2022 Model 3 Lift gate opens halfway and now will not open or close

[Tcmccormick]

I felt this was significant and different enough from other threads that I would start a separate one.

We got our first Tesla March 27 which was a 2022 demo M3 Performance from Tesla dealer. Love the car but have a couple issues. The glove box light did not work and while researching that I saw how the glove box was supposed to open which was soft and ours just fell open. The other issue, hence why I am replying to this thread, has become much more serious which is the power lift gate.

The first couple times we opened the lift gate it worked fine, but then it would open halfway, beep twice and stop. I researched on this site and found a few current posts about this issue and that said it was a software update that caused the problem. Couple days later we got an update, and the issue was not resolved. I also found a thread that explained how you could recalibrate the lift gate by opening all the way, manually in our case, and holding in the close button until it beeps several times. Tried that and it did not fix the problem either.

So, I entered a Service request on the app for the glove box and the lift gate. Mobile tech arrived and swapped out the glove box fixing that issue. Then he looked at the lift gate and quickly said it is not a software problem. He said he thought the power actuator arm was bad or bent. He said to enter a new Service request which I did. The part had to be ordered and took a couple weeks and while waiting on that the lift gate got worse and would no longer open at all. It would just beep and move slightly. I reported the problem had worsened on the ticket and they did come out earlier than was then scheduled.

The next mobile tech then installed new actuator arm and it made it ever worse. Now the lift gate will not close and catches on the rear glass and the metal on the other side. The Tech was stumped and after trying several things including adjusting the hinges decided she could not fix it and I would need to come into the service department. It took us a good while to finally get the lift gate closed and it very misaligned now dropping way below the pillar on the left side. The Tech said she had never seen anything like it. Scheduled to take it on Friday 4/29/22 and leave it. Hopefully they can figure it out. Little concerned about the paint that has been scrapped off on the edge of the lift gate from hitting the glass and pillar on the way down.

In the pictures you can see at first when it opened partially and then the next 3 are from yesterday after the second Tech was here and we had so much trouble closing it and how it has dropped down way lower than is should be.

 

[CEEV]

Interesting that the mobile service tech tried adjusting the hinges; I've seen some rumblings about 2022 liftgate hinges being delivered loose, which could certainly cause the sub-flush misalignment seen in your photos. Are you able to show some pics of the hinge with the trunk open?

 

[Tcmccormick]

Interesting that the mobile service tech tried adjusting the hinges; I've seen some rumblings about 2022 lift gate hinges being delivered loose, which could certainly cause the sub-flush misalignment seen in your photos. Are you able to show some pics of the hinge with the trunk open?

Yeah, I don't think they would normally have tried to adjust the hinges, but we (the Tech and me) were getting desperate because we literally could not get trunk closed and it could not driven like that since it would probably have broken the rear glass. I would add those pics, but it is in the service center now.

UPDATE: 4/29/22 While replying the service manager just called and they said they have concluded that we will need a complete new trunk. He said they think the trunk was manufactured incorrectly and it does not fit properly. I cannot wrap my head around how that could possibly be that one trunk was made the wrong size. So they are going to keep it and take it to a Tesla certified body shop to have a new trunk painted and installed. They extended our Uber voucher until they get one of their Tesla loaner cars back. Very strange deal, but so far they have been great to work with. Hopefully that will continue. I will update this post when we get more info.

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

You don't need a new trunk, the two bolts that set/align it simply came loose as they often do. Tell them to ask the body shop to realign the trunk, otherwise your car will sit for weeks waiting for a new trunk to arrive before they even look at it.

2021 Trunk Damage Upon Open/Close

Just a month into owning the car and the trunk caught on opening and closing and looks like it bent itself and chipped the paint at the edges. Has anyone else run into this? I filled out a request for service and I assume this will be a warranty repair.

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[CEEV]

the service manager just called and they said they have concluded that we will need a complete new trunk. He said they think the trunk was manufactured incorrectly and it does not fit properly.

Sounds to me like they scratched up your trunk during alignment and now they're choosing to replace it.

 

[Tcmccormick]

Sounds to me like they scratched up your trunk during alignment and now they're choosing to replace it.

Now that makes more sense. I questioned the service manager on the phone when he said it appears the trunk is not quite the right size. I asked, "Did they accidentally install a trunk from a different model year?" My thinking was there is no way one random trunk in production made for the 2022 M3 could be slightly a different size. It makes not sense since they all come from the same presses and production parts, but he said, "No, it was just made a little too small." I did not press him, but your idea that they scratched it and and now are going to repaint my trunk then reinstall and properly align it makes sense. When the mobile Tech was at my house and we were trying to get it closed again we scratched it slightly on the glass side. Now that I see this thread I am sure the problem from the start was that the trunk was not aligned properly from the start or as someone else said some bolts came loose and it got out of alignment. That is probably why it opened when we first got the car and gradually got worse over time.

At this point I really do not care if they are blowing a little smoke on the trunk lid being the wrong size and they are just covering. As long as we end up with a trunk that will open and close properly when we press the button I'm good.

Thanks Gauss Guzzler for sending the link to this thread. I hate not knowing what the real deal was and this sheds a lot of light.

 

[Tcmccormick]

Now that makes more sense. I questioned the service manager on the phone when he said it appears the trunk is not quite the right size. I asked, "Did they accidentally install a trunk from a different model year?" My thinking was there is no way one random trunk in production made for the 2022 M3 could be slightly a different size. It makes not sense since they all come from the same presses and production parts, but he said, "No, it was just made a little too small." I did not press him, but your idea that they scratched it and and now are going to repaint my trunk then reinstall and properly align it makes sense. When the mobile Tech was at my house and we were trying to get it closed again we scratched it slightly on the glass side. Now that I see this thread I am sure the problem from the start was that the trunk was not aligned properly from the start or as someone else said some bolts came loose and it got out of alignment. That is probably why it opened when we first got the car and gradually got worse over time.

At this point I really do not care if they are blowing a little smoke on the trunk lid being the wrong size and they are just covering. As long as we end up with a trunk that will open and close properly when we press the button I'm good.

Thanks Gauss Guzzler for sending the link to this thread. I hate not knowing what the real deal was and this sheds a lot of light.

UPDATE 6/14/22: Took the car in and they gave us a Model S loaner car and kept our car for almost 2 weeks. Got the car back and the trunk has been working perfectly ever since. No other issues and very happy with our M3P. Got the Model Y LR on order and should be available around the end of 2022. Also, got the Cybertruck on order since early 2020. Will not be keeping them all!