PSA: check for rust at this point

[astrowunder]

Hi Guys,

Matt from Tech Forum posted this video:

Now there's some talk accusing him of not mentioning that he's been in a couple of fender-benders which is surely why this is happening. However, I have not had any body work done and have not had any car to car encounters with my car and I have the exact problem in in the exact same place. Several other people said the same on this video which now has had the comments taken down by Matt. Here's a pic of my problem:

I know what's coming- 'it's totaled!', 'you're a fudster', blah blah blah, Go ahead and get it out of your system, but I'm hoping to keep this car for 20 years and I need to get this fixed before it gets worse. Just thought some of you would like to know about this potential issue.

 

[mal_tsla]

Wow. I just checked mine and these panels do not touch and there's no rust.

 

[Eno Deb]

There's a new article about this on Inside EVs:

New Evidence Seems To Show A Tesla Model 3 Fender/Frame Rust Issue

I just checked mine. I can slide a piece of paper between the fender corner and the pillar, but the gap is much smaller on the driver- than on the passenger-side. So it seems plausible that it would rub if the body bends slightly. I have no signs of corrosion yet though.

I think it might be helpful if everybody who has a corrosion issue posted their manufacturing date. Mine is from July 2018, VIN 63xxx.

 

[Bill Foster]

No, that definitely should be looked at

 

[WilliamG]

Something about this guy really rubs me the wrong way. First, it's the stupid, unsafe steering wheel (and it is unsafe, no matter how cool it may look to some). Second, get to the point. Third, his videos aren't formatted for 16:9 or 16:10 properly, which annoys me and my large screen.

I'll have to go check my car, but I hope this will be limited to very few vehicles.

 

[golfleep]

I saw the original post on reddit a few days ago. When I checked, I indeed noticed the driver's front fender touching the frame underneath, on my AWD that I had taken delivery on a few days earlier. I was able to bend the fender point back out by hand enough that there's now about a 1mm gap. Glad I saw that original article, because there was definitely contact between the point of the fender and the frame underneath, and I believe issues would have eventually developed as the two parts rubbed. No problem on the passenger's side.

EDIT to add: 9/19, VIN 52XXXX

 

[Autozoeker]

Just checked mines, could hardly slide a paper under it. There's some initial corrosion visible
July 2019 / vin 382xxx.

 

[WilliamG]

Wow. I just checked mine and these panels do not touch and there's no rust.

Same here.

 

[WilliamG]

Just checked mines, could hardly slide a paper under it. There's some initial corrosion visible
July 2019 / vin 382xxx.

Which side?

 

[Autozoeker]

Which side?

Left drivers side (only checked this one), but will check both tomorrow in daylight.

 

[WilliamG]

And why have comments been disabled on that video?

 

[astrowunder]

And why have comments been disabled on that video?

Apparently the trolls/teslaQ came out in droves after insideEV picked up the story

 

[astrowunder]

Left drivers side (only checked this one), but will check both tomorrow in daylight.

Everyone so far has been driver's side. Mine definitely touched and now it's fused

 

[WilliamG]

Everyone so far has been driver's side. Mine definitely touched and now it's fused

Sorry to hear that. Mine has a bunch of daylight in between. Probably 2-3mm if I had to guess. It would take something special for those two pieces to touch.

 

[Luudcrs]

Something about this guy really rubs me the wrong way. First, it's the stupid, unsafe steering wheel (and it is unsafe, no matter how cool it may look to some). Second, get to the point. Third, his videos aren't formatted for 16:9 or 16:10 properly, which annoys me and my large screen.

I'll have to go check my car, but I hope this will be limited to very few vehicles.

That steering "wheel" does NOT look cool at all. Probably the stupidest one I've ever seen on a car. Just curious how it would be unsafe though. I'm thinking maybe it can impale the driver in an accident, but then the airbag would hopefully do its job to prevent that. Most race car "wheels" don't even have a top or bottom.

 

[WilliamG]

That steering "wheel" does NOT look cool at all. Probably the stupidest one I've ever seen on a car. Just curious how it would be unsafe though. I'm thinking maybe it can impale the driver in an accident, but then the airbag would hopefully do its job to prevent that. Most race car "wheels" don't even have a top or bottom.

If you lose control of the wheel for whatever reason, say on a turn, you've lessened the amount of grab-able wheel to recover. Absolutely idiotic,

 

[Dangerxtrem]

I just checked, delivered in june 2019, VIN 422xxx. Driver side only fender is rubbing against the A pillar and there's missing paint under.

Will be going to see service centre Monday morning... Let's hope they fix this.

 

[Msjulie]

7/18 build
Plenty? of space, no paint damage
VIN 73xxxx

Whew

 

[Th003g]

7/19 build
Picked up 3 weeks ago
Stealth MSM
Drivers side
Noticed contact between corner of fender and a pillar within 72hrs.
Manually pulled apart for now. Still obvious difference in gap between driver and passenger side.
351 miles as of tonight

It's not a new issue, there's posts on this forum about it from 2018 and elsewhere noting the bad fitment at the base of the a pillar on both sides.

 

[KenC]

It'll poke your eye out.