Temperatures below 0C (common in Canada) leads to issues

pengally · Jan 2, 2019

(2018 PHEV) With a very mild winter in Southern Ontario I am concerned what will happen with real weather: At -2C and a little snow lats night the mirrors did not deploy (jammed closed) and then I couldn't open the charging port.

I looked for the "emergency access" for the charging port but could not see that either. Has anybody tried it? Does it apply pressure to push the door open or just unlock the latch. The system of pushing in to open the door is pretty unreliable in winter weather I have found.

I am worried that the mirror drive mechanism will break as it is necessary to have the mirrors deployed so how to overcome these issues when the temperature returns to a more normal -10 to -20C?

Advice from those who have lived through a bad winter very welcome.

ps44 · Jan 2, 2019

You can change a setting so that the mirrors do not fold when you lock. Needed for UK winter nights.

Don't know about the charger flap, doubt there's much you can do once it's frozen up. Maybe nudge it into the unlatched position when you park up ? You'll get a warning if you try to drive off with it like that.

anko · Jan 2, 2019

ps44 said:
You can change a setting so that the mirrors do not fold when you lock. Needed for UK winter nights.

MMCS in a MY14 allows you to do this.

user 3409 · Jan 2, 2019

It's not a situation that we see in the UK too often and I will be interested to see how mine behaves this winter.

Have you had a lot of moisture in the air or an ice-storm? Sometimes we get frozen doors and windows when the conditions are just right and other times it can be well below zero with no problem.

Kesto · Jan 2, 2019

yes mirrors can be set to remain open by going into settings. It is available in 2016 don't know about 14.
Buy the thin rubber lining used on doors " door protectors from eBay (6m) . apply on doors and you will have plenty left to apply on charge port. This will prevent sticking.
Also now on eBay " Snow Cover for charge port " £ 14.95.

pengally · Jan 2, 2019

Thank you all - I do remember seeing something about mirrors in the manual - will go and sort that out.

And, the rubber gasket - a great idea. I used a hair dryer to free the door this afternoon and saw that because the port does not have a bevel, water had collected at the bottom and had frozen gluing the door to the body. The gas flap has a bevel so the water runs out before freezing I guess.

Thanks. from London, Canada

Kesto · Jan 2, 2019

Snow charge port cover is also available in US , I have seen US ebay

Kesto · Jan 2, 2019

see screen shot

jaapv · Jan 2, 2019

As for the mirrors, there is a slip clutch (is that the correct term?) in the mechanism, if they are jammed they won't break. They'll just go "click".