Fix for loose overhead console assembly (where magnetic sunvisors attach)

[BeachDweller]

Before:

Before:

After:

Before:

Before, Looking straight down:

Now, after remolding with heat gun:

After:

So, not perfect, and still has minor cosmetic defects, but coupled with a cheap bumper cover from Temu, it's better than a $2K replacement bumper. And to be honest, you only see these minor defects because of my high resolution pitcures. If you just glance at the bumper you don't notice anything as it's shape is mostly restored, and it's all black.

Thanks. Ordering a heat gun now.

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[cyberos]

I have had this issue since I bought the truck almost a year ago. I have brought it to the service center twice for a fix. The first time they simply stuck double sided tape on it, which did not work at all, and it literally fell back down as soon as I picked my truck up from them. I have just been dealing with it hanging down until I got fed up and recently brought it back in again. This time, they updated my service ticket to bring it back in a third time after they ordered a new windshield replacement since that assembly is permanently attached to the windshield and that was all they could come up with to fix it. Well, both me and the service advisor thought that was stupid as hell to fix a 1-cent plastic clip's failure to hold, but they didn't know what else to do. So, I put some thought into it, especially since my windshield is also tinted with high-quality cermic tint, and Tesla does not reimburse for that.

And I figured it out. I simply heated the female receptical where the clip connects with a heat gun, squeezed it with some pliers, and now the connection is solid as a rock. I notified the service team to cancel the new windshield. See below pics.

The problem:

The service center's 1st attempted "OEM" double sided tape fix :

What the white plastic male clips look like with console removed:

What the overhead female recptacles looked like on the overhead console:

Heating the bottom receptacle with heatgun:

Squeeze with pliers (I used channel-locks) and allowed to cool:

New, tighter, receptacle

(EDIT 2: don't squeeze too hard and don't make it quite as concaved as I did here on my first try. My console is now stuck on there really, really well, and would not pop back off with me squeezing on it with my fingers and pulling is hard as I can. If I ever need to get this thing off again it may taking prying it with a tool to get back off (and possibly breaking some plastic if not careful). But I'm leaving it alone for now since there is no need for it to come off at the moment.
If you look at them, they are convex the way they are stock. Perhaps making it straight, with no curve, could be the sweet spot of not too loose, and not too tight. That should be enough to solve the issue without creating a new issue of having a tough time to get it back off.)

I left the top receptacle alone since that was not causing the problem:

It is now snapped back into place and solid as a rock.

Windshield repacement diverted.

EDIT: For anyone doing this, you don't have to heat that plastic too much. Don't go melting things with all those wires and electronics nearby. I set my heat gun to a moderate temperature that I could feel on my hand without scorching me, and I used that narrow attachment to blow the air mostly inside the female component. It's the inside walls of the receptacle that you want to be mallable so they "stretch" when you squeeze with the pliers.

And for anyone who doesn't have a heat gun, this one on Amazon is cheap and is what I used:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078S5QMFG?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_3

I originally bought it to fix a ding in my bumper where the approved Tesla Collision Center wanted to replace the whole bumper for like $2K. You can't even tell it was dinged anymore.

The best thing I learned from this truly awesome post is that you can fix bent bumpers with a heat gun!

I slightly bent my former Jeep’s bumper and now realize that I easily could have fixed it. This heat gun looks like my new favorite tool.

 

[hemiarch]

The best thing I learned from this truly awesome post is that you can fix bent bumpers with a heat gun!

I slightly bent my former Jeep’s bumper and now realize that I easily could have fixed it. This heat gun looks like my new favorite tool.

So how do you pull out on the dent once you heat it?

 

[cyberos]

So how do you pull out on the dent once you heat it?

With Jeeps you can reach behind the bumper and push out dents. Not sure how the OP did it with the Cybertruck’s bumper?

 

[Razorcrest]

I just did this fix for the overhead console with a heat gun and channel locks. Took about 3 minutes. I was dreading a SC appointment since I have a camera rear view mirror installed, and figured I would need to remove it to avoid any warranty disputes and it's such a pain to do I was putting this off all summer. Seems solid now. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Bridgeboy69]

So how do you pull out on the dent once you heat it?

Not sure how the OP did it with the Cybertruck’s bumper?

I just heated it until the plastic was malleable and then pushed on it with something flat. I think I used a piece of wood and a big metal crescent wrench I had. I then “smeared” the plastic to close the spot that was ripped open.

 

[Bridgeboy69]

If it was a part of the windshield, then it would presumably be supplied with a replacement windshield. I haven't heard of that being the case though...

It just depends on the competency of the particular SC. I posted this above somewhere, by here was my last service entry which I cancelled and fixed myself:

 

[J.Graham]

Little bump for this thread. Finally got around to doing this and it works like a charm
Thanks again!

 

[hemiarch]

Little bump for this thread. Finally got around to doing this and it works like a charm
Thanks again!

Thanks. I was looking for this the other day and couldn’t think of any good keywords.

 

[hemiarch]

Seriously though, this shit should be a sticky of some kind.
Very common problem it seems

 

[FLLFlyer]

Sorry to keep an old thread alive… I’m about to try this with the same Amazon heat gun. Anyone remember what heat level they used? (The dial number specifically)
Thanks!

 

[CT_AZ_4x4]

Thanks. Ordering a heat gun now.

A hair dryer might also work…

 

[CT_AZ_4x4]

Sorry to keep an old thread alive… I’m about to try this with the same Amazon heat gun. Anyone remember what heat level they used? (The dial number specifically)
Thanks!

I would use a low heat and work upward. One technique is to put your fingers near any wire sheathing that you could damage and if the heat is too much for your digits, it’s too much for the wiring you are trying to protect.

 

[Bridgeboy69]

Sorry to keep an old thread alive… I’m about to try this with the same Amazon heat gun. Anyone remember what heat level they used? (The dial number specifically)
Thanks!

Yeah, as noted in one of my edits, I molded mine too far inward. They are solidly connected now, but too much perhaps. I don't know the speciifc heat setting I used, but don't squeeze the clips in as much as I did. Just a little should be all you need to make a solid connection, but not so tight that it is going to be difficult to unclip them if you ever need to again. I have yet to attempt to unclip mine, and fortunatley I haven't needed to...and if I never need to for anything...then no harm done (yet).

 

[FLLFlyer]

Yeah, as noted in one of my edits, I molded mine too far inward. They are solidly connected now, but too much perhaps. I don't know the speciifc heat setting I used, but don't squeeze the clips in as much as I did. Just a little should be all you need to make a solid connection, but not so tight that it is going to be difficult to unclip them if you ever need to again. I have yet to attempt to unclip mine, and fortunatley I haven't needed to...and if I never need to for anything...then no harm done (yet).

Thanks! I appreciate it. I’ll just use a heat setting that’s tolerable on my hand like you did.

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