When I'm showing the car I open and close the frunk frequently. I use the two palm method and no dents so far. I suspect there might be a difference in the force required between cars. A power latch would be welcome though.
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To add insult to injury...
The SC referred me to their local PDR guy who they've used. He just emailed me back with:
"I just spent the last 2 hours working on that exact dent. Please call me tomorrow anytime between 7-5, I'd love to discuss it with you."
As much as I love my car this one is crazy...
I'll update this thread when I know more.
The SC referred me to their local PDR guy who they've used. He just emailed me back with:
"I just spent the last 2 hours working on that exact dent. Please call me tomorrow anytime between 7-5, I'd love to discuss it with you."
As much as I love my car this one is crazy...
I'll update this thread when I know more.
Electricfan
Active Member
I have the exact same dent. Same color car, too, btw. I called a dent repair guy but he spent a half an hour and couldn't do anything with it. Body shop said they would fix it but must repaint the hood. I said no thanks. Tesla tries to teach new owners about this, but in my opinion they need to do a better job. The number of people like me who dent their hood despite the training is proof. Personally I think they should show pictures of dented hoods during the delivery - say "look at this - this is due to pushing down on the front edge like you have with every other car you've ever owned! Don't do it with your new Tesla or your looking at an expensive repair and ruining the factory paint job!" That would be kind of a downer during what should be a joy-filled occasion, but its better than letting us go dent our hoods! Old habits die hard!
Alysashley79
Active Member
The seattle delivery team showed us the very same technique. I now have 4 very small dents in the middle of my frunk. The worst part is that it would only cost around $75 to get them all fixed. However I have xpel on the car and it would ruin that. So ya and a full hood goes for like $1500(xpel) grrr...
we've since been told to use flat palms on the outer edges push once for first click and again for second click...
I have the same dent on my car now. 14 months of ownership and just noticed it in the last 2 months. Not sure if it was there longer or not. Honestly, it's barely noticeable to me. I think the rock chips in the paint are much more noticeable/annoying. I agree that it's a design problem, but not serious enough to warrant some expensive recall/retrofit on Teslas part IMO.
That is a shame.
I set my hood down when using the trunk (every time I grocery shop, as I keep my bags up there). Sometimes the first latch doesn't even latch. Then I push down gently with my palm (only one hand) and latch both latches.
Never had a problem. My wife did drop it from height (like a normal hood) and it didn't latch, then unlatched it pulled it up then slammed it down before I could instruct her how to do it properly. But luckily no damage.
I set my hood down when using the trunk (every time I grocery shop, as I keep my bags up there). Sometimes the first latch doesn't even latch. Then I push down gently with my palm (only one hand) and latch both latches.
Never had a problem. My wife did drop it from height (like a normal hood) and it didn't latch, then unlatched it pulled it up then slammed it down before I could instruct her how to do it properly. But luckily no damage.
While I don't have the problem (despite using the frunk all the time.... probably 5:1 over the trunk), I suspect that's because I'm the just about the only one who has ever closed the frunk.
I think this is a problem that should be escalated to ownership. I just checked the owners guide, and here is no mention of any special method to close the frunk.
It's not only unreasonable to expect that the only "correct" method of closing the frunk is something that must be gleaned either from a video somewhere on the web site or from "tribal knowledge" passed down from a service-center demonstration, but it's rather ridiculous for a car so well-built that it has one of the highest safety ratings ever. And one that costs $100K.
Not to mention the fact that the SC demos apparently either contradict each other, the online video, or both. In addition other people besides those that have been "trained" will close the frunk (think friend who just pulled his briefcase out of the frunk), in the same way they've closed every other hood or trunk for decades.
For those that hav reinforced frunks, do any of you have dents? Or is it just those who (like I) have early model unreinforced frunk lids?
If that truly corrects the issue, I think I retrofit is a reasonable request. I'm going to email ownership, and I urge everyone else to do so as well... even if we don't have dents now, there's a decent chance we will if someone who doesn't know the secret handshake closes the lid...
I think this is a problem that should be escalated to ownership. I just checked the owners guide, and here is no mention of any special method to close the frunk.
It's not only unreasonable to expect that the only "correct" method of closing the frunk is something that must be gleaned either from a video somewhere on the web site or from "tribal knowledge" passed down from a service-center demonstration, but it's rather ridiculous for a car so well-built that it has one of the highest safety ratings ever. And one that costs $100K.
Not to mention the fact that the SC demos apparently either contradict each other, the online video, or both. In addition other people besides those that have been "trained" will close the frunk (think friend who just pulled his briefcase out of the frunk), in the same way they've closed every other hood or trunk for decades.
For those that hav reinforced frunks, do any of you have dents? Or is it just those who (like I) have early model unreinforced frunk lids?
If that truly corrects the issue, I think I retrofit is a reasonable request. I'm going to email ownership, and I urge everyone else to do so as well... even if we don't have dents now, there's a decent chance we will if someone who doesn't know the secret handshake closes the lid...
That's also how we were trained in April 2013. But I do agree that it could be improved. I think is should be the same as the tailgate, automatic from the display or with the key. My guess is after the X rollout, that will become a standard feature on the S.
Alysashley79
Active Member
I've asked service about it a couple times and they said that the government won't allow it to be automated because of one of their regulations (going way back) has to be a double latch system same as on an ICE so that if it is accidentally opened when driving down the road(and yes I know this is completely impossible in the MS I know that it has to be in park to open. Yes you can drive with it open...but the car has to be in park to actually open it from a closed position) it could fly up and obstruct the drives view...so while I'd also love to see this I...unless the government changes it's regulations I doubt this is something we will see anytime soon..
Rebel44
Member
I agree that it should either be automated (if you have a tech package) or reinforced sufficiently that it can be closed without special care and not being dented.
Alysashley79
Active Member
@midd...I think that it depends on who you get that will teach you on how you open the frunk. I've even seen different service techs do it differently
i can't remember the name of the place it was in bellevue bel red something I got the name of it from my detailer, completely not realizing at the time I'd have to replace my Xpel to take care of dents. We've decided to live with the dents because you can't see them very much and I don't want to go to the trouble or cost of replacing my Xpel. I'll see if I can dig up my emails that I exchanged with the guy and find the name or email and will pass it on...
I think you wouldn't need to replace the Xpel. You could probably use a dryer or clothes steamer to pull back the Xpel from the dented area, get it fixed and then reapply the Xpel. Or you could have an Xpel installer remove the hood Xpel and have them reapply it using the same piece of Xpel (after the dent is fixed) as long as the piece isn't damaged.
I've heard the same, but if Tesla can get the regs changed to have camera's for side mirrors, they could probably tackle this one as well, it's just another legacy regulation that can now be fixed with technology.
I still think that these days, if almost anything needs special instructions, then the product is flawed, it should just be intuitive. for something as simple as this particular problem, there's really no excuse....I wonder (for those of us without the reinforcement - not sure what VIN that started on) how easy a retrofit by spraying some high-density foam into the cavity at the front of the frunk hood would be?
green1
Active Member
I'm sure there are other ways around the regulations, for example it could still have a double latch, but it could have an auto-closer that pulls it down sufficiently that you don't have to touch it to close it (only having to push the inner latch to open) That would satisfy the government regs, and fix this problem (as well as the problem of getting fingerprints on the hood)
I was told to put my palms to the side of the latch area about 6 inches apart with my hands facing to the sides of the car. That seems to have worked so far. Some mechanism that could pull it down the last bit would be nice.
kevincwelch
Active Member
I simply hate having to think about closing the frunk. I have a small bit of anxiety every time I do it.
I don't like the fact that you have to think about closing this in a special way; as others have said, it indicates a horrible design. Furthermore, as others have mentioned, I was told to close it in a manner completely different from what the Tesla on-line video demonstrates -- thumbs near the leading edge and finger tips spread out over the hood. Having said that, I've inspected my hood several times and either have no dent or one that I can't observe. This is despite closing it one-handed, two handed, with finger tips and in one case dropping "slamming" it shut when I had a complete loss of mental capacity. This makes me think that either I'm lucky or the construction varies.
Needs a complete redesign...not a "fix."
I don't like the fact that you have to think about closing this in a special way; as others have said, it indicates a horrible design. Furthermore, as others have mentioned, I was told to close it in a manner completely different from what the Tesla on-line video demonstrates -- thumbs near the leading edge and finger tips spread out over the hood. Having said that, I've inspected my hood several times and either have no dent or one that I can't observe. This is despite closing it one-handed, two handed, with finger tips and in one case dropping "slamming" it shut when I had a complete loss of mental capacity. This makes me think that either I'm lucky or the construction varies.
Needs a complete redesign...not a "fix."
