This happened to my Tesla. I am a structural engineer with an actual degree in structural engineering and specialize in structural and dynamic analysis as my day job. I looked at the bottom of my tesla, took off the fastener and it didn't have thread locker. This is the root cause. Without thread locker, fasteners always fall off and loosen during vibration loading. For the Teslas, the bolt falls off, the panel starts to gain air, and the fatigue load over time breaks off the panel.
Despite what some think, Tesla do learn from their mistakes. These bolts do now have threadlock on them and I haven't seen any reports recently where they've fallen out.
This is exactly what causes my skid plate to break. The bolt screw loosened, hit the pavement when I went over a dip on the road. The bolt screw is bent.
It's an old video: but i hit a curb at about 30mph in a snow storm when I tried to pass a plow truck. LoL. If the aero cover was all that got damaged.... I'm a happy guy. Thanks for the info. Nice to see it's a super easy fix. I bet discount tire would even replace it for me at a reasonable price. God forbid I get my hands dirty. 😮
Thanks for the putting together this great video, very informational and helpful. The same problem just happened to my 2018 model 3. I have a service appointment scheduled with Tesla and it will cost me about $400 to replace the damaged panels (front and mid aero panels) as they said it was not covered under warrantee.
Please provide an update. What was the final cost? Did they replace both covers? What you general area? Just curious if the makes a difference in price.
Hit a puddle at about 35mph that I couldn’t see in the dark and ripped the mid-aero shield. Looked just like all the other pictures with that one bolt missing. I suspect these bolts are falling out and causing the shield to sag in that spot allowing water to rush in behind it. Initially they denied the warranty claim so I just left it. It was ultimately replaced the following year under the service bulletin.
It is worth mentioning that there are some holes the shields cover which look like they should have bolts in them, but they don't. Please refer to the diagrams in our video for the locations of the actual attachment points of the aero covers.
this happened to me 2 days ago! the bottom shields on my Model Y (all three of them) are completely destroyed when I went through a tiny flooded road. In fact, I'm typing this comment while I wait for my car AT A TESLA SERVICE CENTER! :) They said this is not covered under warranty. I'm paying in full.
2020 Tesla Model 3 Long Range. Had two of these shields rip and depart the vehicle in pieces. Both occurrences happened while driving in very high cross winds , but dry conditions. All bolts were still in place , which tells me the material choice for the shield is not appropriate.
I have a 2018 Model 3 and my mid aero shield just went (nearly 5 years later so out of warranty) after driving through water (I suspect). Service quoted me around $200 to fix it. Thanks for the video, it was very helpful confirming my new part #.
@@JerryCastellano-ds7xk Yes, I had my rear aero shield replaced by mobile tech and it was about $200 with parts and labor (fairly reasonable). But I say a few days ago that it's torn again which is very frustrating. I may move to an aluminum third party shield if I have to go through this year after year.
Great video. Maybe a video about common rattles and fixes for those in future? My driver side b pillar is making some clonking on bumps and the drivers door / glass seem to rattle. I’ve applied some silicone spray on the seal at the top looks to have improved... ish
I've never had issues with these panels but have removed them once a year for rust proofing spray and removal of sand (from winter driving conditions). However, I have found that a personal "best practices" when re installing these is to pay attention that the leading edges (especially the rear unit) lay down flat...I install all the bolts loosely and then I will torque the center ones first whilst "body englishing" the panel to lay flat as I tighten the next bolts, proceding from the center towards to outboard edges.
@TeslaGurus Driving in harsh winter condition in Sweden. The red trailer symbol came on without a trailer or any other kind of electric connected. The lid was closed. Tesla support tried to help me with resetting the car to get rid off the red trailer symbol without result. Weather was around 0°C so slush, snow and water around. I took the lid off, opened the trailer electric connector and a gush of water came out. I tried to dry it, douse it with a water replacing electric spray, and spray oil/ wax in it. It took the better part of the day and repeated spraying until the symbol came off. Why on earth is there so much water collecting in the connector with the underbody lid closed? Keep up the good work! Thank you for your videos. Best regards from Sápmi North Sweden
Because they have not designed the car to work in wet and snowy condition. Fill the connector (when it is properly dried!) completely with a grease adapted for electrical system (that is non conductive). Make sure it covers EVERY bit that has to do with the electrical system so no water can enter, even in the smallest pocket.
I drove through a puddle which caused my aero shield to tear and drag. I contacted Tesla to make an apt. to fix, they quoted me $235 (Canadian $). I was surprised that it is not covered under warranty. I should be able to drive through a water puddle with out it destroying parts.
Thanks for this. Each winter when I have gotten temporary stuck in deep snow I get a hole in the rear cover, because all the bolts were in place Tesla would not pay for $250 replacement in Canada. After paying for 2 I won’t go in deep snow anymore
I had a torn rear aero shield after a storm and passing some puddles in Taiwan in Aug. 2021. Tesla service center here charged me around 180 USD to replace it with a same (fibric?) part. However I noticed latest model 3 arrived Taiwan has changed the material to plastic! Both in rear and front.
Fantastic video! We ran over something! A small portion of the aero package is ripped. We will go to the Tesla service Center order the part DYII projects for this weekend
My aero cover was damaged by what I would call a deep puddle. Yes it did span the whole road but not sure It was deep enough to call a "flood" I was doing about 50mph , it was night and round a bend so did not see it until too late to slow down. Bolts were not lose. This was more extreme than your test but any other car I have owned would have coped so It is still not ideal and should be improved. Don't underestimate the power of water! Tesla fixed it for free but only because one of the bolts seemed to have gone missing between the incident and the trip to the service centre so that ended up getting the blame
I own a 3, live in Portland, and not only are potholes super common, but also the amount of waterlogged areas. I have already had to replace my cover twice so I looked on forums online and noticed you can replace the traditional model 3 cover with an aluminum cover similar to what they use on the y's to prevent future issues of this torn aero cover issue. It's always the rear cover for me, but I would rather pay an extra 200 for a cover I never really have to worry about than constantly fretting about driving in wet and somewhat wild weather (as an uber driver it's my bread and butter for income really). Figured I'd put out that info since it's going to save me some scratch and aggravation over the long-haul.
Do you have a source for the aluminum cover for a model 3? I just experienced this issue on my front cover (no idea how or when the damage happened) and have scheduled mobile service to replace it. They have given me an estimate of $223. to replace it. Not clear whether it will be covered under warranty or not.
@@MrJBMedia Thanks. I get the impression the Eibachs have a firmer ride than the stock suspension. They seem a fair bit cheaper than the MSS and Unplugged options though.
Great video. A piece tore off of mine going through a deep puddle during a tropical storm. i was in a Wendy's drive thru which should tell you how fast i was going, but the dragging noise began immediately after the puddle. I have an appointment with service Sept 10 and will update with how it goes. The estimate they sent it $223.85.
i decided to cancel the appointment. i bought the aftermarket version made of metal which will arrive in 5 days. The mom and pop tire shop that did my tire replacement said they would do it. I explained it is 10 bolts and that Tesla wanted $40 to do it and they charge $200 per hour, so I assume it should be a 12 minute job. I took a phone video by reaching under the car and noticed the bolt where it tore off is missing with no damage to the surrounding area. Must have loosened itself or was never put in. Again I will update when done.
@@TeslaGurusI have a 2020 and the material is like you showed...cardboard? composite? Given its application, lets call it paper. With the same felt backing. Thanks for the great video.
@@clibat It is glass reinforced polypropylene - a type of polymer used widely in the automotive industry. Some Tesla owners believe it becomes weaker when exposed to water. That's simply is not the case.
@@TeslaGurus Agree it's not a getting wet thing.. You did a great job proving that. I'm kinda glad you forgot about it and let it sit in there for 3 days! Now that I know that bolt is gone I definitely think that is the cause. Before they remove the other 9 I'll ask them to see if any are loose. Either way I'll ask them to check the rear ones and recheck them all when I go back for new tires next year. Any recommendations on the best way is to buy a new bolt?
amazing video!!! would you recommend rust proofing underneath tesla becasue there are some metal parts down there. Not the battery, i dont think we can rust proof battery.
I just found this problem on My 2018 Model 3 LR. Couple of days back I was hearing a rubbing noise while driving to kids school and decided to check it later and forgot about it. 2 days back I had to make a long drive (200 miles round trip) and on my way back a piece of the front shield blew off the car and I started hearing loud vibrations. Checked after reaching home and found that a big chunk of the front shield was missing. Tesla has provide an estimate of $204.15(including labor & taxes) for this repair. A mobile Tech will come and replace the shield in couple of days time.
Another reason for the rip that you might want to consider is driving over a gate post holder or similar and not realising that it may have potentially ripped or damaged the cover.
This was very helpful thank you. My rear under tray looks exactly like one of your pictures, it took me'a'back for a moment as I was puzzled, how could this youtube video have an almost pixel perfect identical picture. This suggests to me it is tearing in exactly the same place on many cars.
The rear shield does tend to get damaged in that area because it overlaps the rear part of the battery pack so the leading edge of it can catch on whatever might scrape the underside of the car.
If you've identified and/or fixed any squeaks or rattles, I would love to see a video about that. I found one in my week old Model Y today and fixed it today. I was lucky. It was right in the center of the rear headliner where the gasket meets with the hatch. the head liner had popped out from the gasket and rattled against something inside and drove me nuts for a couple hours.
The rear cover ripped on my M3P when driving on badly a flooded road. My theory is a large quantity water gets above the cover and because of insufficient drain holes the weight of the water rips the cover. Tesla would not fix under warranty charged me £120.83 for cover and £29 labour + VAT.
To be fair, that's not an excessive charge. These covers are sacrificial to an extent. If water stayed behind them for too long it would cause a lot more damage to more expensive parts. This type of cover is fitted to other brands as well, it's not just a Tesla thing.
@@LeiChat No bolts missing 99% certain it's weight of water. Friend of mine has a garage so had car on ramp before contacting Tesla. No marks on underside of car only the rip. I have no argument with Tesla. Accepted charge willing to pay Labour @ £29 Labour thought it very reasonable. Although had the panel been steel it probably wouldn't have ripped. Appreciate steel weighs more than composite. So a trade off weak composite won.
Front aero shield was torn/hanging. I think it was from driving through a water covered freeway (going about 35-40miles/hour). Tesla is quoting $520 for repair/replacement of the aero shield... I've had the car since 2021.
Great video, very informative, many thanks. Just had this exact issue on my Tesla Model 3. The front aero cover has ripped from either corner - scraping noise heard on the motorway. Have people managed to get this replaced under warranty ?
I doubt it. They normally can only break due to damage such as driving over a curb or over debris in the road. You might get your car insurance to cover it, but the part is available online for less than $140. And it's something really easy to replace.
@@josephcoleman9092 I suggest duct taping over it. I’m on a long road trip and a little hole quickly became very bad with ithe entire panel dragging on the freeway. Not fun.
PP GF 30/40 would in my experience stand for Polypropylene with 30-40% glass fiber. I wouldn’t think there’s even a 1% wood fiber or “cardboard” content in that part since for recycling purposes parts like this need to be honestly marked with the universal material designations.
My tray tore and is dragging on the ground making a horrible scraping noise. I didn't think about it until you mentioned the puddles but I did got thru a rather large one yesterday and today when I pulled out the noise started. You can see the back tray torn & hanging down. I'll call Tesla but I have a 2018 and doubt it will be covered. I saw another video where they simply held it back up with zip ties. Your thoughts on that?
Ties will work if it's not badly damaged but you might find you get more wind noise on the motorway if the tray isn't completely flush. Better to get a new tray really.
I have a 2022 Model Y LR with 19’ gemini wheels. Is there a cost effective way to improve the ride quality without affecting the handling? If so, can you recommend a garage? Thank you.
@@TeslaGurus Hi ya. I am British living in Switzerland at the moment. I go to England (West Midland) once every two months. So, I can travel,…no problem. Cheers.
I hit a piece of ice one morning and after that I noticed a scraping sound when going low speed. At first I figured it was coming from the wheel wells, maybe some gravel. But I had a look under the car and the rear shield had come loose. When the speed was higher the air cushion under the car pressed the shield up from the road and the scrape disappeared.
Great video. The front edge of my rear undertray ripped off the other day when I hit some standing water on the motorway. Just booked it in with Tesla service - will be interesting to see what they say. Interesting to note that the Model Y has solid plastic undertrays instead of these fabric parts...
Here in the UK, Tesla Birmingham refused to cover it under warranty, so I had to pay £180 which was pretty upsetting. According to them "if you drive through standing water slowly then they don't break". I'll bear that in mind the next time I'm on the motorway 😂 How did you manage to break your model Y undertray? I thought those were hard plastic?
If you think yours might be affected pop down to your local garage and stick it on a ramp. Ask them to put thread lock on the bolts.. Sounds far cheaper than buying a new tray..
Happened to me a few weeks in to ownership. M3P, very deep puddle at no more than 15 mph, it ripped the front undertray off, it was scraping along the ground. Tesla would not consider it a warranty claim, so had to pay for a new one.
As you can see from our test, 15mph through a deep puddle simply isn't enough force to rip off a properly secured aero cover. It must have been damaged before or was hanging down because bolts had fallen out. I have tested two Model 3s at very high speeds through standing water multiple times now and had no damage.
The only conclusion is that is was poorly secured from the factory. The car was only 3 weeks old when it happened - I suspect it was hanging down slightly, water got on top of it and ripped the other fixings out due to the pressure.
To add, I really like your channel. Is there any more feedback on the new Pirelli’s as fitted to the 2021 M3P? My Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (rears) are now in need of replacement, and it would be great to get a quieter tyre. Did you notice lower noise levels on the Pirelli?
My front cover came loose. It snapped around the bolt holes at the rear of the cover on both sides. Have ordered an aftermarket replacement made of metal.
I noticed two retaining clips amiss on my rear undertray splash shield. It left a small gap on the left and right of the rear undertray, about .5." I'm curious if water got in there. Does it have a way to drain out? My underbody is as clean as possible - free of any damage, so I'm assuming it shipped out of the factory this way. I've had the car for 3 months now and just noticed it, so I'm opening a Service Claim. Hopefully, it'll be a proper remedy.
Have a 2020 long range, not long after getting it Tesla had to replace a clicking hub. Was driving on the motorway on Friday when there was a horrible thud-thud-thud from the underside at the front. Took a look and the tray had dropped down and was rubbing on the ground. Turns out one of the front bolts was missing and the remains of a snapped cable tie was in its place! Will be reporting this to Tesla and demanding they replace the tray!
I hit a huge puddle on the motorway at night and aquaplaned at approx 60mph... When I looked at the car from a distance the next week, I noticed the rear cover had come loose and was hanging down, it seems hitting water at speed does damage it. Tesla replaced it for £200.
I have a 2018 and was just on the freeway in the states and hit standing water on a bridge at speed. When I was super charging and walking to the car from being away I noticed that the center of the front cover was torn loose and hanging/folded down about 5 inches from the front. I had not hit anything to my knowledge except the water. I think at speed the water pressure would be enough to damage the part.
or window adjustments! I've already done window calibration on all 4 of my windows but my drivers window continues to roll up into the trim when the door is shut and then back down half an inch / 1cm. Depending on how lightly or heavily I shut the door it rolls fully up when closed or pops back down half an inch. Even when it pops back down the half an inch there is a tight seal so it doesn't bother me. Just perplexing.
I've had to recalibrate windows a couple of times and I did find it needed several attempts to eliminate the error. It's also important you do it from the driver's seat.
This happened to me the other day. I was on the highway going rough 65MPH and I drove thru some standing water for a few seconds and a piece about the size of a piece of paper tore off (like the pics in this video). Tesla said only cars still under warranty are covered by the service bulletin. RUBISH!!!
Yes. Happened to me driving south on M40 Feb 2020 during that very windy storm. It was a side wind and eventually the road noise underneath just changed with a flapping sound. Slowed to 50mph and headed for Oxford superchargers. Called for Tesla assistance and they sent someone along. A whole section on the rear of the front splash panel had ripped itself off. No memory of ever driving over or causing any damage under there. Tesla Birmingham refused to cover it even though they couldn’t find any impact damage, stating “it is not a warranty part”??
About £140 supply and fit. It really left a sour taste tbh, the attitude at the service centre was, pay up if you want your car back, which completely misses my point.
@@TeslaGurus usually PP-GF is used for injection moulding but these parts look like thermoformed sheets. Cheaper to manufacture than an injection moulded plastic, not directly visible so low aesthetic requirements. usually high resistance to mechanical, chemical and thermal influences, but as you showed in the video, 'easy' to rip once it started to tear on one of the edges. I'd argue that the missing lip on one of the parts is a design flaw.
I'm trying to replace the tray under my front bumper and it all looks fine, except I cannot get the bolts for the fabric tray out - they just spin in their sockets - anyone know why this is happening? On this video, it looks like they should just screw out...
My 2016 Model S rear cover has torn apart. I was driving 65km over the road with 2 to 3 inches deep of water. The water has trapped in between the rear motor and the rear cover. This has pulled off the cover.
This just happened to me! Drive approx 45mph across a large puddle that I couldn’t avoid on a blind spot. Then sudden noise of dragging something under the car. Yep, the rear aero cover broken in exact same spot as shown in your videos. How pathetic, Tesla can’t drive through puddles without causing damage! MK service Centre have quoted me £179.80 for replace and fit. Going there next Tuesday and will definitely be arguing with them if it’s covered under warranty, nothing in the Tesla manual to state you can’t drive on roads with puddles. Otherwise love the M3 Performance been problem free up until now. Do get disc rubbing sounds though….hmmm?
@@zeegee1856Tesla (MK) tried to charge me to replace it but I argued that there was nothing in the car manual that told me to drive at low speeds in puddles! They repaired as a goodwill gesture so no cost.
Just got my 2017 Model 3 aero shield replaced after it got ripped off after driving through standing water. It looks to have been the same part number as the one that you originally had. They replaced it with a plastic one now thankfully. New PN is 1499151-00-C. I’m hoping this will last me until the end of the car’s life.
well well well. i like how tesla fanboys are like "my tesla has no oil in the car at all im green me me me me bla bla bla" well stupid you still have axle grease(which have a base oil) and differential oil. so big oouuuuff to anyone saying a tesla is oil free. Just don't get help. great video by the way 😄
Anyone who says that Tesla or any electric vehicle is petroleum free as you posit above is either totally a moron, or is trolling FUD. Of course, there are lubricants in the cars. There certainly is lubricant in the gearcase (yes, Tesla has a gear case of course, there is jut no shifting). Any bearing has some kind of lubricant. Now then, if someone says there is no transmission fluid to change, no engine oil to change, no differential oil to change, then they are almost right. Certainly after a very long interval, the lube in the gearbox and any other rolling surface needs to be checked. You've got lubricated bearings in your lawn mower, roller skates, even your garage door. And why "fanbois"? Not everyone who own Teslas and praises them finds them absolutely perfect. That's silly. Neither a Bentley or an RR, or a Cadillac or any other brand of car are perfect. But I like my Teslas and if you as my opinion, I will tell you how much I like them (a lot), though there may be issues here and there. So I'm a "fanboi"? Please. If you arepredjudiced against Teslas, or BIC pens, or Bovril, then fine. But why hang around a site about a product for which you have hate? Go bother someone else. Or - Hey! Here's an idea! - LEARN something about Teslas... drive one... get someone to show you about them. Read some proper informed source. If you don't want one, fine. Have a nice life. But quit wasting your time telling us "fanbois" what idiots we are. In your narrowminded, ignorant and uninformed opinion, that is. Or are you just pissed that you can't afford one, so you sit back and throw verbal rocks.
@@The_DuMont_Network hmm who is saying i don't have one and im a fan of the concept of the tesla, but im merly stated a fact in a funny tone instead of being so serious, it is youtube comments relax Dumont
@@nobby145 That is an issue with non verbal communications. It's hard to discern sarcasm. Usually when someone refers to fanbois it is intended as an insult.
@@The_DuMont_Network well you right there my mistake in using a term that can be perceived as both an insult or just a term for someone who has alot of love for one thing. teslas are great in there own way.
My new favorite Tesla channel 👏
Happened to me, I just got it replaced. I was just wondering how it could have happened. You earned a subscription.
This happened to my Tesla. I am a structural engineer with an actual degree in structural engineering and specialize in structural and dynamic analysis as my day job. I looked at the bottom of my tesla, took off the fastener and it didn't have thread locker. This is the root cause. Without thread locker, fasteners always fall off and loosen during vibration loading. For the Teslas, the bolt falls off, the panel starts to gain air, and the fatigue load over time breaks off the panel.
Despite what some think, Tesla do learn from their mistakes. These bolts do now have threadlock on them and I haven't seen any reports recently where they've fallen out.
@@TeslaGurus Mine did, two days ago...
same here unfortunately after only 1 year of use , its really poor quality material cover....especially during the rain ... @@grobmanm
This is exactly what causes my skid plate to break. The bolt screw loosened, hit the pavement when I went over a dip on the road. The bolt screw is bent.
@@TeslaGurus I have a 2022 and this just happened to me after 2 years of driving
It's an old video: but i hit a curb at about 30mph in a snow storm when I tried to pass a plow truck. LoL. If the aero cover was all that got damaged.... I'm a happy guy. Thanks for the info. Nice to see it's a super easy fix. I bet discount tire would even replace it for me at a reasonable price. God forbid I get my hands dirty. 😮
Thanks for the putting together this great video, very informational and helpful. The same problem just happened to my 2018 model 3. I have a service appointment scheduled with Tesla and it will cost me about $400 to replace the damaged panels (front and mid aero panels) as they said it was not covered under warrantee.
Please provide an update. What was the final cost? Did they replace both covers? What you general area? Just curious if the makes a difference in price.
Hit a puddle at about 35mph that I couldn’t see in the dark and ripped the mid-aero shield. Looked just like all the other pictures with that one bolt missing. I suspect these bolts are falling out and causing the shield to sag in that spot allowing water to rush in behind it. Initially they denied the warranty claim so I just left it. It was ultimately replaced the following year under the service bulletin.
It is worth mentioning that there are some holes the shields cover which look like they should have bolts in them, but they don't. Please refer to the diagrams in our video for the locations of the actual attachment points of the aero covers.
this happened to me 2 days ago! the bottom shields on my Model Y (all three of them) are completely destroyed when I went through a tiny flooded road.
In fact, I'm typing this comment while I wait for my car AT A TESLA SERVICE CENTER! :)
They said this is not covered under warranty. I'm paying in full.
Really helpful John. Thanks. This happened to me yesterday! Will be fixed under warranty in Bristol. July 2019 M3P.
2020 Tesla Model 3 Long Range. Had two of these shields rip and depart the vehicle in pieces. Both occurrences happened while driving in very high cross winds , but dry conditions. All bolts were still in place , which tells me the material choice for the shield is not appropriate.
I have a 2018 Model 3 and my mid aero shield just went (nearly 5 years later so out of warranty) after driving through water (I suspect). Service quoted me around $200 to fix it. Thanks for the video, it was very helpful confirming my new part #.
Did you get it fixed by Tesla? If so, what was the final cost? I just discovered mine was damaged yesterday. Not trying to pay an arm and a leg.
Mine was $165 for part and $30 labor - mobile tech fixed it in my driveway and the service was excellent.@@holmete
Did you get it fixed? My front aero shield rip and is now off. Tesla service estimate $285.35 before tax after I clarified which part was needed
@@JerryCastellano-ds7xk Yes, I had my rear aero shield replaced by mobile tech and it was about $200 with parts and labor (fairly reasonable). But I say a few days ago that it's torn again which is very frustrating. I may move to an aluminum third party shield if I have to go through this year after year.
@@kurtd1935 That was my fear going with Tesla parts.
Very nice videos! Best channel for deep content!😄
Thanks! 😃
You really offer great content so far.
Good detailed content again John 👍
Great video. Maybe a video about common rattles and fixes for those in future? My driver side b pillar is making some clonking on bumps and the drivers door / glass seem to rattle. I’ve applied some silicone spray on the seal at the top looks to have improved... ish
I've never had issues with these panels but have removed them once a year for rust proofing spray and removal of sand (from winter driving conditions).
However, I have found that a personal "best practices" when re installing these is to pay attention that the leading edges (especially the rear unit) lay down flat...I install all the bolts loosely and then I will torque the center ones first whilst "body englishing" the panel to lay flat as I tighten the next bolts, proceding from the center towards to outboard edges.
Great tip! Thank you.
@TeslaGurus
Driving in harsh winter condition in Sweden. The red trailer symbol came on without a trailer or any other kind of electric connected. The lid was closed. Tesla support tried to help me with resetting the car to get rid off the red trailer symbol without result. Weather was around 0°C so slush, snow and water around. I took the lid off, opened the trailer electric connector and a gush of water came out. I tried to dry it, douse it with a water replacing electric spray, and spray oil/ wax in it. It took the better part of the day and repeated spraying until the symbol came off.
Why on earth is there so much water collecting in the connector with the underbody lid closed?
Keep up the good work! Thank you for your videos. Best regards from Sápmi North Sweden
The exact same happened to my TM3 in Norway. Tesla replaced the wire harness in the trailer hitch which fixed the issue.
Because they have not designed the car to work in wet and snowy condition.
Fill the connector (when it is properly dried!) completely with a grease adapted for electrical system (that is non conductive). Make sure it covers EVERY bit that has to do with the electrical system so no water can enter, even in the smallest pocket.
2.110 subscribers? You deserve way more!
Thanks! Spread the word and hopefully we will...
I drove through a puddle which caused my aero shield to tear and drag. I contacted Tesla to make an apt. to fix, they quoted me $235 (Canadian $). I was surprised that it is not covered under warranty. I should be able to drive through a water puddle with out it destroying parts.
Really like your videos John & Tesla Gurus! 👏 thank you!
Thanks for this. Each winter when I have gotten temporary stuck in deep snow I get a hole in the rear cover, because all the bolts were in place Tesla would not pay for $250 replacement in Canada. After paying for 2
I won’t go in deep snow anymore
I had a torn rear aero shield after a storm and passing some puddles in Taiwan in Aug. 2021.
Tesla service center here charged me around 180 USD to replace it with a same (fibric?) part.
However I noticed latest model 3 arrived Taiwan has changed the material to plastic! Both in rear and front.
Fantastic video! We ran over something! A small portion of the aero package is ripped. We will go to the Tesla service Center order the part DYII projects for this weekend
Order aftermarket aluminum!
th-cam.com/video/tUG6KVwp2p4/w-d-xo.html
My aero cover was damaged by what I would call a deep puddle. Yes it did span the whole road but not sure It was deep enough to call a "flood" I was doing about 50mph , it was night and round a bend so did not see it until too late to slow down. Bolts were not lose. This was more extreme than your test but any other car I have owned would have coped so It is still not ideal and should be improved. Don't underestimate the power of water!
Tesla fixed it for free but only because one of the bolts seemed to have gone missing between the incident and the trip to the service centre so that ended up getting the blame
Hmm, what year was your model 3? I might have to take a bolt off to get a free one due to shit design.
@@TrueDreams 2019. Not aware design has changed since though anyway.
@@applicationsbroad7283 f it I'm just going to order the stainless ones from rpm tesla call it a day.
Very interesting video 👌 keep the technical vids coming
I own a 3, live in Portland, and not only are potholes super common, but also the amount of waterlogged areas. I have already had to replace my cover twice so I looked on forums online and noticed you can replace the traditional model 3 cover with an aluminum cover similar to what they use on the y's to prevent future issues of this torn aero cover issue. It's always the rear cover for me, but I would rather pay an extra 200 for a cover I never really have to worry about than constantly fretting about driving in wet and somewhat wild weather (as an uber driver it's my bread and butter for income really). Figured I'd put out that info since it's going to save me some scratch and aggravation over the long-haul.
Do you have a source for the aluminum cover for a model 3? I just experienced this issue on my front cover (no idea how or when the damage happened) and have scheduled mobile service to replace it. They have given me an estimate of $223. to replace it. Not clear whether it will be covered under warranty or not.
@@SteveDonie Amazon and eBay. A company in Texas makes them. Cheaper on eBay - same company. Let me know how they work 4u.
Looking forward to the suspension upgrade videos.
I have been considering spring kit options from Unplugged, Eibach and MSS.
I have the Eibachs on mine. Would recommend. 👍🏼
@@MrJBMedia Thanks. I get the impression the Eibachs have a firmer ride than the stock suspension. They seem a fair bit cheaper than the MSS and Unplugged options though.
Great video. A piece tore off of mine going through a deep puddle during a tropical storm. i was in a Wendy's drive thru which should tell you how fast i was going, but the dragging noise began immediately after the puddle. I have an appointment with service Sept 10 and will update with how it goes. The estimate they sent it $223.85.
The original covers are made of a type of plastic but just not as hardwearing as the newer ones.
i decided to cancel the appointment. i bought the aftermarket version made of metal which will arrive in 5 days. The mom and pop tire shop that did my tire replacement said they would do it. I explained it is 10 bolts and that Tesla wanted $40 to do it and they charge $200 per hour, so I assume it should be a 12 minute job. I took a phone video by reaching under the car and noticed the bolt where it tore off is missing with no damage to the surrounding area. Must have loosened itself or was never put in. Again I will update when done.
@@TeslaGurusI have a 2020 and the material is like you showed...cardboard? composite? Given its application, lets call it paper. With the same felt backing. Thanks for the great video.
@@clibat It is glass reinforced polypropylene - a type of polymer used widely in the automotive industry. Some Tesla owners believe it becomes weaker when exposed to water. That's simply is not the case.
@@TeslaGurus Agree it's not a getting wet thing.. You did a great job proving that. I'm kinda glad you forgot about it and let it sit in there for 3 days! Now that I know that bolt is gone I definitely think that is the cause. Before they remove the other 9 I'll ask them to see if any are loose. Either way I'll ask them to check the rear ones and recheck them all when I go back for new tires next year. Any recommendations on the best way is to buy a new bolt?
amazing video!!! would you recommend rust proofing underneath tesla becasue there are some metal parts down there. Not the battery, i dont think we can rust proof battery.
No need as it's mainly aluminium parts under a Tesla.
I just found this problem on My 2018 Model 3 LR. Couple of days back I was hearing a rubbing noise while driving to kids school and decided to check it later and forgot about it. 2 days back I had to make a long drive (200 miles round trip) and on my way back a piece of the front shield blew off the car and I started hearing loud vibrations. Checked after reaching home and found that a big chunk of the front shield was missing. Tesla has provide an estimate of $204.15(including labor & taxes) for this repair. A mobile Tech will come and replace the shield in couple of days time.
Another reason for the rip that you might want to consider is driving over a gate post holder or similar and not realising that it may have potentially ripped or damaged the cover.
This was very helpful thank you. My rear under tray looks exactly like one of your pictures, it took me'a'back for a moment as I was puzzled, how could this youtube video have an almost pixel perfect identical picture. This suggests to me it is tearing in exactly the same place on many cars.
The rear shield does tend to get damaged in that area because it overlaps the rear part of the battery pack so the leading edge of it can catch on whatever might scrape the underside of the car.
If you've identified and/or fixed any squeaks or rattles, I would love to see a video about that. I found one in my week old Model Y today and fixed it today. I was lucky. It was right in the center of the rear headliner where the gasket meets with the hatch. the head liner had popped out from the gasket and rattled against something inside and drove me nuts for a couple hours.
Great information videos are you going to be doing anymore?
The rear cover ripped on my M3P when driving on badly a flooded road. My theory is a large quantity water gets above the cover and because of insufficient drain holes the weight of the water rips the cover. Tesla would not fix under warranty charged me £120.83 for cover and £29 labour + VAT.
To be fair, that's not an excessive charge. These covers are sacrificial to an extent. If water stayed behind them for too long it would cause a lot more damage to more expensive parts. This type of cover is fitted to other brands as well, it's not just a Tesla thing.
Or you might have damaged it, or lost a bolt or two prior to driving through the flood water.
@@LeiChat No bolts missing 99% certain it's weight of water. Friend of mine has a garage so had car on ramp before contacting Tesla. No marks on underside of car only the rip.
I have no argument with Tesla. Accepted charge willing to pay Labour @ £29 Labour thought it very reasonable. Although had the panel been steel it probably wouldn't have ripped. Appreciate steel weighs more than composite. So a trade off weak composite won.
Very informative....thank you.
Front aero shield was torn/hanging. I think it was from driving through a water covered freeway (going about 35-40miles/hour). Tesla is quoting $520 for repair/replacement of the aero shield... I've had the car since 2021.
Great video, very informative, many thanks.
Just had this exact issue on my Tesla Model 3.
The front aero cover has ripped from either corner - scraping noise heard on the motorway.
Have people managed to get this replaced under warranty ?
I doubt it. They normally can only break due to damage such as driving over a curb or over debris in the road. You might get your car insurance to cover it, but the part is available online for less than $140. And it's something really easy to replace.
Any idea if it is in fact covered in the Basic (50,000 mi) warranty? Picking up a 2022 this weekend.
Is it ok to drive if there is a small hole in it? Tesla booked my appointment 4 weeks out. Basically I’m asking will I damage the vehicle.
Highly unlikely a small hole in the undertray will be a problem, but keep an eye on it in case it gets bigger!
@@TeslaGurus Thanks! I will keep my eye on it. The hole is the size of a baseball. Looks like it was shredded by something on the ground
@@josephcoleman9092 I suggest duct taping over it. I’m on a long road trip and a little hole quickly became very bad with ithe entire panel dragging on the freeway. Not fun.
PP GF 30/40 would in my experience stand for Polypropylene with 30-40% glass fiber. I wouldn’t think there’s even a 1% wood fiber or “cardboard” content in that part since for recycling purposes parts like this need to be honestly marked with the universal material designations.
My tray tore and is dragging on the ground making a horrible scraping noise. I didn't think about it until you mentioned the puddles but I did got thru a rather large one yesterday and today when I pulled out the noise started. You can see the back tray torn & hanging down. I'll call Tesla but I have a 2018 and doubt it will be covered. I saw another video where they simply held it back up with zip ties. Your thoughts on that?
Ties will work if it's not badly damaged but you might find you get more wind noise on the motorway if the tray isn't completely flush. Better to get a new tray really.
Thank you
I have a 2022 Model 3. Tesla has upgraded the covers to moulded plastic. Not sure when this happened. 🎉
Mine is broken. It appears that a bolt is missing. Hence the cover was not attached adequately. I’m going to Tesla in 3 days.
Can u help me source some of the undercarriage bolts. I’m not sure what size or where to get them in the USA. Missing a few on ours. Ty
A Tesla Service Centre should be able to supply them to you
I have a 2022 Model Y LR with 19’ gemini wheels. Is there a cost effective way to improve the ride quality without affecting the handling? If so, can you recommend a garage? Thank you.
Which country are you in?
@@TeslaGurus Hi ya. I am British living in Switzerland at the moment.
I go to England (West Midland) once every two months. So, I can travel,…no problem. Cheers.
@@gust5992 Tevo Solutions will have something to improve MY ride quality later this year if you can wait.
@@TeslaGurus Thanks for that, and sorry it took a while to get back. Any sort of estimate as to when this year?
@@gust5992 Not yet as we still have a lot of development and testing to do, but we think it will be well worth the wait!
I hit a piece of ice one morning and after that I noticed a scraping sound when going low speed. At first I figured it was coming from the wheel wells, maybe some gravel. But I had a look under the car and the rear shield had come loose. When the speed was higher the air cushion under the car pressed the shield up from the road and the scrape disappeared.
Great video.
The front edge of my rear undertray ripped off the other day when I hit some standing water on the motorway. Just booked it in with Tesla service - will be interesting to see what they say.
Interesting to note that the Model Y has solid plastic undertrays instead of these fabric parts...
Hi Joshua, same thing happened to me on my Model Y, what did your dealer say? They want to charge me for that part..ridiculous
Here in the UK, Tesla Birmingham refused to cover it under warranty, so I had to pay £180 which was pretty upsetting. According to them "if you drive through standing water slowly then they don't break". I'll bear that in mind the next time I'm on the motorway 😂
How did you manage to break your model Y undertray? I thought those were hard plastic?
Great video- thanks!
Glad you liked it!
Thanks!
If you think yours might be affected pop down to your local garage and stick it on a ramp. Ask them to put thread lock on the bolts..
Sounds far cheaper than buying a new tray..
Happened to me a few weeks in to ownership. M3P, very deep puddle at no more than 15 mph, it ripped the front undertray off, it was scraping along the ground. Tesla would not consider it a warranty claim, so had to pay for a new one.
As you can see from our test, 15mph through a deep puddle simply isn't enough force to rip off a properly secured aero cover. It must have been damaged before or was hanging down because bolts had fallen out. I have tested two Model 3s at very high speeds through standing water multiple times now and had no damage.
The only conclusion is that is was poorly secured from the factory. The car was only 3 weeks old when it happened - I suspect it was hanging down slightly, water got on top of it and ripped the other fixings out due to the pressure.
To add, I really like your channel. Is there any more feedback on the new Pirelli’s as fitted to the 2021 M3P? My Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (rears) are now in need of replacement, and it would be great to get a quieter tyre. Did you notice lower noise levels on the Pirelli?
can you please cover the the battery section unde the car like how strong is that underneath the batter pack.
My front cover came loose. It snapped around the bolt holes at the rear of the cover on both sides. Have ordered an aftermarket replacement made of metal.
How did that work out for you?
I noticed two retaining clips amiss on my rear undertray splash shield. It left a small gap on the left and right of the rear undertray, about .5." I'm curious if water got in there. Does it have a way to drain out? My underbody is as clean as possible - free of any damage, so I'm assuming it shipped out of the factory this way.
I've had the car for 3 months now and just noticed it, so I'm opening a Service Claim. Hopefully, it'll be a proper remedy.
Interesting, clear and helpful presentation. (Was it Robert Llewelyn that started you on this "Tezla" pronunciation? It's Tesla with an S ...)
Yes, sorry. It's a habit I keep trying to break!
@@TeslaGurus Funny!! Thanks for the great content.
Have a 2020 long range, not long after getting it Tesla had to replace a clicking hub. Was driving on the motorway on Friday when there was a horrible thud-thud-thud from the underside at the front. Took a look and the tray had dropped down and was rubbing on the ground. Turns out one of the front bolts was missing and the remains of a snapped cable tie was in its place! Will be reporting this to Tesla and demanding they replace the tray!
Great video and explanation.
Is the underside made of titanium?
When are those oil filters due to be changed? I see Tesla still requires oil changes?
i have a tear in my m3 undertray. Any idea how much it costs to get fixed and if a local garage could do it cheaper than tesla service?
The part is around £100 and it would take an hour max. to replace. Any garage could do it.
I hit a huge puddle on the motorway at night and aquaplaned at approx 60mph... When I looked at the car from a distance the next week, I noticed the rear cover had come loose and was hanging down, it seems hitting water at speed does damage it. Tesla replaced it for £200.
Thats for the insight, where do you actually get the service manuals?
You should be able to find them online with a bit of Googling
The front left corner is loose on my model Y 2021. What size are the bolts if I want to fix it temporary?
Depending on which part of the undertray is loose, it will be a M6x18 bolt or 8mm, 5-7 push pull plastic rivet.
Thanks from usa...you saved me from having to pay to replace crappy version #1 front aero panel
I have a 2018 and was just on the freeway in the states and hit standing water on a bridge at speed. When I was super charging and walking to the car from being away I noticed that the center of the front cover was torn loose and hanging/folded down about 5 inches from the front. I had not hit anything to my knowledge except the water. I think at speed the water pressure would be enough to damage the part.
Going to Tesla in five days and will see if they are going to try and charge me for the part.
Mine is 2019 model 3 and single water splash ripped apart it and they are saying it's not covered under warranty...
or window adjustments! I've already done window calibration on all 4 of my windows but my drivers window continues to roll up into the trim when the door is shut and then back down half an inch / 1cm. Depending on how lightly or heavily I shut the door it rolls fully up when closed or pops back down half an inch. Even when it pops back down the half an inch there is a tight seal so it doesn't bother me. Just perplexing.
I've had to recalibrate windows a couple of times and I did find it needed several attempts to eliminate the error. It's also important you do it from the driver's seat.
This happened to me the other day. I was on the highway going rough 65MPH and I drove thru some standing water for a few seconds and a piece about the size of a piece of paper tore off (like the pics in this video). Tesla said only cars still under warranty are covered by the service bulletin. RUBISH!!!
Yes. Happened to me driving south on M40 Feb 2020 during that very windy storm. It was a side wind and eventually the road noise underneath just changed with a flapping sound. Slowed to 50mph and headed for Oxford superchargers. Called for Tesla assistance and they sent someone along. A whole section on the rear of the front splash panel had ripped itself off. No memory of ever driving over or causing any damage under there. Tesla Birmingham refused to cover it even though they couldn’t find any impact damage, stating “it is not a warranty part”??
How much was the cost to replace & install?
About £140 supply and fit. It really left a sour taste tbh, the attitude at the service centre was, pay up if you want your car back, which completely misses my point.
It is plastic. It says pp-gf30/40 on the part. This is glass fibre reinforced polypropylene, 30/40%wt glass fibre content.
Thank you. That is very useful to know. This is what Tesla Gurus is all about - the community informing, educating and helping each other.
@@TeslaGurus happy to help. If you have any further questions, automotive material engineer here.
What would be interesting to know is why this material is used instead of something stronger.
@@TeslaGurus usually PP-GF is used for injection moulding but these parts look like thermoformed sheets.
Cheaper to manufacture than an injection moulded plastic, not directly visible so low aesthetic requirements. usually high resistance to mechanical, chemical and thermal influences, but as you showed in the video, 'easy' to rip once it started to tear on one of the edges. I'd argue that the missing lip on one of the parts is a design flaw.
@@McReinsen with Tesla Cheaper always comes into the conversation
How does one order a part from Tesla?
Contact your local Tesla Service Centre for parts.
I'm trying to replace the tray under my front bumper and it all looks fine, except I cannot get the bolts for the fabric tray out - they just spin in their sockets - anyone know why this is happening? On this video, it looks like they should just screw out...
My 2016 Model S rear cover has torn apart. I was driving 65km over the road with 2 to 3 inches deep of water. The water has trapped in between the rear motor and the rear cover. This has pulled off the cover.
I had to replace the front cover on my 2018 Model 3. Don’t know how it happened but Tesla charged us about $ 200. To replace it.
How much was the part and how much is it for Tesla to fit it?
The covers are around £150-£170. The job takes less then 30 mins and any garage could do it, you don't need to take it to a Tesla SC.
@@TeslaGurus thanks
This happened to me and showed Tesla the service bulletin. They only replaced the mid aero cover.
This just happened to me! Drive approx 45mph across a large puddle that I couldn’t avoid on a blind spot. Then sudden noise of dragging something under the car. Yep, the rear aero cover broken in exact same spot as shown in your videos. How pathetic, Tesla can’t drive through puddles without causing damage! MK service Centre have quoted me £179.80 for replace and fit. Going there next Tuesday and will definitely be arguing with them if it’s covered under warranty, nothing in the Tesla manual to state you can’t drive on roads with puddles. Otherwise love the M3 Performance been problem free up until now. Do get disc rubbing sounds though….hmmm?
did Tesla replace it under warranty in the end?
Got exactly the same issue at present
@@zeegee1856Tesla (MK) tried to charge me to replace it but I argued that there was nothing in the car manual that told me to drive at low speeds in puddles! They repaired as a goodwill gesture so no cost.
I tried to lift up my model 3 qith hydraulic lifter and I put that near to wheel all of sudden i saw liquid started to drip can anyone help me?
Probably just rain water draining from the undertray. Happens all the time when I jack up mine!
How much do they cost
I found them at a place for about $140.00. free shipping. Not from Tesla, but a EVPartsOnline sells them.
Hate those damn kerbs.....
My Tesla M3 Got a tear on the rear cover and i had to pay for it myself herr in Denmark.
there are some made out of aluminium pe rpm
bc racing shocks and dampers?
Cheap is best.
Yeah puddles cost about 550😂
Just got my 2017 Model 3 aero shield replaced after it got ripped off after driving through standing water. It looks to have been the same part number as the one that you originally had. They replaced it with a plastic one now thankfully. New PN is 1499151-00-C. I’m hoping this will last me until the end of the car’s life.
well well well. i like how tesla fanboys are like "my tesla has no oil in the car at all im green me me me me bla bla bla" well stupid you still have axle grease(which have a base oil) and differential oil. so big oouuuuff to anyone saying a tesla is oil free. Just don't get help. great video by the way 😄
Anyone who says that Tesla or any electric vehicle is petroleum free as you posit above is either totally a moron, or is trolling FUD. Of course, there are lubricants in the cars. There certainly is lubricant in the
gearcase (yes, Tesla has a gear case of course, there is jut no shifting). Any bearing has some kind of lubricant.
Now then, if someone says there is no transmission fluid to change, no engine oil to change, no differential oil to change, then they are almost right. Certainly after a very long interval, the lube in the gearbox and any other rolling surface needs to be checked. You've got lubricated bearings in your lawn mower, roller skates, even your garage door.
And why "fanbois"?
Not everyone who own Teslas and praises them finds them absolutely perfect. That's silly. Neither a Bentley or an RR, or a Cadillac or any other brand of car are perfect. But I like my Teslas and if you as my opinion, I will tell you how much I like them (a lot), though there may be issues here and there. So I'm a "fanboi"? Please. If you arepredjudiced against Teslas, or BIC pens, or Bovril, then fine. But why hang around a site about a product for which you have hate? Go bother someone else. Or - Hey! Here's an idea! - LEARN something about Teslas... drive one... get someone to show you about them. Read some proper informed source. If you don't want one, fine. Have a nice life. But quit wasting your time telling us "fanbois" what idiots we are. In your narrowminded, ignorant and uninformed opinion, that is.
Or are you just pissed that you can't afford one, so you sit back and throw verbal rocks.
@@The_DuMont_Network hmm who is saying i don't have one and im a fan of the concept of the tesla, but im merly stated a fact in a funny tone instead of being so serious, it is youtube comments relax Dumont
@@nobby145 That is an issue with non verbal communications. It's hard to discern sarcasm. Usually when someone refers to fanbois it is intended as an insult.
@@The_DuMont_Network well you right there my mistake in using a term that can be perceived as both an insult or just a term for someone who has alot of love for one thing. teslas are great in there own way.
mine was bc of a rock lol
Tesla quote me $240 repair it.