2025 Model Y (non-Juniper) — Air intake mesh in 95°+ weather? Seeking EV Tech/Owner feedback.
2025 Model Y (non-Juniper) and, living in South Florida. I have a Kunist lower air intake mesh protector to stop the radiator fins from getting clogged or damaged by rocks. However, my biggest concern is air restriction.
We are hitting our 90°+ summer season soon, and I’m worried that even a "negligible" restriction might cause AC performance issues or impact battery thermal management.
I’m looking for feedback specifically from:
- Owners in hot climates (Florida, Arizona, Texas) who have run these for at least one summer. What is your experience?
- EV Technicians: I would love to hear your opinion on the issue.
Most of us who lurk the forums have seen how restricted the radiator can get from gunk leaves and dirt. I know it can always be maintained by cleaning it, but you’ll never get it all out and doing it correctly does require to take the front end off so it can be a pain in the butt.
My logic is that a clean radiator with a negligible amount of air restriction(due to mesh) is better than a dirty radiator with heavily restricted airflow (due to gunk), but I’d love some real-world feedback before I clip anything onto the front of the car.