Model Y Gemini aero covers have damaged alloy wheel

[T3SSY]

2022 MYLR with 2000 miles.
Took off the aero covers to put a cap kit on and found the the covers had been grinding into the wheel spokes and rim as shown in pictures below. Is this a normal occurance??? One of the wheels has a really bad rim, the others are not too bad. And most of the spokes I have been able to polish out so it's not too visible (like the last image), but it's still there if you look. Really annoying. Hope this warns anyone who is thinking to change at some point - don't leave it too late! I can't imagine what they would be like after 10k miles.

 

[Rooster6655]

I’d be inclined to ask Tesla to replace any that are badly damaged, a cover damaging the alloy isn’t fit for purpose. However due to sheer volume of cars sold it’s unlikely they will give in and even then have been a year wait for Tesla to replace them!

 

[EVMeister]

This happens with the Model 3 aeros as well. I actually purchased the hubcap kit intending to take the aero covers off, but they'd eaten away at the alloys. This occured after only a few months, though it wasn't surprising to me as quite a few people were reporting this at the time.

Unfortunately you really need to decide whether to use them or not use them very early on and stick with that. The aero covers have grown on me and they're fantastically easy to clean. But it's a shame you can't just put them on sometimes and keep them off other times - unless you don't mind your alloys looking chewed.

 

[Jason71]

No change then from the M3 aero caps sadly

WARNING! Aero covers may damage alloys!

Moderator comment - thread renamed from "WARNING! Aero caps damage alloys!" - caps -> covers So after 7 months and 7k miles I decided to take off my aero caps to clean and with a view to maybe leaving them off. I was rather upset when I saw what they have done to my alloys. The aero caps clip...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[UrbanSplash]

Standard unfortunately. I took Aeros off M3 after collection for this reason

 

[Adopado]

Standard unfortunately. I took Aeros off M3 after collection for this reason

On the older style wheels (2019) I've seen the slightest evidence of some rubbing where the edge of the Aero meets the edge of the wheel but nothing remotely as extreme as in the post from @T3SSY where there is full depth damage from the clips. It's as if the paint was too soft when they were first put on.

 

[chromium]

2196 miles on mine and exactly the same damage. Knew I should have got shot of them at the get go. I can see a wheel refurb on the horizon! Where can you order centre caps for the Gemini wheels?

 

[Rooster6655]

2196 miles on mine and exactly the same damage. Knew I should have got shot of them at the get go. I can see a wheel refurb on the horizon! Where can you order centre caps for the Gemini wheels?

Ali express has them

 

[Jason71]

It's as if the paint was too soft when they were first put on.

Unlikely. I imagine they are powder coated rather than painted in which case they are baked and by the time they cool they will be as hard as they are going to get.

 

[Roy B]

The aero covers have grown on me and they're fantastically easy to clean.

They're also aerodynamic (hence the name) and improve your range.

 

[EVMeister]

They're also aerodynamic (hence the name) and improve your range.

Yes, indeed.

 

[prabhu]

2196 miles on mine and exactly the same damage. Knew I should have got shot of them at the get go. I can see a wheel refurb on the horizon! Where can you order centre caps for the Gemini wheels?

It's fascinating to hear that an unprotected alloy wheel would have less damage than the one with the covers. Perhaps we don't hear about all the scratches and damages suffered by a wheel without the covers?

 

[T3SSY]

2196 miles on mine and exactly the same damage. Knew I should have got shot of them at the get go. I can see a wheel refurb on the horizon! Where can you order centre caps for the Gemini wheels?

Tesla sell them in the accessories section of the app, but they've been out of stock ever since I've had the car. So I got some from Amazon at less than a third of the price. I don't expect them to last particularly long but hopefully the proper Tesla ones will be available soon as I much prefer their silver finish.

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B094VL7GZN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[T3SSY]

I’d be inclined to ask Tesla to replace any that are badly damaged, a cover damaging the alloy isn’t fit for purpose. However due to sheer volume of cars sold it’s unlikely they will give in and even then have been a year wait for Tesla to replace them!

How would you go about contacting Tesla regarding this? Through a SC request?

 

[Rooster6655]

The centre caps can be had from A

Tesla sell them in the accessories section of the app, but they've been out of stock ever since I've had the car. So I got some from Amazon at less than a third of the price. I don't expect them to last particularly long but hopefully the proper Tesla ones will be available soon as I much prefer their silver finish.

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B094VL7GZN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

View attachment 813212
View attachment 813213
View attachment 813214

Those black ones look good with your colour car, there are also silver ones and other colours on Ali Express without the nut caps for about £5 delivered

 

[Adopado]

How would you go about contacting Tesla regarding this? Through a SC request?

Yes through the app. You can attach photos.

 

[Rooster6655]

How would you go about contacting Tesla regarding this? Through a SC request?

Yes as Adopado said try a SC request, I am not hopeful anything would be done unless it was "like that when you got the car" even then Tesla would probably make you wait years to get replacements, however you have nothing to lose trying!

 

[T3SSY]

Yes as Adopado said try a SC request, I am not hopeful anything would be done unless it was "like that when you got the car" even then Tesla would probably make you wait years to get replacements, however you have nothing to lose trying!

OK cheers, will give it a go anyway.

 

[yessuz]

2196 miles on mine and exactly the same damage. Knew I should have got shot of them at the get go. I can see a wheel refurb on the horizon! Where can you order centre caps for the Gemini wheels?

amazon