Repair Guidelines for Parts, Fasteners, and Structural Adhesives

Guidelines for using parts, fasteners, and structural adhesives in structural repairs on Tesla vehicles.

Only new Tesla parts, Tesla-approved fasteners, and Tesla-approved structural adhesives must be used when performing repairs on Tesla vehicles.

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All collision repairs on a Tesla vehicle should be performed by a Tesla Approved Collision Center (TACC). Only technicians at TACC facilities have the necessary knowledge, training, and equipment to repair Tesla vehicles to Tesla standards.
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TACC facilities must use only brake fluid and coolant approved by Tesla, as well as Tesla-approved workshop equipment.
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If a TACC fails to follow these guidelines, they will immediately lose their “Tesla approved” status.

Parts

Tesla does not allow the use of any used, recycled, alternative, aftermarket, or third-party replacement parts. Use only new parts ordered directly from Tesla.

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The use of used, recycled, alternative, aftermarket, or third-party replacement parts might compromise vehicle integrity and occupant safety.
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Used, recycled, alternative, aftermarket, and third-party replacement parts are not covered under any warranty by Tesla. The use of these types of part might also cause other related components to not be covered under warranty.
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Do not alter Tesla service parts unless specifically instructed to do so in a repair procedure.

Used or Recycled Parts

Parts that were originally installed in another vehicle (“used”, “recycled”, or “like kind and quality” (LKQ)) might have been subjected to incorrect, improper, or inadequate disassembly or removal procedures, crash impact loads, exposure to the elements, excessive wear, high temperatures, or extreme forces during removal from the original vehicle. Tesla vehicle body structures are assembled with structural adhesive at the factory, so structural parts cannot be removed without causing permanent damage to the parts themselves.

There are no approved field testing methods to verify that the safety, quality, compatibility, or durability of a used or recycled part has not been compromised. In addition, used or recycled parts are not traceable in the event of a recall. To ensure that safety is not compromised after repairs have been performed, use only new, undamaged OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts in conjunction with approved repair methods.

Alternative or Aftermarket Parts

Tesla only sells parts that have been tested for safety. Tesla vehicles are fully tested and certified as an entire assembly. Each part plays a role in the overall operation of the vehicle and is optimized for fit, function, safety, and structural integrity.

Tesla does not test alternative or aftermarket parts. Alternative and aftermarket parts may not meet Tesla's standards for operation or function, and might not be manufactured to the same standards or design as OEM parts. This could compromise safety in the event of a collision. In particular, alternative and aftermarket parts such as fenders, hoods, bumpers, and doors might not provide proper operation or function of vehicle crumple zones or supplemental restraint system (SRS) sensors and airbags, or meet federal motor vehicle safety standards for vehicle collisions.

Because Tesla cannot confirm that alternative and aftermarket parts will not adversely affect safety, Tesla does not allow the use of alternative or aftermarket parts.

Fasteners

Fasteners that have been worn, broken, or deformed during a collision, as well as any one-time use fasteners that are removed during the repair, must be replaced with OEM or Tesla-approved fasteners. Each structural collision repair is developed and tested using OEM parts and Tesla-approved fasteners, including rivets, screws, bolts, and all other fasteners. Non-approved fasteners, even ones that are seemingly identical to OEM or Tesla-approved fasteners, cannot be verified to meet Tesla's standards and specifications for the repair. The integrity of the complete repair cannot be guaranteed with the use of aftermarket, damaged, or broken fasteners.

For a complete list of Tesla-approved fasteners for structural repairs, refer to “Approved Fasteners and Fastener Tools for Structural Repairs.”

Structural Adhesives

Tesla only allows the use of Tesla-approved structural adhesives for structural repairs. Tesla has carried out numerous tests to validate that the approved adhesives meet or exceed the specifications of the adhesive used during vehicle assembly. The use of other adhesive products not validated for structural repair of Tesla vehicles might compromise the safety and durability of the entire vehicle.

For a complete list of Tesla approved structural adhesive, refer to “Structural Adhesives.”