Headrest shatters vanity mirror

[DannyHamilton]

I was cleaning my car, and moving the driver's seat forward and up so that I could vacuum behind it. The plan was to move it as far forward and as far up as possible to get the as much access as I could to clean all the nook and crannies. Didn't expect the seat to move far enough to damage anything, so I wasn't watching the top of the seat. Instead I was watching the bottom so I could see when it stopped moving in each direction.

I discovered the hard way that, surprisingly, it is possible to push the headrest right up into the sun visor with enough force to shatter the vanity mirror!

If you want to try this yourself (why would you?)... Start with the seat bottom all the way down as far as it will go. Tilt the seatback as far forward as possible. Then, tilt the back of the seat bottom as high as it will go. Finally lift the seat bottom up while watching the headrest. You'll discover that the headrest will come into contact with the visor, and that you'll still have some travel distance available to you. If you continue to raise the seat bottom, you'll hear a cracking sound and the mirror will be shattered.

Note that when this happens accidentally, your heart will sink as you instantly fear that you've cracked the glass roof. Then as you glance up and see where the top of the headrest is, you'll realize that it was ONLY the vanity mirror.

All that being said... Does anybody have any experience with replacing that mirror? Will I need a whole new visor, or can I just replace the mirror? How much might it cost? I'll be calling the service center tomorrow morning.

 

[AZGirl]

Such a sad story! Hope you can resolve the broken mirror easily. Thanks for the warning.

 

[Canuck]

Yes, thanks for the warning.

When you tell Tesla how it happened, I hope they replace it as a courtesy. To increase your odds, it's best to show them those types of things when you need something else serviced so it's an add on to an warranty item fix. So if it can wait, you might want to wait. I'm sure you'll see a need for warranty service if you don't already. Then mention it - how it happened -- and how much? and see what they say.

 

[ncostello]

I was cleaning my car, and moving the driver's seat forward and up so that I could vacuum behind it. The plan was to move it as far forward and as far up as possible to get the as much access as I could to clean all the nook and crannies. Didn't expect the seat to move far enough to damage anything, so I wasn't watching the top of the seat. Instead I was watching the bottom so I could see when it stopped moving in each direction.

I discovered the hard way that, surprisingly, it is possible to push the headrest right up into the sun visor with enough force to shatter the vanity mirror!

If you want to try this yourself (why would you?)... Start with the seat bottom all the way down as far as it will go. Tilt the seatback as far forward as possible. Then, tilt the back of the seat bottom as high as it will go. Finally lift the seat bottom up while watching the headrest. You'll discover that the headrest will come into contact with the visor, and that you'll still have some travel distance available to you. If you continue to raise the seat bottom, you'll hear a cracking sound and the mirror will be shattered.

Note that when this happens accidentally, your heart will sink as you instantly fear that you've cracked the glass roof. Then as you glance up and see where the top of the headrest is, you'll realize that it was ONLY the vanity mirror.

All that being said... Does anybody have any experience with replacing that mirror? Will I need a whole new visor, or can I just replace the mirror? How much might it cost? I'll be calling the service center tomorrow morning.

Hey Man, I just had a friend riding in my passenger seat of my M3 today...Got the car ceramic coated a week ago. He opens the vanity mirror...ITS CRACKED. I’m kind of upset with this. My auto tilt is also not working correctly on my passenger rear view mirror. It was brought in for servicing and they said the replaced the whole mirror and I could take the car back and they would fix it OTA and contact me soon. It’s been over 3 weeks and haven’t heard a thing. I really want to get on the phone with the service center in the morning. Your freakin headrest should not be cracking your vanity mirror...mine still has the damn plastic inside of it, never even peeled it off. And my freaking mirrros should be working after spending 4 hours at your service center while you exchanged the whole unit. RIDICULOUS

 

[Canuck]

Your freakin headrest should not be cracking your vanity mirror...mine still has the damn plastic inside of it, never even peeled it off. And my freaking mirrros should be working after spending 4 hours at your service center while you exchanged the whole unit. RIDICULOUS

Yes, but at the same time these things happen and it's really not worth sweating the small stuff and this really is small stuff. So no need to get the OP all riled up, at least in my view -- since these vehicles are so great, part of the deal is putting up with the growing pains (since you'd have to be blind not knowing that going in) -- and it's actually a small price to pay if you ask me and I've spent my fair time in service... but you'll never get me in any other vehicle.

 

[dhanson865]

r/teslamotors - PSA: Model 3 seats go far enough up & forward to break vanity mirrors!

Posted about 3 weeks ago, sorry they didn't get the word out better before you found the same issue.

Spoke to service. Part is $105 (entire visor) and labor is about $12

 

[Canuck]

With the defect, they should all be replaced under warranty and they need to work on a fix.

 

[jamnmon66]

I was cleaning my car, and moving the driver's seat forward and up so that I could vacuum behind it. The plan was to move it as far forward and as far up as possible to get the as much access as I could to clean all the nook and crannies. Didn't expect the seat to move far enough to damage anything, so I wasn't watching the top of the seat. Instead I was watching the bottom so I could see when it stopped moving in each direction.

I discovered the hard way that, surprisingly, it is possible to push the headrest right up into the sun visor with enough force to shatter the vanity mirror!

If you want to try this yourself (why would you?)... Start with the seat bottom all the way down as far as it will go. Tilt the seatback as far forward as possible. Then, tilt the back of the seat bottom as high as it will go. Finally lift the seat bottom up while watching the headrest. You'll discover that the headrest will come into contact with the visor, and that you'll still have some travel distance available to you. If you continue to raise the seat bottom, you'll hear a cracking sound and the mirror will be shattered.

Note that when this happens accidentally, your heart will sink as you instantly fear that you've cracked the glass roof. Then as you glance up and see where the top of the headrest is, you'll realize that it was ONLY the vanity mirror.

All that being said... Does anybody have any experience with replacing that mirror? Will I need a whole new visor, or can I just replace the mirror? How much might it cost? I'll be calling the service center tomorrow morning.

I did exactly the same thing two days ago. I'll bring it up when I get my tires rotated in a few weeks.

 

[DannyHamilton]

no need to get the OP all riled up, at least in my view

No worries. I don't "get all riled up" very easily.

Some other small issues I've had since taking delivery that might be worth keeping an eye on are:

• Small metal piece fell off charge port door.
• Velcro glue melted in frunk under carpet liner.
  
• Glovebox pops open while driving (Not certain, but seems to happen more frequently in hot weather).
  
• Rain runs off back window straight into trunk when trunk is opened.

 

[Dana1]

I was cleaning my car, and moving the driver's seat forward and up so that I could vacuum behind it. The plan was to move it as far forward and as far up as possible to get the as much access as I could to clean all the nook and crannies. Didn't expect the seat to move far enough to damage anything, so I wasn't watching the top of the seat. Instead I was watching the bottom so I could see when it stopped moving in each direction.

I discovered the hard way that, surprisingly, it is possible to push the headrest right up into the sun visor with enough force to shatter the vanity mirror!

If you want to try this yourself (why would you?)... Start with the seat bottom all the way down as far as it will go. Tilt the seatback as far forward as possible. Then, tilt the back of the seat bottom as high as it will go. Finally lift the seat bottom up while watching the headrest. You'll discover that the headrest will come into contact with the visor, and that you'll still have some travel distance available to you. If you continue to raise the seat bottom, you'll hear a cracking sound and the mirror will be shattered.

Note that when this happens accidentally, your heart will sink as you instantly fear that you've cracked the glass roof. Then as you glance up and see where the top of the headrest is, you'll realize that it was ONLY the vanity mirror.

All that being said... Does anybody have any experience with replacing that mirror? Will I need a whole new visor, or can I just replace the mirror? How much might it cost? I'll be calling the service center tomorrow morning.

...7 years bad luck...hope it doesn’t start with finding a new mirror. Thanks for posting. I’m a new owner and hadn’t realized the seat would tilt that much...I’m a lazy vacuumer I think after reading what you do.

 

[PeTina]

Just noticed I also have a cracked mirror.. except I don't know how it happened. Never opened it since taking delivery in July. Is it possible that it's just a defect? Did anyone got theirs fixed (for free)?

 

[Wshowell]

Patient to doctor “Doctor doctor, please help! It hurts when I do this!”

Doctor to Patient “then don’t do that......”

‘Nuf said on the issue....

 

[SMAlset]

Thanks for the great photos to illustate. I can't picture adjusting the seat tilted forward like that but good to know to avoid. I guess you could put the visor in a down and toward windshield position and just watch how you are positioning the seat in relation to that area.

With delivery, service, car wash or valets handling your car at different times I guess maybe it's a good idea to pre-check and after-check your vanity mirror to look for damage. Certainly point out the potential issue ahead of giving your car to someone.

 

[Adam3]

Same thing happened in my BMW 4-series - head rest hits right where the mirror is and if you aren't careful it will shatter. BMW replaced the mirror (visor) for free.

 

[TheLocNar]

I'm sorry, but I can't stop laughing when I see the two photos of the seat in post 6, imagining some little old lady adjusting her seat like that so she can drive the car.

 

[dhanson865]

Thanks for the great photos to illustate. I can't picture adjusting the seat tilted forward like that but good to know to avoid. I guess you could put the visor in a down and toward windshield position and just watch how you are positioning the seat in relation to that area.

With delivery, service, car wash or valets handling your car at different times I guess maybe it's a good idea to pre-check and after-check your vanity mirror to look for damage. Certainly point out the potential issue ahead of giving your car to someone.

Seems like a software or hardware fix are both feasible. If the car knows the position do limit it a few mm sooner than max travel and it won't break the visor mirror. If it doesn't know the position have a clip or bolt or something installed by a mobile service tech to stop travel at that point.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

Go to seat settings and enable Seat Automatic Emergency Braking and this won't happen again

 

[InParadise]

All that being said... Does anybody have any experience with replacing that mirror? Will I need a whole new visor, or can I just replace the mirror? How much might it cost? I'll be calling the service center tomorrow morning.

This happened to me too.

Just had it replaced at SC for $138. $115 for replacement visor, $17 labor, the rest $ for tax. My first visit there and had them do a panel gap adjustment.

 

[Matt415]

My visor mirror broke when I moved the passenger front seat up when I was cleaning the interior. My visor was in the closed position.

I requested support on the app, a Tesla rep called and said this is not covered under warranty. They wanted me to accept liability at which I refused. I asked the case to be escalated, but he claimed there nothing else they can do.

This is clearly a design flaw, the movement threshold should never allow it to come in contact with the visor in the first place. Tesla is such a pity company. They should own up to problems, so they can keep making improvements. If we are happy, we will keep buying their products. Needless to say, I won't be. I filed a complaint with the FTC.

 

[DhalPuri]

I'm reviving this old post to see if anyone was able to get this fixed by Tesla without cost to yourself. I just became the victim of the same issue :-(