Model 3 paint wearing off

[TonyJag]

Can you please explain what the arbitration process is. I have similar paint issues with my Model 3 in the wheel well area on both sides. Hopefully, this will be covered by warranty and doesn’t have to go to arbitration

Looking at your pictures closer, it appears that there is PPF on the rocker panel. But it didn't wrap around the edge where the rust is. That might have helped somewhat, but the worst rust is under the chip guard at the bottom. It appears to have been sand blasted. Mud flaps would have prevented that as well as cover the hole.

 

[TonyJag]

I found this thread very informative and helpful and referenced it in a newer thread that covers
Model 3 Rust Vulnerability:
Rust Vulnerability?

 

[Retiredeh]

I love my Model 3 and don't want to part with it. I just upgraded it to full self driving but the paint job especially around the wheel wells and rocker panels does not meet modern day expectations. The quality reminds me of the early days when Japanese cars came to North America and started rusting out early. I live in the interior of BC where we get a lot of snow in the winter time. If Tesla can't build cars to meet the rigors of winter roads in Canada, how do they expect to compete with any other Automotive manufacturer that has no problem in this regard. Over 20 years of driving Toyota Prius's in these conditions never caused me the grief I have seen in one short year of driving my M3 under the same conditions.

Right now I am checking to see if I am eligible to join the class action in Quebec...if not I will have to find one or launch my own. I'd encourage anyone with theses premature paint problems to get involved in a class action lawsuit as this appears to be the only way Tesla can be held liable for building such an inferior product.

 

[ChrisH]

I’ve been fortunate to not lose any paint yet in two years of ownership. But only 15k miles in the Seattle WA area.

 

[TonyJag]

I love my Model 3 and don't want to part with it. I just upgraded it to full self driving but the paint job especially around the wheel wells and rocker panels does not meet modern day expectations. The quality reminds me of the early days when Japanese cars came to North America and started rusting out early. I live in the interior of BC where we get a lot of snow in the winter time. If Tesla can't build cars to meet the rigors of winter roads in Canada, how do they expect to compete with any other Automotive manufacturer that has no problem in this regard. Over 20 years of driving Toyota Prius's in these conditions never caused me the grief I have seen in one short year of driving my M3 under the same conditions.

Right now I am checking to see if I am eligible to join the class action in Quebec...if not I will have to find one or launch my own. I'd encourage anyone with theses premature paint problems to get involved in a class action lawsuit as this appears to be the only way Tesla can be held liable for building such an inferior product.

Sorry that you have encountered poor paint quality. Were any protective mechanisms like mud flaps or PPF applied to this car? Any idea what percentage of model 3's have this problem? Good luck with your class action. Please keep us informed of progress.

 

[richyrich]

Sorry that you have encountered poor paint quality. Were any protective mechanisms like mud flaps or PPF applied to this car? Any idea what percentage of model 3's have this problem? Good luck with your class action. Please keep us informed of progress.

I expect a lot of cars with this problem don't have "protective mechanisms" because nobody realized there was a problem that would require them until recently. Tesla started offering mudflaps only recently - they gave me mine in March (to fit myself) after the car has already seen two whole winters. I'm really hoping we see Tesla come through here because it's a clear failing by them - I've never seen peeling like this on 1-2 year old cars. I'm sure it's not an issue in California, yet again...

 

[Retiredeh]

I did not expect this kind of damage to occur so quickly...in the winter I can't wash my car much....it's only in the spring I started to notice it while washing the car. I was astounded at how bad it had become and thought Tesla would take care of it because I have a four year bumper to bumper warranty. I noticed a few threads suggesting the damage isn't covered by warranty and thought my extended warranty was a good investment. When the mobile service fellow showed up and confirmed it wasn't covered I was gobsmacked! The mobile tech was powerless, embarrassed and couldn't even offer me a free set of mudflaps because they aren't seeing the problem in the lower mainland Vancouver area.

The thing is mud flaps and protective film are not the answer. They are band aids. This is a design problem. The rocker panels need to be replaced with durable material.

I purchased my first car 56 years ago and have owned and driven many vehicles. None have exhibited this kind of damage. I fear the Model 3 is a rust bucket in the making. If the bodies can't stand up to harsh North American winters and we accept this is fine for Tesla, we have regressed to the days of accepting it's fine for auto makers to put rust buckets back on the road. The Model 3 is an amazing car. Hands down my all wheel drive is the best handling car I have ever driven in snow and icy conditions. I have recommended it and espoused it's laurels to many but no longer will I recommend the Model 3 to anyone.

This is a $70,000.00 +++ car and needs better rust protection. I can easily find that in a $20,000. economy vehicle. This is 2020 and no other self respecting auto manufacturer would take this stance let alone create such an embarrassing problem.

 

[S'toon]

Hi Proud owners of model 3!

I am Joni Savolainen from Finland and i & we need your help!

Finnish Goods Inspection Finds Tesla Model 3 Paint Is Soft And Thin
https://thedrive.com/tech/29257/finnish-tesla-model-3-inspection-reveals-soft-thin-under-spec-paint
Impressed By The Finnish Tesla Model 3 Paint Problems? Hold My Beer
The all new Tesla Model R...ecall?

I am fed up for excuses and blaming customers for paint issues from Tesla service centers.

I wish that the owners who are not experiencing paint issues, would stand side by side with those that are! We are only holding Tesla accountable for a better product and making the company better.

I’ve been there and it sucks when the paint falls off your 1 month old, $96,000 dollar car. It’s not ‘pebbles and stones’ either, it’s paved roads.

IF you are fed up too for the soft paint. We have been groupping people together on Facebook called "tesla model 3 owners worldwide with paint issues".

In Finland i have 25 model 3 owners who are experiencing the same issues on brand new model 3:s.

List for finland:

Tesla Model 3 epänormaalia kulumaa maalipinnassa

Facebook group:

Tesla Model 3 owners worldwide with paint issues

View attachment 463138

What can you expect? I have been collecting pictures. :/

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=alNDUmRmb0plb3hMOHZSU0wtaHBYbUV1RWloZmx3

What is our story? Or my and many other story? SEE --> Consumer advocacy service

How my car is looking after 2100 km.

&

4k video after wash @ 2100 km:

BTW.

Tesla called these normal after 4 weeks driving. :/

There is a big topic also in here --->

Model 3 paint wearing off

Wait a minute! You're not even a Model 3 owner! Why are you posting as if you are one?
What Do I Drive? A Renault Captur And Here's Why

 

[twise56]

Just noticed that rocker panels, lower door panels, and lower fender panels on my model 3 with 4000 miles has paint worn down to the undercoat. anyone else having this problem? solution?

yes we're having the similar issues, ours is a 2018 and initially we appealed to Tesla because the paint was wearing off and the bottom panels along both sides of the car, especially where it bow out, were fading from our gray color to almost a white, or very very light gray, That was in October of 2019. They recommended that we put on mud flaps, which we did after it was painted. In a years time that has worn off again. Now, the paint is actually chipping off on the front quarter panels, both sides. I strongly feel that the paint jobs on the Tesla were poorly done and we need to figure out how to get them to make it right.
Tom Wise
Oneonta NY

 

[Nocturnal]

Sucks that people have this issue. Either it is from road debris or there was an application issue. Knock on wood by my 18 MSM has no paint problems like this. 35k or so miles.

 

[KenC]

yes we're having the similar issues, ours is a 2018 and initially we appealed to Tesla because the paint was wearing off and the bottom panels along both sides of the car, especially where it bow out, were fading from our gray color to almost a white, or very very light gray, That was in October of 2019. They recommended that we put on mud flaps, which we did after it was painted. In a years time that has worn off again. Now, the paint is actually chipping off on the front quarter panels, both sides. I strongly feel that the paint jobs on the Tesla were poorly done and we need to figure out how to get them to make it right.
Tom Wise
Oneonta NY

Pics would be nice.

 

[chuckecheeseli]

I know that Tesla paint issues are all over TMC and elsewhere on the internet, and that there is a class action lawsuit in the works in Canada. But, for us Tesla owners in the USA, has anyone SUCCESSFULLY held Tesla to task and obtained any sort of financial compensation or repair of extensive and greater-than-expected paint damage? I have attached photos of my rocker panels, which have innumerable full-thickness chips from road debris after 6 months of ownership, ~6,000 miles, solely driven on paved roads but many had salt/sand/gravel treatments for winter weather. I also have chips scattered about my door panels from the same process.

 

[Retiredeh]

Further to my previous post , a year ago I ended up going to a shop that specializes in auto detailing touch up repairs and at their recommendation got them to apply a rhino coating tinted to match the colour of my car. It's the same material they use in truck beds. I also purchased aftermarket mud flaps. The whole setup seems to have held up fine this past winter.

I just bit the bullet and did something to protect the car as it's pointless dealing with Tesla on this matter and the one class action going on in Quebec seems to be going nowhere. They were not interested in returning any of my calls. To my knowledge there is no active class action going on in Canada but I could stand to be corrected.

I'd encourage anyone with this problem to just correct it yourself before it's too late. Check closely underneath the rocker panels along the body seam and make sure a good treatment is applied there as well.

 

[Stonemore]

Hi to everyone.
I see that this thread has not been active for over one year.
I recently bough a new model 3 and I already have a lot of stone chips especially on the lower right door part just after 2 weeks of winter. Tesla is of course refusing to cover it under warranty, but even bigger concern for me is that even if I / they fix this, that it will happen again next winter. I have also measured the paint thickness and is is under 70 micro meters on that part of the door.
Anyway, the reason I am writing is to see if anyone had any resolution about this problem from Tesla or any other way. I am opened to all suggestions, even to sell the car!
Thanks.

 

[MrBadger]

Anyway, the reason I am writing is to see if anyone had any resolution about this problem from Tesla or any other way. I am opened to all suggestions, even to sell the car!

Paint protection film can be used to protect those areas.

You don’t need a full set as companies like Xpel will do partial area kits, eg sill/lower door areas - likely to be called different things in different regions. Best to get this professionally fitted for ease and warranty.

 

[Stonemore]

Paint protection film can be used to protect those areas.

You don’t need a full set as companies like Xpel will do partial area kits, eg sill/lower door areas - likely to be called different things in different regions. Best to get this professionally fitted for ease and warranty.

Thank you for the feedback. I am considering the the PPF. But I need to get the damages corrected first and I still have to wait till march for the correction of the rear doors that tesla will cover under warranty and they will repaint the part that was damaged due to this misalignment. I am considering to pay to fix all the rest of the damages my self and then get a PPF for the whole vehicle. But I am concerned that by then, there will be way more paint chips to fix... I have also fitted mud flaps to mitigate the change for more stone chips...
I am really disappointed at the paint quality.

 

[Big_River]

Hello! My 1st post here, I figured I would bump this and add pics of my car and the paint issues. I am blown away (and not in a good way) how bad the paint is. Everytime I wash the car, more anb dmore paint peels off. To fix the areas affected would cost me $6000 through their 'Tesla Certified body shop'

Rust bubbles in the paint here. The other side is worse. This is the rear where the side of the bumper meets the rear quater panel.

Other side:

 

[Cintoman]

Wow, that's one of the worst paint issues I've seen on here. What year is your Model 3 and how many miles/km do you have on it? I know winters up north can be pretty brutal on cars, but most cars can handle the sand/salt/winter. Just not Teslas unfortunately it seems.

--Cintoman

 

[Big_River]

2018 with 145k km. This is the newest car in my fleet with less Km driven. None of my other cars have done this and all are winter driven on the same roads.

Its wild.