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EarlyAdopter
Active Member
The door handles are wildly impractical, but I suspect their inclusion wasn't an engineering decision but more of a marketing/cool factor decision. Perhaps even a dictatorial decision by Mr. Musk. Certainly gets a lot of attention when people see them in action.
Problem is, I am willing to bet that at some point over the next 4 years of ownership every single Model S owner will have experienced some form of failure with a door handle at least once.
Problem is, I am willing to bet that at some point over the next 4 years of ownership every single Model S owner will have experienced some form of failure with a door handle at least once.
Anyone know how to make the handles stay out long enough to dry?
It rained yesterday and I had to park outside to run an errand. I went home and parked in the garage. This morning the car had dried out, but when the handles presented, they were still very wet.
It rained yesterday and I had to park outside to run an errand. I went home and parked in the garage. This morning the car had dried out, but when the handles presented, they were still very wet.
mknox
Well-Known Member
I certainly hope not, but fear this might be the case. Don't get me wrong... I do think the handles are "cool", but the title of this thread is "Are they Practical". I do not feel they are, and to a certain extent think they are somewhat impractical with extra steps to get into the car.
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Yes, but the thread is about whether the door handle are "practical". I can't see how an extra complication that requires extra steps to get into the car (big deal or not) is practical.
Todd Burch
14-Year Member
I may be wrong...i mean no disrespect and don't mean to be argumentative, but it seems like most people who are complaining about the operation of the door handles don't even have their cars yet. Is that correct?
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We'll see. At least there's a warranty!
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I don't understand what you're saying.
Almost always in that they're almost always COMPLETELY out by the time I get to the door. If they're not, I maybe have to wait half second or less. Really guys. It's not an issue. Report back once you get your car.
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We'll see. At least there's a warranty!
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I don't understand what you're saying.
Almost always in that they're almost always COMPLETELY out by the time I get to the door. If they're not, I maybe have to wait half second or less. Really guys. It's not an issue. Report back once you get your car.
mknox
Well-Known Member
Fair enough. I don't have my car yet, but I've test driven several times and played around in stores enough to be able to comment that a) yes they are cool and b) IMHO they're not practical.
Yes, but this thread is about "practicality", and that's still an additional step that has to happen in the door opening sequence. It's also only automatic if you pay $3,750 US or $4,000 CDN for the Tech Package.
DrTaras
R254->R725->S->X->M3->M3P-->R2020?
I agree that it is a pain when it doesn't work according to design and this happens to me about 20% of the time. Sure, its only a second, but it is impractical, especially when you're trying to show how cool it is and they see you needing to tap and wait; there is a glimmer in their eye, though may not say it, of 'gee that's cool, but waiting for door handles is not!'
Been there, done that & yes, Tesla was great, but we did have to kill a day getting it fixed!
The 4 of 5 (on average) times that it works like a charm, I say it was worth it, but the other 1 of 5 I say not... Batting .800 seems pretty cool, I guess!
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Great question. Or even to dry for a car wash (okay, I know, another thread)
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Yes, but, like I said above, I had to kill a day on that one as without traffic, they are 45 minutes away.
Now that being said, someone can easily say, its just a day and there are 364 others in a year :wink:
I also have door handle issues with my Model S. The range at which it will detect you and present the door handles is pathetic. The driver side seems somewhat okay, but the passenger side will not detect me. If I hold the FOB out on my open hand then it will work from about 3 feet away (passenger side). If the FOB is in my empty pants pocket then the handles will not present at all, even if my leg is touching the door (passenger side). Driver side is fine. Tesla Service (Los Angeles) was unable to fix it and I'm just stuck with it. Same issue with both FOBs.
Todd Burch
14-Year Member
I agree it's a bit too close right now. They should be able to tweak the presentation distance threshold in software.
kevincwelch
Active Member
Chas F
Model S 60kWh #P6396
Agree with MKnox on this one. I don't have my car yet, but like some of you, have test driven one and although it was cool to experience the extending door handles, the engineer in me keep screaming "but that is going to eventually fail!!", as I can assure that it will. The coolness will wear off in time, and we will be left to deal with taking time to drive to the nearest Tesla service center to get it fixed.
It does seem somewhat impratical from the standpoint that I've NEVER owned a car where the door handle failed. Seems they could have easily designed a flush handle that is also purely mechanical.
Having said all of that, I would never consider not getting this car. Even if the door handles end up being a blemish on an otherwise flawless design, it is still better than anything currently available on the road today.
Who knows, Tesla may prove me wrong on this one too. They have a pretty good track record for beating the odds.
It does seem somewhat impratical from the standpoint that I've NEVER owned a car where the door handle failed. Seems they could have easily designed a flush handle that is also purely mechanical.
Having said all of that, I would never consider not getting this car. Even if the door handles end up being a blemish on an otherwise flawless design, it is still better than anything currently available on the road today.
Who knows, Tesla may prove me wrong on this one too. They have a pretty good track record for beating the odds.
Todd Burch
14-Year Member
I was going to say (before my flight departed the gate and I had to shut off the phone) that if your leg is touching the door and the handles won't pop, it's not working right. Mine will pop out (FOB in pocket) when I'm about 4 feet from the passenger door. Still too close IMHO, but it sounds like there's definitely an issue with yours.
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I am a mechanical engineer, so I know exactly where you're coming from. Of course, there's a higher chance that the extending handles will fail when compared to regular handles. On the other hand, there are a lot less mechanical items to fail on the Model S as a whole...so maybe it balances out.
Still, nothing beats walking up to your car at night and watching the handles extend and those puddle lights turn on. Makes me feel like I'm in a sci-fi movie every time!
mknox
Well-Known Member
I think if the thread was titled "Retractable Door Handles - Are they Cool?" we'd all be in agreement :smile:
Hi Charles,
Yes, I was trained as an engineer as well, and yes I couldn't resist the tendancy to initially worry about the handles. However, then I recollected an old conversation I had with my dad when I was a boy after he purchased a new car. I said, "Dad why didn't you order power windows?" His response, "Just something else to go wrong." Nowadays I'm not even sure you can get roll-up windows for most cars and I can't recall ever having a problem with power windows.
So the power door handles may turn out to be problematic, or maybe not. I share Todd's views that in addition to being very cool (as power windows used to be when they were still novel), I think they also offer a practical advantage in lighting up your way at night.
Only time will tell if, on the whole, they turn out to be a design mistake, or not. So far, as an owner for only a little over a month I prefer them to conventional handles.
Larry
contaygious
Active Member
My only issue is everyday I walk downstairs to my foyer to put on my shoes which causes the handles to extend and by the time I put my shoes on the handles already retracted back into the car. I have to hit the handles a few times hoping they will come out again and they never work the first time. I wish it was proximity based and not time based!
Chas F
Model S 60kWh #P6396
Hi Larry,
Seems there are a lot of engineers represented on these forums
I think you present a good analogy with power windows. I will say that I've had to have them repaired approx 4 times in 20 years, so perhaps not a big deal in the grand scheme.
Will be interesting to see if other automakers adopt a similar design in the future as they did for the windows. Oh, and I agree, they are very cool.
Todd Burch
14-Year Member
If the question is "Are they as reliable as mechanical handles?" The answer is clearly no.
If the question is "Are they unreliable?" The jury's still out on that. Yes, some have had issues, but we're talking early parts, young factory, young car, early failures. Parts failures are generally high initially, but if they show good reliability for the first few months of use, they tend to be good for a pretty long time. Just because some have needed replacements doesn't necessarily mean there's an issue. Early production here.
If the question is "Are they practical?" with regards to function and ease of use (assuming they're working), I think Tesla needs to make some software tweaks, but I'd answer yes to that question.
Door handles should pop out and stay out until you drive away or lock the car.
Threshold for pop out needs to be larger.
Those 2 changes would solve 99% of issues, and they should both be workable in software.
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mknox
Well-Known Member
A lot of cars have white lights that shine down from the bottom of the side mirrors. My current ICE has white lights that shine down from the bottom of the door, but of course that doesn't help until you pull the door open. Years ago (before remote locks) I had a car where the keyhole illuminated when you pulled the (locked) door handle. One of the coolest things I saw was on a late model Mustang where it not only projects light, but the light is in the form of the Mustang logo on the ground!
Thanks. I'm aware that there are other approachs to lighting. My point was merely that the lighting is a practical feature, in addition to having cool handles.
Larry
mknox
Well-Known Member
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