Making the Model 3 trunk lid close more easily

[compu85]

I found the trunk lid on our Model 3 required quite a bit of force to close. I wondered if this could be improved, and found the answer is yes!

• Apply a few drops of light oil to all of the pivots (yellow arrows). I like Zoom Spout, but 3 in 1 or any light oil should work.
• Apply a drop of light oil to the strut rod (green arrow). (Of course do this for both the left and right side)

• Remove the spring bumpers
  • Carefully pull off the rubber cover. I find it's easiest to pinch near the top to get it unseated.
  • Press in the 3 tabs holding the spring unit into the trunk lid. Use a plastic tool to avoid scratching the paint.

• Using strong cutters, remove about 1.5 coils from the spring, from the side closer to the car. Be sure to bend the cut off end in some, so that the spring stays centered.
• Remove the "excess" coils.
• Put the rubber cover back on the bumper.
• Put the bumper back in the trunk lid. It has an index tab and can only go in one way.

I can now close the trunk lid with one motion

Thanks!

-Jason

 

[guywithkeyboard]

Has anybody tried Model 3 Tailgate Closing Handle ( Only $28 with 20%*) I wonder if that's an easier solution.

 

[Promo714]

Has anybody tried Model 3 Tailgate Closing Handle ( Only $28 with 20%*) I wonder if that's an easier solution.

Yeah I got it and feel like it's a waste of money. Before I got it I was closing the trunk by catching the edge of the license plate frame and pulling down. This closing handle only sticks out a tiny bit more and doesn't make it any easier to pull the trunk down.

 

[ebmcs03]

Cut the coils? Nooooooo

 

[Eno Deb]

Hm, the trunk on my Model 3 closes very easily as it is. Wonder if they made a design change since the early builds?

The only thing that bothers me is that the handles on the inside of the lid are the wrong way around, so you cannot close the trunk by quickly pulling down the handles without touching the exterior like in other sedans.

 

[SDKoala]

I haven't been through a winter yet in my Model 3 (or at least what passes for winter in San Diego), but my last car had hydraulic struts like this that held open the rear hatch. In the summer, the warmer weather allowed the gas in the strut to expand, increasing the resistance, and making it harder to close the hatch. The opposite happened in the winter as the cooler weather allowed the gas in the strut to contract, decreasing the resistance, and making it easier to close the hatch.

Point being, lubricating the struts and decreasing the baseline friction might make it so that the trunk won't stay up as the weather cools down. Hopefully the quality of the struts are high enough that they won't be too sensitive to temperature changes, but I will say that I've noticed it's easier to close the trunk in the middle of the night when it's cool compared to the middle of the day when it's hot.

 

[run-the-joules]

Some of y’all need to hit the weights. Just sayin.

 

[ForeverFree]

Hm, the trunk on my Model 3 closes very easily as it is. Wonder if they made a design change since the early builds?

The only thing that bothers me is that the handles on the inside of the lid are the wrong way around, so you cannot close the trunk by quickly pulling down the handles without touching the exterior like in other sedans.

+1

They’re reversed from Model S. Chin-up vs. pull-up ...

 

[MXWing]

Some of y’all need to hit the weights. Just sayin.

Naw.. I'm FIERCE. Just need to put my murse and pumpkin spice latte on the ground. With less stress on my back and using both hands, I can close the lid without too much trouble.

 

[compu85]

Point being, lubricating the struts and decreasing the baseline friction might make it so that the trunk won't stay up as the weather cools down.

The lifting power is provided by the struts, not friction in the hinges.

VW has used this style of hinge since the 90s, and when the pivots start to bind the lid won't "open itself" anymore. Adding a couple drops of oil to the pivots was part of my normal PM.

The VIN on our car is 64xxx. The springs in the bumpers are quite stiff. Removing a coil on the spring still leaves lots of springiness

 

[forkee]

Has anybody tried Model 3 Tailgate Closing Handle ( Only $28 with 20%*) I wonder if that's an easier solution.

I have this and find it quite useful because I have the spoiler and don't want to put pressure on it when closing trunk. Would not have used it otherwise as never had an issue closing trunk normally.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Has anybody tried Model 3 Tailgate Closing Handle ( Only $28 with 20%*) I wonder if that's an easier solution.

I absolutely love it.

I don't have to touch my paint and its very secure.

 

[Epwr]

Has anybody tried Model 3 Tailgate Closing Handle ( Only $28 with 20%*) I wonder if that's an easier solution.

I installed this 2 weeks ago, I would say it's still a two hand effort to close the trunk lid. One hand is grabbing the area inside the trunk and pulling the trunk lid down and at the last 1/3 of travel other hand presses down onto the tailgate handle to finish the job. I don't feel comfortable just grabbing the tailgate handle and pulling down in one big swoop motion. Over time the repeated stress placed on those license plate screws is something I'm mindful of so over all the tailgate handle does the job of preventing those annoying finger/hand prints on the trunk or spoiler.

Wish the model 3 had a button like the model S to close the trunk. My neighbor has a late model mercedes E class, said hello when he was leaving to a birthday party hands full of gifts then sweeps his foot under the rear bumper and the trunk opens. I'm washing my car in the driveway and thinking why Tesla doesn't have this feature.

 

[Garlan Garner]

I installed this 2 weeks ago, I would say it's still a two hand effort to close the trunk lid. One hand is grabbing the area inside the trunk and pulling the trunk lid down and at the last 1/3 of travel other hand presses down onto the tailgate handle to finish the job. I don't feel comfortable just grabbing the tailgate handle and pulling down in one big swoop motion. Over time the repeated stress placed on those license plate screws is something I'm mindful of so over all the tailgate handle does the job of preventing those annoying finger/hand prints on the trunk or spoiler.

Wish the model 3 had a button like the model S to close the trunk. My neighbor has a late model mercedes E class, said hello when he was leaving to a birthday party hands full of gifts then sweeps his foot under the rear bumper and the trunk opens. I'm washing my car in the driveway and thinking why Tesla doesn't have this feature.

I've found that its a one hand operation with the RPM tailgate closing option.

There are other factors - such as a persons height / strength / weight / etc...…

Closing the trunk is not the same for everyone.

 

[voip-ninja]

Cutting springs? Sheesh.

More of this;

Less of this;

The pull down handle bracket for the license plate seems like a good solution, that's actually the way BMW and others instruct owners to close the trunk lids on cars that don't have a power feature.... using the plate frame to close it so you don't scratch the paint or slam it with your hand and put a ding in it.

 

[compu85]

...I would say it's still a two hand effort to close the trunk lid. One hand is grabbing the area inside the trunk and pulling the trunk lid down and at the last 1/3 of travel other hand presses down onto the tailgate handle to finish the job. I don't feel comfortable just grabbing the tailgate handle and pulling down in one big swoop motion....

That's why I modified the bumpers. Before doing this change shutting the lid in one motion, with one hand was impossible. It would slow too much when the lid was almost closed, and wouldn't latch. I'd have to press on the top of the lid, leaving fingerprints on the paint. Perhaps others' cars are different.

-J

 

[Twiglett]

My solution was even simpler.
Patience
Three months in and closing the trunk is a simple one handed operation.
No cutting required

 

[voip-ninja]

My solution was even simpler.
Patience
Three months in and closing the trunk is a simple one handed operation.
No cutting required

I suspect you are a dirty dirty liar who takes steroid injections to close Model 3 trunk.

 

[Eclipse3EB]

My issue isn’t with the force required to pull down the trunk, which is fairly easy. Instead, I worry that I almost have to slam it shut to get it to latch properly. I assume this tweak doesn’t affect the latching mechanism, right?

 

[iwannam3]

Same thing on the fragile frunk? There is not enough weight in the aluminum frunk and it seems like a hard push is required to close it. And they warn you about damaging it by pressing in the wrong places.