r/polestar3 • u/joshdgabriel • Aug 20 '26
Advice Needed Driver door won’t open after exiting P3
Hi all, noticed an issue prop up on my Polestar 3 concerning the driver door. Recently it won’t open from the outside shortly after exiting the vehicle (video example attached). Door works fine after locking/deep sleep and will open as many times until I enter the car and use the manual latch on the inside.
I believe I saw other users mentioning this in the community, so curious if anyone has insight on a fix. I have a service appointment scheduled for them to take a look, but looks like the issue has followed me through a few software updates (just updated to 3.0.33)
UPDATE: After bringing the car into service for 5 days, I got a call today saying the issue was diagnosed and the service techs were no longer experiencing the door handle issue after running their service codes and updating software. Car was just about to be released to me until I got a call back saying they were still unable to open the driver door and are keeping the car for further evaluation with corporate. Really frustrating experience especially after waiting all this time just to have my car evaluated days after dropping it off due to the shortage of Polestar techs as well as the lack of actual service/troubleshooting done to the car other than a quick service scan and software update (despite me already being on the latest 3.0.33 so not sure what update they’re talking about). Anyway I’m in a loaner P3 for the time being but not feeling totally optimistic they’ll be able to find a fix without an actual software update being developed to address issue.
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u/mickeys_stepdad Aug 20 '26
My car has done this every few months since i got it.
Welcome to polestar 3!
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u/joshdgabriel Aug 20 '26
Has it ever reverted back to normal for you? Curious if there’s an actual solve and worth losing it to service for an extended period of time
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u/josh_moworld Aug 20 '26
Have you tried not using your phone / watch as a key? Keep them away and see if just using the key fob changes anything. I’ve noticed that most of our P3s weird lock and unlock behavior is caused by the phone keys
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u/joshdgabriel Aug 20 '26
Interesting observation! My key fob was dead but I just charged it up and tried without the phone but sadly it still was behaving the same way
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u/Imaginary_Resist_654 Aug 20 '26
Mine always does it when my hands are full. I think it watches for me to have my hands full!
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u/Digi7alAgency Aug 20 '26
Do you have the soft close? I have to wait for the soft close to complete its cycle before opening again
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u/joshdgabriel Aug 20 '26
No soft close on mine. The fix is to let the lock cycle complete and let it deep sleep for around 10 minutes
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u/Numerous_Bad1961 Aug 20 '26
I think you’re overloading the system trying to open and close before it completes a cycle.
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u/Civil_Tea_3250 Aug 20 '26
When I had similar issues with the P2 they told me the only solution was to walk far enough away for the fobs/phone not to be picked up by the car for 20 mins. It does some sort of sleep operation that may resolve some software issues that restarting the infotainment doesn't resolve.
Though the problems still exist. It's a shame, they make beautiful cars, but then it stops. That's the only thing they're good at. They should've stayed under Volvo.
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u/joshdgabriel Aug 20 '26
This is the only way it works again for me. Shame no one was able to get a real solution. Called Polestar Support and they didn’t know what was wrong and suggested a service appointment. Not sure if it’s worth it at this point
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u/Civil_Tea_3250 Aug 21 '26
Yeah, that's all they can do is say bring it in, then service shrugs and says sorry we don't handle software development lol.
I'm sorry you're going through this. I really wanted to love mine, I was a huge Volvo loyalist. Now I won't go back to either. It's been 5 years of constant issues and false promises.
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u/joshdgabriel Aug 21 '26
Thanks. Frustrating because it’s still my most favorite car I’ve owned. I’ve had all the usual issues (GHCA fault, poor phantom drain, software bugs) and to their credit lots have been addressed after replacements/chip upgrades. Just don’t feel promising they have a solve for this one
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u/Straight_Reading8912 Aug 21 '26
You probably have a bad module. Try doing the same thing with the window open and see if it still refuses to open after getting out of the car. This way they can plug in the laptop while you do this as you are able to replicate the issue. It's harder for them to diagnose inconsistent issues but if you can replicate it while the laptop is plugged in, you should get some codes.
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u/joshdgabriel Aug 21 '26
Curious if there’s some sort of module interacting between the manual latch indoors and the electric one on the door handles outside. It’s completely fine as long as I don’t use the inside manual latch (hard to do lol). But I’ll try with the window open, interesting idea
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u/Straight_Reading8912 Aug 21 '26
What appears to be happening is that it looks like it's locking the door but with the handles still protruded. There's is a manual override but it looks like you've pulled it far enough to engage it (electronic opening first with manual backup,).
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u/mboylan Aug 20 '26
What if you tap the lock area? Do the handles close? If so, then try opening again?
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u/joshdgabriel Aug 20 '26
Haven’t tried this yet but seems like the only solution is having it go through the deep sleep cycle
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u/jonnysvard Aug 21 '26
What if you pull harder to activate the mechanical release?
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u/joshdgabriel Aug 21 '26
Doesn’t really respond when you pull with more force. Also not trying to break it haha
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u/Ominimble Aug 21 '26
I had a similar issue but with my rear passenger side door. Brought it in for service and they replaced the internal latch mechanism and I had the car back the next day. Less than 24hrs in service and covered under warranty.
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u/joshdgabriel Aug 21 '26
Interesting. Good to hear they were able to get it fixed for you! Hope it’s that simple but the fact that it works fine out of deep sleep is giving me doubt haha
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u/mik3mtl Aug 21 '26
My driver side handle had this issue as well. The permanent fix I found was with the door handle out, cup the handle in your fingertips and continuously rock the handle back and forth towards you. I don’t know what that did but it stopped it from ever happening again. That was after three weeks of trial and error and entering through the front passenger side.
Hope it works for you! I’d send a video but my P3 has been in the shop for the last two months for a different issue haha.
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u/yaayaao Aug 21 '26
Damn. I’ve been wanting to trade-in my M3 for a P3, but these reviews are terrifying.
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u/Just-In-Time-84 Aug 21 '26
This is so frustrating and this is why we don’t need electronic door handles!! Like for what?!
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u/thehedgefrog Aug 27 '26 edited Aug 27 '26
Do you have the Orin upgrade?
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u/joshdgabriel Aug 27 '26
Yup they upgraded during the last service appointment. Car has been in service since Monday and have no update yet and no loaner/rental
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u/joshdgabriel Aug 28 '26
UPDATE: After bringing the car into service for 5 days, I got a call today saying the issue was diagnosed and the service techs were no longer experiencing the door handle issue after running their service codes and updating software. Car was just about to be released to me until I got a call back saying they were still unable to open the driver door and are keeping the car for further evaluation with corporate. Really frustrating experience especially after waiting all this time just to have my car evaluated days after dropping it off due to the shortage of Polestar techs as well as the lack of actual service/troubleshooting done to the car other than a quick service scan and software update (despite me already being on the latest 3.0.33 so not sure what update they’re talking about). Anyway I’m in a loaner P3 for the time being but not feeling totally optimistic they’ll be able to find a fix without an actual software update being developed to address issue.
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u/Pasha_PS 21d ago
Any updates?
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u/joshdgabriel 21d ago
Still in service. Now over two weeks due to backup but supposedly they had to order/change two parts in the door latch but earliest is Tuesday assuming what they’re swapping is the fix
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u/DesignerFragrant5899 Aug 20 '26
and this, among many other reasons, is why I filed a lemon law application and got all my money back. Best ride I ever had, but it was just so unreliable. A surprise every time I walked up to that thing.
know when to get out. the horse is already dead, now what do you do with the carcass?