Epidemic of Model 3 small window break-ins

[SMAlset]

Last night we were out for dinner with friends who have a M3 on order and our MS was involved in a smash and grab through the small side window in the rear. It's a favorite way for perps to open the rear seat/s and look to see what's in your cargo area when deciding if it pays for them to spend more effort breaking into the car. Car's in the service center today. Work will be done tomorrow but needs to cure so looks like we'll have it back on Wednesday. Estimate is around $1200 and my understanding why it's so expensive is because in addition to the glass they have to replace the frame. Our friends asked how much the repair would cost us and I'm sure they are wondering if their car gets hit someday if it will be just as expensive. So it got me wondering too since obviously there isn't much out there to base it on yet. I did noticed that the side windows on the M3 are a slightly different design and wondered if M3 owners will have a less costly repair as a result.

If anyone gets any real world answers on this it would be interesting to know. If Tesla has designed it to be a less expensive repair would like to think this would be change to the MS down the road. You hear about car break ins in the SF bay area all the time and never expected we'd be among those even with our MS. Will be feeling the $ pain since we don't feel it's worth putting in an insurance claim over it.

 

[kev1n]

why wouldnt you put in a claim? it should not increase your premium. it would be considered vandalism. might be a deductible depending on how much that is. im assuming this is the static window in the rear side that doesnt roll up or down. this is the same with any other manufacturer although some pricing may vary but there wouldnt be any other way around it but to replace window + molding.

what part of SF were you parked in and did you have anything in the car that would warrant someone to break in?

 

[Rogue one]

Sorry to hear, happens to us a few weeks ago. (Not in a tesla). They stole less than $50 but caused over $300 in damage... can't have anything nice. ) :

 

[SMAlset]

It happened in San Jose. I already posted about it under a dashcam thread so if you're interested here's the link to it: New Blackvue Dashcam (DR750S)

 

[mfeldmanm]

Our Model 3 and a second Model 3 were both broken into last night, 10/6/17 in the parking lot at Bridgepoint Center in San Mateo between 8:00 pm and 8:45 pm parked between BJ's Restaurant and Toys R Us. The police indicated that this is now a regular occurrence in this center's parking lot. The other M3 had not only their small window broken but the entire back passenger side rear window. This apparently set of the alarm on the car. We were lucky in that nothing was taken but the rear seat was folded down to look inside the trunk.

Warning - Leave nothing visible in your car !!!

 

[mfeldmanm]

Our Model S and a second Model S were both broken into last night, 10/6/17 in the parking lot at Bridgepoint Center in San Mateo between 8:00 pm and 8:45 pm parked between BJ's Restaurant and Toys R Us. The police indicated that this is now a regular occurrence in this center's parking lot. The other MS had not only their small window broken but the entire back passenger side rear window. This apparently set of the alarm on the car. We were lucky in that nothing was taken but the rear seat was folded down to look inside the trunk.

Warning - Leave nothing visible in your car !!!

 

[hockeythug]

Our Model 3 and a second Model 3 were both broken into last night, 10/6/17 in the parking lot at Bridgepoint Center in San Mateo between 8:00 pm and 8:45 pm parked between BJ's Restaurant and Toys R Us. The police indicated that this is now a regular occurrence in this center's parking lot. The other M3 had not only their small window broken but the entire back passenger side rear window. This apparently set of the alarm on the car. We were lucky in that nothing was taken but the rear seat was folded down to look inside the trunk.

Warning - Leave nothing visible in your car !!!

You only got two Model 3’s?

 

[tracksyde]

You only got two Model 3’s?

Re-read that first sentence again.

 

[tracksyde]

I don’t live in Nor Cal but I’ve been hearing a lot about these types of crimes from friends up there and on here. Maybe it’s best to not leave anything in the trunk either and just fold down the seats when the car is parked in a questionable area.

 

[sakaike]

I'm a noobie here, but that door handle looks like a Model S...

 

[cizUK]

I'm a noobie here, but that door handle looks like a Model S...

Yup that's an S
No 3s there...

 

[stopcrazypp]

Yup that's an S
No 3s there...

Given the double post to correct the first one, it's obviously a typo (in both cases).

 

[boiler81]

So this common break-in vulnerability is well documented in the Model S forum, should have been known to Tesla, and they didn't design this out on the M3? Why aren't the fold down seat releases in the trunk?
So now we can't secure anything in the interior, the trunk or the frunk (anyone with a 12V battery can open)? If this is the case, it's bad design.

 

[stopcrazypp]

So this common break-in vulnerability is well documented in the Model S forum, should have been known to Tesla, and they didn't design this out on the M3? Why aren't the fold down seat releases in the trunk?
So now we can't secure anything in the interior, the trunk or the frunk (anyone with a 12V battery can open)? If this is the case, it's bad design.

Note that the bit about the frunk is incorrect. You can't open it if the 12V battery in the car is still active. The override only works if the 12V battery is dead.

About the trunk, the fold down releases in my current car are also in the passenger compartment, but there is also a lock lever that can be toggled in the trunk to lock the seats from folding down. I wonder if the Model 3 would also have that kind of lever.

 

[boiler81]

Note that the bit about the frunk is incorrect. You can't open it if the 12V battery in the car is still active. The override only works if the 12V battery is dead.

That's a relief to know the frunk isn't as venerable. The interior trunk releases if equipped, should be lockable from the trunk or just use the touchscreen/cell phone/key to release?

 

[WileyTheMan]

Warning - Leave nothing visible in your car !!!

This.

 

[North75]

Note that the bit about the frunk is incorrect. You can't open it if the 12V battery in the car is still active. The override only works if the 12V battery is dead.

About the trunk, the fold down releases in my current car are also in the passenger compartment, but there is also a lock lever that can be toggled in the trunk to lock the seats from folding down. I wonder if the Model 3 would also have that kind of lever.

It was reported by one of the early owners on that other forum that there is currently no way to lock the seat release levers.

 

[jelloslug]

So this common break-in vulnerability is well documented in the Model S forum, should have been known to Tesla, and they didn't design this out on the M3? Why aren't the fold down seat releases in the trunk?
So now we can't secure anything in the interior, the trunk or the frunk (anyone with a 12V battery can open)? If this is the case, it's bad design.

How exactly are you supposed to design out glass windows?

 

[kmngq]

This.

Its not just "This"

Thieves are breaking that specific window to pull down the seat and check whats in the trunk. It's not about leaving things in the back seat.

 

[bhzmark]

when parking in risky areas, put anything in your footwell and open empty glove compartment and take off cargo cover to trunk and lay it cross ways in bottom of trunk. can fold down back seats also. your car will be much less attractive.