Spoiler Defective...Again

[cubeman]

Took delivery of my M3P a few months ago and the spoiler's clear was failing and they sent a mobile guy out and he said it had to go to a physical location. They replaced and had to be serviced again since the glue was leaking out of the spoiler. Now the new one is loose and can move it with my hand up and down. Scheduled service and got a mobile appointment which I assume will lead to another physical appointment. The last time I ate the cost to recoat/polish around the spoiler as they butchered the paint around it removing it, this time I'm not eating the cost again.

Is there a proper install procedure for these things? Right now it's defentily adhesive on it, is it suppose to be 3m tape instead? I know on my Viper's spoiler they specifically used the equilvant of windshield adhesive for T/A spoilers.

 

[heavyD]

You should be able to remove and replace a spoilers (installed with 3M tape) without damaging paint as I have done this on BMW's. To remove the existing spoiler you should use fishing line and slowly cut away at the tape in a sawing motion from one end of the spoiler to the other. Once the spoiler is off remove as much tape as you can and then use something like Goo Gone to remove the rest. Ideally you would use a mild abrasive polisher to clean off the surface followed by an IPA wipedown to remove the polish or any wax. The key to getting a good bond is a clean surface and if the new spoiler is not sticking on then they didn't do a good enough job cleaning the paint. If all else fails you can use 3M adhesion promoter as it will soften the clear coat making for better adhesion to the tape but ensure that you tape off the area because it will make the clear coat cloudy. I had to resort to that with the CF spoiler for my BMW M2 as the M performance spoiler ends always lifted a bit and using promoter fixed that.

 

[jjrandorin]

On mine, it was tape (3m tape) but I got my model 3P before they were even putting them on at the factory, and it took me 4 tries to get a proper fitting one, with each one pulling up on the right hand side either immediately, or within a month or less.

They didnt even have the spoilers for basically the first year I had the car, but it was sold as "coming with it". The vast majority of my service visits were for re attaching / replacing the spoiler, heh.

 

[cubeman]

You should be able to remove and replace a spoilers (installed with 3M tape) without damaging paint as I have done this on BMW's. To remove the existing spoiler you should use fishing line and slowly cut away at the tape in a sawing motion from one end of the spoiler to the other. Once the spoiler is off remove as much tape as you can and then use something like Goo Gone to remove the rest. Ideally you would use a mild abrasive polisher to clean off the surface followed by an IPA wipedown to remove the polish or any wax. The key to getting a good bond is a clean surface and if the new spoiler is not sticking on then they didn't do a good enough job cleaning the paint. If all else fails you can use 3M adhesion promoter as it will soften the clear coat making for better adhesion to the tape but ensure that you tape off the area because it will make the clear coat cloudy. I had to resort to that with the CF spoiler for my BMW M2 as the M performance spoiler ends always lifted a bit and using promoter fixed that.

I know how to do it but asking how the OEM one is put on as I've seen posts mentioning tape but not if it was aftermarket or OEM they were installing/removing. I'm not paying/putting effort into something Tesla needs to resolve but want to make sure the service center is doing it the right way. Plenty of shops installed Viper T/A spoilers with 3m tape rather then adhesive like factory.

On mine, it was tape (3m tape) but I got my model 3P before they were even putting them on at the factory, and it took me 4 tries to get a proper fitting one, with each one pulling up on the right hand side either immediately, or within a month or less.

They didnt even have the spoilers for basically the first year I had the car, but it was sold as "coming with it". The vast majority of my service visits were for re attaching / replacing the spoiler, heh.

I'm starting to think they did tape then switched to adhesive based on this.

 

[cubeman]

Just as an update, I am now on my 4th request for a spoiler. The 3rd one is now popping off and on a service request today in which they were replacing the steering wheel they were suppose to replace the spoiler but it's "Back-ordered" now with no known date. Gonna give it a week. The failures are all the same spot, the passenger side begins to seperate and tape starts to fail.