Sunk-in hood

[Norge]

I drove my new, red M3 home from the Tesla dealership yesterday, January 22, and noticed I saw the edge of the front fender without the adjacent hood where it's supposed to be. Coming out from the car, I saw that the hood was significantly sunk in. Body panels were nicely next to each other up towards the front window and at the front end of the hood, but along the sides, the hood is significantly lower than the fenders. around half a centimeter. My immediate reaction was - this can't be right. Is it? I have notified Tesla. See photos, one of them showing the gap "disappearing when seen from the side because the hood is sunk in.

 

[jerjozwik]

bend it up?

 

[Derek Kessler]

bend it up?

Don't do this.

You called Tesla, make sure to follow up with them until it's fixed.

 

[EV-lutioin]

I'm not much of an OCD gap guy, but that ain't right.

 

[Cricket88]

Mine is like that. The service centers actually have a chart and a measurement tool ready because they are aware of this problem. My service center Burbank told me mine is just st border of “Acceptable spec”. It sure how to take that just yet.

I got the feeling that the Service centers don’t really know what the fix would be, other than sending out to body shop... I’ll probably follow up On this

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

The hood appears to be on the "softer" side in general (that's at least my perception). I cringed when the delivery specialist demonstrated how it needed to be closed with palms just above the logo. I'm not opening this hood for anything, even to make use of those nice grocery bag hooks.

 

[Pentium2004]

I drove my new, red M3 home from the Tesla dealership yesterday, January 22, and noticed I saw the edge of the front fender without the adjacent hood where it's supposed to be. Coming out from the car, I saw that the hood was significantly sunk in. Body panels were nicely next to each other up towards the front window and at the front end of the hood, but along the sides, the hood is significantly lower than the fenders. around half a centimeter. My immediate reaction was - this can't be right. Is it? I have notified Tesla. See photos, one of them showing the gap "disappearing when seen from the side because the hood is sunk in.

View attachment 275396View attachment 275397View attachment 275398

Same as my 2017 MS. Passenger side is flush and other side is 3/16"-1/4" low.

 

[Derek Kessler]

The hood appears to be on the "softer" side in general (that's at least my perception). I cringed when the delivery specialist demonstrated how it needed to be closed with palms just above the logo. I'm not opening this hood for anything, even to make use of those nice grocery bag hooks.

It's probably aluminum to save on weight —0 like the Model S and X. So long as you close it as instructed, you'll be fine.

 

[pchrosto]

Have you tried adjusting the 2 rubber stops on the underside of the hood? Unscrewing the one side will lift up the hood a bit and uou might be able to find a point that you're happy with the fit.

 

[03DSG]

I drove my new, red M3 home from the Tesla dealership yesterday, January 22, and noticed I saw the edge of the front fender without the adjacent hood where it's supposed to be. Coming out from the car, I saw that the hood was significantly sunk in. Body panels were nicely next to each other up towards the front window and at the front end of the hood, but along the sides, the hood is significantly lower than the fenders. around half a centimeter. My immediate reaction was - this can't be right. Is it? I have notified Tesla. See photos, one of them showing the gap "disappearing when seen from the side because the hood is sunk in.

View attachment 275396View attachment 275397View attachment 275398

I see a second issue as well. At the front of the left front fender above the front of the headlight. The gap between the front fender and the front bumper cover li to large. It should be closed up.

Like this:

 

[EV-lutioin]

I drove my new, red M3 home from the Tesla dealership yesterday, January 22, and noticed I saw the edge of the front fender without the adjacent hood where it's supposed to be. Coming out from the car, I saw that the hood was significantly sunk in. Body panels were nicely next to each other up towards the front window and at the front end of the hood, but along the sides, the hood is significantly lower than the fenders. around half a centimeter. My immediate reaction was - this can't be right. Is it? I have notified Tesla. See photos, one of them showing the gap "disappearing when seen from the side because the hood is sunk in.

View attachment 275396View attachment 275397View attachment 275398

Curious what your VIN is? It might help us track the batch with this issue since someone else in this thread is reporting it as well.

 

[Norge]

My VIN is 35xx, i.e. the red car in this thread.

Thank you, 03DSG, for pointing to that other gap issue. I'm generally tolerant on panel gaps when it comes to Tesla, but you're right that there shouldn't be such gap between non-moving panels, well illustrated by your white car.

 

[03DSG]

My VIN is 35xx, i.e. the red car in this thread.

Thank you, 03DSG, for pointing to that other gap issue. I'm generally tolerant on panel gaps when it comes to Tesla, but you're right that there shouldn't be such gap between non-moving panels, well illustrated by your white car.

That one will be easy to close up. On a PPF thread a PPF installer closed it up while doing a guys PPF.

I went through all pictures as well on the google photo Model 3 site. Your not alone on the hood side edge. Some seem perfect and others lower than the fender. Yours definitely seems too low and I would be surprised if Tesla considers it within tolerance.

 

[Daniellane]

I picked up my Model S at the Service Center and discovered a similar gap.

As it turns out there was a simple adjustment to correct it. There are 2 cylindrical rubber bumbers on the front of the underside of the hood that rest on plastic disks on the frunk. These disks can be rotated to rise. I took it back to the SC and they fixed it in about 30 seconds. Very simple.
No idea if this is the same on the m3

 

[T34ME]

No idea if this is the same on the m3

It is.

 

[T34ME]

The hood appears to be on the "softer" side in general (that's at least my perception). I cringed when the delivery specialist demonstrated how it needed to be closed with palms just above the logo. I'm not opening this hood for anything, even to make use of those nice grocery bag hooks.

I had the opportunity to play with @dturkes Black Beauty a couple of weeks ago. I closed the frunk lid three separate times, and it was very easy. Just put the lid all the way down and then give a gentle push with both hands around the logo area. The lid locks with a soft clunk. Easy peasy. Not sure what the fuss is all about.

There are two adjustable (with fingers) rubber bumpers on the front underside of the frunk lid for alignment. Very easy to fix alignment issues. I am sure these will need to adjusted from time to time as the seals wear in.

 

[Daniellane]

Don’t adjust the rubber bumpers. Adjust the hard plastic pads they rest on when closed.

 

[Daniellane]

Don’t adjust the rubber bumpers. Adjust the hard plastic pads they rest on when closed.

Should look something like this.

 

[Norge]

My red Model 3 (the car starting this thread) was checked by Tesla today Jan. 25, and they said they would replace the hood. The deciding factor is a bit unclear, though, since we also discovered a small dent/fault in the hood. As to the adjustable rubber bumpers, they are too much forward to be able to solve the problem, so I couldn't see other solution than a new hood.

Tesla say they will replace the hood in about a week. I hope that's the case, since I've for now just parked the car in our garage. I'll put on a front wrap before using it, thus new hood first.

But I've driven it enough to know this is a fabulous car. I only miss Model X's helicopter-view windshield.

 

[Cricket88]

My red Model 3 (the car starting this thread) was checked by Tesla today Jan. 25, and they said they would replace the hood. The deciding factor is a bit unclear, though, since we also discovered a small dent/fault in the hood. As to the adjustable rubber bumpers, they are too much forward to be able to solve the problem, so I couldn't see other solution than a new hood.

Tesla say they will replace the hood in about a week. I hope that's the case, since I've for now just parked the car in our garage. I'll put on a front wrap before using it, thus new hood first.

But I've driven it enough to know this is a fabulous car. I only miss Model X's helicopter-view windshield.

That’s the only possible solution. It’s definitely a stamping issue with those new machines they installed in Fremont. More calibration Scotty!

Definitely a curvature variance