The interior door latch that we shouldn't use??

[lstroyan]

Loving our new 3. But on the inside of the doors, there are two ways to open the door - an electronic button and a pull-up latch. But you aren't supposed to use the latch!! Apparently it damages or can damage the door. But it's *so* easy to find, and the button has no indication that it's a door release versus the (identical button lower) to open the window. I had passengers and of course the first thing one did was pull the latch when we arrived.

How are others handling this? Should I get out my label maker and print labels that indicate you shouldn't use the latch except in emergencies?

 

[Thomas Edison]

Loving our new 3. But on the inside of the doors, there are two ways to open the door - an electronic button and a pull-up latch. But you aren't supposed to use the latch!! Apparently it damages or can damage the door. But it's *so* easy to find, and the button has no indication that it's a door release versus the (identical button lower) to open the window. I had passengers and of course the first thing one did was pull the latch when we arrived.

How are others handling this? Should I get out my label maker and print labels that indicate you shouldn't use the latch except in emergencies?

Just throw a little hot glue on the manual door pull. If you really need to use it you can just override the glue with brute force without damage. The same can't be said for super glue.

 

[Beckler]

Loving our new 3. But on the inside of the doors, there are two ways to open the door - an electronic button and a pull-up latch. But you aren't supposed to use the latch!! Apparently it damages or can damage the door. But it's *so* easy to find, and the button has no indication that it's a door release versus the (identical button lower) to open the window. I had passengers and of course the first thing one did was pull the latch when we arrived.

How are others handling this? Should I get out my label maker and print labels that indicate you shouldn't use the latch except in emergencies?

Why not hold a quick safety briefing with passengers before each trip, the same as is done on airline flights? It's simple and effective.

Signed,
TMC Rationlizer
(One who justifies whatever Tesla does, no matter how idiotic)

 

[gregincal]

I haven't had a problem with it yet (people don't seem to notice it and just can't figure out how to open the door until I tell them). I didn have a problem with my mom in the back seat who insisted that the top button was the window button because every time she pressed it the window went down a bit, so she quickly released it and said that was the wrong button. This happened about three times with me saying "just push the door open after pressing the button!"

 

[PoitNarf]

Why not hold a quick safety briefing with passengers before each trip, the same as is done on airline flights? It's simple and effective.

Signed,
TMC Rationlizer
(One who justifies whatever Tesla does, no matter how idiotic)

I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before someone makes a video for this!

 

[dhanson865]

Just throw a little hot glue on the manual door pull. If you really need to use it you can just override the glue with brute force without damage. The same can't be said for super glue.

Is there no safe way to cover it with a transparent tape or something (I'd go for "in case of emergency brake glass" but I'm not sure if it is recessed or not). Can you use a piece of plexiglass or something over it to make it obvious it isn't to be used?

 

[RayK]

I'd go with opaque tape and a red 911 printed on it.

 

[S3XY]

I'm putting one of these on mine.

 

[dhanson865]

Is there no safe way to cover it with a transparent tape or something (I'd go for "in case of emergency brake glass" but I'm not sure if it is recessed or not). Can you use a piece of plexiglass or something over it to make it obvious it isn't to be used?

OK, since I don't have a Model 3 yet, I went and found a video that had some inside content, took a screen shot and drew some colored boxes.

Green = unlabeled button that opens door electronically
yellow = some button that is also unlabeled that does something else
red = that also unlabeled manual release that people aren't supposed to use on a regular basis but apparently random passengers will go for just as often as they will for one of the other two options.

 

[stopcrazypp]

There are actually 2 problems (maybe 3 if you count the window switches).
1) The first problem is that the actual door release buttons aren't prominent enough and is unlabeled. If you label those, it'll probably go a long way to prevent people from pulling the emergency release. It also works as a button rather than the common pull, which makes them unfamiliar with most people (who would naturally be looking from something to pull).
If you aren't going with text, some common logos that people would be familiar with on door releases would be the unlock symbol. Or some older cars have a red rectangle to show the door is locked, so some red tape or label might be all that is necessary to draw people to push the button.
2) The emergency release is unlabeled (you can label as "emergency release" or "emergency only"). It may be unnecessary to label this if you solve #1.
3) Window switches don't have window logo (although I have seen other cars use the same dash line design for window switches or leave them completely unlabeled).

 

[run-the-joules]

I'm probably going to be applying a wrap to these areas because of the god-awful piano black finish anyway, like I did to the centre console. If I do, I'm just going to cover up the lever.

 

[PoitNarf]

I may just print out some small transparent labels to place on these 3 areas. I’m thinking “Open” or “Exit” or an arrow pointing towards the outside of the car for the electronic door button, a red “X” on the manual door lever and perhaps up and down arrows by the window button. But now that I think about it just putting labels on the electronic and manual door stuff is probably sufficient.

I’m seeing some small aftermarket vinyl decals for this in the near future.

 

[Beckler]

I'm waiting for "Model 3 Label Pack" to show up in the Tesla store for $89.95. Reserve yours now!

 

[david_42]

Our Kia has a similar problem, the window and door buttons have very similar arcanes (a friend's term for little pictures that relay little or wrong information. Why yes, she's a Mac user.)

 

[Az_Rael]

Yes, if you aren’t quick, passengers seem to go for the manual release first. Maybe Tesla could code software to go ahead and lower the window even if the manual release is pulled if power is on the car. If people actually start damaging doors that way, they should make a change.

Otherwise we all end up with ugly Emer Only stickers or something.

 

[Need]

Turn on the child safety lock for the back doors that way you only have to explain to the front passenger.

 

[Runt8]

Turn on the child safety lock for the back doors that way you only have to explain to the front passenger.

Back doors don’t have the manual release. And yes, that’s a whole ‘nother issue that has been debated to death

 

[N5329K]

Superglue this on the manual release.
Robin

 

[WileyTheMan]

I'm thinking some black gaffer tape over the top of the lever might help. Removes the eye candy but still provides a place for the fingers to get under and rip in an emergency. Ugly but effective I think.

 

[iwannam3]

If you wired a micro switch to lower the window when the "emergency" lever is lifted would there be any problem using it?