Tesla Owners' Everyday Climate Control Use

[HellsKitchen]

OK, here's another everyday use question.

How many of you keep the car's climate on during summer or winter months when you're away for, I dunno, maybe say an hour or so, like grocery shopping, dining, etc?

 

[johnnycnote]

OK, here's another everyday use question.

How many of you keep the car's climate on during summer or winter months when you're away for, I dunno, maybe say an hour or so, like grocery shopping, dining, etc?

With overheat protection, it cools down very quickly once I get in. So I don't have a need to climate on. Haven't had it long enough to experience a winter yet

 

[bobbyjae]

OK, here's another everyday use question.

How many of you keep the car's climate on during summer or winter months when you're away for, I dunno, maybe say an hour or so, like grocery shopping, dining, etc?

Maybe if it was 10-15 mins. More than that and I turn it off.

 

[jjrandorin]

OK, here's another everyday use question.

How many of you keep the car's climate on during summer or winter months when you're away for, I dunno, maybe say an hour or so, like grocery shopping, dining, etc?

I dont do that at all, because it cools down fast enough that I just use the app to turn on climate when I am in the checkout line at whatever store I am at.

 

[alexcue]

Yeah, it's only left on for a quick pickup of some food, while it's sitting in the sun, otherwise I don't leave it on. If I'm there about an hour or longer I'll try to remember to pre-cool while I'm checking out for instance.

 

[OliverM3]

OK, here's another everyday use question.

How many of you keep the car's climate on during summer or winter months when you're away for, I dunno, maybe say an hour or so, like grocery shopping, dining, etc?

I leave it on all the time. I press hold whenever it's hot and Im in the grocery store. I uses very little energy to maintain the temp.

 

[Hunt3r]

I don't ever. I'm in and out a few times daily, I just hit the app when I know I'm about to head for the car. (If I think I need it)

 

[iamnid]

I literally never use any of the climate control features via the phone. I get in and wait for it to do its thing -- it never takes that long.

 

[Carbonfiber]

With overheat protection, it cools down very quickly once I get in. So I don't have a need to climate on. Haven't had it long enough to experience a winter yet

The overheat protection is a useless feature in my opinion. It will also drain your battery. You are better off manually doing it through your phone 10 min before entering your car.

 

[Silicon Desert]

I don't do that at all, because it cools down fast enough that I just use the app to turn on climate when I am in the checkout line at whatever store I am at.

Yup, EXACTLY what I do, and I live in a VERY HOT summer "desert" area.

 

[john8899]

I kept the Model Y on Auto with AC on at all times until the car started to smell like a garbage can after I left it for awhile because of the defective design of Tesla's HVAC system. Now I try to remember to turn off the AC whenever I park the car.

 

[Pcutter]

I park in a garage at work and turn it on right before i walk out. Other times in South Carolina it is very nice to have the car at decent temp when you get back in. I will leave it running if needed and I have plenty charge.

 

[FatherTo1]

I’ve kept the AC running for an hour while we’re in Costco or eating at a restaurant. Sometimes we’re making multiple errands and have items in the car that we don’t want left at 100+ degrees. It is a great feature and I’m sure going to utilize it! Same for keeping Sentry Mode and Cabin Overheat Protection enabled. The benefits of both features easily outweighs the nominal power consumption. I charge daily at home and Sentry Mode/COP are not going to be enough of a drain that it matters in a span of a day.

A few years ago we were on a daytrip with the Model S and picked up a butterfly kit. We weren’t ready to go home yet and still exploring the area. I kept the AC running for five hours straight for the unhatched butterflies and it only drained the battery 10%. Back then the S had a smaller battery than our current Y. Still made it home just fine without needing a Supercharger stop. Sentry Mode, COP, and AC on the whole time. The features are of course optional but I’m sure glad to have, and use, them.

 

[CapsEngineer]

Maybe if it was 10-15 mins. More than that and I turn it off.

To answer the question, for everyday around home (Maryland), I do it only when I’m going to be for 5 minutes or less.

In extreme (for Maryland) hot/cold, I use an iOS shortcut to set temp, heated seats, and the heated steering wheel based on outside temperature.

Now, for the reason I quoted the above post.

We were recently in Mississippi and started keeping the AC on when we were out of the car for longer stretches - but I would sometimes forget. And while the car does seem to cool down faster than an ICE car, it would be nice to have an option to always keep climate on for a 10 or 15 minute period when you leave the car.

 

[johnnycnote]

The overheat protection is a useless feature in my opinion. It will also drain your battery. You are better off manually doing it through your phone 10 min before entering your car.

Battery drainage is minimal for me. Maybe 1 mi/hr if the overheat comes on (which has been pretty much always when in open parking lots lately). I tried remembering to turn AC on 10 mins before I need to get in the car, but I always forget until I walk outside lol

 

[mrbulk]

would be nice to have an option to always keep climate on for a 10 or 15 minute period when you leave the car.

AMEN! In fact make it PROGRAMMABLE and that way you could make it blow high fan (only) for 10-15 minutes after you parked and got out. It would dry out and warm up the airways, to prevent moisture that encourages that garbage-smelling mold growth that is causing all the funky A/C aromas everyone's getting.

PROGRAMMABLE!!!