My Model 3 interior making me sick (literally)

[JoshNYC]

BTW: If anyone has a contact at Tesla that could help to clarify some questions (like what materials are atypical or have been swapped out in the later models) it would be very helpful.

 

[jkoya]

Have you noticed any uticaria (hives) or rashes at all ?

 

[LDMD7]

Before you judge, hear me out.

It seems that I'm reacting to some sort of the dust or off gassing in my Model 3. I've had it for more than 6 months now and things have improved slightly but I still can't tolerate it for more than a short drive and it really sucks after saving for this car for a while. Symptoms are: warm feeling in lungs, hoarseness, generally feeling like getting a flu (while driving) and later feeling like I've been in a very smoky bar (this seems to start about a day after and last for a couple of days). Seems like an allergy or sensitivity.

If you test drove and were ok, is your M3 a different color interior? I know a lot of people were waiting for white interior.

An extreme solution is to see a functional medicine doctor. They can/will test you for pollutants, phthalates, etc. which might narrow down what is ailing you. Armed with that information you can go back to Tesla and ask where that material is present in your vehicle and go from there. Good luck!

 

[felixculpas]

Yes, it really is a bummer. I haven't had problems in other new-ish cars but then none were as fresh as this one in terms of factory to delivery time. Any suggestions about a good in-car filter?

I've used a Phillips GoPure in the past but never re-purchased filters for it so not currently in use with the Tesla. May not be powerful enough for your requirements.

TBH, if I were you, I'd consider something of the highest quality for a small room in your home and connect it with an inverter in your car.

Another possibility would be to get a home model suited to the size of your garage and run it constantly and park with your windows down. (unless you have items in your garage that are themselves giving off VOC's)

Wipe everything down inside your car frequently after letting it sit in the sun. IQ Air has an interesting "personal" model but not sure of it's utility here.

Usually for a new home it takes 2-3 months for VOC's to dissipate. Opening the windows is the simplest method of correcting a multitude of VOC sins.

 

[JoshNYC]

Have you noticed any uticaria (hives) or rashes at all ?

No, I haven't. So I guess that makes it more likely a sensitivity than an allergy?

 

[JoshNYC]

I've used a Phillips GoPure in the past but never re-purchased filters for it so not currently in use with the Tesla. May not be powerful enough for your requirements.

TBH, if I were you, I'd consider something of the highest quality for a small room in your home and connect it with an inverter in your car.

Another possibility would be to get a home model suited to the size of your garage and run it constantly and park with your windows down. (unless you have items in your garage that are themselves giving off VOC's)

Wipe everything down inside your car frequently after letting it sit in the sun. IQ Air has an interesting "personal" model but not sure of it's utility here.

Usually for a new home it takes 2-3 months for VOC's to dissipate. Opening the windows is the simplest method of correcting a multitude of VOC sins.

I do like the idea of a home-quality unit with an inverter and I do need to be better about wiping down. I've noticed that things do seem to be better (for a short) time after I wipe down and vacuum but return really quickly as soon is it's out in the sun etc. This does smell like VOCs, so to speak. And that does sound like it's going to take a while... If I could find the biggest offender then at least I could look into replacement/removal.

 

[JoshNYC]

An extreme solution is to see a functional medicine doctor.

Interesting. I'm ready for extreme at this point : (. I'll look into it.

 

[TMarque]

The reason I asked if you have the black interior is because I do. I’ve been a professional commercial and industrial painting contractor for 20 years, and the very first thing I noticed getting into my new car when taking delivery was the smell of the stain on the wood trim piece. Typically Wood is stained, then sealed and varnished, but I believe they just stained this trim piece because of the feel, and because of the smell. Sealer usually “seals” this in a bit. Stain has a very distinctive smell as it’s almost always “oil based” and typically linseed oil is used. If you are allergic to anything like this, linseed or flaxseed oil, this may be your issue. The white interior doesn’t have a stained wood trim piece and I assume has a different smell.

Anyone who’s moved into a brand new house prob recognizes this smell as well, if they have wood trim that’s stained, sealed and varnished vs painted.

Just a theory I have, but might be something to check out.

 

[TMarque]

Another thing I wanted to add; the smell of stain tends to linger longer than a lot of other things as the oil takes a long time to fully “dry”.

 

[JoshNYC]

The reason I asked if you have the black interior is because I do. I’ve been a professional commercial and industrial painting contractor for 20 years, and the very first thing I noticed getting into my new car when taking delivery was the smell of the stain on the wood trim piece. Typically Wood is stained, then sealed and varnished, but I believe they just stained this trim piece because of the feel, and because of the smell. Sealer usually “seals” this in a bit. Stain has a very distinctive smell as it’s almost always “oil based” and typically linseed oil is used. If you are allergic to anything like this, linseed or flaxseed oil, this may be your issue. The white interior doesn’t have a stained wood trim piece and I assume has a different smell.

Anyone who’s moved into a brand new house prob recognizes this smell as well, if they have wood trim that’s stained, sealed and varnished vs painted.

Just a theory I have, but might be something to check out.

Oh! That's great. I'll look into it. I would describe the smell as something between wax and beachball currently. There's definitely a plastic component here but I wonder if the oil stain is the other component (and maybe the one that I'm reacting to). I wonder if I could cover it somehow to see if things improve.

 

[TMarque]

That’s a pretty good description of what stain smells like. And I’ve had multiple new vehicles, and I noticed the first second I opened the door for the first time it smelled more like a new house than a new car. It’s different than any other new car I’ve ever had or been in that I can remember. Since the wood trim doesn’t have a sheen on it, I assume it’s only been stained and not sealed or varnished. This is what makes the smell extra potent. The stain seeps into the wood grain and takes a long long time to fully dry out to where it can no longer be detected by smell.

This is the reason why if you’re ever using an oil based stain, you are supposed to put the rags in a metal container filled with water, as they tend to spontaneously combust. The oil heats up when it can’t be evaporated, and when concentrated in something like a pile of used rags, it doesn’t take long. I’ve seen one of our guys running out of a jobsite w a pile of rags that were smoking they were so close to combustion.

 

[Ol'Blue]

Late to post here and didn’t have time to read all.

But in situation of new materials such as in mattresses, it is recommended to vacuum often to speed up the process of offgassing.

Perhaps run the vacuum regularly for a while and see if it helps.

 

[JoshNYC]

Late to post here and didn’t have time to read all.

But in situation of new materials such as in mattresses, it is recommended to vacuum often to speed up the process of offgassing.

Perhaps run the vacuum regularly for a while and see if it helps.

Thank you. I’ve actually noticed that it is slightly improved post detailing so I will try that. I wish I could get to the bottom of which specific material is the cause. I am at the point where I’m considering removing components (like sweats or dash wood) to see if it helps.

 

[Ol'Blue]

How are things coming along? Any luck?

 

[JoshNYC]

How are things coming along? Any luck?

Hi thanks for checking up. So: Improving ever so slightly. And I've vacuumed thoroughly and wiped down with microfiber (and rubbing alcohol). Immediately after, it's great. But give it 20 minutes (parked, off) and it already has hints of the returning rubber/plastic/oil smell. Something is obviously continuing to outgas and I wish I could figure out what it is.

I think your advice about vacuuming is good. I'm going to continue to try to vacuum more regularly since it obviously helps (at least in the short term). I wonder if it's the carpet glues?

 

[SMAlset]

I feel for you OP. I'm sensitive to certain things as well. When we had some of our rooms painted I made sure we went with the low VOC paint. It helped, not as bad but still could detect it for a while. When we first got our Temperpedic matress years ago, oh god the off gassing was horrible--had to have been fresh out of the foam factory. Seriously couldn't sleep on it and used another bed in the meantime. One of the reasons I went with 3D Maxpider Kagu mats for our Teslas was that they were odorless. The typical rubber-like mats would drive me crazy otherwise and especially when your car is parked in the hot sun and accelerating it. Has running your AC/heat with the recirc off helped at all by bringing fresh air into the cabin?

 

[JoshNYC]

I feel for you OP. I'm sensitive to certain things as well. When we had some of our rooms painted I made sure we went with the low VOC paint. It helped, not as bad but still could detect it for a while. When we first got our Temperpedic matress years ago, oh god the off gassing was horrible--had to have been fresh out of the foam factory. Seriously couldn't sleep on it and used another bed in the meantime. One of the reasons I went with 3D Maxpider Kagu mats for our Teslas was that they were odorless. The typical rubber-like mats would drive me crazy otherwise and especially when your car is parked in the hot sun and accelerating it. Has running your AC/heat with the recirc off helped at all by bringing fresh air into the cabin?

Appreciate it. There must be more of "us" out there. And I think there are many first-time new car buyers with the Model 3 launch so this issue has come up. Bringing fresh air helps and open windows help but not enough that I can drive the car more than just a few minutes. Obviously whatever I'm sensitive too is either very strong or I'm very sensitive to it. Interesting thing is that I've been in other new cars and haven't had the same reaction.

 

[SMAlset]

The fact that the vast majority of people aren't reacting to whatever is in the car would most likely mean that it's your increased sensitivity or hypersensitivity to some chemical offgassing. Sometimes in our cars I'm definitely detecting some odor that my husband simply can't smell and I'm always amazed he can't! Generally it's when the heater is on. Fortunately I don't react as strongly as you.

I'd almost say charge up, park the car in your garage with the windows fully open and use the heater to try to "burn" the odor out. Shouldn't be any worry about having the Climate setting to On while in your garage. Is this your sole vehicle right now or can you let it "air out" while you drive something else? I hope you'll keep us update on how it's going.

 

[brkaus]

Suggestion -

Take a seat out. I think the back seat pulls up reasonably easily. Put it in a small closet for a day or two. Then see if you can spend some time in there and get a reaction.

I believe the wood strip pulls off too. Not sure if there is a risk of damage.

 

[JoshNYC]

The fact that the vast majority of people aren't reacting to whatever is in the car would most likely mean that it's your increased sensitivity or hypersensitivity to some chemical offgassing. Sometimes in our cars I'm definitely detecting some odor that my husband simply can't smell and I'm always amazed he can't! Generally it's when the heater is on. Fortunately I don't react as strongly as you.

I'd almost say charge up, park the car in your garage with the windows fully open and use the heater to try to "burn" the odor out. Shouldn't be any worry about having the Climate setting to On while in your garage. Is this your sole vehicle right now or can you let it "air out" while you drive something else? I hope you'll keep us update on how it's going.

Yes, totally agree. Some kind of hypersensitivity to some component for sure. Wish I could narrow it down to the material but without Tesla's help that's probably not going to happen. I have been airing it out in a protected area as much as possible. The sun will get it much hotter than the heater, which is unfortunately limited to 81F. I'm simply amazed that it's been months of this and it's still outgassing the component that I'm sensitized to. Luckily, yes, I can swap cars with my wife (she's pretty happy about that, btw). So it's not dire but it is extremely frustrating.