mknox
Well-Known Member
My heated outside mirrors (come on with the rear defroster) seem to work exceptionally well.
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
My heated outside mirrors (come on with the rear defroster) seem to work exceptionally well.
I've noticed that since the 7.1 update the car will no longer shift into neutral while driving - it just beeps and stays in drive. Not a big deal really, just a heads up to practice feathering the go pedal in case you hit an ice patch ...
Update: The car will shift into neutral with a "half" push up; a full push up just beeps. This is actually better/easier and makes me wonder if the mistake has been mine all along ...
Update: The car will shift into neutral with a "half" push up; a full push up just beeps. This is actually better/easier and makes me wonder if the mistake has been mine all along ...
Last edited:
green1
Active Member
Yes but in most cars, having it in "D" means that its engaged and accelerating, even with your foot off the pedal. In a Model S, foot off the pedal means you're regenerating, or perhaps coasting if regen is disabled, either way not accelerating unless going downhill. I don't think Neutral was ever meant to truly be used while driving. Its more of a towing, carwash and other non-driving event mode.
I know the first few days of driving I knocked it into Neutral accidentally thinking it would engage my windshield wipers. I'm suspecting this is meant to prevent that.
green1
Active Member
One of the biggest recommendations on dealing with skids is to put the car in to neutral, this eliminates any torque to the wheels which might interfere with recovery, It is even more important in the Tesla as removing your foot from the pedal gives full regen and feathering it perfectly is quite difficult to do while trying to recover a skid whereas in an ice the "creep" is much less dramatic than our regen.
Neutral is also a fail-safe whenever the car is doing something you don't like, eg a stuck accelerator pedal.
I'd much rather accidentally put it in neutral a few times than not be able to in an emergency situation.
In the middle of an emergency skid, who has the coordination to change the gear of their vehicle? In any kind of skid, you really need both hands on the wheel. I searched several different top recommended sites on dealing with skids, and only one made mention of putting it into neutral "if you can".
The other thing to consider is the Model S is a completely drive-by-wire car. In a normal car, yes, clunking the gear selector into N mechanically shifts it into neutral, preventing the engine from transmitting anything to the wheels. In the Model S, there's no transmission. When you hit the gear selector it sends a software signal to the motor to tell it not to do anything with all that battery juice. When you put it into R, it sends signals to reverse the polarity, etc. At the end of the day, flicking that little stick up may not do as much as you think, even if your software dashboard shows you a nice "N".
Peter_M
Member
I think all this talk about neutral not being available any more while driving is a false alarm. I just tried it on 7.1 (2.9.154) and I had no trouble shifting into neutral at speeds up to 83 km/h (didn't try it faster). Maybe the OP who thought they disabled neutral hit the lever too far upward and the car refused to shift into reverse or too far downward, which would just leave it in drive. Maybe it's disabled at higher speeds or only on AWD cars or something, but I really doubt it - it's a basic car feature, in the manual, no mention of a change in the release notes, etc.
green1
Active Member
Luckily this all seems to be a false alarm, but in answer to your question, with the Tesla shift lever it only takes one finger extended out from your hand which is on the wheel to make this change, it's not something anyone should have difficulty doing while maintaining both hands on the wheel.
Yup - false alarm, sorry. I had always just pushed the shift lever all the way up and it would go to neutral. Pushing it all the way up doesn't shift to neutral anymore, but all it takes is a gentle half push up. Probably user error on my part.
Lon12
Member
Cold in Saskatoon
So its -35c this morning in Saskatoon. Lets see some Model S cold weather pictures or movies from there.
Stay warm. :smile:
So its -35c this morning in Saskatoon. Lets see some Model S cold weather pictures or movies from there.
Stay warm. :smile:
green1
Active Member
dmd2005
Active Member
I picked up a set of frost blockers ( frost blocker windshield protector - Google Search ) from Costco in Bellingham, WA for $15 USD ($5 off last week). It is basically a nylon sheet with plastic backing you wrap around the sideview mirrors with elastic fabric to cover the windshield and it includes two mirror booties to cover the sideview mirrors. I've used a frostblocker on my truck the last three years and it works great...I picked up a spare one for the MS in case I need to use it when I drive the MS to work and it starts snowing. Not sure of a good solution to prevent ice on the door handles or window seam of the door...maybe a bit of Gibbs lubricant will work. I use Gibbs lube for just about everything around the house and on my truck. Gibbs Brand Canada Penetrating Displacement Inhibitor Lubricants
- - - Updated - - -
I'll take some pics of the frost blocker on the MS with windshield and mirror covers and post later.
Peter_M
Member
The two versions of manuals that I have, 5.8.2 and 7.1, both say exactly the same thing:
... and that's how it has always worked for me. The shift lever is labeled R at the top, D at the bottom and N in the middle. I don't think anything has changed here since day one.
green1
Active Member
I thought the year in Vancouver went Spring-summer-fall and then back to spring, I wasn't aware that Vancouver ever got winter?
- - - Updated - - -
That's true when parked, however when moving it behaves slightly differently I believe.
Peter_M
Member
green1
Active Member
well now I'm just going to have to go for a drive!
I have to test something for the forum, I had no choice in the matter, honest!
Peter_M
Member
That's me too - any excuse... :smile:well now I'm just going to have to go for a drive!
I have to test something for the forum, I had no choice in the matter, honest!
A couple of days ago it was so slippery...
I was at a stop light. My wheels were straight and the road was level. The light went green and I eased onto the throttle. The stability control kicked in for my front left wheel. Front??? It's an RWD car! How does that even happen?
Did I say it was crazy slippery?
I was at a stop light. My wheels were straight and the road was level. The light went green and I eased onto the throttle. The stability control kicked in for my front left wheel. Front??? It's an RWD car! How does that even happen?
Did I say it was crazy slippery?
