For the most part, door handles on cars have been perfected. You pull on them, and they open the door. Simple enough. It’s a great example of, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
It seems most car companies making an EV didn’t get that memo – and the most egregious offender is Tesla.
Flush mounted door handles are all well and good, they help with the aerodynamics of a car – and an aerodynamic car is the name of the game when making EVs. But, it leaves a very curious issue. What happens when your car is frozen or crud gets stuck behind the door handle? Now you have no leverage to open it. What do you do?
The Tesla Model 3 and Model Y have manually opening flush-mounted door handles, unlike the Model S and Model X. Those cars have power door handles that are supposed to push through any obstruction.
Some Tesla owners really want papa Elon Musk to do something about the issue.
While an app or electrically powered door handle poppers would be the high-tech solution, Tesla came up with a more – let’s say – simplistic approach that is in the Model 3 manual.
Basically, you have to whack the son of a bitch.
However, you need to make sure you don’t hit it too hard. According to the Tesla Model 3 manual, the company suggests using a similar force to “knocking on your neighbor’s front door” to avoid denting your frozen Tesla.
This is probably the closest example you’ll find to what Tesla recommends.
However, some drivers showed off their more brutish techniques. This one is called the “caveman approach.”
Other Model 3 and Model Y owners also showed off how they get their door handles unstuck. This one definitely gets points for creativity.
Say you’re a Tesla owner who doesn’t want to deal with any of this. There’s good news for you! You can now purchase a stick on door handle from Amazon that will make all of your frozen handle problems better.
A package of four of these bad boys will set you back a little over $45. It’s a small price to pay to be able to get into your car. Yeah it might look stupid and will probably rip off eventually (and easily), but hey, your Tesla is getting traded in just a few years, anyway.
So, if you ever see a Tesla drive by and feel less than, remember the owner had to stand out in the cold and wrestle with his door.