How To Adjust Trunk Latch

[Radlaw]

When I try to open the trunk on my 2018 Tesla 3, it opens about 1 inch but then reseats to the closed position. I'm able to "force" it open if I pull up before it reseats. The "ring" on the body of the car seems loose. Should it be? This just happened recently? The trunk closes appropriately and is tight. Can I adjust the latch mechanism or does the trunk need to be adjusted

 

[skygraff]

Are you sure it's the latch rather than the struts? If those have lost charge, they may not be providing enough up force to counteract the weight of the trunk lid which may be why it's falling back and latching.

Since out trunk opens to a sort of over center position, it's sometimes hard to tell when the gas struts have started to give out but you can kind of test it by putting the trunk lid about a quarter of the way short of fully opened (just at the top of the arc but before the over center point) and see if it stays there or immediately falls. If that's the case, might need to replace (adjust?) the struts rather than messing with the latch.

If that's not it, I'll bow out. Good luck.

 

[Radlaw]

Are you sure it's the latch rather than the struts? If those have lost charge, they may not be providing enough up force to counteract the weight of the trunk lid which may be why it's falling back and latching.

Since out trunk opens to a sort of over center position, it's sometimes hard to tell when the gas struts have started to give out but you can kind of test it by putting the trunk lid about a quarter of the way short of fully opened (just at the top of the arc but before the over center point) and see if it stays there or immediately falls. If that's the case, might need to replace (adjust?) the struts rather than messing with the latch.

If that's not it, I'll bow out. Good luck.

I don't think it is the struts. They are after market electric struts. Once I clear the trunk latch, the trunk opens fine and stays up. The trunk latch on the car body wiggles as if it's loose.

 

[skygraff]

Okay, well the latch itself should have a little play but only enough to move in it’s intended range of motion. Anything else is definitely in need of tightening.

As for why it reseats itself after it’s moved an inch, if that’s not the electric opener failing to overcome gravity then it probably couldn’t hurt to tighten the latch housing. My gut tells me there’s more to this than the latch but I look forward to learning what you find out.

 

[rpiotro]

You don't think those aftermarket struts could be the problem? Just spitballing here. How soon after you installed them did this problem start?

 

[Radlaw]

How soon after you installed them did this problem start?

One year.