WARNING: v8 Cabin Overheat Protection feature NOT for pets

[Cosmacelf]

So two people on the 232 member San Diego Tesla Facebook group thought the new 105 degree keep cool feature ("Cabin Overheat Protection" which is ON by default) was meant to keep infants or pets cool while the car was otherwise unoccupied.

This is not the case, 105 degrees is way too hot for this. If you need to dash in somewhere leaving your pet behind, there are other ways of leaving the full AC on while the car is locked. Do not rely on cabin overheat protection (which turns off anyways, for some unknown reason, when battery pack is at 20% or less).

Cabin Overheat Protection is only meant to save wear and tear on inanimate objects in your car.

BTW, this is yet another giant safety related FAIL on Tesla's part. Their release notes stay silent on the purpose of this feature and obviously some people make some bad assumptions about how and why this should be used.

 

[Cosmacelf]

So two people on the 232 member San Diego Tesla Facebook group thought the new 105 degree keep cool feature ("Cabin Overheat Protection" which is ON by default) was meant to keep infants or pets cool while the car was otherwise unoccupied.

This is not the case, 105 degrees is way too hot for this. If you need to dash in somewhere leaving your pet behind, there are other ways of leaving the full AC on while the car is locked. Do not rely on cabin overheat protection (which turns off anyways, for some unknown reason, when battery pack is at 20% or less).

Cabin Overheat Protection is only meant to save wear and tear on inanimate objects in your car.

BTW, this is yet another giant safety related FAIL on Tesla's part. Their release notes stay silent on the purpose of this feature and obviously some people make some bad assumptions about how and why this should be used.

PLEASE READ IF YOU CARRY PETS/INFANTS in the Model X rear seats:

There is an undocumented climate control "feature" in the Model X that is ON by default. By default, the rear AC does NOT turn on unless someone is sitting in a second row seat. This means if you are transporting a dog in the third row area, they will get cooked even if you think the AC is on (it may only be on for the front).

To have the rear AC turn on whenever the front AC is on, click the Rear AC button to pull up the Rear AC pop up screen. At the top of that pop up, there is a global AUTO mode button which is on by default. Turn it off. That will turn on the rear whenever the front AC is on regardless if someone is in the second row.

 

[PtG62901]

As we are often have to ask on the Internet, is that true? I'll leave it to the MX owners about the back seat business, but the 105 degrees for pets, is that true?

 

[PtG62901]

As I asked in the matching thread on the X side, is this true?

 

[Cosmacelf]

As we are often have to ask on the Internet, is that true? I'll leave it to the MX owners about the back seat business, but the 105 degrees for pets, is that true?

It is unclear what you are asking. Are you wondering if 105 degrees is too hot for a pet or infant in a car? Seriously?

 

[PtG62901]

What you are saying is that Tesla made this feature, went to the trouble of doing the PR, etc, etc. and they are dumb shits, and did it wrong, and you know better? Is that true?

 

[Skotty]

As far as leaving or forgetting people or pets in the car, the thing to understand here is that it is not meant to be a feature that gets used on purpose; it is a last ditch fail safe. Might it save the lives or your pets or family? Yes. Should you use it on purpose? No. Think of it like airbags. Just because you bought a car with airbags for the first time doesn't mean you should plow into the side of your local CVS store instead of parking normally.

It will also hopefully help prolong the life of your interior and any non-living items you leave there.

 

[Tech_Guy]

per the press release, version 8.1 will allow you to set a temperature range to keep the car interior. To me thats the pet and child mode if any. Version 8.0 just limits the temp at 105 which is way to warm for pets or kids.

 

[PtG62901]

Are you guys experts, or are you just guessing? Just repeating your gut feeling isn't interesting. Is what you are saying is true? You know how to show it is true right, either present yourself as an expert (You are a vet for example), or Internet Search yourselves up an article written by an expert.

For me, I think anyone who takes their dog (or small child) with them, and leaves them in the car is an asshat.

Tip of the hat to Skotty and his idea that 105 degrees is a safety measure.

 

[Tech_Guy]

Hows that...

 

[Cosmacelf]

Yeah, actually Tesla seems to have sent out a press release that at least Electrek quoted. The Tesla press release says:

Cabin Overheat Protection
In an industry-first safety measure, we’re also introducing Cabin Overheat Protect, focused on child (and pet) safety. This feature keeps the car at a safe temperature for hours, even when the car is off. This feature is only made possible by an electric vehicle with Tesla’s uniquely large battery packs.​

Good God. So Tesla is the source of the information that says 105 degrees is a safe temperature for pets and infants for hours. That turns off when the car hits 20% battery pack.

Electrek article: Tesla v8.0 software update is being pushed right now, all the details and full release notes

Does anyone else think this is a good idea?

 

[apacheguy]

Agree they are misleading. This feature should only be used as a last resort (meaning owner forgot to lower windows) and should never actually be depended upon.

 

[brianman]

Does anyone else think this is a good idea?

Can you be more specific? Do we think what specifically is a "good idea"? Thanks.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Really? Ok how about: Does anyone else think that 105 degrees in a car is a safe temperature for pets and infants for hours?

 

[McRat]

You folk really believe that 105°F in the shade is lethal? Well, that would fix the population explosion pretty quick. You think the world is air-conditioned?

The inside of a sealed car will exceed 150°F on a warm day. That is what kills, not 105°F in the shade.

 

[PtG62901]

Really? Ok how about: Does anyone else think that 105 degrees in a car is a safe temperature for pets and infants for hours?

Feel free to do the research to prove Tesla's experts wrong. Wouldn't take over 5 minutes if you are right.

 

[Az_Rael]

Feel free to do the research to prove Tesla's experts wrong. Wouldn't take over 5 minutes if you are right.

From a vet: http://www.gopetplan.com/uploads/media/17/10893.pdf

And another (less easy to read): http://vet.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/tacc.pdf

Looks like the dog scale only goes up to 95F, which is considered dangerous. So I would agree, 105 is too hot.

On the kids side, I found this: https://www.ok.gov/health2/documents/weatherwatchforchildren2.pdf

 

[trils0n]

105 is much better than 130+, in that way, it is good. Still too hot, but better than nothing.

 

[McRat]

From a vet: http://www.gopetplan.com/uploads/media/17/10893.pdf

And another (less easy to read): http://vet.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/tacc.pdf

Looks like the dog scale only goes up to 95F, which is considered dangerous. So I would agree, 105 is too hot.

That's funny. A vet killed my Akita from malpractice. Now he said that the dog should have died years before. It's >100°F every single year here, and none of our dogs were killed. Shade and water, and they will survive the summer. Even more surprising, it doesn't kill cows or horses either.

 

[Az_Rael]

That's funny. A vet killed my Akita from malpractice. Now he said that the dog should have died years before. It's >100°F every single year here, and none of our dogs were killed. Shade and water, and they will survive the summer. Even more surprising, it doesn't kill cows or horses either.

Just like people, if your dog is acclimated to that weather, they can be fine. I live in the desert. It gets up to 110 here and people don't die. It gets up to 104 in Europe and lots of people die. Because they aren't acclimated.
2003 European heat wave - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia