Anyone know how to get behind front wheel well panels?

[salix]

I have an EVOffer Power Frunk kit that has died after 9 months. EVOffer support is asking me to access to latch motor via the front left wheel well, to cut a cable to release the frunk (the regular emergency release cable has also failed, so that's not an option).

I'm not a car person so not familiar with taking off body panels, but I can follow instructions... It seems like I do need to remove some things to get to the latch motor unit, which was installed from the 'inside' of the frunk, but is positioned close to the wheel well. I believe it's behind one of the plastic panels to the front of the axle.

Do I need to remove the wheel to do this? The EVOffer guy seemed to suggest this wasn't necessary, but I'm not sure (he just said "turn the wheels to the right"). If I do need to remove the wheel, i'll have to go buy a 2.5 ton jack and jackstands, which will be $2-300. Not sure what else I'd ever use them for either. I do have a plastic trim rivet removal tool ordered, as I believe that's necessary.

Has anyone done this, or can point me to instructions? I have not found anything on Youtube - just instructions on removing the other wheel arch trim, which may or may not even be necessary for this.

Thanks!

 

[salix]

OK, so, I figured out the answer to my own question. Basically I had been confused about the location of the motor (although I did the install myself, it was nearly a year ago). After studying some images of the Model Y frame and carefully re-watching the install video, I realized I was looking in the wrong place! In my head, the motor was in line with the axle, but in fact it is well in front.

I was able to remove 3 retainer clips and see the motor:
One to loosen the front third to half of the outside wheel well trim (the other retainers for that are just pop studs you pull out..), then the two others at the bottom front of the wheel well liner. That let me pull the front outside corner of the wheel well, liner out enough to shine a bright light in and see the latch motor motor and cable. It was not easy to reach in and cut the cable, but I finally managed it, using a pair of bicycle brake cable cutters (regular wire snips were just not strong enough). Also, I had no choice to but to do this in freezing weather (Minnesota), but that's not ideal. A couple of the inner clips on the outside wheel well trim snapped off instead of pulling the inner studs out, probably due to being brittle in the cold. I don't think it's a big deal, it looks fine now that it's reinstalled.
Oh, and if you are able to remove the front left wheel entirely, it would probably make this easier, but it can be done without that.

I made a diagram to hopefully help anyone else in this predicament:

 

[Gawan]

Hi salix,
unfortunately I am in the same sh*** situation as you were alreaday. The emergency release does not work at all.
It seems as if I would have to remove the tire and open the car from there.

BUT ... I did not really understand what cable you cut off ? the power supply of the EVOffer device ? Or another cable ?
Please help ... I am out of windshield fluid meanwhile ... in really bad winter weather

 

[pontelaspilas]

Hi salix,
unfortunately I am in the same sh*** situation as you were alreaday. The emergency release does not work at all.
It seems as if I would have to remove the tire and open the car from there.

BUT ... I did not really understand what cable you cut off ? the power supply of the EVOffer device ? Or another cable ?
Please help ... I am out of windshield fluid meanwhile ... in really bad winter weather

you're probably cutting the evoffer motor cable that pulls the hood closed. maybe it is stuck closed and wont release? that cable is like a bicycle shift cable. it's a metal coated coiled cable housing that surrounds a shift cable. whatever tool you're using to cut will need good leverage. the oem hood release motor and cable is on the passenger side.