To ensure that Model 3 provides you with the best ownership experience possible in harsh cold weather conditions, follow these best practices.
Before Driving
When snow and ice accumulate on your vehicle, moving parts, such as the door handles, windows, mirrors, and wipers can freeze in place. For these reasons, and to achieve maximum range and performance, it is helpful to warm the cabin and Battery before you leave. There are several ways to do so:
• Touch Schedule, available on both the charging and climate control screens, to set a time when you want your vehicle to be ready to drive.
• On the mobile app, navigate to Climate > Turn On Climate and set to HI (or customize the temperature at which you want to heat the cabin). The Battery also warms as needed.
• On the mobile app, navigate to Climate > Defrost to melt snow, ice, and frost on the windshield, driver and passenger windows, mirrors. The Battery also warms as needed.
NOTE: Tesla recommends activating climate settings at least 30-45 minutes before departure. Preconditioning times depend on outside temperature and other factors.
NOTE: In extremely cold weather or icy conditions, it is possible that your charge port latch may freeze in place. Some vehicles are equipped with a charge port inlet heater that turns on when you turn on the rear defrost in cold weather conditions. You can also thaw ice on the charge port latch by enabling preconditioning using the mobile app.
NOTE: Warming the Battery using Scheduled Departure or the mobile app before driving can also reduce charging time at a Supercharger or third party fast charger, especially if the Supercharger or third party fast charger is close enough that Trip Planner does not have sufficient time to precondition the Battery.
Door Handles
• If door handles are frozen in place, you can usually remove ice with a few forceful bumps to the door handle using the bottom of your fist.
• To proactively prevent ice buildup, apply WD-40 to the door handle pivot pins if you are expecting freezing rain, heavy snow, or icy conditions. Reapply as needed.
Windows
• On the mobile app, navigate to Climate > Defrost as mentioned previously. Your vehicle heats the driver and passenger windows to melt ice that could prevent windows from moving.
• Model 3 automatically makes a slight adjustment to the position of the windows to make it easier to open doors in cold temperature.
• Use the mobile app to schedule a service appointment for Tesla to provide hydrophobic coating to your windows for a nominal fee.
Mirrors
If ice buildup is expected when parking, turn off Auto- Fold Mirrors. Touch Controls > Mirrors > Auto-Fold. Ice can prevent exterior side mirrors from folding or unfolding.
NOTE: Side mirrors automatically heat as needed during preconditioning, or when the rear defroster is turned on.
Wipers
If you expect snow or ice to build up when parked, touch Controls > Service > Wiper Service Mode > ON. This raises wipers against the windshield so they can defrost when the windshield defrosts.
Winter Tires and Tire Chains
• Use winter tires to increase traction in snowy or icy conditions.
• Tire chains provide additional traction when driving in snowy or icy conditions. Check local regulations to determine if tire chains are recommended or required during winter months.
While Driving
Cold weather can increase energy consumption because more power is required for driving, cabin and Battery heating. Follow these suggestions to reduce energy consumption:
• Use seat heaters to keep warm. Seat heaters use less energy than the cabin heater. Lowering the cabin temperature and using seat heaters reduces energy consumption.
• Slow down your driving and avoid frequent and rapid acceleration.
Regenerative Braking
Regenerative braking can be limited if the Battery is too cold. As you continue to drive, the Battery warms up and regenerative power increases.
NOTE: Limited regenerative braking can be avoided if you allow enough time to precondition your vehicle or if you use use Schedule to precondition Model 3 before your departure time.
NOTE: Installing winter tires can result in temporarily reduced regenerative braking power but after a short period of driving, Model 3 recalibrates to correct this.
Blue Snowflake Icon
A blue snowflake icon appears on your touchscreen when some of the stored energy in the Battery is unavailable because the Battery is cold. This portion of unavailable energy displays in blue on the Battery meter. Regenerative braking, acceleration, and charging rates may be limited. The snowflake icon no longer displays when the Battery is sufficiently warmed.
Warming the Battery Before Supercharging
By using Trip Planner to navigate to a Supercharger, Model 3 pre-heats the Battery to ensure when you arrive at the Supercharger, the Battery temperature is optimal and ready to charge. This reduces the amount of time it takes to charge.
NOTE: Tesla recommends using Trip Planner to navigate to a Supercharger for at least 30-45 minutes before arrival to ensure optimal Battery temperature and charging conditions. If the drive to the Supercharger is less than 30-45 minutes, consider preconditioning the Battery prior to driving.
Autopilot
To ensure optimal Autopilot performance, keep the sensors and radar (if equipped) free of snow, ice, mud, and dirt.
After Driving
Leave Model 3 plugged in when not in use. This uses the charging system, rather than the Battery itself, to keep the Battery warm.
Scheduled Departure
When parked, plug in Model 3 and use the Schedule settings, available on both the charging and climate control screens, to set a time when you want to precondition Model 3. Your vehicle determines the appropriate time to begin charging so that charging is complete during off-peak hours and the cabin and Battery are warm by your set departure time.
Charge Port
• If your charge port latch freezes in place and a charging cable becomes stuck in the charge port, try manually releasing the charge cable.
• Use the mobile app to precondition your vehicle on HI to help thaw ice on the charge port latch so that the charge cable can be removed or inserted.
NOTE: You can also prevent the occurrence of a charge port latch freezing in place by using the Schedule settings, available on both the charging and climate control screens, to set a departure time and precondition Model 3 before that time.
NOTE: If your charge port latch is frozen in place, it may not lock the charging cable in place when inserted, but it can still charge at a slow AC rate even if the latch is not engaged.
Storage
If you leave Model 3 parked for an extended period of time, plug it into a charger to prevent normal range loss and to keep the Battery at an optimal temperature. Your vehicle is safe to stay plugged in for any length of time.
When not in use, Model 3 enters a sleep mode to conserve energy. Reduce the number of times you check your vehicle’s status on the mobile app, as this automatically wakes up your vehicle and starts normal energy consumption.
Removing Ice From Door Handle
In severe winter conditions, ice buildup within the door handle can prevent the door handle from opening. The process for freeing a Model 3 door handle is slightly different than other door handles; you can usually remove the ice with a few forceful bumps to the door handle using the bottom of your fist.
CAUTION: Remove any jewelry or objects that can damage the paint prior to performing the procedure, and do not attempt to use tools or excessive force.
NOTE: Preemptively applying WD-40 to the door handle pivot pins can help prevent ice buildup inside your door handle.
Perform the following to remove ice from the door handle:
- Forcefully press the rear-most part of the door handle to initially try to open the door handle and release light or moderate ice buildup.
- Working in a circular pattern around the perimeter of the door handle, use the bottom of your fist to forcefully bump the door handle to break and release the ice buildup.
- Aiming for the rearmost end of the wide part of the door handle, use the bottom of your fist to forcefully bump the door handle. Increase the intensity of the bumps as necessary, repeating steps 1 and 2 until the ice is removed and the door handle can be opened.
- Once the door handle is able to move, open and close it a few more times to release any remaining ice buildup. Make sure the door handle is fully pressed in (retracted) prior to entering the vehicle, and check that the door is fully closed before driving away.
CAUTION: Never bump the vehicle so hard as to cause a dent; the force used should be similar to knocking on your neighbor’s front door.
Applying WD-40 to Door Handle Pivot Pins
In severe winter conditions, applying WD-40 to door handle pivot pins can help prevent ice buildup that might immobilize the handle. Consider applying WD-40 to the door handle pivot pins if you are expecting freezing rain, heavy snow, or icy conditions. Reapply as needed.
CAUTION: Read and observe the instructions and warnings provided by WD-40 prior to performing this procedure.
To apply WD-40 to the door handle pivot pin:
- Open the door handle and prop it open using a folded towel or other soft material.
- Attach the provided straw to the nozzle of the WD-40 bottle.
- Put on eye protection.
- Place the end of the straw next to the pivot pin and spray it for approximately one second, taking care not to accidentally spray other components.
NOTE: Rest the end of the straw on the top of the spring around the pivot pin to better aim the spray.
WARNING: Make sure eye protection is worn when performing this step. - Remove the towel or other soft material used to prop the door handle open.
- Pivot the door handle in and out approximately ten times.
- For a second time, place the end of the straw next to the pivot pin and spray it for approximately one second, taking care not to accidentally spray other components.
NOTE: Rest the end of the straw on the top of the spring around the pivot pin to better aim the spray. - Remove the towel or other soft material used to prop the door handle open.
- Pivot the door handle in and out approximately ten times.
- Perform this procedure on the other three door handles.