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Repairing a Flooded Tesla Model S : HOW-TO

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Don't want to taste test? Stick some blotting paper in there, let it dry, look for presence or absence of salts/other precipitates. Your own 2¢ atomic absorption analyzer.
 
Prior to performing the electrical isolation, I decided to empty the dehumidifier I put in the front seat of the car. Welp. I've been running it constantly the last few nights and I've dumped about 10 of these so far. So yeah, she's got water in her.


[video=vimeo;152604324]https://vimeo.com/152604324[/video]
 
Prior to performing the electrical isolation, I decided to empty the dehumidifier I put in the front seat of the car. Welp. I've been running it constantly the last few nights and I've dumped about 10 of these so far. So yeah, she's got water in her.

Hook up a hose and let it drain that way?

PS: I think I have the same model.
 
Its dark in my garage but I tried to take pics showing where water entered the frunk from the top. I'm assuming this is simply rainwater from an improperly sealed frunk
you can see the dark shadows along the top and the passenger side of the car

ehLJpeG.jpg


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now here is the absolutely HUGE part for me.... the airfilter. This will tell me how high the water level was in the car, if its wet, I'm screwed.
If its dry I'm slightly less screwed.


6LxdtPo.jpg


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welp. its dry! I'll take less screwed



Oymg4Pl.jpg
 
Well, that's a relatively good news! So the flood to the car was at a level that did not reach the air filter.
I would suggest that you remove the liners around the frunk so you can check the various items there, which includes
the 12V battery and the air suspension pump, among other things.

Franky
 
Ok Good News! IS Good News! Filter Dry... Nice....

BTW, are those the optional chrome pieces to the left and right of the Frunk Lock?

no idea, this is my first time even touching one of these cars, not sure what comes in the frunk

Well, that's a relatively good news! So the flood to the car was at a level that did not reach the air filter.
I would suggest that you remove the liners around the frunk so you can check the various items there, which includes
the 12V battery and the air suspension pump, among other things.

Franky

will do

pull out the frunk box and you might be able to tell how high the water actually went?
super quick to do

doing that tonight for sure

Just for reference to BTR_FTW, this thread gives very good indications on how to remove the frunk box:
P85D under-frunk photos

Hope this helps,

Franky

very helpful thank you much
 
Those chrome pieces with the vertical lines were standard on early VIN cars.
My car has them, they are black in my wife's car.

There are also similar chrome pieces in the rear trunk on early VIN cars. Mine has chrome in front and back in back -- basically an early enough VIN to have chrome in front, but after they ran out of the rear chrome inserts! My VIN is in the low 11,000s...
 
There are also similar chrome pieces in the rear trunk on early VIN cars. Mine has chrome in front and back in back -- basically an early enough VIN to have chrome in front, but after they ran out of the rear chrome inserts! My VIN is in the low 11,000s...
Guys, the chrome insterts in the Frunk are a $200 option in the Tesla Motors Accessories page. You can now add them to any Model S if you so desire.
 
I'm thinking you're probably going to need to find another salvage car that is in really bad shape body-wise but has most of the electronics intact and use it as a parts donor.

Perhaps, but the key is getting my ducks in a row first, I have to understand how to remove everything that I need quickly and efficiently in the case that..

A) I do not find a donor vehicle and I'm forced to go to a junk or salvage yard (timing is key)
B) I do find a donor vehicle, and I need to know exactly what I need and how to remove it so I dont have a torn apart car sitting in my driveway for too long
 
UPDATE


Welp. removed the battery, it was hilarious how difficult it was to remove. If you guys have had better luck, good for you, but I was laughing at how ridiculious it was to get out of there. I busted my
knuckles up something fierce getting this surprisingly heavy battery out of there, I couldnt have done it very easily without removing the frunk. Very dampish around the DC/DC converter
It was quite nerve racking getting the battery out of there, last thing I wanted to do was short something and have it be lights out.




Sample taste test around the DC/DC converter area/fusebox confirms that its freshwater (rainwater from non secured frunk)



5T8TQZt.jpg



aDfQAlA.jpg
 
you never did give out the VIN did you? I wonder if someone could find out exactly what happened with that info?
not sure if you want to give out that info or not?

is the DC/DC behind the frunk(from the last post I assume it is) or behind the front right wheel? early cars had it behind the wheel
not that it really makes a difference for you
 
you never did give out the VIN did you? I wonder if someone could find out exactly what happened with that info?
not sure if you want to give out that info or not?

is the DC/DC behind the frunk(from the last post I assume it is) or behind the front right wheel? early cars had it behind the wheel
not that it really makes a difference for you


I'll happily PM the vin to those that would like to know, but I wouldn't post it in the thread.

ITs the DC/DC behind the front right wheel, it is SMUSHED in there. I'd probably have to remove the liner and wheel to get access to it

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I think you could charge a buck a month to a blog with audio/video progress and fund your rebuild project from the revenue. Keep it up!


I don't think I'm that clever or creative, but it does sound interesting.

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You should reach out to the Jalopnik guys and see if they'd be interested in having you write a column or series of columns on this project.


hmmmm.....
 
UPDATE

Car is electrically isolated, I need room to work and unfortunately the front seat is permanently reclined and blocking access to rear chargers, ok no biggie, I'll manually jump the connectors on the seat motors to recline the seats and take them off tracks, cool.


8ggbgdY.jpg






welp, nope, the motors are seized and rusted frozen, not gonna happen, both seats! I have to remove them to get access to whats underneath the carpet, not only that but because I cant move the track back
and forth I can't access the nuts under the seats to remove the tracks.. ARGHHHHH.



zpEu9xM.jpg