Aftermarket Illuminated Door Sills

[GreenHokie]

Hey Everyone. I installed these aftermarket door sills this weekend and thought I would share some thoughts/photos. These are not the Tesla branded sill plates, but ones that are sold by Hansshow and many other distributors/retailers. In my opinion, these are just as good if not better than the Tesla one in many aspects. Like the Tesla ones, these are battery powered (with two slim CR2032 or CR2430 batteries per sill plate).
Unlike the Tesla ones, you get all four (front and rear) sill plates for around $150. I bought mine for $128 delivered, but that was before everyone raised their prices. Link to the product I bought provided below.

The front sills simply fit over and completely cover the stock plates, which makes installation super easy/quick. No need to pry off your existing Tesla supplied sill plates, which is obviously a big plus. I was initially concerned the front aftermarket sill plates would end up sitting too high, because they go on top of the existing plates. However, I am happy to report they do not look bulky or thick at all. The fitment is perfect in every way. No gaps between the bottom of these sill plates and the surface of the vehicle. So, the end result is a very clean and OEM looking product. The rear sill plates require a little eyeballing/freehand to get them in the appropriate spot, but still extremely easy to install. The supplied temporary guide stickers make positioning & lining up the rears very simple. There are several YouTube videos showing how to install these aftermarket illuminated sill plates. So, check them out if you decide to get these.

A couple of pointers:
1. Once you have used the supplied black foam guide ring to position & tape the small magnet to the underside of the door, remove/discard that black foam guide ring. The kit will also be supplied with precut round clear tape that you use to cover/protect the small magnet. See the last photo attached below. That clear tape will ensure the magnet will not fall off accidentally after prolonged use or during routine washings when you clean/wipe the underside of your doors.
2. Discard the supplied CR2032 batteries and buy yourself some new (& good quality) CR2430 batteries. The battery compartment in these sill plates accepts either of these sizes. The slightly larger CR2430 batteries have a higher capacity and therefore will last longer than CR2032 batteries. This means you won’t have to change out the batteries as often. Of course, the drawback with all these battery operated sill plates is you have to remove the entire sill plate to access/replace the batteries. Removal will not likely be easy/quick and you’ll also probably need to replace the double-sided tape every time you remove the sill plate. A small price to pay for some bling, IMO.

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[LBM4]

I have been looking at these since I saw them come out on the Tesla parts page. I am seriously considering getting the ones that allow for battery replacement, since the Tesla ones are basically once installed and the battery dies, that's it. Done. How are these holding up for you?

 

[lUtriaNt]

i saw the hansshow ones and once i saw they had front and back and are more easier to replace the battery, i decided to grab some from hansshow directly. i used a code and they are 152. shipped (free ship). i ordered with NO batteries so they get shipped and to me faster than with batteries, so fyi.

@GreenHokie link for the carbon fiber door jamb thingy?

 

[PauliePucks]

I have the Hansshow ones and absolutely love them. They’re definitely worth it. They’re OEM quality and the install is a breeze

 

[GreenHokie]

@GreenHokie link for the carbon fiber door jamb thingy?

@lUtriaNt: Below is a link to the faux leather carbon fiber protection stickers. I think you can also find these on Amazon and Ebay, if you prefer to order from these other etailers. Note, for the front stickers, I trimmed off the each end so the sticker ends at the natural seam lines of the part you are trying to cover. I think this looks a lot better/cleaner than using the whole sticker with the angled ends.
I did not use the rear stickers because I just felt they did not fit/blend with the vehicle as well as the front ones. Good luck!

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[GreenHokie]

… since the Tesla ones are basically once installed and the battery dies, that's it. Done…

Actually, you can access and replace the batteries on the Tesla branded ones. Someone posted a YouTube video showing/proving it can be done. However, I suspect it may still be more difficult to pry off/remove the Tesla door sills, compared to these aftermarket ones. So, the aftermarket ones wins again in this category.

How are these holding up for you?

I just installed them this weekend and these are very new to the market. So, no one has had them long enough to determine durability. However, the fit/finish and feel on these are excellent. I suspect they will last beyond the life of the vehicle.

 

[GreenHokie]

Also, I’m pretty sure Hansshow is not the OEM of this product. Like with a lot of the products they carry, Hansshow is simply a distributor/reseller. So, don’t be afraid to buy this product from another retailer, especially if the price and/or delivery is better.

 

[lUtriaNt]

I trimmed off the each end

thanks for the link. can you explain a bit further what you used to cut and how you did it? assuming you laid it down on the part that is covering then trimmed? did you use an exacto knife? im not good at arts and crafts but i do like how you setup looks.

 

[GreenHokie]

thanks for the link. can you explain a bit further what you used to cut and how you did it? assuming you laid it down on the part that is covering then trimmed? did you use an exacto knife? im not good at arts and crafts but i do like how you setup looks.

I used a very sharp pair of scissors to cut each end of the sticker. Yes, I simply laid the sticker on top of the vehicle threshold (a dry fit) and eyeballed where I needed to make the cut so the two ends line up with the seam line of the threshold.

 

[radiolex]

Hey Everyone. I installed these aftermarket door sills this weekend and thought I would share some thoughts/photos. These are not the Tesla branded sill plates, but ones that are sold by Hansshow and many other distributors/retailers. In my opinion, these are just as good if not better than the Tesla one in many aspects. Like the Tesla ones, these are battery powered (with two slim CR2032 or CR2430 batteries per sill plate).
Unlike the Tesla ones, you get all four (front and rear) sill plates for around $150. I bought mine for $128 delivered, but that was before everyone raised their prices. Link to the product I bought provided below.

The front sills simply fit over and completely cover the stock plates, which makes installation super easy/quick. No need to pry off your existing Tesla supplied sill plates, which is obviously a big plus. I was initially concerned the front aftermarket sill plates would end up sitting too high, because they go on top of the existing plates. However, I am happy to report they do not look bulky or thick at all. The fitment is perfect in every way. No gaps between the bottom of these sill plates and the surface of the vehicle. So, the end result is a very clean and OEM looking product. The rear sill plates require a little eyeballing/freehand to get them in the appropriate spot, but still extremely easy to install. The supplied temporary guide stickers make positioning & lining up the rears very simple. There are several YouTube videos showing how to install these aftermarket illuminated sill plates. So, check them out if you decide to get these.

A couple of pointers:
1. Once you have used the supplied black foam guide ring to position & tape the small magnet to the underside of the door, remove/discard that black foam guide ring. The kit will also be supplied with precut round clear tape that you use to cover/protect the small magnet. See the last photo attached below. That clear tape will ensure the magnet will not fall off accidentally after prolonged use or during routine washings when you clean/wipe the underside of your doors.
2. Discard the supplied CR2032 batteries and buy yourself some new (& good quality) CR2430 batteries. The battery compartment in these sill plates accepts either of these sizes. The slightly larger CR2430 batteries have a higher capacity and therefore will last longer than CR2032 batteries. This means you won’t have to change out the batteries as often. Of course, the drawback with all these battery operated sill plates is you have to remove the entire sill plate to access/replace the batteries. Removal will not likely be easy/quick and you’ll also probably need to replace the double-sided tape every time you remove the sill plate. A small price to pay for some bling, IMO.

129.79US $ 50% OFF|Ancar 2022 Led Illuminated Welcome Pedal Original Car Custom 4-door Welcome Pedal For Tesla Model 3 Model Y Protective Strip - Interior Mouldings - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

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These look great!

 

[nyxynyx]

Are they matte or glossy? The original ones on mine appear to be matte and not brushed.

 

[GreenHokie]

Are they matte or glossy? The original ones on mine appear to be matte and not brushed.

The one I bought definitely has a brushed aluminum finish. However, I would not call it either matte or glossy. There is some type of coating on it which makes the surface smooth with a little bit of sheen. Hope the following close-up photo gives you some idea of what I’m trying to describe….

 

[GreenHokie]

Minor correction to my above post. I described the finish as a “brushed aluminum”, but I think the material is actually stainless steel. So, I should have said, “brushed stainless steel” finish. Sorry if this confused anyone.

 

[Delraybeach]

I installed the ones purchased directoy from Tesla $250 on my 2022 model 3. I have found the magnets to be so small that the lights don’t always work. I even tried using a powerful external hand magnet. To check the install. Anyone having this problem? At $250 I’m kind of of pissed off they are not working as envisioned. I was scrupulous in following instructions, along with the help of a friend who mods exotic cars for a living. Not happy.

 

[PauliePucks]

I installed the ones purchased directoy from Tesla $250 on my 2022 model 3. I have found the magnets to be so small that the lights don’t always work. I even tried using a powerful external hand magnet. To check the install. Anyone having this problem? At $250 I’m kind of of pissed off they are not working as envisioned. I was scrupulous in following instructions, along with the help of a friend who mods exotic cars for a living. Not happy.

If they were purchased directly from Tesla, they should have a warranty that may cover this issue, did you schedule a service appt? I would venture to guess a mobile ranger would be able to provide a replacement or fix on site.

 

[funphax]

I installed these and everything was fine until the driver side installation. The rubber gasket under the door kept on getting caught on the sill making it hard to close, so I just removed the gasket and it shuts as if nothing was there

 

[Delraybeach]

This is what I found in the operation of the $250 Tesla OEM accessories illuminated doors sills. It seems the size of the magnet in the contact piece that comes with the sills is so small and the installation tolerance so precise that activation success is often difficult. To try for a better chance for connection toon between the door activation magnet and the sill contact point, I used larger round magnets from Amazon that create a much bigger area and margin for the activation zone so chance of connection is so much greater. The magnets just stick on top of the door contact point magnet that the OEM provides. The OEM magnet contact pieces are placed on the bottom of the doors and must align with a place on the sill. The correct alignment area between the bottom of the door magnet and the sill point is apparently so small that their placement needs to be so precise. The much larger round magnets from Amazon provide a significantly greater margin for installation alignment and light activation success

 

[LBM4]

I'm installing mine tomorrow. Just came in the mail, so let's see how it goes. I may use the magnets from Amazon just posted above, if need be.

 

[Delraybeach]

I would order the Amazon magnets right away. They’re only $10 and so they’re cheap insurance. Even the Local Tesla service people here mentioned to me they have difficulty in installation due to the exacting alignment needed between the sill piece area and the magnet activator piece placed on the bottom part of the door. There may not even be a 1 mm margin for error. Larger magnets make sense anyway - bigger surface area which also makes them slightly lower/closer to the activation area on the sill. This is what the OEM design should have been in the first place; a larger, thicker activator door magnet creates a much wider margin for a better chance at connection.

 

[GreenHokie]

I'm installing mine tomorrow. Just came in the mail, so let's see how it goes. I may use the magnets from Amazon just posted above, if need be.

You may need the larger magnet for the Tesla branded sills, but if you ordered the aftermarket ones like I did, then definitely do not need larger magnets. Use the supplied tiny magnets and guide ring to position underneath the doors and you literally cannot mess it up. Super easy and works (lights up) every time. Kudos to this aftermarket company for figuring out an ingenious & super easy way to install their product.