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Need cold weather advice for windows

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I'm sure this has been discussed but couldn't find it in a search. What do you Yankees, Canadians, Norwegians, etc do about your windows in the bitter cold?

Yesterday was the first day of deep cold (10 deg F) with snow/moisture that I've encountered with the Model S. I pre-heated the car for about 20 minutes, door came open with a couple of tugs but the window would not seal when the driver door was closed. I scraped all around the door frame and window edge. I also dried off all the moisture left around the frame and window but there was still a significant gap in the leading edge of the window. I made the 10 minute drive to work (fortunately a 35-40 mph drive, no high speeds), the window rattled a few times and I was nervous that some bump or jar would shatter the window. When I got to work, I futzed with it a little more, closed the door, the window sealed OK.

Is the secret just to pre-heat longer? Any other tips? I'm curious if the preheating actually melts the ice, then it refreezes in the gaps, causing the problem.
 
I'm reading this as:

Cold morning finds driver's window frozen to its lower seal. He opens door like one would open any regular car door by massive yank on the handle. However, opening an MS door is actually a 2 step process:

1. Pull ever so gently on handle while at the same time holding thumb (on either hand) over the door/pillar crack. The thumb keeps the door from actually opening, allowing the window to first crank down the REQUIRED ~3/4 inch. If the window does not drop down this required amount, then to door cannot open freely and the glass is smooshed under the chrome strip on top (ouch!).

2. After the window cranks down the 3/4 inch THEN, properly, you release your thumb and the door opens correctly.

If the glass is frozen such that it can't move down and has to smoosh under the chrome strip THEN you cannot close the door properly. Unaware or impatient drivers just slam the door shut and drive off with an unsealed drafty window. The draft causes them to realise that something is amiss.

Credit card can be used to scrape off the ice above the window seal. Silicone spray can be used to soak the seal & the glass above. Do this on a monthly basis during winter. Over time as the silicone soaks into the seal it doesn't stick as much but eventually the right conditions will cause a repeat of the problem. The morning sun is very helpful. Spray again with silicone!
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This happened to me this winter once. The drivers window was 'frozen'. I thought I wasn't going to be able to get into the car. As you have noted, a tug gets you in, but the window has to deflect to make it out from under the upper trim. When you go to close it, window doesn't go back under the trim, and is deflected out at the top on the outside of the trim. I found 2 methods. First one, close the door from outside the car (deflect the window with your hand towards the car as you close the door, and the window clears under the trim). Obviously, this doesn't work if you are inside the car. 2nd option that worked for me. Standing outside the car with the door open, I pressed the 'down window button', and the door control, then pressed downward on the window to 'assist'. This broke free the frozen part, and the window then worked properly. I don't know if this would work with serious amounts of ice or not, but it worked for me.
 
Having a car with frameless glass for 20 years ( see Subaru SVX ) I found that spraying the rubber with silicone spray and then rubbing it with a clean paper towel , I do it 2 or 3 times during the colder months , really helps the glass sticking problem . May help on the Testla too?
 
I'm reading this as:

Cold morning finds driver's window frozen to its lower seal. He opens door like one would open any regular car door by massive yank on the handle. However, opening an MS door is actually a 2 step process:

1. Pull ever so gently on handle while at the same time holding thumb (on either hand) over the door/pillar crack. The thumb keeps the door from actually opening, allowing the window to first crank down the REQUIRED ~3/4 inch. If the window does not drop down this required amount, then to door cannot open freely and the glass is smooshed under the chrome strip on top (ouch!).

2. After the window cranks down the 3/4 inch THEN, properly, you release your thumb and the door opens correctly.

If the glass is frozen such that it can't move down and has to smoosh under the chrome strip THEN you cannot close the door properly. Unaware or impatient drivers just slam the door shut and drive off with an unsealed drafty window. The draft causes them to realise that something is amiss.

Credit card can be used to scrape off the ice above the window seal. Silicone spray can be used to soak the seal & the glass above. Do this on a monthly basis during winter. Over time as the silicone soaks into the seal it doesn't stick as much but eventually the right conditions will cause a repeat of the problem. The morning sun is very helpful. Spray again with silicone!
--

I can't be bothered! I paid a lot of money for my car and should not have to do these extra steps to open the door. If this is a design flaw, which it sounds like it is, then Tesla should fix it!

- - - Updated - - -

This happened to me this winter once. The drivers window was 'frozen'. I thought I wasn't going to be able to get into the car. As you have noted, a tug gets you in, but the window has to deflect to make it out from under the upper trim. When you go to close it, window doesn't go back under the trim, and is deflected out at the top on the outside of the trim. I found 2 methods. First one, close the door from outside the car (deflect the window with your hand towards the car as you close the door, and the window clears under the trim). Obviously, this doesn't work if you are inside the car. 2nd option that worked for me. Standing outside the car with the door open, I pressed the 'down window button', and the door control, then pressed downward on the window to 'assist'. This broke free the frozen part, and the window then worked properly. I don't know if this would work with serious amounts of ice or not, but it worked for me.

Again, we shouldn't have to do this. A $100,000 car should not have these issues. Clearly it was designed for southern California weather only!
 
Happened to me again last night when temp dropped from above freezing to -22*C in the evening. After a day of melting snow it froze the driver's window and no amount of manipulation could free it. Sprayed silicone into the seal and separated seal from glass with old credit card. Then sprayed again. I hadn't sprayed since November; I'm a poor desciple of my own preachings. :redface:

Find a *small* can of silicone spray to keep *in trunk* along with old cc [note to self].
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I pressed the 'down window button', and the door control, then pressed downward on the window to 'assist'
Good thread that seems timely to revive, and thanks to big maple1 for above which is a tip I won't soon forget ! Never know when I might need it. Before this all I replayed in my mind was Tesla marketing video of MS door handles magically thrusting through the toughest of ice... but winter is never quite as we planned, is it.

We just had our first snow dusting in Toronto for the season and my search found this thread.... I sprayed and toweled all my door, frunk, trunk and roof seals with silicone spray yesterday and I could swear I actually had a quieter ride today. And more importantly nothing felt frozen stuck like it did the morning before. I'll try to repeat at least once before end of winter.
 
We just had our first snow dusting in Toronto for the season and my search found this thread.... I sprayed and toweled all my door, frunk, trunk and roof seals with silicone spray yesterday and I could swear I actually had a quieter ride today. And more importantly nothing felt frozen stuck like it did the morning before. I'll try to repeat at least once before end of winter.

I had not seen this thread before.

The idea that this silicone treatment could possibly provide a quieter ride (less wind noise) is intriguing to me. It's pretty cold in Ithaca, so it sounds like I should do this anyway.

Would someone mind suggesting a specific silicone product--preferably one available on Amazon--that would be appropriate to use? Also, if anyone is so inclined, a picture or two of exactly where the silicone should be applied would be great. I'm a little nervous about getting it on things I shouldn't--damaging paint, etc.

Thanks!
 
I had not seen this thread before.

The idea that this silicone treatment could possibly provide a quieter ride (less wind noise) is intriguing to me.
Sorry but it was creaking / squeaking that I was suggesting, especially on the pano roof on that first crisp, below freezing day, it was making some new noises I did not like. They went away after the spray.

But I suppose if you're able to actually stop an air leak with enough of it, there could be some very small savings. The can I had said not to get it on the paint (kinda inevitable with some of the seals but they are all on the "inside" painted surfaces).

If it's aerodynamics you seek, I say make your paint and windshield as slippery as possible with the appropriate products. It will make it easy to clean too. And I'm sure hoping that means cleaning off snow too :)

So far these are the treatments I've applied:
- cQuartz UK paint treatment (a bit of a pain but good)
- Aquapel on the windshield (every few months by the looks of it)
- RainX on all other windows (cheaper but lasts less long)
- RainX Anti-Fog on all inside windows (may not be available in Canada ???)
- Silicone lubricant on all door etc. seals

As for supplies, I don't have an ice scraper in the car, just a snow pusher (foam, not a brush, designed to not scratch). I am probably being unrealistic here as I've heard folks say that the preheating doesn't really do much to melt away snow and ice on the outside. Also carrying an emergency shovel and a backup 12V booster pack, both to save my bacon in case of total power failure, and also to provide boosts to people as I'd prefer not to have my MS ever share anything with an ICE vehicle ;)
 
no worries :wave (maybe one day we'll get some more emoticons here ;)

Also regarding cold weather and windows ... is the rear defroster really weak vs. ICE cars ? It took a good 10-15 minutes this morning just to prove it was not broken, I was starting to wonder...

I also wonder why you can't turn it on -- and all the cold weather stuff for that matter -- from the app.
 
no worries :wave (maybe one day we'll get some more emoticons here ;)

Also regarding cold weather and windows ... is the rear defroster really weak vs. ICE cars ? It took a good 10-15 minutes this morning just to prove it was not broken, I was starting to wonder...

I also wonder why you can't turn it on -- and all the cold weather stuff for that matter -- from the app.

I've seen a lot of complaints about the rear defroster. I haven't noticed mine being particularly weak. When my dog is in the back and I turn it on to defog the rear window because of her breathing, I am often surprised at how quickly it works. But of course that's not ice.
 
I had not seen this thread before.

The idea that this silicone treatment could possibly provide a quieter ride (less wind noise) is intriguing to me. It's pretty cold in Ithaca, so it sounds like I should do this anyway.

Would someone mind suggesting a specific silicone product--preferably one available on Amazon--that would be appropriate to use? Also, if anyone is so inclined, a picture or two of exactly where the silicone should be applied would be great. I'm a little nervous about getting it on things I shouldn't--damaging paint, etc.

Thanks!
Just about any silicone spray from the hardware store should work.
Here's one from 3M on Amazon: Link:http://amzn.com/B0002KKVKC

I have used silicone spray on all rubber (window and door seals) on all my cars for years. It's good for the rubber. The silicone soaks into the rubber and keeps it soft and keeps it from deteriorating. Also helps prevent ice sticking to the rubber.

I use a rag to prevent overspray getting on the interior of the car.

 
In general, silicone spray is good stuff; but I must report, I've found if I use a lot of it on a part that is seldom used (like rear window), the rubber can sort of get glued to the glass, and be hard to open after that. (Maybe I used too much of it? or maybe bad silicone compound?) anyway, the idea of spraying and then going over with a shop rag is probably the way to go.
 
Came home in a storm yesterday and couldn't get out. All four door / windows frozen shut. My daughter in law finally just shoved the door open. the window didn't break but it looked as it would and when the door was closed the glass was on the outside of trim. I call the Denver SC and they recommended something called Hydrophobic, I have never heard of it and asked if i could use silicon. They said, thought it would be ok but didn't know if it would work. I sprayed along the base of the windows, then cut a piece of package plastic (like battery packaging) and slipped it between the window and seal. Evidently there is two seals. The water gets past the upper and freezes on the lower creating a 1/4 inch or more wide ice seal against the windows. I was able to work the plastic along the window breaking the windows free. All work fine now and hopefully the silicon will keep the ice from sticking to the window.

Yesterday was a bad Tesla day, the window problem was minor. I was parked on the side of street waiting for the wife when a young lady in a old pickup slammed into the side of our car taking out left rear quarter panel. Inexperienced 18 year old no antilock brakes, on ice.