon as it is defrosted.
     
    • Helpful x 1
  13. michaelnorbert

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2020
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    Location:
    ottawa
    yes, it is irritating. I live in Ottawa also but I keep a 24 inch floor squeegee in the garage. I preheat the car and use the squeegee to clear everything off quickly.
     
  14. Kelowna Steve

    Kelowna Steve New Member

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    Is there an email or other where such suggestions can be made to Tesla? Snow mode could also be used to put the wipers in service mode, limit regen braking to provide more control to the driver and defrost the door handles etc. I have been doing some research on car washes and a car wash mode would also be a great feature - put it into neutral, fold the mirrors etc
     
  15. Vawlkus

    Vawlkus Active Member

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    That would be fatal to wiper blades and motors if there’s more than an inch of snow, and especially bad if the blades were frozen to the windshield.
    You’ve got climate control, and you can prioritize windshield defrosting in the app. You don’t need more than that.
     
  16. GtiMart

    GtiMart Member

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    Location:
    Quebec City, Canada
    car washes: just go to a car wash that doesn't move your car, touchless etc. Less chances of scratching your mags anyway. You just park and wait while the machines work around your car...
    limiting regen is not necessary in winter, there have been plenty of discussions on that. Anyway, Tesla removed it from 2021 model, which shows they agree with me :)
    Door handles are now defrosted, albeit slowly, when you heat the car. Same for the charging door I believe.
    When you open the door, if you press the brake pedal, or you touch the screen and set the climate ON mode, you should still have climate. Otherwise, unless cleaning the car takes more than a couple minutes, the car should still be warm when you enter, no?
     
    • Like x 1

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