Tesla Model 3 Owners Complain Car Bumper Breaks In The Rain

Despite their immense popularity, Teslas are not perfect. Over the past few years, there have been some build quality issues (mainly limited to first-off the line models), paint quality problems, and a few Autopilot-related controversies. But this latest potential defect is quite troubling.

Logan Derouanna bought his Tesla Model 3 in March 2019 and currently has just 14,000 miles on its clock. Just a few days ago, he was driving the car with a couple of passengers when suddenly they all heard a loud bang. It wasn't thunder or a lightning strike. Nor were they rear-ended by another vehicle. The speed limit was also being obeyed. Derouanna managed to keep his cool and quickly pulled into the nearest parking lot to figure what the heck just happened.

Upon exiting the car, he immediately saw the entire rear bumper had ripped off. A front hubcap also fell off. Like any Tesla owner, Derouanna called Tesla Roadside Assistance. It never came. Instead, the only thing the automaker did was tell him the incident was an "Act of God" and it wouldn't be covered under warranty.

Up until this point, Derouanna claims he had zero problems with the car and admits that he's a Tesla shareholder. Inside EVs later caught up with Derouanna after he posted the video to find out whether or not Tesla changed its mind and decided to help him.

"My dad had to email the manager with our lawyer, and the manager just called my dad and said it's a known issue, and they are covering it all for me and bringing a tow to my house," he said. "They're ordering new parts for it and fixing it."

Apparently, this isn't the first time something like this has happened to some Model 3 owners. So, what's causing the problem? One possibility is that the rear bumpers weren't properly bolted into place. A separate TMC Forum post claims there's actually a design flaw where the rear bumper somehow holds too much water. Whatever the cause, it should never have happened in the first place.