What was stolen?

[Blue1022]

Returned to my car to notice a ton of scuffs and a cut wire hanging. Does anyone know what they could have taken??

 

[Watts_Up]

Returned to my car to notice a ton of scuffs and a cut wire hanging. Does anyone know what they could have taken??

Was the diffuser cover missing or did you removed it before?

 

[kpanda17]

Could a fly by night/b level body shop just be scrambling for parts?

I heard some of the worst body shops will steal body parts either themselves or hiring someone

 

[one2many]

OK my best guess is that kids were trying to break
into the trunk, found a plate and were looking
for a cable to release the trunk latch.

 

[pipp]

Maybe they were trying to steal the catalytic converter and when they took the trouble to get under the car and realized there wasn't one, they just went off on your car kicking the back and cutting what they could find. Just horrible. Sorry.

Nice theory! I’m curious because I thought catalytic converter theft was basically an L.A. thing — is it actually endemic around the U.S.A. or did you just happen to read about how bad it is out here in Los Angeles?

 

[kpanda17]

Also bad in NY metro
They are hitting buses

 

[Darmie]

Just a though.

 

[P3dStealth]

Do you happen to have one of those aftermarket powered trunks? Agree with the above that it kind of looks like there used to be more attached that was banging against the bumper. Hansshow kick sensor perhaps?

View attachment 959542

This is what I was thinking also. He had an aftermarket power trunk and the foot sensor was installed on the plastic door.

The plastic door was not closed right and it fell off while driving. The sensor and door whipped around in the wind scratching his bumper and then it eventually snapped off.

 

[bedoig]

This is what I was thinking also. He had an aftermarket power trunk and the foot sensor was installed on the plastic door.

The plastic door was not closed right and it fell off while driving. The sensor and door whipped around in the wind scratching his bumper and then it eventually snapped off.

Definitely looks like aftermarket cable routing, in the right spot, and connector looks spot on.

 

[Blue1022]

If not stupidity for a catalytic converter, maybe the bad guys have discovered something very valuable in the rear
And about to hit all Ts nationally
That would s k.

Do you happen to have one of those aftermarket powered trunks? Agree with the above that it kind of looks like there used to be more attached that was banging against the bumper. Hansshow kick sensor perhaps?

View attachment 959542

I do have the aftermarket powered trunk. Now I can open the trunk manually only thru app or key fob. I did find some posts that thieves can get in to the model 3 trunks in something like 15 seconds by pulling some cable. Wonder if it was that but I’m thrown off there is no video.

 

[stopcrazypp]

I do have the aftermarket powered trunk. Now I can open the trunk manually only thru app or key fob. I did find some posts that thieves can get in to the model 3 trunks in something like 15 seconds by pulling some cable. Wonder if it was that but I’m thrown off there is no video.

There are no factory wires that are accessible from that cover. As others posted, the factory trailer harness is on top of the rear bumper and not accessible from the bottom. Given you didn't think of it, presumably you didn't install your aftermarket trunk yourself?

I think the mystery is solved then. As others mentioned, most likely the plastic cover fell off and the control box for your foot sensor fell out and was flinging around, scuffing your rear bumper until the cable eventually snapped. If the box is plastic, most likely the scuffs on your bumper can be buffed out.

 

[rpiotro]

Imagine the stupidity?!?!?

Not really hard to imagine. No one ever said meth heads are geniuses.

 

[PianoAl]

I think the mystery is solved then. As others mentioned, most likely the plastic cover fell off and the control box for your foot sensor fell out and was flinging around, scuffing your rear bumper until the cable eventually snapped. If the box is plastic, most likely the scuffs on your bumper can be buffed out.

Yes. Take the wire in your hand, imagine an extra box attached to it, then move it in the way you'd expect it to flap around when driving 60 MPH. I think you'll see exactly how those scuff marks were made.

Recall anyone honking and pointing toward the back of your car recently?

 

[NGabriel]

It just loks like someone ran int the rear of your car. The wire is just collateral damage.

 

[father_of_6]

Weird scratches... Could whatever was attached to that wire have come loose, then bounced around behind the car as you drove along, hitting the bumper and making the scratches, before it finally came off? Is the wire definitely cleanly cut rather than pulled out of something?

This has to be the winner. The scratches are just too random for this to not be the culprit. If this were theft and vandalism, no one would take the time to create such a random pattern of damage... and the vertical scratches along the ridge seem to also concur that a cable caused the damage.

I suspect if you pull that wire back to the bumper, it's severed right at that ridge.