OEM TESLA roof racks Crack Glass

[BShaw]

Well it looks like you installed the bracket in the right position. Sounds like a broken/improperly welded bracket...perhaps even a totally missing bracket? Sad to say but Wouldn’t put it passed tesla QA for that to happen. Did you get resistance when sliding it left and right?
You shouldn’t have to pay and hopefully you don’t. Let us know how it pans out......ask if they’re willing to take pics of what the bracket looks like when they take the glass off.

BTW when was your car built? Same as @jdr42 ? Maybe there’s a batch of cars within same period that have issues with the bracket.

Well it looks like you installed the bracket in the right position. Sounds like a broken/improperly welded bracket...perhaps even a totally missing bracket? Sad to say but Wouldn’t put it passed tesla QA for that to happen. Did you get resistance when sliding it left and right?
You shouldn’t have to pay and hopefully you don’t. Let us know how it pans out......ask if they’re willing to take pics of what the bracket looks like when they take the glass off.

BTW when was your car built? Same as @jdr42 ? Maybe there’s a batch of cars within same period that have issues with the bracket.

I took it into Tesla service today after I insisted they look at it as a warrantee issue. Even if it was just to show me what I did wrong. I couldn’t have been more careful to follow instructions. I was met with a repetitive “not covered under warrantee, we can’t be sure of how you installed it, we install them all the time and the glass never breaks”. I described how the J bolt almost protruded right through the nut, and how I’d read on these forums of another instance of the bracket welds coming loose in a similar timeframe as my cars build (September/October 2020).
After talking to the tech in the back they decided to take a look at it. 30 minutes later it was determined the bracket under the glass came loose and warrantee would cover it. A quick facelift with gorilla tape and they scheduled a multi day body shop/glassshop service for next week. I’l see if I can get a photo of the bracket when they do the work, but I doubt it as I won’t be able to be present.

The most surprising thing to me was how many people told me in this cracked roof repair process that I should just get Tesla to install the roof racks because most people break their roofs. I hadn’t come across that suggestion in any paperwork with the roof racks or when I purchased them. I spent more on the torque wrench then what it would have cost for them to install the racks.

I will now just get them to do it. If they break it, they buy it. And I would suggest anyone doing it for the first time at least, to get Tesla to do it so they can find out of the welds will pop.

I wonder what other welds in this car may be sub par..

 

[N54TT]

I took it into Tesla service today after I insisted they look at it as a warrantee issue. Even if it was just to show me what I did wrong. I couldn’t have been more careful to follow instructions. I was met with a repetitive “not covered under warrantee, we can’t be sure of how you installed it, we install them all the time and the glass never breaks”. I described how the J bolt almost protruded right through the nut, and how I’d read on these forums of another instance of the bracket welds coming loose in a similar timeframe as my cars build (September/October 2020).
After talking to the tech in the back they decided to take a look at it. 30 minutes later it was determined the bracket under the glass came loose and warrantee would cover it. A quick facelift with gorilla tape and they scheduled a multi day body shop/glassshop service for next week. I’l see if I can get a photo of the bracket when they do the work, but I doubt it as I won’t be able to be present.

The most surprising thing to me was how many people told me in this cracked roof repair process that I should just get Tesla to install the roof racks because most people break their roofs. I hadn’t come across that suggestion in any paperwork with the roof racks or when I purchased them. I spent more on the torque wrench then what it would have cost for them to install the racks.

I will now just get them to do it. If they break it, they buy it. And I would suggest anyone doing it for the first time at least, to get Tesla to do it so they can find out of the welds will pop.

I wonder what other welds in this car may be sub par..

Glad to hear the service center stepped up and is doing what’s right. The bigger concern is how many cars out there have issues with the welded bracket . Makes you wonder why Tesla lowered the torque spec. Did they think the original 5nm was too much and popping welds...when it’s really the welds that are crappy. Do you think yours is just missing? Should be able to see it when you lift up the rubber seal. I know you wouldn’t be there when they do the repair...I was asking if maybe the tech can take pictures. Would be nice to know where the bracket failed.

 

[Adam3]

Delayed installing my roof racks out of fear of cracking the glass. Buy beat torque wrench you can buy. Take extra care, and way too long lining everything up to make sure everything is perfect. Tighten bolts in cross cross pattern slowly to make sure all sides are tightening at the same time. Inch the torque wrench to 2NM on each nut. And go through again with the wrench set to 2.8 just to line up the bolts so they can lock, and my rear passenger glass cracks at just past 2NM.
more frustrating than the looming incoming bill, is the care and attention and research I did to make sure I was doing it right. I work with tools regularly, I’m technically inclined. This shouldn't happen. If it’s this fragile then it should be installed at the shop.

Damn, brutal

 

[N54TT]

@BShaw when you were installing yours and the glass cracked.....did you here a big pop/bang as the weld or bracket broke? Could you feel more play with the J bracket in the bracket that broke? when the glass broke did the torque on that bolt suddenly drop?

Just trying to figure out if I have issues with one of my brackets. I had installed the rack today, tightened to just past 2nm with a torque wrench...no issues. At that setting the rack is very secure and about just what I could do finger tightening. On the way home from mtn biking I hear a really loud bang from the roof area. When I got home I checked the roof for cracks or impact from something that might have fallen, nothing. Removed the rack to check the glass, fearing a weld broke and glass would be broken..nothing. When I uninstalled the rack the bolts didn't feel any looser...I would image if a weld or bracket broke, the bolt would have been a bit looser. I'm dumb founded on what the bang was as I didn't see any evidence of impact from a falling object.

 

[Neolithical]

I bought a rack or my MY, but reading this thread I am very hesitant bolting them on

I think the main thing is to make a 100% sure you line up the bracket with the V marking, and to make a 100% sure the pad's are not touching the glass...

 

[ECCtechguy]

Have the dealer do it

 

[Neolithical]

Unfortunately they are not OEM's :X

 

[vegetaban]

Thanks for the thread, just got my rack today and will have mobile service install so that if it cracks they cover it.

 

[StealthP3D]

I bought a rack or my MY, but reading this thread I am very hesitant bolting them on

I think the main thing is to make a 100% sure you line up the bracket with the V marking, and to make a 100% sure the pad's are not touching the glass...

I've been putting the OEM Tesla roof rack on my car in the winter for 3 years now with no problems. I even carried a huge 10-foot long 6x6 landscaping timber lashed to the ski rack without issue. It's just a matter of making sure the pads are on the steel roof beam, not the edge of the glass. The edge of the glass is obviously not designed to carry a load.

 

[PianoAl]

Somewhere, maybe in this thread, there's a photo of the receiving bracket. That is, without the glass. That helps, and I'll see if I can find it.

IIRC, when you are in the bracket, there should be resistance if you try to slide it toward the front or back of the car.

 

[PianoAl]

Okay, here are the pictures:

 

[Sohappy3]

That's a huge gap you have there, is it the same on the other side, or have you moved the glass by tightening it?

It’s within specs. Specs being +/- 20 mm.

 

[frazerpd44]

Isn't the roof rack install by a Tesla shop covered by the warranty?

 

[Ctuna]

That's what I have read.
My Tesla has that glass offset the Mobile tech wouldn't install it but the
Service Center did. So far no problems and I have been using it for
windsurfing and Suping. There rack attachment method next to glass
makes me kind of quesy . It was an afterthought design. Glass is glued down
if moves you don't have seal . Service Center guy said the glass was pegged
but I don't see how it could be. Mine measure 7mm on one side and 3 mm on the other
skewed back to front.

 

[vegetaban]

That’s what the ranger told me who installed it for me.