FYI: information regarding the heat pump issues some are facing in extreme cold. From Saskatchewan Tesla Owners club: @elonmusk
Just got some really encouraging news, and context re. Climate system from our amazing tech at Tesla Saskatoon, as we dropped off our 2022 Model 3 this AM. I wanted to share to help others:
Tesla is taking this cold weather climate problem very seriously - they’re very worried about the safety of drivers and have definitely prioritized this issue. The tech is on a group chat with engineers in
Fremont and Alaska, and has been working directly with them over the past few weeks to figure this out. They’re all working together, and when necessary some parts from cars, including Mark Kroeker’s, are being overnight shipped to California for them to figure out what going on.
I also am encouraged to hear why a software update is going to make a really big impact immediately for all Y/3 owners (and the update is in progress now, ETA unknown but asap):
1) The heat pump system actually has the ability to work really well, even in temps colder than -30C, because there are two loops that use compression and expansion of the refrigerant (going from liquid to gas to liquid) and those loops can produce heat, even in the extreme cold.
The Alaska team has been testing this in super cold, and it does work well. So fundamentally the heat pump can and will work in our climates.
2) One of the observed causes of a climate failure that has been diagnosed is the front air intake flap freezing open, and blasting cold air into the system when driving on the highway, which is preventing the heat pump system ability to work correctly.
The cold air passes by a sensor, and tells the climate system it’s failing, and then you get the famous error, and the compressor just stops. One of the things they're potentially going to do with software as a quick win is allow the compressor/system to keep working, even if the
flap is not functioning properly. And of course they’re trying to figure out how to prevent this in the first place.
@Model3Owners This is how basic frost protection works. Air intakes are prone to freeze in low temperature enviroments, so shutdown is either done to protect equipment or avoid cold air entering the car. Could potentially be prevented by equipping the flap/intake with electric heating cables
@Model3Owners Hope, it will not cause other issues. Good thread. 🙏
@Model3Owners Why not just write code to close the flap BEFORE it gets stuck open by ice?
@Model3Owners This doesn’t sound right as the fault is persistent, even if the car is heated overnight in a garage the heating is still dead.