Frunk no longer opens

[wraithnot]

We just had our first hardware issue on our new Model 3. We took delivery of the car on Wednesday and the frunk latch worked flawlessly until Saturday morning. On Saturday morning I tried to show someone what the frunk looked like, but when I tried to open the frunk from either the iPhone app or the vehicle touchscreen it fails to open. You can hear the actuator making noise and the touchscreen indicates the frunk has opened, but the latch doesn't release so it seems like something mechanical rather than software or an electrical problem. If you reboot the main screen the frunk is no longer indicated as open and if you put the car in gear there is no error message so it seems like the sensor that detects if the funk is open is working properly. I saw someone report a similar issue on the Facebook model 3 group so I don't think this is an isolated issue.

I read through the user manual and there is a way to open the frunk if the 12v electrical system in the car fails (you remove the small round cover for the tow bolt in the front bumber and apply 12V accross the two wires under the cover). But this isn't supposed to work if the car still has a functional 12 v system. And it probably wouldn't help in this case since the issue seems mechanical rather than electrical. So I'd suggest not putting anything too vital in the Model 3 frunk until Tesla either comes up with a robust fix for the issue or describes an easy method to open the frunk latch when the normal method doesn't do the job.

 

[03DSG]

We just had our first hardware issue on our new Model 3. We took delivery of the car on Wednesday and the frunk latch worked flawlessly until Saturday morning. On Saturday morning I tried to show someone what the frunk looked like, but when I tried to open the frunk from either the iPhone app or the vehicle touchscreen it fails to open. You can hear the actuator making noise and the touchscreen indicates the frunk has opened, but the latch doesn't release so it seems like something mechanical rather than software or an electrical problem. If you reboot the main screen the frunk is no longer indicated as open and if you put the car in gear there is no error message so it seems like the sensor that detects if the funk is open is working properly. I saw someone report a similar issue on the Facebook model 3 group so I don't think this is an isolated issue.

I read through the user manual and there is a way to open the frunk if the 12v electrical system in the car fails (you remove the small round cover for the tow bolt in the front bumber and apply 12V accross the two wires under the cover). But this isn't supposed to work if the car still has a functional 12 v system. And it probably wouldn't help in this case since the issue seems mechanical rather than electrical. So I'd suggest not putting anything too vital in the Model 3 frunk until Tesla either comes up with a robust fix for the issue or describes an easy method to open the frunk latch when the normal method doesn't do the job.

Have you tried having someone gently push down on the frunk as if closing it at the same time you push the open button? This would take the load off the latch. Give it a shot.

 

[wraithnot]

Have you tried having someone gently push down on the frunk as if closing it at the same time you push the open button? This would take the load off the latch. Give it a shot.

That's certainly a reasonable suggestion. But I tried something similar with no success- I pushed down on the hood and tried to open the frunk using the iPhone app. I could hear some sort of actuator respond, but the frunk didn't open.

It's not a big deal for us at the moment because the frunk is such a small amount of the cargo space on a Model 3 and we already have a Model S for road trips. So I'm not in a great hurry to schedule the service appointment to get it fixed. But I almost put the cake for our three-year-old's birthday party in the Model 3 frunk to keep it from getting smashed by other cargo and that could have turned out quite badly! So I thought I should warn other new Model 3 owners to think twice before putting something really important in the frunk of a new Model 3.

 

[Skione65]

@wraithnot,

I would have suggested the above remedies as well. Let us no what the “fix” is/was if you get it opened successfully or serviced by Tesla.

Ski

 

[smak]

At the Century City store on Saturday, I saw a Tesla employee pushing down on a frunk that looked closed.

So it seems that could be a remedy if there are problems, but too bad that didn't fix it.

 

[wraithnot]

@wraithnot,

I would have suggested the above remedies as well. Let us no what the “fix” is/was if you get it opened successfully or serviced by Tesla.

Ski

We were charging at the Dublin, California superchargers today and since it's also a showroom and service center, I asked if someone could take a look at the frunk. They were quite gracious and two Tesla service personnel came right out with some tools and took a look. They weren't able to open it with the "push down on the frunk while someone tries to open it on the touchscreen" technique. But they were able to open it by taking off the tow bolt cover on the front bumper and applying 12V to the two wires behind the cover. After testing the latch mechanism for a while, they said I needed a new actuator and then helped me set up an expedited service appointment. Hopefully the repair doesn't take too long. Or if it does take a while, hopefully I get an S/X P100D loaner while they do the repairs

 

[wraithnot]

@wraithnot,

I would have suggested the above remedies as well. Let us no what the “fix” is/was if you get it opened successfully or serviced by Tesla.

Ski

The ultimate fix was a visit to Tesla service in San Rafael and some replacement parts. .

But service really seems to have upped their game since some of my previous visits. Making the appointment was painless, they had something available within a few days, they had a Model S loaner waiting for me, the Model 3 was detailed and ready when they said it would be, and they treated me really well. To be fair, in the past, they have always treated me really well. But they had some issues with all the other things I mentioned. I think they must be getting ready for more service visits as Model 3 production starts ramping up.

Here is the description of the work from the service invoice:

Concern: Customer States: Frunk will not open

Pay Type: Warranty
Corrections: Actuator - Latch - Hood - Primary
Inspected hood latch mechanism. Found primary actuator was intermittently not opening
primary latch. Recommend replacing primary actuator.

Part Quantity
M3 FRUNK LATCH ACTUATOR PRIMARY
RELEASE (1098789-00-C)

1
HOOD LATCH (1033011-00-D) 1
M3 FRUNK ACTUATOR SECONDARY
RELEASE (1098790-00-C)

1

Parts Replaced or Added

Corrections: Closure Assist Mechanisms and Hinges General Diagnosis
Replaced primary actuator, verified system is functioning normally.