Tesla Model 3: Cold Weather Best Practices

Before Driving

The following best practices can help ensure that you have the best ownership experience possible in harsh cold weather conditions.

Before Driving

Warm the cabin and Battery ahead of departure for maximum range and performance. There are several ways to precondition your vehicle:

• Mobile app preconditioning: On the mobile app, navigate to Climate > Turn On and customize the temperature at which you want to heat the cabin, which also warms the Battery as nee
• Mobile app defrost: On the mobile app, navigate to Climate > Defrost to melt snow, ice, and frost on the windshields, driver and passenger windows, mirrors, and charge port. The Battery will also warm as needed.

Note: Tesla recommends activating the climate settings at least 30-45 minutes before departu. Preconditioning times depend on outside temperature and other factors.

• Scheduled Departure: Use to preset a time at which you want your vehicle to be ready to drive

When snow and ice accumulate on your vehicle, moving parts, such as the door handles, windows, mirrors, and wipers can freeze in place.

Door Handles

• If the door handles are frozen in place, you can usually remove the 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 help melt any ice that would prevent the windows from moving.
• Model 3 automatically adjusts the window positioning slightly to make it easier to open the doors when ambient temperatures are cold.
• Use the mobile app to schedule a service appointment where Tesla can provide hydrophobic coating to your windows for a nominal fee.

Mirrors

If ice buildup is expected when parking, turn off Auto-Fold Mirrors by navigating to Controls > Mirrors > Auto-Fold > ON. Ice can prevent exterior side mirrors from folding or unfolding.

Note: If equipped with heated side mirrors, they automatically heat as needed during preconditioning or if the rear defroster is activated.

Wipers

If snow or ice buildup is expected when parking, navigate to Controls > Service > Wiper Service Mode > ON. This raises your wipers so they are against the windshield and they can defrost while 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 your local regulations to see 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:

• Using the seat heaters to keep warm is more efficient than using climate controls.

  Lowering the cabin temperature and using seat heaters will reduce energy consumption

• Slow down your driving and avoid frequent and rapid acceleration.

Regenerative Braking

Regenerative braking may 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 use scheduled departure before your drive, as mentioned previously.

Note: Installing winter tires may result in temporarily reduced regenerative braking power but Model 3 will recalibrate itself to correct this after a short period of driving.

Blue Snowflake Icon

A blue snowflake icon appears on
your touchscreen when some of the stored energy in the Battery may not be available due to cold Battery temperature. 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

If you are using Trip Planner and navigate to a Supercharger station, your vehicle will allocate energy to pre-heat the Battery in cold weather. This ensures you arrive at the Supercharger with an optimal Battery temperature, reducing the amount of time it takes to charge.

Autopilot

To ensure optimal Autopilot performance, keep the sensors and radar 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 your Battery warm

Scheduled Departure

When parked, plug in Model 3 and set a time at which you want your vehicle to be ready to drive. Your vehicle determines the appropriate time to begin charging so that charging is complete 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: If your charge port latch is frozen in place, it may not lock the charging cable in place when inserted, but it is still able to AC charge at a slower 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 maintain the Battery at an optimal temperature. Your vehicle is safe to say plugged in for any length of time.

When not in use, Model 3 automatically enters a sleep mode to conserve range and 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.

Note: See Wipers  and Mirrors on page 80 for more information on preventing ice buildup when parking your vehicle.

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

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.

4. 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.

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.

1. To apply WD-40 to the door handle pivot pin:
2. Open the door handle and prop it open using a folded towel or other soft material.
3. Attach the provided straw to the nozzle of the WD-40 bottle.
4. Put on eye protection.
5. 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.

5. Remove the towel or other soft material used to prop the door handle open.
6. Pivot the door handle in and out approximately ten times.
7. 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.

8. Remove the towel or other soft material used to prop the door handle open.
9. Pivot the door handle in and out approximately ten times.
10. Perform this procedure on the other three door handles.