VINs of cars who lost back bumper cover?

[Lasairfion]

Thought I'd have a look to see if this sort of thing happens to other cars...

TESLA FORUMS July 7, 2015

Model S P85D 

"I drove through a deep puddle last Wednesday....Once the panel started to peel the force of the water pushed it downward and backward so that it flipped backwards and took the bumper off with it.

PISTONHEADS: Tuesday 13th September 2016

"... bmw behind me kept flashing his lights at me. I dismissed it and just got to work to find my entire back bumper missing.... The car is (brace yourselves) Vauxhall Astra VX-line SRI"

TXIC - NASIOC: 07-08-2008, 10:55 PM

02 vf39 EWG Subaru

"I crossed what seemed to be a puddle in the road... I looked in my rear view mirror and my bumper as well as my left side skirt were floating in the water behind me.

SCIONLIFE: 09-12-2004, 01:49 AM

"I was sitting at a light during a heavy thunderstorm, and there was a large puddle on the other side of the street. The light turned green, and I passed throught the puddle around 10-15mph...I got to work about a mile away, and realized that half of my freggin' bumper skirt was gone!!"

CADILLAC OWNERS: 03-17-14 10:27 AM

2011 CTS wagon
   "...Thunderstorm had just passed so there is a large pool of water accumulated on the road. Drove through the water then heard a weird sound coming from the rear. Got off the car and saw the driver side rear bumper detached from the body, what the heck GM? how is that even possible?

 

[SD_Engnr]

Ouch! I wonder if it has anything to do with missing hardware?

P3D+ misc info and pics- wheel weight, calipers, suspension

 

[TheLocNar]

FUD! SHORTS! YEARGH!!!!

Ugh. Something new for me to worry about with a car I don't even have yet. Yay!

 

[idaten]

This is making me rethink adding a hitch, as it seems that trimming out a hole in some plastic panel is needed. Thoughts?

 

[Stirfelt]

I'm no expert .... but I think the rear "bumper" is nothing more than a decorative "skin." It is painted and sculptured over the structure (seen in the photos above) that actually resist bumps and body damage. I've seen car assembly lines on TV where it appears the "skin" merely snaps in place (there may be a few restraining bolts along the bottom and in the wheel well). It is not uncommon to see the panel come off in small "fender-benders." After market dealers sell several various shaped "skins" for my BMW Z3. BUT, it shouldn't come off from rain, or snow.

That "skin" is not what trailer hitches are attached to.

From all I have read, Tesla has an enormously strong steel, and other metals "cage" surrounding the driver. But all of the exterior painted panels are very thin and dent easily. I always worried about hail on my Prius hood and roof. At least the Tesla glass roof should not be so easily damaged by hail???? I hope.

 

[Kurt'sX]

Im curious, in Calif we get our new vehicle plates maybe a month or more after delivery....up to that point we have a paper plate taped in our window. The only exception to that is a used car and a plate is attached from the previous owner. Do Florida and New Jersey give out license plates at the time of delivery? Seems odd to me......both these cars have license plates on a brand new vehicle.

 

[ChrisH]

I'm no expert .... but I think the rear "bumper" is nothing more than a decorative "skin." It is painted and sculptured over the structure (seen in the photos above) that actually resist bumps and body damage. I've seen car assembly lines on TV where it appears the "skin" merely snaps in place (there may be a few restraining bolts along the bottom and in the wheel well). It is not uncommon to see the panel come off in small "fender-benders." After market dealers sell several various shaped "skins" for my BMW Z3. BUT, it shouldn't come off from rain, or snow.

That "skin" is not what trailer hitches are attached to.

From all I have read, Tesla has an enormously strong steel, and other metals "cage" surrounding the driver. But all of the exterior painted panels are very thin and dent easily. I always worried about hail on my Prius hood and roof. At least the Tesla glass roof should not be so easily damaged by hail???? I hope.

I’m sure it depends on the size of the hail but I can pretty much guarantee that hail will destroy the glass roof.

 

[ChrisH]

Im curious, in Calif we get our new vehicle plates maybe a month or more after delivery....up to that point we have a paper plate taped in our window. The only exception to that is a used car and a plate is attached from the previous owner. Do Florida and New Jersey give out license plates at the time of delivery? Seems odd to me......both these cars have license plates on a brand new vehicle.

I think it varies by state. In the hundreds of YouTube videos I’ve seen, there have been a few with plates at the time they are driving away from delivery.

 

[btews]

Sorry to hear this is happening. I've been driving my M3 (non-performance) fairly regularly in torrential rain as recently as today (Maryland keeps getting hammered), and haven't had any bumper issues...could this be a production issue on the performance manufacturing line (aka the big tent)? Maybe someone is forgetting to properly install clips or something?

Also, not to veer off topic, but I notice the little black electronics box in the middle of the bumper in both pics above...did anyone decide what these are (like rear radar / cross traffic sensor)? Any chance someone could get a photo of the manufacturer / part number while the bumper is off to maybe solve a minor mystery?

 

[Lasairfion]

Im curious, in Calif we get our new vehicle plates maybe a month or more after delivery....up to that point we have a paper plate taped in our window. The only exception to that is a used car and a plate is attached from the previous owner. Do Florida and New Jersey give out license plates at the time of delivery? Seems odd to me......both these cars have license plates on a brand new vehicle.

According to DMV.org in their Florida section

Buying from a Car Dealership
Authorized car dealerships can issue temporary license plates and file the title/registration for you. You may want to ask any dealership where you are shopping for cars if they are authorized to use the Electronic Temporary Registration (ETR) and the Electronic Filing System (EFS).

The dealer is required to transfer the title and registration within 30 days

I’m sure it depends on the size of the hail but I can pretty much guarantee that hail will destroy the glass roof.

Or Not
Hail Damage Repair Wyoming?

 

[C141medic]

Do Florida and New Jersey give out license plates at the time of delivery?

I can only answer for NJ. For new vehicles temporary paper plates are issued.

 

[ChrisH]

According to DMV.org in their Florida section

Buying from a Car Dealership
Authorized car dealerships can issue temporary license plates and file the title/registration for you. You may want to ask any dealership where you are shopping for cars if they are authorized to use the Electronic Temporary Registration (ETR) and the Electronic Filing System (EFS).

The dealer is required to transfer the title and registration within 30 days




Or Not
Hail Damage Repair Wyoming?

Well now that’s impressive. I wonder how that is possible.

 

[Marsnaut]

Im curious, in Calif we get our new vehicle plates maybe a month or more after delivery....up to that point we have a paper plate taped in our window. The only exception to that is a used car and a plate is attached from the previous owner. Do Florida and New Jersey give out license plates at the time of delivery? Seems odd to me......both these cars have license plates on a brand new vehicle.

In NY I had new physical plates when I went to pick up.

 

[SarahsDad]

Tesla investigates why bumper broke off two Model 3 vehicles after ‘heavy rain’

 

[dethman]

I find this moderately hilarious.

 

[VT_EE]

Sorry to hear this is happening. I've been driving my M3 (non-performance) fairly regularly in torrential rain as recently as today (Maryland keeps getting hammered), and haven't had any bumper issues...could this be a production issue on the performance manufacturing line (aka the big tent)? Maybe someone is forgetting to properly install clips or something?

Also, not to veer off topic, but I notice the little black electronics box in the middle of the bumper in both pics above...did anyone decide what these are (like rear radar / cross traffic sensor)? Any chance someone could get a photo of the manufacturer / part number while the bumper is off to maybe solve a minor mystery?

That’s a Bluetooth antenna.

 

[xpitxbullx]

This is making me rethink adding a hitch, as it seems that trimming out a hole in some plastic panel is needed. Thoughts?

It’ll drain fast. That’s for sure.

 

[btews]

That’s a Bluetooth antenna.

Thanks...I just went back to that original thread and saw that mystery had already been solved. ..must have missed it.

 

[MXWing]

Can anyone confirm in the NJ example that it’s possible to get that kind of plate at delivery?

Secondly, 2 examples is not panic mode yet given 100,000 Model 3s in wild soon.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

Wow.

Given how many 3's are around the Seattle area it's going to soon become Slalom city as everyone tries to avoid the bumpers.