Tesla Model S Battery Heater Failure-A Complete Guide 2024

One of the most common problems with non-functioning heating systems is dirty air filters. Airflow can be obstructed if the air filter is extremely dirty. Check for clean air filters or vents and registers. Also make sure carpets and furniture are not blocking vents or registers. Depends on the outside temperature and how full the battery in the Tesla Model S was when it started. Car heaters consume approximately 1-2% of battery capacity each time the car is parked with the heater on. So, what is the Tesla Model S Battery Heater Failure

Tesla Model S battery heater failure can be caused by software glitches, corrosion, overuse, manufacturing defects, or electrical issues. It is recommended to have the car diagnosed and repaired at a certified Tesla service center. The battery heater is crucial in cold weather to optimize range and prevent damage to the battery.

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How Does this Affect the Range of a Tesla Model S in Cold Weather?

A new study finds that cold temperatures drain electric Car batteries and using a cabin Heater can temporarily reduce range by more than 40%.

The 2023 Tesla Model S car is packed with features designed to optimize the cold weather driving experience.

In cold weather, the car uses more energy to heat the battery and the interior of the car, but increased energy consumption is normal. 

Heating from 10 °C to 25 °C does little to extend battery range. However, it takes about 8.5 kWh to heat a Tesla Model S battery from 10 to 25 degrees Celsius. This equates to almost an hour of full charging on a single charger.

Tesla Model S Heater Failure are a defective Heater blower motor problem with a faulty Heater blower motor resistor.

The general manager also did not respond to a request for comment. In fact, Tesla itself has neglected to comment on this after asking about all of this. You can listen to more pertinent news to warn you.

Cold weather and cars don’t always go well. Domenick Nati found a rough road when she plugged in her Tesla Model S on Christmas Eve.

He says that in sub-zero temperatures, the car simply wouldn’t charge. After hours and days of being away from the car, the dashboard kept saying my Tesla battery was getting hot. Leave the charging cable plugged in. 

Causes of Tesla Model S Battery Heater Failure

I’ve seen more topics about the battery getting hotter and most people seem to want it to heat up the battery more and faster. Many people want this to be a separate setting in the app so they can manually heat the battery (for various reasons).

Model	Tesla model S
°C	10°C-25°C
kWh	8.5kWh

There have been several reported causes of Tesla Model S battery heater failure, including:

1. Software glitches: Some owners have reported that a software update caused their battery heater to malfunction.
2. Corrosion: The battery heater is located beneath the car, and exposure to moisture and salt on the roads can cause corrosion, leading to failure.
3. Overuse: In cold weather, the battery heater may run constantly, causing excessive wear and tear on the heating element and ultimately leading to failure.
4. Manufacturing defects: In some cases, faulty manufacturing may be to blame for battery heater failure.
5. Electrical issues: Any number of electrical issues, including faulty wiring or a malfunctioning control module, can cause the battery heater to fail.

If you are experiencing battery heater failure in your Tesla Model S, it is recommended that you take your car to a certified Tesla service center for diagnosis and repair.

Why is There Still Limited Regeneration After Preconditioning?

Because it wastes a lot of energy and doesn’t help the battery. Batteries perform very well in cold temperatures. Only in sub-zero temperatures does it begin to show limits for driving and charging.

So as long as the battery stays just above that temperature, there’s little benefit to keeping it warmer, but a big impact on power usage. You don’t get more battery life by heating the battery from 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) to 25 degrees C (77 degrees F).

But it will take about 8.5 kWh to heat the battery from 10 to 25 degrees Celsius. That’s almost an hour of full charge with one charger.

Since warm-up takes only 20-30 minutes and requires a good amount of power to heat the cabin, you’ll know how much power is left to heat up the battery. The battery heating element itself has a maximum capacity of 6 kW.

So even if it runs at full capacity for an hour, it won’t be able to heat up the battery to the point where it has a zero regenerative limit.

So Tesla put the bullet in their heating battery? ARE NOT! It’s not a design flaw, just a battery issue that doesn’t need to be warm enough to work.

You can drive well and limit the regen to only there at the start of the trip. Additional Heater without motor and inverter loss or inside the battery its self.

Here is an example

Assume the battery is at freezing point (0 C / 32 F) in the morning. You want to heat it up so that it is completely warm without limited reproduction (25 C / 77 F). It will take 14 kWh.

That’s the equivalent of 47 miles of energy. That’s more than most people’s daily commute! It will be wasted every morning, every day.

So Tesla decided to only heat up the battery to a level sufficient for driving with reasonable regenerative limits and save a lot of energy.

Using the inevitable losses in the powertrain to further heat up the battery as you drive is a much smarter and more efficient use of energy. Use these losses as free energy to heat up the battery.

Also, keep in mind that the cooler the battery, the longer it will last. As Elon once said, he hopes the battery will last “forever” in Alaska. 

Diagnostic Process for Battery Heater Failure

We know that there is definitely a battery Heater in the Tesla Model S. I believe it only turns on when the temperature of the battery drops below a level where charging would be harmful and you attempt to charge it.

I don’t think it’s just parked and plugged in. It may take a while before the battery cells cool down. Between getting home in the evening and charging at night, the battery may not have enough time to cool down.

There are no instances in my logs where the battery heater is reported to be on while the mains is connected to the car.

The only cases observed were those in which the vehicle was driven. I have 172 records in my database where the battery heater is on. All are while the vehicle is in motion (pin current is usually negative).

I have an unheated garage. While rare, in any given year you’ll find at least a few days with good temperatures (more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit) below freezing. If I don’t use the cabin pre heating system there are times when I ‘ll unplug it and facial reconstruction is disabled due to the heat. 

How to Fix Battery Heater Failure

Even if you charge it to 100%, full regeneration is likely much earlier than when the battery is hot enough to allow this to happen, especially if you have runtime mode enabled. Full regeneration happens somewhere above 90% of the SoC, which is rated for 25 miles of trip.

Heating the cabin and on-shore batteries is another form of pre-departure energy storage. As soon as the load cone started, I turned on the cabin heater to about 79˚ F with range mode off.

Usually I can drive for the first 15-30 minutes with the HVAC off. Limiting reproducibility occurs at 10˚C, 50˚F.

I have a heated garage that I maintain at 45-50˚F and I know it. I have seen the charging speed drop, even when charging at 24A/240V with the battery immersed in cold water.

That’s when the car was running 24 amps and the cabin heating was off. I can only assume this is because the battery heater is on. It was with an old firmware version, three years ago.

The best way to warm up the battery is to charge the last 10-20% just before departure with autonomy turned off. 

A	24A
V	240V
°F	40-50°C

Preventing Battery Heater Failure

Unfortunately, the “problem” can easily be solved by doubling the size of the cabin heater and quadrupling the size of the battery heater, which is neither large nor heavy.

How about the consumption of 32 kW (resistance) during regeneration to heat up the battery and the cabin? Reduced regeneration will be kept to a minimum with a pack that heats up quickly.

While you’re absolutely right that it’s generally not worth it, there are cases where it would be legitimately useful to preheat the battery further.

Tesla probably has a point in not providing this feature, but just so as not to complicate the controls too much for an unnecessary function.

Where it is needed is when undertaking a cruise at the limits of autonomy (perhaps on a slow public charge in the medium term) where one wants to leave with maximum energy on board even though it is not efficient. in terms of overall energy consumption.

There are some advantages when the range has a full reproducibility available near the start and the other is when the temperature is so cold that a battery warmer can be used during the trip and so you can get extra batteries in the first place. will need less heating later.

Definitely a rare requirement, but not entirely unnecessary. 

Winter Maintenance of Battery Heater for Model S

Cold temperatures can damage the batteries of electric cars, temporarily reducing their operating range by more than 40% when using internal heaters, according to a new study.

AAA’s study of five electric vehicles also found that high temperatures can shorten battery life, but not as much as cold weather. The beach is back to normal with a more comfortable temperature.

Many homeowners discovered the limits of the range last week as much of the country struggled with a polar vortex.

Owners of cars made by manufacturers like Tesla TSLA, +6.24%, the best-selling electric vehicle company in the US, have complained on social media about reduced range and broken door handles. freeze in cold weather.

At 20 degrees, the average range is reduced by 12% without using the car’s cabin heating. AAA says that when the heater is on, the range is reduced by 41%.

According to the study, at 95 degrees, the range is reduced by 4% when the air conditioner is not in use and 17% when the cabin is cooled.

For example, AAA testers determined that the Tesla’s range when fully charged at 75 degrees was 239 miles, but it dropped 91 miles, or 38 percent, at 20 degrees. In a statement, Tesla denied the AAA results. 

The company says that, based on data collected from its cars on the road, “the average Model S customer does not experience this reduction in range.

The company says the range drops about 1% at 95 degrees, but won’t release that percentage in cold weather. 

Lose Range	5% lose
Lose Miles	25-50 Miles lose
Heater kW	32kW

What You Need to Know About Heater Warranties

Let’s talk about a broken radiator (ptc heater) on a Model S. Usually this affects older Model S vehicles and often in winter (when using a radiator) after loud noises. In the cabin, owners may notice the cabin heater is missing.

The fix is ​​simple and will be covered by the warranty. If it’s winter and/or your monitor is foggy, have Tesla pick up your vehicle by calling Roadside; if that’s not possible, schedule a standard appointment using the app.

The use of rear cabin heaters (Model X) and seat/steering wheel heating can be used to minimize problems until the vehicle can be repaired if it is safe to drive.

When/if the screen is dimmed on the Model S, this is usually not necessary as it poses a major safety risk.

The Model S base vehicle limited warranty covers defects in workmanship or materials on anything Tesla manufactures or supplies itself.

They specify “under normal use”, which roughly means that if any part or material fails during a post-apocalyptic off-road run or when attempting to tow a tank towards after your Model S, it’s not Tesla’s fault that the air spring is dead or the differential is cracked. 

Do Tesla Batteries Have Heaters

Tesla vehicles have battery heaters and coolant. The battery pack is filled with a gel that keeps the battery temperature within a safe range.

This may result in lower consumption when the car is not in use. Unless you only have a few miles left on your battery, don’t worry. I live in Norway and it’s very cold here.

I usually have my car plugged in when it’s very cold, even if it’s not charging. I don’t have to, that’s what I do.

I left my car unplugged outside the airport in the winter for 3 weeks. Nothing happened and battery consumption was minimal.

Tesla cars are actually great winter cars. Jump in the car and it will warm you up in no time. Even the rear-wheel drive Tesla cars drive great in the snow. Dual motors make driving on snow and ice a dream. 

Conclusion

The most common reasons why a Tesla S heater won’t work is a damaged fan motor, a faulty thermostat, or a damaged heater motor resistor. Since some Tesla owners have complained about their cars not heating up in cold weather, the automaker has issued a recall and said it will fix the problem. 

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