Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in Canada are currently under an “Issue Assessment Investigation” by Transport Canada for a potential issue with the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC) during operation in cold weather climates.
Transport Canada is a government organization responsible for “developing regulations, policies and services of road, rail, marine and air transportation in Canada.” As a result of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, companies are required to notify the organization and all current owners in Canada of any defects that could result in the reduced safety of drivers or passengers.
As of today, Transport Canada has received sixteen complaints from various owners in Canada regarding HVAC systems in Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The complaints concern “the performance of the HVAC system in cold weather conditions” on both models, the agency told Teslarati in a statement.
The complaints have incited Transport Canada to open an “Issue Assessment Investigation,” giving the agency time to further evaluate the details of complaints and “grasp a better understanding of the HVAC operation in cold climates,” the agency continued. The investigation is not a recall of the vehicles in question. The last time Transport Canada issued an explicit recall on a Tesla vehicle was December 21, 2021, for 2018, 2019, and 2020 Model 3 backup cameras, due to a potentially damaging harness design. The same recall was issued in the United States.
The main concern of the agency currently is the vehicle’s potential difficulty with defogging and defrosting the windshield, which could affect driver visibility. Transport Canada has already been in contact with Tesla, according to the statement.
The complaints come after various reports over the past week that drivers in Canada, as well as some in Alaska, could be experiencing some issues with their heat pump systems. The heat pump was introduced by Tesla in the Model 3 in late 2020 as a part of the vehicle’s “refreshed” design. It was designed to help improve the efficiency of the vehicle in cold climates, as the previous and traditional heater core design was ineffective at combating range loss in winter climates.
Tesla is expected to launch a potential bug fix through an Over-the-Air Software Update sometime in the near future. A Tesla technician also told a Tesla Owner’s Club group in Canada that “Tesla is taking this cold weather climate problem very seriously – they’re very worried about the safety of drivers and have definitely prioritized this issue.” The full thread is available here.
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