Folding Wing mirrors in winter

In the wing mirrors (side-view mirrors) there is a small filt/cloth inside which is suppose to ensure the mirrors to slide easier when they turn. This is more important in California and dryer climate where there is more dust and sand in the air. In Norway where we have more humidity and cold weather, the cloth will swell and hinder the side-view mirror to rotate when you park the car or fold out when you start. Solutions: Either ask Tesla to remove the cloth/filt or disable the auto-folding of the side-view mirrors DURING WINTER. I removed the cloth today at the 20 000 km service :)

Tesla X, temperature and chipped windshield

Early spring this year, I went up to my cabin. The snow was gone, but it was still cold in the mountains. I knew I had a chip in my windshield, but didn’t think more of it. Sunday morning, before leaving, I decided to preheat my Tesla X. To my surprise when I entered my TX, the windshield had a crack cross the whole window, starting from the well known chip. Learnings: In Norway when the temperature is below 0 degrees, do NOT heat up your Tesla X if you have a chip/crack in your windshield. Due to temperature differences outside and inside the Tesla, the tension in the big Tesla X windshield cannot withhold the weakness in the chip/crack and it will develop easily. Normally this apply to all windshields on other cars as well, but the huge windshield on the Tesla X is more fragile to this. So, careful to heat your Tesla X in minus Celsius degrees. Check your windshield beforehand!!!

50 km trip with Tesla X

Short: Driving over the mountain from Oslo to Bergen. Started with 400 km on the battery. Recharged fully in Gol. That was enough to reach Bergen. After reaching highest point in the mountains, rest of the trip was done in “downhill”. Low battery consumption :) 500 km, no problem with Tesla X 90D :)

Tesla customer service

Tesla has received a lot of criticism for hardware defects and software errors. Since Tesla is a car with quite new technology and Tesla company, as a car producer on a global level, has just started, it's not surprisingly that the first models need improvements. All car companies have problems with new models. Remember Audi when they first introduced Q7.

Now I want focus on the Tesla service people. The first in line service crew. Customer reception and service advisors. They send frequent emails to remind us about the appointment. They meet us when we deliver our car, and they smile, are polite and patient, even though we can be annoyed because we shouldn't be there with a brand new car, with a price tag of over $100.000.

From the Facebook TMX Norway group, the Tesla X owners tell the same positive experience they've had with service people from Tesla service stations in Norway. My personal experience is with the Tesla Skøyen in Oslo. A pleasant experience from when I drive my TMX in, until I drive out again. 

Tesla service stations know about the problems. They are here to fix it, and from my experience with Tesla Skøyen, they strive to help the customer. Please give some GOOD feedback to your Tesla service station !! They earned it !! (at least in Norway) :)

Seasucker - Skirack

Autopilot

Electric Vehicles Share

The EV share in Europe now (December 2016) is 1.3%. In Norway it is 29%. In Oslo Electric Vehicles are very common. Next country after Norway is Iceland with a EV share in their country of 6.3% and Netherlands with 6%.

Read more: EV Statistics

WinterWonderLand Norway

Snow finally in the mountains in Norway :)

Wiper problems

In Norway, during winter, several Tesla (S & X) owners have problems with windshield wipers. Due to cold weather, the fluid from the wipers do not get down to the lower side of the windshield. Either because the nozzles in the wipers get blocked (freeze) and too little fluid get out or the fluid itself gets too viscous and the distance from the nozzles in the middle of the wiper to the bottom of the windshield is too far, before the wiper (on the driver side) wipe the fluid away.

Many Tesla owners in Norway have asked Tesla  Norway about a solution, and rumors are that a solution is on its way. Next winter, this will hopefully not be a problem :)

Tesla Trays - Handmade

Are you bothered by things falling down from the open shelf in your Tesla? I was sick of things falling out of the open shelf each time our Tesla accelerated. I just had to fix this and the Tesla-tray was the result. Perfect for sunglasses, keys and other small items. The trays fit both Model S and X and will stick in place even in Ludicrous mode :) Prices in Norwegian Krone.

Order here: Tesla Tray

New Autopilot software

Tesla Motors Inc. began rolling out software updates to customers with newer cars, bringing them to parity with owners who have what's known as "Autopilot 1" and setting the stage to ultimately unleash full self-driving capability. "HW2" Autopilot software uploading to 1,000 cars this eve. Will then hold to verify no field issues and upload to rest of fleet next week," Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said in a Twitter post on Saturday.

Read more: BLOOMBERG

Model X reacts before crash

Dutch Model X owner Frank van Hoesel has a dashcam footage showing his electric crossover reacting to a bad highway crash before it even starts.
Link, see video in Engage webpage:

Model X see crash

18 moving parts

In E24.no today about what occupations we should expect to disappear in the future. This one about electric cars (Tesla):

Repairs and service accounts for a large share of jobs in the automotive industry. However, if the electrical cars take over, it should set alarm bells ringing. A normal engine has thousands of parts that become worn and damaged. A Tesla motor has only 18 moving parts, according to Credit Suisse - and electric motors have in principle no service at all.

Remember your Tesla windows

Protect against freezing your windows to the rubber lists. Specifically important for the Tesla front doors. When you open the front doors the windows go down. If frozen to the rubber list, the window could damage the seal and the flexing of the glass could damage the glass itself. I have not been good at this, but will do this myself asap. The silicon keep the rubber lists soft and prevent them for getting dry and hard. Recommend to use it regularly during winter time. Also remember to use it before you wash your Tesla. Turtle Wax List-Fix would be the simple solution. Just using Turtle wax as an example here. This is not a product placement!!

Testing in deep snow

From the Facebook group: "Divides the power between the wheels. Using highest suspension - Very high. The snow was loose. 30 cm (12 inch) deep. No problem driving a TMX in these conditions in Norway :)

Tablet mount - Seasucker

Here is one nice solution for tablet mount in your Tesla Model X. Tablets like iPad or Galaxy. You can use the back surface of  the front seats or the window above the second row. An excellent solution, can be purchased at Amazon :

Seasucker Naked Flex

Winter Mats from Evannex

Finally got the Winter mats for my TMX. Ordered a Demo set for a 7-seater from Evannex. They do not normally ship outside US, but this was a demo set, so they could sell it to me. Nice fit inside the car. Now the snow can come to Oslo :)

Side3 review of the TMX

Review in Norwegian. Review of the P90D, but generally for the TMX. Summary at the end, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly :)

SIDE3 - TMX REVIEW

Paint Treatment for your TMX

Pitstop Bilpleie at Rud is just a few Falcon wing doors away from Tesla at Rud :) They know Tesla, and have treated many TMS and TMX and Roadsters. I have had problems to remove all dirt and asphalt spots / road tar from the pearl white paint on my Tesla X. Enough is enough. Pitstop Bilpleie have now a new product from Ditec called Ditec Ceramic Ultra. 9 years warranty. No yearly after-treatments needed. Now cleaning my Tesla will be a whole new deal :) Keeping my X nice and shiny. Worth every krone !!!

Norwegian Ditec info at Pitstop Bilpleie:

Pitstop: Ditec Ceramic Ultra

English Ditec info:

Ditec Ceramic Ultra

Summon - tight space

Parking in my Carport, I have two roof poles which I park between. These poles are quite close to the car. So when using the Summon to get the car out of the carport, the TMX refuse to respond. It see the poles as obstacles. This is happening due to default settings for the Summon. To make your Tesla to be able to respond in tight spaces, you must open Settings and find the Autopark section. Choose "Customize", and in stead of "Standard" in Side Clearance, choose "Tight". Now the TMX will be summoned in tight spaces :)