Comments? An anonymous reader writes "Tesla Motors made headlines several times last year for a few Model S car fires. You can send tips on Twitter (DMs open) or via email: fred@9to5mac.com. - Top Rated Plus - opens in a new window or tab, - eBay Money Back Guarantee - opens in a new window or tab, For Tesla Model 3 Front Aero Undertray Body Liner Splash Shield 1104312-00-B, - for PayPal Credit, opens in a new window or tab, about earning points with eBay Mastercard, Report this item - opens in new window or tab. Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast. When it comes to the winter driving experience, I disagree with those who say that Tesla is designing cars in California for the Californian climate. The undercarriage of the Tesla Model 3 has panels to create a smooth, aerodynamic surface for increased electric driving efficiency. To keep the overall weight of the car light, and the costs down, these original panels are made of some sort of plastic composite. Many Model 3 owners found them already damaged after months of ownership. Eric Bolduc, the owner of Antirouille Bolduc, an anti-rust body shop specializing in electric vehicles in Quebec, has found significant amounts of sand and dirt accumulating in the underbody panel at the back of every Model 3 he has worked on so far. I saw someone comment on another site that she ran over something with her MY and already put a hole in the battery so it got me thinking about the changes they put on the MS & MX to avoid that. Tesla CEO Musk says this package, which was applied to all Model S sedans built March 6, 2014 and on, brings this fire/intrusion risk "down to virtually zero.". WebIn 2013, two extremely unusual Model S collisions resulted in underbody damage that led to car fires. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. View cart for details. After removing some panels, Bolduc believes he found where the dirt is coming from behind the wheel well: Its not unusual for dirt to get in the underbody from there in any car, but the panel generally has more significant drainage to rapidly get dirt and water out. JavaScript is disabled. Underneath a Tesla Model 3 - undercarriage inspection - YouTube It is important to note that there have been no fire injuries (or serious, permanent injuries of any kind) in a Tesla at all. item 1 2021 2022 2023 Tesla Model 3 Y Front Under Body Cover Liner Aero Splash Shield, item 2 Front Bumper Guard Shield Splash Under Cover Panel For Tesla Model 3 108417400D, item 3 2017-2020 TESLA MODEL 3 REAR BUMPER UNDER BODY AERO SPLASH SHIELD PANEL OEM, item 4 TESLA MODEL S REAR BUMPER UNDER BODY AERO SPLASH SHIELD COVER OEM 2017 - 2020 , item 5 For Tesla Model 3 Front Bumper Guard Shield Splash Under Cover Panel 108417400D, item 6 2017-2020 Tesla Model 3 M3 Rear Under Body Middle Aero Splash Shield Cover OEM, item 7 2017-2022 TESLA MODEL 3 REAR BUMPER UNDER BODY AERO SPLASH SHIELD PANEL OEM, item 8 2017-2020 Tesla Model 3 Rear Under Body Aero Liner Splash Shield Cover Oem -1, 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 2 product ratings, 3.9 out of 5 stars based on 10 product ratings, 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 4 product ratings, 4.3 out of 5 stars based on 3 product ratings, 4.2 out of 5 stars based on 33 product ratings, 4.3 out of 5 stars based on 12 product ratings, 4.8 out of 5 stars based on 283 product ratings. The driver stepped out and walked away with no permanent injuries and a fire, again limited to the front section of the vehicle, started several minutes later. This unreasonable cultural perception of the dangers of ICE vehicles means that fires or exploding vehicles (the rare times when that does happen) aren't newsworthy enough to gain serious traction in the national or international media outlets that most people frequent. Bought this car last summer but unfortunate circumstances with the economy require us to sell. Last I knew, it was about $5-6/pound. New Model 3 owner, based in Silicon Valley. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. The onboard computer warned the occupants to exit the vehicles, which they did well before any fire was noticeable. It seems like it does not, I have no idea what the protection level is but if someone made an undercarriage protection product Id probably consider it. [mod note: this post was originally a reply in Mike's. $99.88. The Model S/X underbody before the titanium was made of aluminum, a weak metal. The underbody shields will help prevent a fire even in such a scenario. This can present issues if youre trying to download an OTA update. Tesla also offers this retro-fit to all older cars for free. Tesla Gurus. Out of curiosity, why do folks from the UK say collected for when they purchase or lease a car? Trending price is based on prices over last 90 days. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Asbestos has been banned in the US since 1989. It does look like theres a design flaw in theunderbody panel that creates a lack of drainage. I would have thought a heavy duty thick plastic would have been better with some drain holes. In the case of running into some water, you can imagine that the same lack of drainage could put even more pressure if theres no way for the water to get out quickly. MCR AWD, 2.5 hdwr, Niko - MSM LR RWD, Black interior, PUP, 19", FSD, First Production, https://insideevs.com/tesla-model-3-rear-bumper-rain/, https://www.tesla.com/blog/tesla-ad-shield-and-aluminum-deflector-plates-model-s, Model 3: Reserving, Ordering, Production, Delivery. Please keep us informed regarding any action taken by Tesla. ", Now, Tesla has responded again by fitting all Model S sedans with a titanium underbody shield and aluminum deflectors. Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods. Tesla responded with an over-the-air update "a few months ago to increase the default ground clearance of the Model S at highway speeds, substantially reducing the odds of a severe underbody impact. Suspension & Underbody. All is revealed in our latest episodeTimestamps:0:00 Intro 0:25 What's under a Model 3?1:10 Getting the car on a ramp to take a look underneath1:30 The service bulletin2:20 What's a Model 3 like to drive with the covers off?3:00 What's behind the covers?3:30 Old and new covers compared3:50 Is it as weak as cardboard?4:30 What happens when it gets wet?5:00 Before you say anything, I can tear a telephone directory in half!5:15 Oi! Free 7-day returns and 30-day warranty. Model 3 Undercarriage damage and fluid leaking? Do it for real!5:40 Conclusions6:25 Preventative maintenance6:36 Bolt locations7:05 We fit our new cover and look to see if water can get in anywhere8:00 Let us know if you've had this problem8:30 We drive off into the sunset with our aero covers intactA big thanks to Joe at Blackboots. The addition of the underbody shields simply takes it a step further. It doesn't matter what it is ultimately made of, Tesla is going to test it thoroughly. Starting with vehicle bodies manufactured as of March 6, all cars have been outfitted with a triple underbody shield. Tesla service will also retrofit the shields, free of charge, to existing cars upon request or as part of a normally scheduled service. Do you value your experience at TMC? They will add it so a rock on the road won't slice open the battery and causing a fire (Samsung style). How many gas tanks have been gashed open by high speed road debris? With the cost of titanium much higher than steel or aluminum, it seems unlikely to me. To make this car a truly great value, we focus on making sure the performance, safety and overall drivability are in peak shape for its mileage. The protective qualities of the underbody shields are substantial, but their effect on the overall structure of the vehicle is minimal. Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More. We have tried every worst case debris impact we can think of, including hardened steel structures set in the ideal position for a piking event, essentially equivalent to driving a car at highway speed into a steel spear braced on the tarmac.". *UPDATE* The Model Y rear aero shield is injection molded and so will be more robust than the original Model 3 part. I'm sure Telsa did tests on running over stuff with the M3 & the MY to make sure it'll be fine too. However, to improve things further, we provided an over-the-air software update a few months ago to increase the default ground clearance of the Model S at highway speeds, substantially reducing the odds of a severe underbody impact. TESLA, TESLA MOTORS, TESLA ROADSTER, MODEL S, MODEL X, and the TESLA, T and TESLA and T in Crest designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of Tesla Motors, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. These incidents, unfortunately, received more national headlines than the other 200,000 gasoline car fires that happened last year in North America alone. If there are no signs of damage such as scratches and tears to the surrounding area, my guess is that Tesla may cover it under a basic vehicle warranty. Free shipping for many products! An unofficial forum of owners and enthusiasts. Do you value your experience at TMC? I hope that my clean vehicle is not made of asbestos Why the hell would they design in a fibrous textile as an external component? I would make sure you take lots of pictures of surrounding areas (if not damage) and add them to your service appointment. I've never heard of a similar problem, but I don't follow those models as closely. Copyright 1995-2023 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. The shield is comprised of three individual components as follows: Hollow Aluminum Bar first layer of defense designed to deflect or absorb the initial impact from a Why do they fall off? Titanium is strong per-lb, but it is very expensive and inappropriate for the Model 3. View cart for details. Starting with vehicle bodies manufactured as of March 6, all cars have been outfitted with a triple underbody shield. 61 0 obj <>stream Thanks. TESLA, TESLA MOTORS, TESLA ROADSTER, MODEL S, MODEL X, and the TESLA, T and TESLA and T in Crest designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of Tesla Motors, Inc. in the United States and other countries. I've seen what looks like that material in cars before; I feel like something must have impacted the car to tear it like that as otherwise it shouldn't be subjected to too much actual stress, 2018 Performance Model 3 Red + Black, 19" OEM sport rims, MPP BBK. Missing Torque Bolts on Model 3 (2022); does anyone have a Service Manual Excerpt of their locations? Please visit the Account Upgrades page for more details. Consider becoming a Supporting Member of Tesla Motors Club. Yes, it costs more than steel or aluminum, but a simple part like an underbody panel isn't that bad. With a track record of zero deaths or serious, permanent injuries since our vehicles went into production six years ago, there is no safer car on the road than a Tesla. WebEmployees at Tesla have said this is still in use on current packs. Thanks to high speed cameras fixed underneath the cars during testing, we have a close-up view of what happens to the objects on impact. Had one on my Infiniti and it was great. WebBuy a used White Tesla Model S like new for $42,950 and 80,079 miles. Aero Shield is a protective underbody shield currently made up of a cloth \u0026 board combination. This does add about 7.5 lbs to the car but has a negligible effect to the range. I'm an armchair engineer, and I think its all fine. Something went wrong. Access to features that use cellular data and third-party licenses are subject to change. This pierces the plastic aeroshield and front trunk liner, but causes no damage affecting safety and the car remains in control and driveable before, during and after the impact. Tesla Model 3 owners in cold climate are starting to uncover what appears to be a design flaw in an underbody panel of the vehicle resulting in sand and water getting First Of Three Model S Fires Happened In Early October 2013, 3rd Tesla Fire via Twitter (E@nasvillain), "In 2013, two extremely unusual Model S collisions resulted in underbody damage that led to car fires.". He believes that the same lack of drainage is linked to the back bumpers that we have seen breaking off two Model 3 vehicles after heavy rain last year: The panel with lack of drainage is directly attached to the rear bumper of the Model 3. 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Simply takes it a step further panels to create a smooth, aerodynamic surface for electric... Via email: fred @ 9to5mac.com site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our.. All older cars for free anonymous reader writes `` Tesla Motors made headlines several times year... Costs more than steel or aluminum, but their effect on the overall structure of the underbody simply... Do folks from the UK say collected for when they purchase or lease car. Over last 90 days is very expensive and inappropriate for the Model underbody... A negligible effect to the car but has a negligible effect to the podcast and causing fire... Also offers this retro-fit to all older cars for free this is still use...