[theBravo]

I live in the desert of Southern California. It’s now reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit. After eating lunch with my wife she went to open the door, yelped, flinched, and looked at me in anger (I bought the car, so the event was my fault). The chrome J-Handle baking in the desert sun was super hot. Had to use my shirt to open the door.

Even the inside of the handle that hides in the door was super hot. Might need to invest in Summer handle sleeves to prevent getting the look again. Anyone else experience similar issues? Ideas on how to keep handles aerodynamic and cool? I’m all ears.

Minus that. I love my car. It’s awesome.

 

[KarenRei]

Well, you could have them wrapped, would be one obvious solution. But even clearcoat PU would probably do the trick, slowing thermal conduction into your fingers.

 

[PatrickM]

To be fair, I've had non-Tesla chrome door handles scorch me after a day in the hot sun. It's not a unique Model 3 problem. I used to just use my shirt to cover my hand. But maybe Karen's suggestion of covering it with something would be better.

 

[KarenRei]

It's one problem I'm never going to have. Warm door handles would be quite welcome here, even in the summer

 

[MelindaV]

and since the handles are an actuator button, really you just need to push the button to pop the door then pull the door open (by the metal or glass edge). So no need for full contact with the handle if it is that hot.

 

[SoFlaModel3]

Interesting as this was a big worry of mine going into the car. My car bakes in the Florida sun all day and I have yet to experience feeling like the handle was hot to the touch.

 

[Guest]

Handle is heated indirectly by convection from door panel. AFAIK it is highly reflective surface,
therefore almost no solar radiation is absorbed.

What is the color of your vehicle?

 

[SoFlaModel3]

Interesting as this was a big worry of mine going into the car. My car bakes in the Florida sun all day and I have yet to experience feeling like the handle was hot to the touch.

And yet suddenly I have to take this back. I am still yet to experience a scorching handle and yet my wife somehow said hers was scorching hot yesterday. Have I lost feeing in my hands?

 

[Life0fstacy]

We made our first trip to lake Havasu. Ummmmm the door handles are so hot we need an oven glove to open the damn things! Is there a coating or anything to put on them?! They are sooooo hot!!! Thanks!!

 

[JasonF]

It’s been over 100 for the past 2 weeks here at work, and I don’t remember the door handles being really hot when I go to pick up lunch or leave for the day. Then I thought about why - I usually pre-cool the car 15 to 30 min before I go. Maybe the internal cooling works its way to the handles and cools them off a bit.

 

[Life0fstacy]

It's been over 100 for the past 2 weeks here at work, and I don't remember the door handles being really hot when I go to pick up lunch or leave for the day. Then I thought about why - I usually pre-cool the car 15 to 30 min before I go. Maybe the internal cooling works its way to the handles and cools them off a bit.

Ok we will try that tomorrow and see how that works! Does that use a lot of battery?!

 

[Jay79]

Wrap em like this

 

[Life0fstacy]

Wrap em like this

How? LoL. Cars may be the only reason I need a man...🤣🤣🤣 What is that? Where do I take it? Sometimes is independent chicks need some guidance. Lmao!

 

[JasonF]

Ok we will try that tomorrow and see how that works! Does that use a lot of battery?!

Not enough that I feel like I have to worry about it. On a 100 degree day, I typically drive 12 miles each way to work and back, plus another 5 miles each way to pick up lunch. During the lunch pickup I keep climate on, and during the day cabin overheat protection runs a few times. Even with all of that I have 255 to 265 miles left when I get home (from 284 at 90% charge).

One of those days, I had to run home in the middle of the day to meet a delivery and go back to work - 2 round trips, plus I left climate on during the delivery - and I still had 235 miles left at the end of the day.

 

[Life0fstacy]

Not enough that I feel like I have to worry about it. On a 100 degree day, I typically drive 12 miles each way to work and back, plus another 5 miles each way to pick up lunch. During the lunch pickup I keep climate on, and during the day cabin overheat protection runs a few times. Even with all of that I have 255 to 265 miles left when I get home (from 284 at 90% charge).

One of those days, I had to run home in the middle of the day to meet a delivery and go back to work - 2 round trips, plus I left climate on during the delivery - and I still had 235 miles left at the end of the day.

And how would one turn climate on. Today is really the first day we drove it. Thanks for answering all my questions and your patience everyone!

 

[Jay79]

How? LoL. Cars may be the only reason I need a man...🤣🤣🤣 What is that? Where do I take it? Sometimes is independent chicks need some guidance. Lmao!

Its vinyl wrap. You can buy them on Abstract Ocean and lay them over the top. Looks cool and no more burned digits. You can also do what I did and have a shop do a chrome delete for you while you eat pizza and watch 😁

 

[Life0fstacy]

Not enough that I feel like I have to worry about it. On a 100 degree day, I typically drive 12 miles each way to work and back, plus another 5 miles each way to pick up lunch. During the lunch pickup I keep climate on, and during the day cabin overheat protection runs a few times. Even with all of that I have 255 to 265 miles left when I get home (from 284 at 90% charge).

One of those days, I had to run home in the middle of the day to meet a delivery and go back to work - 2 round trips, plus I left climate on during the delivery - and I still had 235 miles left at the end of the day.

Figured out climate. What temp do you leave it at?

 

[Frully]

Cabin overheat automatically tops the cabin temperature around 40C/105F iirc. The only thing you choose is whether or not to use A/C or fan only.

As for climate, set it to comfortable.

My understanding is the defrost setting actually pushes cabin air out of the door handles to thaw them in extreme cold, but I could be totally mistaken there.

 

[JasonF]

Figured out climate. What temp do you leave it at?

Usually pre-cool to 70 or 71, or if it's hot in the building at work (the A/C in there isn't very good) I set it to 69 so it's really cool in the car when I get there.

 

[SalisburySam]

Wrap em like this

Don't the black handles get even hotter than chrome in the sun? Beautiful car, by the way.