Michigan man opens up Tesla Model 3 to check wear and tear after 36,000 miles and makes shocking finding

A Michigan Tesla owner thought he was just doing some routine checks.

Instead, he uncovered something that left him more than a little stunned.

This wasn’t a glitchy screen, an electrical fault, or a battery issue.

It was something far messier hiding in the underbelly of his Model 3.

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The messy secret under the Tesla Model 3 panels

Chris from the YouTube channel Dirty Tesla has been documenting life with his 2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD since he picked it up back in 2019.

A year ago, he pulled apart the rear panels and found something unusual – more than 15 pounds of dirt jammed into the underbody after just five months of rural driving.

This month, he went back for round two. 

With 36,000 miles on the clock and another 13 months of Michigan dirt roads under its belt, the Model 3 delivered an even heavier surprise. 

After pulling off the underbody panels, he collected the accumulated mud and dirt into a bucket and weighed it, the scale reading 32 pounds, 12.5 ounces.

The buildup was so bad that Chris said the panels themselves felt ‘super heavy.’

Where last time it was loose gravel and pebbles, this time it had compacted into thick layers of mud, packed in so tightly it wouldn’t shake loose. 

He even found the front wheel wells stuffed so hard with dirt that he needed a screwdriver to scrape at it.

And yet, despite all that extra weight, the car seems unfazed. 

Brakes, suspension, and efficiency all check out fine. He even posited the dirt could be ‘nice for sound deadening.’ 

The only downside? Carrying around what Chris called ‘a whole baby’ worth of mud every single day.

Why this matters for Tesla owners

Chris admitted his case was extreme because he drove six miles of unpaved road every day. This made his Model 3 more of a dirt magnet than most. 

But the findings were a reminder that Tesla’s sleek underbody panels can become a trap for debris over time, especially in rural areas.

Even if it doesn’t tank efficiency, carrying an extra 30+ pounds of dead weight isn’t ideal. 

More worrying is the unknown: what happens after years of moisture-packed mud pressed against metal components? 

For now, the Model 3 is still holding up, with no major concerns after 36,000 miles of dirt-road duty. 

But Chris suggested owners at least consider popping the panels once a year, just to clear things out.

As for his own ride, he’s already planning another project – adding sound deadening to the front wheel wells to see if it can keep the noise down and maybe keep some of the muck out.

In the end, this routine check showed what might be building up out of sight, and if you’ve been driving down some dirt roads in your Tesla lately it might be worth taking a quick peek.

Subscribe to Chris on YouTube at Dirty Tesla, or watch the full video below:

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