Preparing your Tesla for Winter Driving:
15 Hot Tips for the Cold Weather

You may not be thinking about snow and ice while you’re blasting down a hot desert highway at ludicrous speed, but… as our friends from the north remind us, winter is coming. 

Teslas are among the safest vehicles on the planet – even during winter. Prepare your Tesla for cold weather: (i) Precondition to minimize decreased regenerative braking and range (ii) know how to open frozen door handles/charging ports (iii) keep cameras and sensors clear (iv) install winter tires and floor mats. 

Winter is Coming: Preparing your Tesla for Winter

Does the thought of winter have you thinking about a move to the tropics or switching out your Tesla for a traditional combustible engine vehicle for the cold season? 

We’ve thought about it too! But we love our Teslas year-round and, with a little preparation, our winter EV driving has been relatively stress-free. In fact, every person on the EVehiclePro team is a real Tesla driver and has driven in the worst winter conditions across North America. So we know how to keep you and your Tesla safe, efficient and free of frustrations. 

The EVehiclePro team has your back! We tell you what to expect with your Tesla, and how to prepare for a safe and efficient driving experience in the depths of winter. 

The EVehiclePro team are real Tesla drivers who have driven in the worst winter conditions.

Do Teslas Have Problems in the Winter?

We’ve driven our Teslas during some pretty harsh winters, and wouldn’t say there are “problems” – but you will definitely need to prepare for these possibilities: 

• Reduced range
• Decreased regenerative braking
• Potential for frozen door handles, side mirrors and charging port 
• Reduced visibility from ice or snow on windshield
• Reduced quality of Dashcam/Sentry Mode videos from obscured cameras and sensors
• Potential for water and salt damage to the interior floors 
• Potential for debris and clothing stains on white seats 
• Need for winter tires to get a grip on snowy roads

Whether your Tesla has seen many winters, or has only travelled on clear and sunny roads, keep this Tesla Winter Preparation Guide handy so you don’t white knuckle your way through winter.

How to Prepare your Tesla for Winter

1. Protect your Floor with High Precision Floor Mats

Protect your floor from salt, snow and debris with high quality floor mats.

We recommend these sleek, high precision 3D laser-cut floor liners that are designed to fit perfectly in Tesla vehicles. The raised walls and non-skid bottom seamlessly keep debris on the mat and off your carpet. Unlike many other rubber mats, these mats are odourless and non-toxic. These floor mats are also super easy to clean – just wipe or rinse off with water.

2. Keep Tesla Seats Clean with Castile Soap Spray

Tesla’s snow white vegan leather seats are stunning! Keep them that way by removing winter’s damaging salt, sand, slush and dirt.

Wipe seats with Castile soap and water once or twice a month, or as needed.

Pro Tips: 

• Remove dirt, small stones, salt and debris first with a soft dry brush to prevent scratching the seats.
• Keep a spray bottle of Castile soap and water in the car. This one has a sleek design and fits perfectly in the glovebox. Note that Castile turns cloudy in cold temperatures, but this doesn’t affect its performance.
• Keep alcohol-free baby wipes on hand for quick clean-ups. (One of our partners reminded us of a recent Tesla date night where a glass of red wine was enjoyed – and spilled – watching the sunset!)

3. Avoid Wearing Dark Blue Jeans

When indigo dyed fabrics like blue jeans are damp (by snow, slush or perspiration), it is possible for color to transfer onto vegan white seats. Keep a clean white towel in your car to sit on and clean any color transfer with Castile soap and water immediately.

Read our other white seat cleaning tips here.

4. Soft Telescopic Snow Brush

Use a soft brush to clear snow from the exterior, that will not damage your vehicle’s paint. Our Model Y owners insist on a long handled brush that can reach across the whole windshield and roof. 

5. Get a Grip with Winter Tires

The grip between a tire and a snowy road surface can make the difference between a safe stop and a dangerous slide. In addition to the car’s velocity and the condition of your brakes, it’s tire friction that determines stopping distance – so choose the right winter tires for your Tesla.

6. Keep a Tire Repair Kit in your Vehicle

We recommend keeping a tire repair kit in your vehicle year round, in the rare event of a flat tire. During freezing temperatures though, you’ll be extra glad you prepared with this kit. 

Pro Tip:

Tire pressure drops in cold weather. Don’t worry – your Tesla will alert you to changes in tire pressure with a message on your touchscreen.

7. Replace Windshield Wipers

Keep your vision clear. Salt, slush, snow, ice and shorter daylight hours make it harder to see.

Replace windshield wiper blades at least once a year at the start of winter.

Pro Tip:

Do you live in an area with lots of rain or snow? Frequently used blades may need to be replaced every 6 months. 

8. Prevent Wiper Blades from Freezing to the Windshield

Prevent blades from sticking to your windshield by repositioning wipers when parked outdoors. If the weather calls for snow or ice weather, place your wipers in Service Mode. In all models:

– Tap Controls > Service > Wiper Service Mode > On

9. Top Up Winter Washer Fluid 

Replace your all-season windshield washer fluid with a winter formula to resist freezing. Keep your reservoir filled and check levels monthly, as de-icing fluids can evaporate more quickly. 

Some drivers prefer to use Rain-X, which has water-beading technology to minimize streaking and keep windshields cleaner for a longer time. Check before using this type of washer fluid product on tinted windows.

10. Prevent Frozen Handles, Mirrors and Charging Port

How to Prevent Frozen Door Handles

Ice buildup can cause Tesla door handles to freeze, making it a challenge to enter your vehicle. Prevent this by lubricating door handle pivot pins to prevent ice buildup.

• Prop open the handle and apply WD-40 to the pivot pins
• Pivot the door handle in and out approximately 10 times
• Repeat the process.

How to Open Frozen Door Handles

If you didn’t lubricate door handle pivot pins at the start of the season and now are faced with frozen handles, don’t panic. Tesla gives us a simple solution. 

For vehicles with black handles, Tesla recommends this:

• Press the large (rear-most) part of the handle to try and loosen the handle. If this doesn’t work, apply some force with your hand to the small part (forward-most) of the handle.
• If this still doesn’t work, remove all jewelry or objects from your hand that could potentially scratch or dent the car and use your fist to pound the area around the handle in a circular manner. End with a few forceful bumps to the large (rear-most) section of the handle. 
• Once the handle moves, open and close it a few times to release remaining ice particles. Fully press in the handle and ensure the door is securely closed before driving. 

Full video of how to open your frozen door handles can be found here:

Frozen Mirrors

Use the Defrost Car function on your Tesla app to help melt ice from side mirrors. 

Turn off Side Mirror Auto-Fold

Prevent accidental damage to your mirrors by deactivating the Mirror Auto-Fold feature on your vehicle’s touchscreen:

To de-activate Mirror Auto-Fold in Models S and X:

-Tap Controls > Vehicle > Mirror Auto-Fold

To de-activate Mirror Auto-Fold in Models 3 and Y:

-Tap Controls (bottom left of the touchscreen)> Mirrors > Mirror Auto-Fold

Frozen Charge Port Latch

If your charge port becomes stuck due to freezing or icy conditions, select Defrost Car on the Tesla app to defrost and unstick the latch. 

Pro Tips:

A frozen charge port will still allow AC charging at lower rates with a blinking amber indicator.  

Some vehicles have a charge port inlet heater that is automatically activated when Rear Defrost is selected.

11. Keep Cameras and Sensors Clear for Safety

When cameras and sensors are obscured by snow, ice or debris, some features can be affected such as Autopilot, or Sentry Mode and Dashcam videos. It can also block views from mirrors and back up or lane assist cameras. 

• Use the Defrost Car feature on your mobile app to melt snow and ice from windows 
• Wipe cameras and mirrors clear of ice and snow with a soft cloth. We like to keep 2-3 of these cloths in the glovebox.  
• Manually open and close mirrors to break up ice and restore function

12. Precondition your Tesla

Preconditioning helps to conserve energy. Warming your vehicle before driving can also keep moving parts like mirrors, door handles, wiper blades and the charge port latch from becoming stuck from freezing rain, ice and snow.

Reduce winter anxiety with these tips:

1. Warm the cabin before driving. On the Tesla app, choose Climate to select the cabin temperature. This also warms the battery. 
2. Melt ice, snow and frost on mirrors, windshield and windows by using the Climate>Defrost Car feature on the mobile app. This also warms the battery. 
3. Use Scheduled Departure to precondition your vehicle 30-45 minutes before your scheduled drive. The app will notify owners once the car has reached the set preconditioning temperature.

13. Shift your Driving Habits

Conserve energy and help your vehicle’s range during the winter with a small shift in your driving and charging habits:

• Drive at moderate speeds
• Use Chill Mode or limit frequent and rapid acceleration and deceleration
• Keep the cabin temperature as low as comfortably possible. Choose seat heaters and heated steering wheel for added comfort
• Keep your Tesla plugged in when you’re not using it. This uses the charging system, rather than the battery, to retain heat.

Pro Tip:

Set one of your Trip Meters to zero and rename it to “Winter Driving” to keep track of your Wh/Mi and distance driven

14. Be Prepared with a Safety and Survival Kit

No one ever expects to be involved in an accident, or witness one. But that’s exactly why it’s imperative to carry a safety and survival kit. It’s even more important to carry one in the winter, where storms can cause lengthy delays and cold conditions can compromise a Tesla’s range, battery life and ability to keep you warm.

Your winter safety and survival kit should include:

A Source of Heat

Pack a blanket, candle (in a glass jar) and lighter/matches.

Pro Tip:

Stuck in a snow storm with low battery? Reduce the cabin temperature and use the seat heaters instead.

Roadside Safety Items

Keep a driver safety kit in your vehicle with flares, road signs and a collapsible shovel to dig out of snowbanks.

Pro Tips:

• Need a Tow? Contact Tesla Roadside Assistance first, through the app. If this isn’t possible, contact a tow company with a flat bed and experience with Teslas.
• If you need to exit your vehicle when pulled to the side on a busy road or highway, exit through the opposite door to the traffic. 

First Aid and Health 

Always carry a First Aid Kit. At the beginning of each winter season:

• check the condition of the supplies
• replace expired items
• review how to use first aid supplies 

Add these items to your first aid kit in case you are stranded in a winter storm:

• water 
• a bag of nuts or snack bar
• essential medications. If you or your regular passengers require essential medications (e.g. for diabetes, heart conditions, epilepsy, panic disorders), consider keeping 1-2 extra pills in your first aid kit. Weather delays are stressful enough without worrying about missing medications.  
• if children or pets travel with you frequently, consider extra food, water, snacks, diapers and other essential items

Keep Pets Safe and Warm with Dog Mode

If you have to leave your vehicle in the winter with a pet inside, use Dog Mode. Pets get cold too, and bitter temperatures can cause frostbite, changes in consciousness and even death. Use Dog Mode to keep your pet at a comfortable cabin temperature.

15. Keep your Phone Charged

Batteries drain more quickly in cold temperatures. Not only does winter weather affect your vehicle, but it also affects your phone, which is key to operating your vehicle and accessing the Tesla app. 

One of our drivers took her dog on a long winter hike and returned to the vehicle with a dead phone because the -20 degree temperatures had rapidly drained the battery. Fortunately she was able to borrow a phone to call her partner and have the car unlocked remotely.

Pro Tips:

• Keep your phone charged. Use your vehicle’s charging pad or an upgraded phone holder and charger. 
• Carry a rapid charger to boost your phone if the battery is low.
• Carry an alternate key such as the Tesla key card or ring.

FAQ

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