Transport Canada Launches ‘Active Defect Investigation’ into Tesla Heat Pump Failures

Transport Canada on Friday announced an “active defect investigation” into “performance issues with the heating and cooling system on 2021-2022 Tesla Model 3 and Y vehicles in cold weather conditions,” according to a report from Tesla North.

Some owners of 2021-2022 model year Tesla Model 3 and Model Y electric vehicles (EVs) have been experiencing issues with the in-cabin climate control failing and the heat going out, especially in extremely cold climates.

The problem appears to do with the heat pump, which Tesla added to the HVAC system on newer Model 3 and Model Y units to improve efficiency.

Earlier this month, Transport Canada said it had received several complaints from Canadians regarding the issue, which causes in-cabin heating to spontaneously break down in cold (often subfreezing) weather. At the time, the Canadian government department launched an “Issue Assessment Investigation” into the climate control failures.

The federal department is now asking Canadians to contact them by telephone, at 1-800-333-0510, or online, using their Defect Complaint Form, if they have experienced any issues with climate control in their 2021-2022 Model 3 or Model Y.

Back when complaints started surfacing, Tesla said this is a “firmware” issue that is “currently under investigation.” Tesla CEO Elon Musk previously acknowledged the issue, saying that fixing it is a “high priority” for the EV maker. The company has since released some software updates to fix the problem, which have worked for some but not for all.

For those still suffering from the issue as Tesla works on a comprehensive fix, the company has previously shared a number of ways to try and mitigate it.

The issue is related to the front air intake flap on a Model 3/Y freezing open and letting cold air into the system while driving, a Tesla technician recently told a local Tesla owners club in Saskatchewan. As cold air passes by a sensor, climate control shuts down and an error code is shown.

Have you experienced any heating issues with your heat pump-equipped Tesla Model 3 or Model Y?

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