Rear deck cutout

[Dbregmam]

So I have see this a few places, including this video (at :51)

A glass window in the rear deck that let's light into the trunk:


I just looked at mine (delivered 2 weeks ago) and it looks like this:


Anyone know why the difference? I can only imagine for sound dampening.

 

[Eno Deb]

Interesting. First I see this. What kind of fabric is it? Does it feel like it lets air through easily?

 

[Dbregmam]

Interesting. First I see this. What kind of fabric is it? Does it feel like it lets air through easily?

It is almost like a charcoal filter type of fabric. A rough open weave.

 

[Eno Deb]

It is almost like a charcoal filter type of fabric. A rough open weave.

Then I guess it has to be for sound dampening. It hasn't been officially confirmed, but the opening most likely has multiple purposes that require it to be air permeable (pressure equalization to make trunk lid and doors easier to close, exit vent for air pumped into the cabin by the HVAC system, and possibly air duct for the subwoofer in the trunk).

 

[Needsdecaf]

I don’t think he was prefect with the glass. When viewed in certain lights, the mesh is quite transparent. Check out Doug DeMuro’s video. I could be wrong but...

 

[Eno Deb]

I don’t think he was prefect with the glass. When viewed in certain lights, the mesh is quite transparent. Check out Doug DeMuro’s video. I could be wrong but...

There was no glass in the older builds, just the mesh. It has nothing to do with letting light into the trunk.

Sound dampening would make a lot of sense since a lot of the road noise seems to enter the cabin from the trunk. You can also hear every little rattle if you are transporting something in the trunk.

Hopefully they'll make the piece of fabric available to owners of the older builds ...

 

[ChuckieDude]

Wow. I had the mesh on my car (November delivery) and used a small pillow as a similar solution. It made the car a little quieter. I then completely sealed it with noico sound deadening foam.

The doors are harder to close but car is now quieter.

 

[Magnets!]

Hmm, is that sound deadening material something new? Mine just has mesh and is quite transparent.

 

[Magnets!]

I wonder if it's possible to request one of these from Tesla?

 

[Az_Rael]

Wow. I had the mesh on my car (November delivery) and used a small pillow as a similar solution. It made the car a little quieter. I then completely sealed it with noico sound deadening foam.

The doors are harder to close but car is now quieter.

Do you notice a decrease in the subwoofer sound?

I have been very tempted to cover that hole up in my car.

 

[mswlogo]

Do you notice a decrease in the subwoofer sound?

I have been very tempted to cover that hole up in my car.

I noticed subdued subwoofer when I tried to cover it with a layer of foam from underneath. It definitely helped road noise. But I removed it.

This is encouraging. Even if they don’t release a retrofit part we can always copy it. Assuming no other alteration is designed to go with it.

 

[StealthP3D]

Then I guess it has to be for sound dampening. It hasn't been officially confirmed, but the opening most likely has multiple purposes that require it to be air permeable (pressure equalization to make trunk lid and doors easier to close, exit vent for air pumped into the cabin by the HVAC system, and possibly air duct for the subwoofer in the trunk).

That port into the trunk is the only way for the air that enters the cabin through the climate control to exit the cabin on it's way to the two rear side exit portlets. The car is very air-tight so blocking that vent is not a good idea. With recirculate off and the windows and doors closed you will get very little air flow through the heater/A/C.

Not a good idea.

 

[Magnets!]

That port into the trunk is the only way for the air that enters the cabin through the climate control to exit the cabin on it's way to the two rear side exit portlets. The car is very air-tight so blocking that vent is not a good idea. With recirculate off and the windows and doors closed you will get very little air flow through the heater/A/C.

Not a good idea.

ok but you saw the picture above with the baffle inserted from the factory right? Every other car I've owned seems to have figured out airflow without a huge cutout in the trunk. Shrug.

 

[StealthP3D]

ok but you saw the picture above with the baffle inserted from the factory right? Every other car I've owned seems to have figured out airflow without a huge cutout in the trunk. Shrug.

The size of the cut-out is dictated by the design airflow volume at maximum climate control fan speed. The placement is the same as on my Volvo S80 and I can't really think of a more appropriate location so I'm not really following you there.

 

[Magnets!]

The first post in this thread shows a sound baffle that was provided from the factory, indicating that perhaps Tesla had a shortage of these and that's why many of us have a big hole in the rear deck. Perhaps holes in the rear deck are a Volvo thing, but they are not anything I've seen in the 15 or so cars I've owned in my life.

 

[ChuckieDude]

That port into the trunk is the only way for the air that enters the cabin through the climate control to exit the cabin on it's way to the two rear side exit portlets. The car is very air-tight so blocking that vent is not a good idea. With recirculate off and the windows and doors closed you will get very little air flow through the heater/A/C.

Not a good idea.

Where are the rear side exit portlets. I pull out the carpet to put in noico and didn’t see any holes. Hopefully I didn’t block the portlet holes with noico...

 

[StealthP3D]

Where are the rear side exit portlets. I pull out the carpet to put in noico and didn’t see any holes. Hopefully I didn’t block the portlet holes with noico...

Near the top of the rear of the trunk on the left and right sides.

 

[StealthP3D]

Perhaps holes in the rear deck are a Volvo thing, but they are not anything I've seen in the 15 or so cars I've owned in my life.

Yeah, if I see something that's new to me, I automatically assume it must not be any good.

After all, I'm familiar with the old way of doing things so everything different must be inferior or wrong, right?

 

[Eno Deb]

The first post in this thread shows a sound baffle that was provided from the factory, indicating that perhaps Tesla had a shortage of these and that's why many of us have a big hole in the rear deck.

The factory part is probably a special fabric that is air permeable. It doesn't mean that sealing the vent airtight is a good idea.

Perhaps holes in the rear deck are a Volvo thing, but they are not anything I've seen in the 15 or so cars I've owned in my life.

Vents in the rear deck are actually quite common in sedans. Ford, BMW and others have very similar ones.

 

[Magnets!]

The factory part is probably a special fabric that is air permeable. It doesn't mean that sealing the vent airtight is a good idea.
Vents in the rear deck are actually quite common in sedans. Ford, BMW and others have very similar ones.

I never said sealing it air tight was a good idea, in fact I think earlier in this thread I said the opposite. I also never said that other cars don't have vents, but I have never seen a hole this large. So I guess the question is....are the cars without the baffle missing something or was the baffle something that Tesla tried and decided against? Tesla is known for inconsistencies with some cars simply missing parts for whatever reason....manufacturing error, supply issues...probably a little of each. If someone has access to the parts catalog, perhaps they could look up that baffle piece and see if it officially exists. Yes, I agree the baffle is probably air permeable or allows air to flow around it.