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2021 Trunk Damage Upon Open/Close

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#41
It seriously appears that it’s possibly the single power strut issue driving this. I have a 2018 P3D+ with a power frunk and power trunk I installed myself. No issues. I was shocked and amazed (dumbfounded in all honesty) when OEM power trunks came out that Tesla cheaped out (obviously a cost saving measure) and only installed a power strut on one side. Before this started rearing it’s head I thought hmmmmm this may be an issue down the road, why would they only install one power strut? I though why? There’s only one answer. Cost.
Nevertheless it appears this is happening only on one side in all cases. Is the powered strut on this side or the right? I’m curious if any Ys have this issue as it’s my understanding they only have one powered strut as well? I do agree and think that it’s a “torque bending issue” as well. Maybe theyll get their act together and start manufacture these with a powered strut on both sides. I’d be even more shocked but not surprised if they’d make a CRAZY decision to cut costs further and stop installing a powered strut at all to save more money and go back to regular compression hydraulic lift. Following the Frunk hookgate. YMMV. Just opining.

Ski
 
#42
priest777 said:
I'm sorry but if that's how they "aligned" the trunk and the rails then you should get back to them again!
You can clearly see major height differences between the surfaces, in addition this is definitely a warranty issue and they should take responsibility fixing it.
Click to expand...
The photos I've seen of cars where this has happened the height differences have all been there. I don't think necessarily that these height differences were always there - unless affected owners say otherwise - moreover that the powered strut is bending the hinge or something else at the point that contact is made.
 
#43
mrbox said:
Small update; I have given notice to Tesla that this is a "non-conformiteit" (a dutch consumer protection provision ) and formally asked them to repair the trunk under warranty. I hope this will move them to repair the issue.
Click to expand...
Small update, no word from Tesla after sending them some letters. In the Netherlands we do not have a culture of "suing" people (no offence), often things are resolved in mediation. Bugs me a lot that I now have to search for legal council.
 
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#45
Hi,

I would like to add my case, I bought my car in february (a model 3 long range) and yesterday I notcied some weird placement of a bolt around the left backlight, did not think much more about it.
But today I noticed there was paint chipping in the same spot as the OP, and it also looks a bit bent. My car had a back glass replacement, because it came from the factory with a bubble, so I thought maybe it was that. But seeing this I understand now that this must be an issue with the powertrunk and something that they did not do properly at the factory.

I will update after they fix it. IMG_20210807_211308.jpgIMG_20210807_211453.jpgIMG_20210807_211458.jpg
 
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#48
Durzel said:
What bolt are people talking about here?
Click to expand...
On the hinge, see photo.

eddieman said:
Hi, mine did the same thing , I bought it in february. I noticed first a weird bolt in the inside, and then I saw the bent part and the chipped paint :(
Click to expand...
Did you take it to Tesla? Hopefully they will repair it under warranty for you
 

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#50
mrbox said:
On the hinge, see photo.


Did you take it to Tesla? Hopefully they will repair it under warranty for you
Click to expand...
On the basis that they seem to spray these cars with fixings already in place, it looks like your trunk has moved on the hinge before or after the damage occured. Seems logical that it happened before, as otherwise the damage wouldn't have occured.
 
#52
Skione65 said:
It seriously appears that it’s possibly the single power strut issue driving this. I have a 2018 P3D+ with a power frunk and power trunk I installed myself. No issues. I was shocked and amazed (dumbfounded in all honesty) when OEM power trunks came out that Tesla cheaped out (obviously a cost saving measure) and only installed a power strut on one side. Before this started rearing it’s head I thought hmmmmm this may be an issue down the road, why would they only install one power strut? I though why? There’s only one answer. Cost.
Nevertheless it appears this is happening only on one side in all cases. Is the powered strut on this side or the right? I’m curious if any Ys have this issue as it’s my understanding they only have one powered strut as well? I do agree and think that it’s a “torque bending issue” as well. Maybe theyll get their act together and start manufacture these with a powered strut on both sides. I’d be even more shocked but not surprised if they’d make a CRAZY decision to cut costs further and stop installing a powered strut at all to save more money and go back to regular compression hydraulic lift. Following the Frunk hookgate. YMMV. Just opining.

Ski
Click to expand...
The powered strut is on the left, which is where the damage occurs on every car I've seen this happen to on this forum and elsewhere. It's never on the right.

It does seem strange that they went with only one strut. I get the argument that it's not a heavy trunk, so one strut can lift and close it, but you still have inconsistent forces on either side, due to different parts and operating behaviour. The pneumatic strut wants to lift the trunk, the powered one drives it - with considerable force it would appear, given the damage it is causing when two metal surfaces touch, and the story earlier in the thread of someone's trunk bending their garage door.

As @elptxjc alluded to earlier in the thread, the forces of the powered strut pulling down the trunk against the force of the pneumatic strut could, and perhaps is, twisting the trunk ever so slightly, or causing the fixing points to move slightly, and then on the next lift it is out of position and the rest is history.
 
#53
Update: Dropped my car off yesterday, it is a warranty issue and fully covered. It’s going to a Body Shop and should have my car back in about a week. That’s an estimation of course but significantly quicker than I was anticipating. They’re replacing the back window and repairing the damage on the pillar and trunk and making sure everything is within spec and aligned properly. The service tech thought it might have been due to the strut or something shifting which ultimately caused the damage when it opened/closed. I also got a loaner - model 3 long range with full self driving with unlimited superchargering.
 
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#54
Welp, the Model 3 is the first car I've owned that I have to worry about whether the trunk will damage itself. Though my Bolt did have an issue (not manufacturing defect though) of having "death spikes" on the rear hatch door you could impale yourself on if you weren't careful. ;)
 
#55
This is a 1 month old 2021 Model 3. Never noticed this before but the trim on my back left quarter window was mounted completely incorrectly at the factory. The top of the black window trim as photographed should be flush with the metal body, but no. It’s mounted about 1/16 of inch too high, so it hits the top of the trunk. There is some slight paint damage. The kicker is that that window trim is part of the entire quarter window, so the whole window would have to be removed and replaced. Again, it’s just incredible how much of this stuff they miss at the factory. This car was built in June 2021 and is number 930,000 to come off the production line. You’d think they would catch stuff like this by now.
4A3919B7-B5ED-4DC4-AF87-CC661D1A2B43.jpeg
C48B1337-7959-4B19-84B0-90F832CD1C74.jpeg
 
#58
Nefelibata said:
Update: Dropped my car off yesterday, it is a warranty issue and fully covered. It’s going to a Body Shop and should have my car back in about a week. That’s an estimation of course but significantly quicker than I was anticipating. They’re replacing the back window and repairing the damage on the pillar and trunk and making sure everything is within spec and aligned properly. The service tech thought it might have been due to the strut or something shifting which ultimately caused the damage when it opened/closed. I also got a loaner - model 3 long range with full self driving with unlimited superchargering.
Click to expand...
Good to know! I mean, it sucks that it happens to so many of us, but it's good because it means that it has to be covered under warranty.
 
#59
mrbox said:
On the hinge, see photo.


Did you take it to Tesla? Hopefully they will repair it under warranty for you
Click to expand...
mrbox said:
On the hinge, see photo.


Did you take it to Tesla? Hopefully they will repair it under warranty for you
Click to expand...
Do you guys think that if these bolts were tightened again after delivery before using the trunk too much that the damage could be prevented? I just ordered a Performance and am horrified by this trunk issue.
 
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