We are extremely disappointed in the winter performance of our Model Y. This is our second winter and last year we had one day or so where weather lead to windows freezing to the seal so they were unable to open (which means we could not get in or out of the car). This year we have had several days already with this issue and frankly this makes the car unusable and unsafe (if we can't exit a vehicle when we need to, this is not safe!--and in this instance we had been driving for 30 mins with the heat on and still had frozen windows). There is more cold weather coming and we basically feel we can't use our car to go to skiing because of this (which is our plan over the holidays). We preheat the vehicle for up to 30 mins (sucking battery life if you have to do this every time you want to drive your car), have had Tesla put a special product on the seals and all this has not worked. We do not have a garage but really that doesn't solve this issue as we don't have garages at every destination. My husband went to bring the car into Tesla for servicing to see if they could add another coating of the spray on the seals and they refused to do this (they said that it should last three years --even when he told them it is clearly no longer working). Then when my husband tried to point out that it seems to be a major design flaw, he was told it was a "car problem, not a Tesla problem"!! What does this mean??? We are both so frustrated that we are now looking into what other electric vehicles we could trade it in for. If we had known that frameless doors would be so brutal in winter, we would never have purchased this car. I guess that is our issue for not doing enough research in that regard. Anyone else have any other solutions we can try before we give up on Tesla?
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Windows freezing and not being able to get in and out of our Model Y
- Thread starter readytotradein
- Start date
Tam
Well-Known Member
It's like the stove is hot, the fridge is cold, the water is wet, the sugar is sweet, the lemon is sour... so whatever the brand it is like Tesla stove or Tesla fridge, the issues will be the same.
It's one downside with a frameless window.
When ice freezes up the glass in a framed window, we can still yank the door out. But not when it's frameless like Tesla's.
I think Tesla likes frameless because of the look and it's designed by those who live in warm California (?and Texas?) and not from cold Detroit!
I guess we just have to ship Tesla designers to live and work in the arctic so they can fix the problem you cited.
Upvote
0
Buy this. Numerous people on TMC have had success putting Gummi Pflege on the seals to prevent sticking.
Gummi Pflege Stift
Upvote
0
Applying a product such as silicone spray to the rubber door gasket may not be not enough. The reason the window won't lower may be that the gasket at the bottom edge of the window where the window lowers into the door may have gotten wet and is now frozen. If you carry a can of deicer spray you can use a little of the deicer applied at the bottom edge of the window on the outside of the glass to thaw the ice that forms at the gasket bottom edge of the window.
CRC Windshield Spray
Note: Don't use standard WD-40 on the rubber door seals. Over time WD-40 can degrade rubber. There is WD-40 Specialist Silicone product that is safe for rubber parts. I usually use silicone spray or 303 Aerospace Protectant on rubber door gaskets.
CRC Windshield Spray
Note: Don't use standard WD-40 on the rubber door seals. Over time WD-40 can degrade rubber. There is WD-40 Specialist Silicone product that is safe for rubber parts. I usually use silicone spray or 303 Aerospace Protectant on rubber door gaskets.
Last edited:
Upvote
0
I think that is exactly what is happening but the question remains how does one apply it on the outside when locked in the vehicle! I guess we can climb out the trunk which always seems to open. I just can't believe they thought the frameless doors were a good idea for a car that is sold outside of California.
Upvote
0
Frunk storage bin or hatch storage, else carry the deicer spray can when you leave the house in the A.M., etc. You don't need to use much, just spray along the bottom edge of the window before you open the door(s) and wait 30 seconds for the deicer to work.
The Tesla app has changed, I have not used the defroster option in the latest version of Tesla app as I park my Model Y in my home garage. The older version of the Tesla app had two modes for the windshield defrost function. If you tapped once then icon would turn blue and the AC system would come on to defog the winshield. To defrost the windshield and run the heat on high you had to tap twice (the icon would turn red.) I need to explore the latest Tesla app defrost settings.
Upvote
0
miracj
2021 Model Y LR AWD
Hopefully, you are aware of the manual door release. On each of the front seats, at the front of the armrest where the window control is, just pull the front end back, and it will release the door. But always try the electric door open 1st, as the manual release does wear the upper window gasket faster.
Upvote
0
andaconda
Active Member
When it's below ~40 degrees, the windows roll down about an 1/8 inch or so. You will notice that when you close the door in freezing weather, the window will roll up all the way and then come down slightly. This does help it from freezing to the top gasket and trim. The back windows do the same with the couple of updates.
Upvote
0
readytotradein: Just read this, and didn't notice anyone asking:
1) What's your VIN?
2) Is this problem after significant ice accumulation, or just overnight moisture freezing?
3) When you lock your car, do your car windows open 1/4" inch? Are the windows freezing in the top channel or along the bottom gasket?
4) When the SC applied the lubricant, did they open your windows and apply the lubricant on the bottom seal, or only on the top?
Sorry for this issue, which seems quiet serious on your car. There hasn't been a recent posting about this problem (in early prodution Ys) this winter, but it's still early, in the states, at least.
1) What's your VIN?
2) Is this problem after significant ice accumulation, or just overnight moisture freezing?
3) When you lock your car, do your car windows open 1/4" inch? Are the windows freezing in the top channel or along the bottom gasket?
4) When the SC applied the lubricant, did they open your windows and apply the lubricant on the bottom seal, or only on the top?
Sorry for this issue, which seems quiet serious on your car. There hasn't been a recent posting about this problem (in early prodution Ys) this winter, but it's still early, in the states, at least.
Last edited:
Upvote
0
I checked the Climate Control defrost function in the latest Tesla app. When you tap the button labeled "defrost car" twice the heat will be set to Hi for maximum defrosting.
Upvote
0
we already do this...for up to half and hour and it's still touch and go to get in. And as I mentioned in another comment, we even got locked inside the frozen vehicle even though we had driven for half an hour with the heat on. The wet cold in Whistler BC is not compatible with frameless doors.
Upvote
0
If we use the manual release, would we not have the same issue of the window not dropping and the potential to damage the trim? ....and then the inability to close the door again because the window is too frozen to drop down? It sounds like the only option is deicer which isn't very good for the environment.
Upvote
0
Thanks. We will check this out. We have directed the vents to point at the windows in the hope that this will assist in warming them sufficiently. We are about to have sub zero temps (up to -20 in Whistler) so we are pretty concerned about this issue....
Upvote
0
1) I don't have access to the VIN (we purchased this Tesla September 2020).
2) this issue is after overnight accumulation as well as an issue when driving in cold temps. For example, we had issues getting into the car in the morning despite a half hour pre-heat. Then we parked it in the sun at the ski hill so entry was fine when we left to go home. Then we drove for half an hour and in that time, it froze us in so we couldn't exit the vehicle (well, I opened the door and the widow scraped the trim and then wouldn't go down so door wouldn't close).
3) The windows drop only when it isn't frozen--it seems to be an issue of the bottom gasket so not sure how this can be remedied beyond using a de-icer which my husband really doesn't want to use as it is so bad for the environment.
4) last year the Tesla ranger put product on the top and the bottom (and they refused to do it when we brought it in yesterday as they say it's supposed to last 4-5 years--even though my husband described the hell we had getting in and out of our vehicle when we were in Whistler).
to answer you andaconda, I think the issue isn't freezing along the top but more an issue of the bottom gasket (as evidenced from when I was able to get out of the car when it froze on our drive back from the ski hill but it scraped the top trim and would not retract when I tried to close the door).
Upvote
0
Have you tried rolling down the windows, and swiping the INSIDE of the lower gasket with a lubricant to prevent this? If the SC didn't do the INSIDE of the gasket, maybe that's the problem?
The windows should drop whenever you lock the car and it's below 38-40f, IIRC. In those temps, the windows shouldn't ever stay in the full up position.
Are there other folks in Whistler with frameless windows (other brands) that have the same issue?
The windows should drop whenever you lock the car and it's below 38-40f, IIRC. In those temps, the windows shouldn't ever stay in the full up position.
Are there other folks in Whistler with frameless windows (other brands) that have the same issue?
Upvote
0
What can I spray on my windshield to melt ice? To make your own de-icer, combine one two parts 70% isopropyl alcohol with one part water and add a few drops of dish soap. This simple cocktail sprayed on an icy windshield will quickly loosen the ice, making it easy to remove using an ice scraper (or even windshield wipers, if you’re willing to wait a little longer).
Upvote
0
Similar threads
- Question