Tesla releases app update with solution for frozen door handles

Tesla has released a new mobile app update that includes a solution if your car has frozen door handles.

During Model 3’s first winter, we reported on the electric car having some issues in cold weather, and Tesla said it was investigating the situation.

Several owners in cold weather regions were experiencing difficulties entering their vehicles because the door handles wouldn’t open, the windows would jam, and even the charge port would freeze shut.

A week later, Tesla released a software update to help with some of those issues.

Later, it also released a new software update to use the climate control to help thaw the charge port when it gets frozen.

The new door handle design that Tesla used on Model 3 and Model Y had a tendency to freeze shut at times, like in this video:

Now Tesla has released a new version of its mobile app (Version 4.14.0) in conjunction with a new vehicle software update (2022.36+) that helps with this issue in case of emergency.

Here are the release notes:

Lock Screen widget to display vehicle battery range.
Quick control to unlatch Model 3 or Model Y driver door, helpful if door handle is frozen (*)
*Vehicle software version 2022.36+ required

The app now enables Tesla drivers to directly unlatch the driver’s door remotely, and as Tesla notes in the release notes, it is “helpful if the door handle is frozen.”

Now Tesla drivers were previously able to lock and unlock doors through the app, but the door would still only unlatch once activated physically.

This new update apparently directly unlatches the doors through the app, which removes the need for the handle altogether.

However, as you can see in the video above, the door handle is not the only failure point of the door when it is extremely cold. Since Tesla uses a frameless window design in its doors, the window also needs to come down a little to get past the trim before opening the door. It is supposed to happen automatically when using the door handles, but it can also be frozen.

While the app may unlatch the door, you’d need to force it past the trim if the window is frozen.

Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.