Does Tesla close windows
when it rains?
Short answer: No. A parked Tesla won't close its windows when rain starts. Vented or open windows stay that way until you tap Close in the app.
Does a Tesla close its windows when it rains?
No. A Tesla won't raise its windows because it starts raining. Windows you vented from the app, or left down when you parked, stay exactly where they are until you close them yourself.
The car does have a way to see rain: the camera that runs the automatic wipers. But Tesla only uses it for the wipers while you drive. Nothing watches the weather for a parked car and closes the windows.
What Tesla does have
Two settings, both under Controls > Locks on the touchscreen, get mixed up with a rain close. Neither one is.
Close Windows on Lock
Raises any open windows when the car locks. It helps if you walk away and forget a window, but it does nothing for windows opened after the car is locked, which is how app venting usually works. If it's on, the car closes the windows the moment it locks, so you can only vent afterward from the app, and those windows then stay open through any rain.
Car Left Open Notification
Sends a push alert to the Tesla app when a door or window is left open. Choose Doors & Windows to include windows. It tells you the car is open, not that rain is coming, so you still have to notice the weather and tap Close yourself.
More on the first one in how to keep Tesla windows open when parked.
Left your Tesla windows open in the rain?
Close them from the app
Open the Tesla app, go to Controls, and tap Close. If the windows were vented, they roll up in a few seconds. This works from anywhere the car has a signal.
If you can't close them in time
A vented gap lets in less water than a fully open window, but it can still wet the door cards and the tops of the seats. Close the windows as soon as you can, then dry the seats and leave the car to air out on the next dry day.
Make it a habit before you park
If rain is in the forecast, don't vent. If you vent on a dry morning, check the radar before the afternoon, because summer storms are the usual way vented windows get caught.
How to close Tesla windows before rain, automatically
VentMode watches the weather where your car is parked. It vents the windows when it's hot and dry, and closes them when rain shows up in the current conditions or the 3-hour forecast. It also closes them every evening at the hour you pick, so they never sit open overnight. It only acts on a parked car, connects through Tesla's official Fleet API, and never sees your Tesla password.
$29/year with a 7-day free trial.
Frequently asked questions
Does Tesla close windows automatically when it rains?
No. Tesla has no rain-triggered window close for a parked car. Windows that are vented or open stay that way until you tap Close in the Tesla app or on the car's screen.
Does Close Windows on Lock protect against rain?
Only if the windows were open when the car locked. It closes them at the moment of locking. Windows vented from the app after the car is locked aren't closed again, rain or not.
Will the Tesla app warn me if my windows are open?
Yes, if you turn it on. On the touchscreen go to Controls > Locks > Car Left Open Notification and include Doors & Windows. The app then alerts you that the car is open. It doesn't check the weather.
Does Tesla have a rain sensor?
Tesla uses its cameras to detect rain for the automatic wipers while driving. It doesn't use that to close the windows on a parked car.
Can I make my Tesla close the windows when rain is coming?
Not with Tesla's own settings. Third-party services connected to your car through Tesla's API can close the windows based on the forecast. VentMode, for example, closes vented windows when rain shows up in the current conditions or the 3-hour forecast.
Related: What does Vent do in the Tesla app? · Keep Tesla windows open when parked · What does Dog Mode do?
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VentMode is not affiliated with Tesla, Inc.