Model 3: Roof Crack

[jessca]

The other day I noticed a slight roof crack and when I look from the outside it looks like there was a minor starting point for it. What is the deal with the roof glass? My husband feels like it shouldn’t break under such a minor condition, a rock can’t directly hit it. Am I wasting my time to ask Tesla or do I just get it fixed? Any idea how much replacing it runs? Thanks!

 

[Pgetzen]

I had a crack within the first couple of months on the back/hatch area and my service center fixed for free. Unsure what the experience in the last year has been.

 

[hridge2020]

The other day I noticed a slight roof crack and when I look from the outside it looks like there was a minor starting point for it. What is the deal with the roof glass? My husband feels like it shouldn’t break under such a minor condition, a rock can’t directly hit it. Am I wasting my time to ask Tesla or do I just get it fixed? Any idea how much replacing it runs? Thanks!

Is it still in warranty? If theres an impact mark, they'll blame you.. If not they will fix.. take to service center for checking.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

What year is your car? I read the early ones had this problem more commonly, so if it's an older car you might have a better chance of Tesla paying to fix it.

If it's crazy expensive to fix, your comprehensive insurance will cover it minus deductible, and it won't be considered an accident claim.

 

[hridge2020]

I had an impact on back glass. Had full glass coverage on insurance.... Cost just my time...

 

[Celledral]

I too had a large crack one day out of nowhere. Had to get it fixed from tesla for roughly $1300. There was an impact mark, but it looked sooooo minor.

 

[jessca]

Yeah it’s a super minor mark with is mostly just irritating. I have comprehensive so will go that route. Just got done fixing the suspension and just got the car in Oct. frustrating when it’s so new!! It’s a 2019.

 

[hridge2020]

2019... I see kinda of a very faint impact possible... maybe not. Let service determine. Say glass is cracking.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

Yeah, 90% chance Tesla is going to say that’s a rock impact and not cover it under warranty.

 

[Daniel in SD]

There are places that will attempt to repair it by drilling a hole at the end of the crack to stop it from spreading and then filling the crack with resin. I had a place do this and it didn't work (they did say chances of success were low (1 out of 5) and didn't charge me).
I bought a drill bit for my Dremel and tried myself (in the outer glass layer only, not all the way through!) and it's been holding for 6 months or so. I just put a piece of black electrical tape over it to keep dirt out and haven't bothered filling it yet.

 

[Westfaliaboy]

I too have just had a roof crack - Happened in -30 C weather. Pulled the car out of the garage into the cold, and left it for an hour or so as I was getting organized. Got back in and was heating up the car while waiting for my wife and heard a "Tunk". Was looking around trying to figure out what was going on, but thought it was the battery or whatever. My wife got in the car and pointed and said "What's that!?!"

So, started in the front, and today I noticed that the back of the roof glass has started cracking. It goes straight for a while, then curves off perpendicular both front and back - Bizarre...........

Will contact Tesla, but doubt that I will get any love from them based on everyone else's experience. Insurance it is.....

Cheers

 

[stopcrazypp]

I too have just had a roof crack - Happened in -30 C weather. Pulled the car out of the garage into the cold, and left it for an hour or so as I was getting organized. Got back in and was heating up the car while waiting for my wife and heard a "Tunk". Was looking around trying to figure out what was going on, but thought it was the battery or whatever. My wife got in the car and pointed and said "What's that!?!"

So, started in the front, and today I noticed that the back of the roof glass has started cracking. It goes straight for a while, then curves off perpendicular both front and back - Bizarre...........

Will contact Tesla, but doubt that I will get any love from them based on everyone else's experience. Insurance it is.....

Cheers

Actually if there is no impact mark, Tesla seems to be fine covering it under warranty as a stress crack. It's the cases where there is an obvious impact mark, like shown above, that they may deny warranty. Doesn't hurt asking.

 

[Fernand]

@jessca My guess would be Tesla will cover it under warranty as a stress crack. Just tell them like it is, that it appeared out of nowhere.

 

[BayAreaCelt]

So elsewhere in the forum I posted a positive experience with the Berkely team, they replaced mine FOC for a factory defect category. It started on the back, I think after a super cold night (well, cold for the Oakland hills) and then me using the defroster in the morning (small bit of frost on the back that morning).

Be aware of the tiresome, special needs naysayers saying Tesla can do no wrong on this forum - window breaking is a known issue and tracked on this website - Watch This Tesla's Rear Window Fall Right Out On The Highway

Its worth arguing the toss, there are severe quality control issues at Tesla, and any other manufacturer would be rightly pilloried for this sort of thing. Just because Tesla is the second frigging coming doesnt mean they get a pass for shoddy parts.. like every other manufacturer - look how long they dragged their feet on the computer replacement thing and the screen replacement thing for Model S... if something is not fit for purpose, damn well stand an fecht as us Scots would say. If something is good, call that out, but dont shy from pointing out something is not acceptable either.

 

[ArK0n]

I had mine replaced a week ago, came out of no where and the crack was on both the inside and outside with no impact point. The service tech said "we will replace it this time, but we normally wouldn't as there is a crack on the outside and stress cracks only happen on the inside as the glass is doable pane". If it happens again you bet I'm going to make them replace it!

 

[arghx7]

If you file an insurance claim, your rates will most likely go up (hard to say how much without talking to the provider). So it really depends how much Tesla would charge to replace it. In the end it could be less expensive to pay out of pocket if Tesla won't cover it. How high is your deductible? You really should run the numbers here, smaller claims on car insurance don't always add up.

 

[ArK0n]

Windshield/sunroof claim will not make your insurance go up, it falls under comprehensive. I have a $500 deductible and Tesla tech said it's about $900 for them to replace it Out of pocket. They were kind to do to it for free this time