Digging this thread up as I've just completed the removal of my TeslaOffer/EVOffer powered frunk on my 2020 Model 3.
What prompted this was the fact that I am now on my third latch motor after having bought the kit in July 2021, and fitted it shortly after. The first latch motor lasted until October last year, the second failed in late August this year. The first latch motor was replaced under warranty, but the second replacement I had to buy myself - at a cost of $70.
I wish I had found this thread before, because despite following all of the EVOffer instructions to the letter until I saw the photos in this thread I was at a loss to explain why my latch motors kept dying...
In addition to the latch motor failures, I have today received my second alert to tell me that my 12v battery needs replacing. Again, my car is only 3 1/2 years old. The first battery lasted until November last year (a year and.a bit after I installed both kits). The replacement 12v battery didn't even last a year. This is probably a bit of an edge case because I hardly drive my car, it was ordered before COVID lockdowns and I never went back to working in an office - consequently I have done 6300 miles since I got it in March 2020. For most people who drive their cars every day, or regularly, the car will be maintaining the 12v - but in my case because it can sit for 2 weeks or more at a time, it ends up having to wake itself up to maintain it, and this is quite likely due to the fact that both auto frunk and trunk are connected to a permanent live, so are a parasitic drain (even if small).
I also started to feel unsafe about the emergency pull cable actually working when I need it. I have been lucky that my car has detected when my 12v battery is failing, I've never actually had to use the emergency cable - but from the sounds of it there's a good chance it wouldn't even work anyway, and maybe definitely not if the latch motor failed in a way that doesn't release the hood.
Anyway, without further adieu - here are my two failed latch motors. The one on the right is the original, the other was installed for approx 10 months before failing.
It is clear as day that these latch motors are not water resistant, and are at great risk of failing if not adequately insulated - something EVOffer doesn't tell you to do.
The newer one shows less signs of rusting, but it is clear that it has been exposed and is on its way. Whatever exposure it has already had was enough to make it fail...
I couldn't get access to any PCB inside these units to see what state they were in, but after seeing this I realised I didn't really need to.
There was moisture inside both units, not obvious from the photos.
I would strongly recommend anyone who has these kits installed who hasn't already protected them from moisture - e.g. silicone, putting them in a water-tight bag, etc to check their condition.
For what it's worth after I expressed concern about the $70 replacement latch motor also failing, I was told by EVOffer that it was a "new design". I'm almost certain that was a lie, because the third one i have looks identical to the two that have failed.
As much as I enjoyed having these kits, and EVOffer have been mostly effective at communicating, I can't deal with the constant latch motor failures, the premature 12v battery expiration, and the risk of the emergency latch not working when I need it to.