What do you think of the door handles?

[TEG]

I appreciate that they are flush and provide good aero.
I appreciate the mechanical nature that feels solid and I bet will be reliable.
But I find them a bit awkward to use... It is easy enough to push on one end to make it swivel, but I find it a bit "fumbly" to grab the handle to pull back on the door. The procedure is different from left side to right side.
Are those with Model 3s finding the door handles easy enough to use on a daily basis?

 

[ConcordeSST]

I don't have mine yet. I think they look cool and I'm happy they don't auto present (one less thing to break), but I'm not looking forward to having to explain to every new passenger how to enter and exit the vehicle. I'm fully expecting nearly everyone to reach for the emergency release handle to exit the vehicle.

 

[jayhawk3]

The procedure is different from left side to right side.

It is a different procedure on every car. Think about it, if you are on the passenger side you use your right hand and if you are on the drivers side you use your left. If you don't you are awkwardly opening the door into yourself.

 

[Paul Carter]

I saw how to do it a few times and the other night during my test drive I opened the drivers door with one hand first try. Then again I may have watched how so many times I could do it blind so I wouldn't be embarrassed in front of the crowd. LOL.

 

[insaneoctane]

I appreciate that they are flush and provide good aero.
I appreciate the mechanical nature that feels solid and I bet will be reliable.
But I find them a bit awkward to use... It is easy enough to push on one end to make it swivel, but I find it a bit "fumbly" to grab the handle to pull back on the door. The procedure is different from left side to right side.
Are those with Model 3s finding the door handles easy enough to use on a daily basis?

I've been a bit apprehensive about the handles from day 1. I feel exactly like you've stated; I appreciate the dumb reliability they will have particularly with the unimpressive reliability that the MS has had with this feature. But, it never convinced me that it would be a superior opening experience to standard "up" versions. Superior aero, yes, but.....Anyway, I'm holding judgement until I get mine or do it on a demo car. It's NOT a deal breaker for me.

 

[TEG]

Hopping now to hear from some owners who have been using them for a while. And to be clear, I am asking about the handles on the outside not the inside.

 

[roblab]

Well... I've had my 3 for a whole day now. Drove it 70 miles, several stops. Door handles are not an issue. They open the door and are quite intuitive in my opinion.

 

[Leland]

We’re coming up on the 3 week mark since delivery and have given at least 10 demo rides. I intentionally don’t give a demonstration how to open the doors. So far everyone has been able to open the doors without assistance on the first attempt.

 

[powertoold]

I find the handles kind of awkward for smaller hands.

 

[Sparky]

I find the handles kind of awkward for smaller hands.

I can see how that's true. Might be hard for kids. I find it very easy to open with either hand; using index finger or thumb. I have more door handle miscues with the X than the 3. Always pushing the wrong side.

 

[Sean Kelly]

We’re coming up on the 3 week mark since delivery and have given at least 10 demo rides. I intentionally don’t give a demonstration how to open the doors. So far everyone has been able to open the doors without assistance on the first attempt.

Want to give one more demo ride? I’ll gladly buy you breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks haha. Hoping my email is coming any day and dying just to sit in one.

 

[K-MTG]

The door handles are fine...the only problem is that you have to close the door kind of hard.

 

[PaulJB]

Not an owner but have experienced the Model 3 door handles twice. Not an issue at all. I love the design and execution.

 

[bonnie]

I appreciate that they are flush and provide good aero.
I appreciate the mechanical nature that feels solid and I bet will be reliable.
But I find them a bit awkward to use... It is easy enough to push on one end to make it swivel, but I find it a bit "fumbly" to grab the handle to pull back on the door. The procedure is different from left side to right side.
Are those with Model 3s finding the door handles easy enough to use on a daily basis?

@Otmar to the rescue.

Otmar Ebenhoech on Twitter

 

[Jason S]

Heh, I haven't seen anybody use Otmar's method yet irl.

Was at a dinner party last night and I saw the reactions of 6 people to the handles.
The people who were familiar with the Model S expected the handles to pop out. I told them how to open and they were fine with it.
The people who weren't familiar with Tesla at all; 2 struggled, 1 poked it and figured it out.

The interior handles; 1 found the emergency pull and thought it was the only handle. One pressed the release button to see what it did. For the other people I told them how the inside worked before they needed to ask.

I had more trouble with the hatch on the center console. I expected a physical latch. It must be a common thing because the screen had a message for me when I repeatedly tried to close it and failed. I thought that was both funny and sad.

But overall people are easy to train.

And, yes, do need to close the door a bit hard but I expect that'll wear in.

 

[Takumi]

I don't have mine yet. I think they look cool and I'm happy they don't auto present (one less thing to break), but I'm not looking forward to having to explain to every new passenger how to enter and exit the vehicle. I'm fully expecting nearly everyone to reach for the emergency release handle to exit the vehicle.

First aftermarket I want is something to block that.

 

[weak_pig]

It is a different procedure on every car. Think about it, if you are on the passenger side you use your right hand and if you are on the drivers side you use your left. If you don't you are awkwardly opening the door into yourself.

I think you can also use your left hand on the passenger side and right hand on the driver side, but you need to turn your hand palm up instead.

 

[Takumi]

First aftermarket I want is something to block that.

I'll be happy with Tesla making an upgrade to it. Give anyone who touches it a shock. You have to really want to get out that way if you want to use it.

 

[Az_Rael]

I have trouble with the driver’s side door, because apparently, I am normally holding my stuff in my left hand, which is the preferred hand for the handle on that side. My hands aren’t quite big enough (or coordinated enough or something) to manage the “upside down” grab easily, and I often don’t manage to open the door that way. So I have to stop, transfer what I am holding to my other hand then open the door with the proper hand.

I will have to try the “Otmar” method, I guess I was worried you would get pinched that way.

Otherwise, I just need to train myself to carry things in the correct hand for the side of the car I am approaching. Will just take a learning curve.

 

[Carnook]

Overly complicated and difficult to use. Engineering for engineering’s sake.

I’m also disappointed the rear seats don’t get manual releases. However I supppse in an emergency people in the rear seat don’t matter. Nice knowing ya!