Closing Two Front Doors - Need to slam it?

[TeeEmCee]

The striker is one possible cause but another, perhaps more likely one, is the overall door alignment. If not aligned properly, it will not distribute pressure evenly all around and it will bounce back from pressing too hard on the gasket in one spot. Before you have anyone move the striker, have them check that.

QA their work when you get it back, test all 4 doors with all windows and the trunk shut. It seems to me that moving doors is both very much low tech and a rather frustrating thing to work on (at least on Teslas), so you may get them aligned “just well enough”. If that happens, you may get all kinds of bamboozling explanations as to why that’s perfectly normal or “in spec”. Be polite but firm and don’t take any of that crap. ... speaking from the experience of 6 previous appointments (now in for the seventh time, fingers crossed).

 

[TeeEmCee]

Just give the doors time. During my first few weeks of ownership I was freaking out about the same and a "sage old adviser" from the land of the Model S chimed in and said it was simply a robust rubber door seal that needed to compress a little. Sure enough after 4-6 weeks it slowed and today after 3 months it's a completely non-existent issue. As I've learned with most issues on my Model 3 in particular those related to the software - Relax and enjoy the ride. Someone else is working on the fix!

I.m.o., that’s the same as audio equipment “breaking in”. It’s not, it’s just the user getting used to it.

I’m no material scientist, so I don’t speak with any authority on this, but I would think that the rubber is formulated for a lot of years of service and it should not change its physical properties that substantially in as little as a few weeks or months. Especially in a frameless door application, I’d think it would be the better kind of rubber, one that would keep its flexibility constant for a lot longer.

 

[1deepthink]

I.m.o., that’s the same as audio equipment “breaking in”. It’s not, it’s just the user getting used to it.

I’m no material scientist, so I don’t speak with any authority on this, but I would think that the rubber is formulated for a lot of years of service and it should not change its physical properties that substantially in as little as a few weeks or months. Especially in a frameless door application, I’d think it would be the better kind of rubber, one that would keep its flexibility constant for a lot longer.

Just checked, I too am not a material scientist! No doubt you are spot on for many things and perception is definitely pliable with time. As for the doors, there's just no question in my case that for the first few weeks they wouldn't latch well without a firm complete push. Within about 6 weeks a light touch and it latched 100% of the time. Anyway, I think our joint message is just give it time!

 

[mrau]

If your doors are hard to close you can easily look to see if your striker on the door frame is going into the center of the latch on the door. My striker was dragging along bottom of latch and you could see the wear marks. Used a T45 Torx socket to adjust the striker, now it easily closes the first time.

Here is link to thread that explains how:

Driver door takes extra effort to close?

 

[apsen]

Just give the doors time. During my first few weeks of ownership I was freaking out about the same and a "sage old adviser" from the land of the Model S chimed in and said it was simply a robust rubber door seal that needed to compress a little. Sure enough after 4-6 weeks it slowed and today after 3 months it's a completely non-existent issue. As I've learned with most issues on my Model 3 in particular those related to the software - Relax and enjoy the ride. Someone else is working on the fix!

In this case it is you who is working on the fix - literally - working by repeatedly opening/closing the door

 

[jcm22]

my passenger door has been misaligned since delivery - its not a striker issue, the door is actually hung too low. so when it unlatches, it drops down about 1/2". So when closing, it has to be closed with enough force to lift up that 1/2" onto the latch. Not ideal, but will hopefully get fixed with a bunch of other issues....

I think someone tried to fix it before delivery (probably at factory), because the upper door hinge looks like someone took a screwdriver and a hammer to it...

 

[TeeEmCee]

I think someone tried to fix it before delivery (probably at factory), because the upper door hinge looks like someone took a screwdriver and a hammer to it...

That seems to be exactly how they align doors. I've seen that damage on my hinges and now on the loaner I'm driving.

 

[LyftupX]

Doors do take extra to close, I’m going to give it some time.

Audi Auto Latch is such a beautiful feature you barely close the door and it closes em .... miss it on this vehicle .

 

[Drizzle]

Its a production issue. My rear driver side door needs a heftier slam than the rest.

 

[aspec818]

yes i noticed this as well. Both my front doors take considerable effort to close. most of the time it does not shut all the way when I close the door. Coming from a BMW I was used to softly closing doors. Guess I'll give it some time as others have suggested to see if the seals break in.

 

[kvnxush]

I’ve been using my car for a few months now hoping this issue would resolve itself but it hasn’t. Has anyone successfully taken their car to the service center and had this fixed? My 2 front doors take a considerable amount of force to close.

 

[ZOMGVTEK]

My drivers door takes noticeably more effort to close than the rest. Oddly enough my brothers car, that was delivered two months earlier, is exactly the same.

It's hard to translate the effort, but I would call it a slam. The force required to close the drivers door would result in a loud slam in most cars, but it sounds normal in the 3. So I assume its the rubber seals and not misalignment.

 

[mrau]

@ZOMGVTEK and @kvnxush re-read post #24. Most likely a misaligned striker latch.

 

[merickbz]

I’ve been using my car for a few months now hoping this issue would resolve itself but it hasn’t. Has anyone successfully taken their car to the service center and had this fixed? My 2 front doors take a considerable amount of force to close.

@ZOMGVTEK and @kvnxush re-read post #24. Most likely a misaligned striker latch.

I've been having my Tesla for a month now and all my doors take some extra strength to close.
I will check the striker and keep you updated

 

[kvnxush]

My GF recently picked up her M3 and closing her her doors is much more in-line with what I'm used to. No "slamming" required.

I can check the strikers, but I also noticed that the seal around the doors is scuffed at the bottom.. it looks like part of the door is rubbing against the rubber seal as it closes.

 

[wtwieder]

I’ve been using my car for a few months now hoping this issue would resolve itself but it hasn’t. Has anyone successfully taken their car to the service center and had this fixed? My 2 front doors take a considerable amount of force to close.

Yes. I had this problem with my drivers door. It was obvious from the uneven gap around the driver's door when compared to the passenger front door, that the door needed to be aligned. The SC did that and adjusted the striker as well. It now works great.