Tesla Recalls Over 475,000 U.S. Cars on Camera, Trunk Issues

[JimmyB]

Tesla Recalls Over 475,000 U.S. Cars on Camera, Trunk Issues

Tesla Inc. recalled some 475,000 cars in the U.S. -- nearly equivalent to its global deliveries last year -- because of technical defects that may increase the risk of accidents.

www.bloomberg.com

Got the recall email this morning.

I wonder what they’ll make of my electric frunk when I go for the recall?

 

[Ostrichsak]

Tesla Recalls Over 475,000 U.S. Cars on Camera, Trunk Issues

Tesla Inc. recalled some 475,000 cars in the U.S. -- nearly equivalent to its global deliveries last year -- because of technical defects that may increase the risk of accidents.

www.bloomberg.com

Got the recall email this morning.

I wonder what they’ll make of my electric frunk when I go for the recall?

My money would be on them not performing the recall as you've modified the intended functionality of the structure. They _may_ do something but what, I don't know. I just wouldn't plan on it based on the modification and if they do something, bonus. They may disconnect everything you've done for liability reasons if they do perform the recall so be prepared to have to basically reinstall whatever they uninstall afterwards.

 

[thesmokingman]

Stock buying opportunity!

 

[QUBO]

Albeit without knowing the details, it seems like fixing a latch could be done via mobile service as opposed to me spending most of the day taking my car to the service center 100 miles away and waiting for it to be worked on.

 

[tabraha]

Albeit without knowing the details, it seems like fixing a latch could be done via mobile service as opposed to me spending most of the day taking my car to the service center 100 miles away and waiting for it to be worked on.

I'm in the exact same boat.

 

[DerbyDave]

Service will be swamped with end of quarter new deliveries needing minor fixes, winter issues, etc. I may wait until things settle out a bit. No travel expected for a month anyway.

 

[jhoughton1]

The email alternates between "trunk" and "frunk" in a very disturbing way. No one cares if the trunk (you know, the one in the back) opens in flight. OTOH, the frunk opening at speed could be a disaster. It would be nice to think they could write a coherent letter on the subject.
That said, I've never been aware there's a secondary frunk latch and it has always worried me. You pop our frunk and lift it up without further ado, unlike any other front-opening lid I've ever seen on a motor vehicle. Where should I look for the misaligned secondary latch?

 

[jhoughton1]

Albeit without knowing the details, it seems like fixing a latch could be done via mobile service as opposed to me spending most of the day taking my car to the service center 100 miles away and waiting for it to be worked on.

They wouldn't send mobile out five miles to adjust my headlights, but sent a guy out to replace the lead-acid battery which involved a great deal of deconstruction. Go figure what makes the cut and what doesn't.

 

[SSonnentag]

The email alternates between "trunk" and "frunk" in a very disturbing way. No one cares if the trunk (you know, the one in the back) opens in flight. OTOH, the frunk opening at speed could be a disaster. It would be nice to think they could write a coherent letter on the subject.
That said, I've never been aware there's a secondary frunk latch and it has always worried me. You pop our frunk and lift it up without further ado, unlike any other front-opening lid I've ever seen on a motor vehicle. Where should I look for the misaligned secondary latch?

Close your frunk part way and it should latch via the secondary latch. Press down firmly to latch the primary.

 

[DerbyDave]

If you leave your trunk popped but unopened for several minutes, the secondary latch will lock the frunk so you can't open or close it. This was the first thing Tesla guys showed me when I got my car, is how to squench your hand in the sliver of an opening of the stuck frunk to move the secondary latch and open the frunk. My big hands can barely do it, but I have had to do it on my own.

 

[DerbyDave]

Secondary Latch is the rear cable:

 

[jhoughton1]

If you leave your trunk popped but unopened for several minutes, the secondary latch will lock the frunk so you can't open or close it. This was the first thing Tesla guys showed me when I got my car, is how to squench your hand in the sliver of an opening of the stuck frunk to move the secondary latch and open the frunk. My big hands can barely do it, but I have had to do it on my own.

If your frunk pops on the freeway, you don't have several minutes to see how things turn out. Don't see what purpose this feature serves. I guess if you inadvertently pop and then drive, but that isn't my main concern, which is the lack of a secondary catch, at least on my vehicle.

 

[Boourns]

Stock buying opportunity!

Up nearly 7% atm lol.

 

[thesmokingman]

Up nearly 7% atm lol.

Aye! But it was down down pre-market with a crazy $40ish swing from toady's low.

 

[fcastrillo86]

I have a service appt next week for AP camera retrofit already. I got the email about the recall, so I asked my service center to add on the inspection/repair if possible (the app wouldn't let me do it without cancelling my existing appt)

 

[DerbyDave]

If your frunk pops on the freeway, you don't have several minutes to see how things turn out. Don't see what purpose this feature serves. I guess if you inadvertently pop and then drive, but that isn't my main concern, which is the lack of a secondary catch, at least on my vehicle.

If your frunk pops on its own, the secondary latch should hold it. When you pop the frunk on purpose, it opens the secondary latch for a couple of minutes so you can just lift the frunk up easily. It relatches if you forget to open it once popped, to prevent it from coming open unexpectedly later.

 

[JimmyB]

I had the hood fly open many years ago on an ancient Volvo 960, doing 60mph on the highway. It wasn’t fun.

 

[ucmndd]

The email alternates between "trunk" and "frunk" in a very disturbing way.

This is the sort of thing that marketing/PR departments catch pretty easily. Maybe Tesla should get one of those.

 

[jhoughton1]

If your frunk pops on its own, the secondary latch should hold it. When you pop the frunk on purpose, it opens the secondary latch for a couple of minutes so you can just lift the frunk up easily. It relatches if you forget to open it once popped, to prevent it from coming open unexpectedly later.

Okay, you're making things clearer: the frunk secondary latch is a part-time latch, intended to function conveniently. So let's say I pop the frunk and wait a few minutes, the seclatch will operate, right? Looking at the surfaces available I do not see anything I can put my finger on to trip that latch. But when the missus gets home with the car I'll try it and see. Thanks, Dave!

 

[TM3NDL]

The email alternates between "trunk" and "frunk" in a very disturbing way. No one cares if the trunk (you know, the one in the back) opens in flight. OTOH, the frunk opening at speed could be a disaster. It would be nice to think they could write a coherent letter on the subject.
That said, I've never been aware there's a secondary frunk latch and it has always worried me. You pop our frunk and lift it up without further ado, unlike any other front-opening lid I've ever seen on a motor vehicle. Where should I look for the misaligned secondary latch?

If anyone is wondering whether there is a possibility that the frunk can open whilst driving with no input on the screen, phone or key fob. My model 3 frunk opened whilst driving on the motorway at 80mph even though it was closed and had not been opened prior to that.

It was my birthday, just got a haircut and I've been on the motorway for less than 10 mins. I attempt to put my 2021 Model 3 into autopilot (base not FSD) only for it to fail with alerts which said 'auto pilot unavailable', 'cruise control unavailable' and last but no least, 'frunk open drive with caution'. Then what do you think happens next? My frunk opens, smashes my windscreen, top glass and sits on my windscreen all whilst at 80mph in the fast lane all recorded on dashcam which is too big to upload (any advice on uploading this video so i can show you all how calm of a driver i am lol). The passenger side strut actually detached during this incident.

Tesla were looking into, noticed I had a few small water bottles and said that it possibly hit the emergency button inside the frunk to open meaning it is my fault, even though they hadn't completed all their checks to see if it is a possibility (even though they should already know this). Now less than 2 weeks after sending my car to Tesla, news comes out about the recall on 2017-2020 Model 3's but mine is a 2021 3rd quarter model from Xhanghai. What this tells me is that it can happen to any Model 3 but in order to avoid raising too many alarms, they simply called back the 1st version of the Model 3 and not the refresh black trim 2nd version.

Has anyone experienced this issue before?

I don't know how to get this conversation out to the wider community of model 3 owners but if anyone can help then that would be amazing.