Tesla Model 3 2020 - general maintenance
This article shows tips for maintenance of various car parts: replacing windshield wipers, spare lug nuts, how to jack the car, etc.
Do It Yourself
Make sure to read the Tesla Model 3 Do It Yourself guide for lots of great tips.
Spare wheel lug nuts
No idea where to buy spares, but they’re not sold on Finland Tesla Shop. However, what you can do is to buy the Wheel Locks/Lukkomutterit and replace 4 of the lug nuts with the lock ones. That will give you 4 spare lug nuts.
Tightening the lug nuts
The tightening torque is 175 Nm; I recommend getting a proper torque spanner such as Momenttiavain 40-210 NM. The socket size is 21”.
Jacking
You can buy Model 3 jackpad literally in any Tesla-related shop, just google for Tesla Model 3 Jack Pad. For example get one at Jack Pad nostotyyny Tesla Model 3 @ vempele.com. Remember to get a low profile jack: Model 3 has only 140 cm of ground clearance, further reduced by the size of the jack pad itself. This Aluminium/Steel Jack, 2.5 tonnes from Biltema works well for me.
Tyres
I took 18” since they are most practical: lowest road noise and lowest chance of flat tyre.
Their spec is 235/45 ZR 18. Alternatively you can get 19” and 20” as well.
Windshield wiper replacement
One way is to get the official Tesla Model 3 wipers at the Tesla Shop.
Alternatively, the Bosch Aerotwin A102S work really well, according to both my experience and the TeslaBjorn’s video:
- They’re a pair of 650mm (26”) and 475mm (19”) wipers.
I found no other alternatives sold in Finland:
- The Tesla Model 3 Reddit thread suggests getting Bosch Aerotwin 3397014116 but they don’t appear to be sold in Finland.
- The Bosch Wiper Blade finder only seem to support Model S and Roadster; that suggests that there are no Bosch wipers for Model 3 sold in Finland.
- The The ULTIMATE Guide to Wiper Blades for your Tesla Model 3 suggests Michelin Advanced wipers, Bosch Icon 19OE or Rain-X Endura 19”, neither of them appear to be sold in Finland.
TeslaCam - storing videos
Tesla now offers the official USB key for storing TeslaCam videos. Alternatively you can get a 256GB SSD USB drive which works just as well, but is a bit more expensive.
Paint repair kit
Only sold in the US. There’s Paint repair kit at the US Tesla Shop, but there’s no such thing in Finland Tesla Shop. The reason is that the paint repair kit is missing a CE-approval and thus not allowed in EU.
Cabin filters
It’s recommended to change the cabin filters every 2 years. You can get Tesla 3 Cabin Filters from the Finland Tesla Shop. They’re not that expensive; just remember you need two of those.
See Tesla 3 DIY under “Raitisilmasuodattimien vaihtaminen” on how to change those.
Wall charger
The Tesla wall charger is the cheapest and best on the market. However, don’t forget that:
- A certified electrician needs to install it; the price of such installation can go up to 500 EUR (tax-deductible).
- The Tesla wall charger doesn’t have its own RCD fuse and you need to pay 200-300 EUR for a standalone RCD/RCCB fuse. See Home Charging in Finland: Basics for more details.
Tow Hitch
No idea. I can’t see it being sold in Finland Tesla Shop, but there are third-party vendors which do. However, one UK forum suggested that Tesla sells tow hitch in Europe and using third-party could void your warranty, so it’s definitely better to verify this with the Tesla shop.
12V battery
See Youtube video on how to swap Model 3 12v battery correctly.
According to Tesla US Battery Specs Model 3 uses 45Ah AGM battery; positive terminal on the right side. My 2020 Model 3 uses 45Ah 20HR 12V Battery with positive to the right; measured size is W230mm x D120mm x H cca 200mm (220mm including the terminals). Coincidentally that’s the same battery which my Nissan Leaf uses.
Possible replacement battery (unverified):