what part is this?

[guygonegamer97]

what part is this? the name or even part number is a big help. Its from the old gen tesla model 3 center console trim. fell down the center console and dont feel like tearing the console up over this small piece.

 

[Tronguy]

Pop rivet. The base (part without slits) slides into a slot on a plastic panel somewhere. The other end either gets a plastic pin attached to another plastic panel or goes through a hole in metal/another plastic panel.

Interestingly, a couple of months ago, a mobile tech fixed a bunch of these on my 2018 M3. Let's see if I can describe this properly:

1. On the plastic trim on the pillar of the driver's side (this is the plastic through which the seat belt comes) there's a plastic locator pin that's supposed to go through a hole in the metal of the car. Said plastic locator pin had not been properly inserted in that metal hole, but had been bent over during manufacturing. It didn't actually break, it was just in an "L" shape of sorts, with a curve at the L.
2. Despite this, a hearty whack had been applied to the trim at the factory. About six of those plastic parts you show had actually popped into their appointed places, but stuff was stressed. A month or so after getting the car, I happened to bump the trim and it kind of popped loose, towards the interior of the car. Being me, I shoved it back in.
3. Back and forth it went over the next two (!) years. At one point I called Tesla about it.. The guy came and popped it back in. And it popped back out again, later.
4. Finally got bloody-minded and took apart the whole trim area and discovered the bent-over locator pin. Carefully straightened out same and put it all back together properly, which included taking apart and reassembling the driver's side shoulder belt adjuster. Fun.
5. It's 2+ years now. The blame trim wouldn't stay in, despite my ministrations. Urgle. Learning to pop it in, then Not Touch The Trim When Getting In And Out Of The Car. A minor, first-world pain.
6. Another mobile tech comes out to do the warranty work on the rear-view camera. While he's there, I mention the $%& trim.
7. He smiles. Goes over to his car, pulls out a handful (!) of the things, pops off my trim, removes all the old ones, and puts new ones in. (He didn't get it quite right, tricky, all those plastic parts around the seat belt adjuster, but I got it right later.) The trim stays in place.
8. His comment: The plastic bits get worn, getting popped in and back out all the time. New ones hold it in properly. The problem won't occur again.

So far he's been right and a blame niggling problem has been fixed.