Just for a bit of context here. I run a small garage servicing these cars in the gta, and have access to tesla factory service info. Speaking purely from a technical point of view, it is impossible for a hitch install to cause battery damage if it is a well-designed hitch. This is because, in a model 3, the rear of the battery ends at under the rear seats. The trunk area is where the motor lives, and the motor stops slightly after the rear wheels. A well-designed hitch will almost have 0 effect to the crash structure of the car. however, a cheap Chinese hitch, may cause more metal bending in an accident, but it will never ever reach the battery. Also, there is a gigantic hunk of aluminum protecting the rear motor and battery. Your car would practically have to be hit by a semi truck to cause battery damage. . Also, I do tesla rebuilds as a hobby, and I am never concerned about damage to the rear portion of the battery. So yeah, that service center was giving you bs. The only service center I can recommend in the gta is the Oakville one. Great staff there.