White "smoke" coming from car while Supercharging

[Midmia]

Same here! Happened an hour ago!
Please see if this matches condition when this white smoke happened for you:

- Local time 8pm it's dark
- Outside temperature 4 C
- I had my car MY LR navigated to the supercharger (150kw) so it was preconditioning the battery on the way.
- sit in the car with heating on, watching Netflix
- few minutes into charging I heard a knock sound from the back, thought its another telsa plugging in but no one is behind my charging dock, so it should came from my car.
- 10-15 minutes later white smoke came out passager side under frunk/wheel
- went out duck down check no smell, I kept charging didn't unplug. Everything seems fine, drove another hour to reach home.


I was wondering if the battery preconditioning, outside temperature (it's not super cold like -15 C, it was 3~4C), the small knocking sound, inside heating on, any of these combine to trigger the white smoke/condensation?

 

[Big Earl]

Not smoke. It's condensation from the HVAC system evaporating rapidly when the system switches from battery heating to battery cooling about half way through a charging session.

The sound you heard was probably normal battery pack sheet metal popping that occurs when Supercharging and during major elevation changes.

 

[Jonnymack74]

Just had this now at a super charger. It's incredibly wet today so I'm assuming steam from the heat of the charge

 

[Riversurfer]

No, and in fact could make it a little more prevalent. This is just water condensation due to the temperature differential when, as @Big Earl said, the battery transitions from heating to cooling mode. As the vehicle begins shedding heat (while it's cooling the battery), that'll warm up the condensation built up and some of it can dissipate as water vapor.

Same effect as when it rains on a really hot day, sometimes you see "steam" rising from the pavement. Cool water on hot object can cause water vapor to appear.

Nothing to worry about - totally normal! Think of it as a cleaning process for the piping. ;-)

Just wanted to thank you. I have two mp3s. The 2021 did this twice. Being a new behavior, I was initially concerned. The more I thought about it, the less concerned I became. Finally settled on a purge from the heat pump. Close enough. Thanks fleshing out the answer I was seeking. Happy motoring.

 

[Yippydog]

Thanks for that Father Guido Sarducci clip!
Had forgotten about that SNL bit. Anyway, seems like this issue is nothing to get steamed about.

 

[Bob2C]

Just had this white steam come up from my car when supercharging. It had rained the previous day and roads were stil wet on my way to a supercharger. I figured it was the wet underneath that turning to steam from the battery getting warm due to supercharging. I don’t worry about the little things. No smell I’m good. I have insurance anyway with new car replacement. I enjoy my MY every time I drive it

 

[shahk]

I just had the similar experience in my 2021 M3, I was at the supercharger then suddenly white smoke came out of front left wheel I was really scared to death me and other passenger jump out of the car and quickly unplugged the charger. Then thoroughly checked with my phone flash light if something is burning or not. After 5 to 10 mins the smoke was gone. I plugged back in charge it for another 5 mins no smoke this time. Right now I'm charging at home and planning to scheduled service appointment.

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

Yeah, they really need to put a message on the screen to warn people of the potential for steam to suddenly billow out mid-charge. I'm sure nearly every Tesla owner is freaked out the first time this happens.

 

[dmurphy]

I just had the similar experience in my 2021 M3, I was at the supercharger then suddenly white smoke came out of front left wheel I was really scared to death me and other passenger jump out of the car and quickly unplugged the charger. Then thoroughly checked with my phone flash light if something is burning or not. After 5 to 10 mins the smoke was gone. I plugged back in charge it for another 5 mins no smoke this time. Right now I'm charging at home and planning to scheduled service appointment.

Absolutely no need for a service appointment. At all. It’s 100% normal.

Just condensation - as the weather changes, you’re seeing condensation when moisture in the air meets the hot refrigerant line in the cooling/heating system.

Totally normal! Nothing to worry about.

 

[cenwesi]

I just had the similar experience in my 2021 M3, I was at the supercharger then suddenly white smoke came out of front left wheel I was really scared to death me and other passenger jump out of the car and quickly unplugged the charger. Then thoroughly checked with my phone flash light if something is burning or not. After 5 to 10 mins the smoke was gone. I plugged back in charge it for another 5 mins no smoke this time. Right now I'm charging at home and planning to scheduled service appointment.

Ooh snap. That crap happened to me last night. Totally scared the crap out of me. I knew something was venting out just didn't expect it like that. I don't recall seeing anyone one with all these Tesla videos out there mentioning this sort of stuff. I am just glad it's normal.

Tesla should really put some sort of a message on the screen about the possibility of venting during super charging especially in cold weather.