Tesla has acknowledged that a design defect on the Model 3 can cause the rear bumper to fall off when driving in heavy rain.
There have been owner reports of Model 3 rear bumpers falling off in the rain dating back to mid-2018 and, at the time, Tesla said it was investigating the issues. Fast forward to October 2020 and more instances of Model 3 bumpers falling off have been shared online by owners, prompting the car manufacturer to admit that a design defect on Model 3s built before May 21, 2019 is the cause.
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“In rare instances, certain components on Model 3 vehicles built at the Fremont Factory before May 21, 2019, might be damaged when driving through standing water on a road or highway with poor drainage or pooling water,” a service bulletin issued by Tesla and shared by Electrek reads. “In these rare instances, the rear fascia might detach from the vehicle and harnesses and/or body fasteners/mounts might also be damaged. This document clarifies that damage caused during these instances is covered under warranty.”
Interestingly, a thread on Reddit claims that after the specified date of May 21, 2019, Model 3s started to come standard with a tow hitch access cutout in the rear bumper that seemingly prevents water from pooling up in the bumper. However, at least one owner on Reddit claims that he encountered the rear bumper issue on his Model 3, even though it was manufactured this year. He claims to have spent $3,800 getting it fixed.
A video from back in July appears to have given Tesla the impetus to issue this service bulletin. In this instance, the owner of the black Model 3 was driving through the rain when the rear bumper was ripped off.
