The Tesla armrest is part of the interior storage and can be found in the center console and rear console. The center Console houses an RFID transmitter that reads key fobs and key cards and also includes cup holders, two storage compartments, and a wireless phone charger.
Sometimes the center console might become stuck leaving you unable to open it. Usually to open it, you can open this main storage compartment, by pulling its cover upward or you can open the front storage compartment by sliding its cover forward.
This will allow you to get your tesla keycard if it fell in the center console. However, if you’re unable to open it using this method, I’ve got a few other fixes for you below.
Why is My Tesla Model 3,Y Center Console Stuck?
Your Tesla armrest won’t fold down as it should because of the following reasons.
1. Stuck latch
Your Tesla model 3 armrest center console on top the main storage component is stuck in an open position, because the latch on the side or bottom is also.
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If you’re under warranty, you can schedule mobile service.
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The recommendation is to take it to the service center,
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but if you live very far away from the nearest service center there is a tool known as a pry tool you can insert to fix the latch,
2. Broken latch
If the latch on the center armrest of your Tesla is broken, it will be stuck in a position where it won’t engage and keep the armrest secure.
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Don’t try to fix it, if you don’t have the technical know-how. You will make it worse and even bend or break the weak plastic components inside the armrest.
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Call the service center for direction
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Just have mobile service come fix it.
3. Misaligned latch
Do you have an issue with a stuck open armrest due to a latch that is out of alignment. Whenever you try to fix it, you find that you cannot restore it into alignment with a tool? You are also in a quandary as you do not want to pull too hard on it and risk breakage.
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Wait for your next service appointment to bring it up. It is not an emergency
You can also file a service center appointment and have a mobile technician come over to fix it. They can do it quickly and easily and for free, versus you having to special order a small part and figure out how to install it.
4. Object stuck in armrest
Your Tesla armrest maybe stuck open due an object being wedged in there especially between the clips or latches that help in closing the armrest. Some objects can also disappear inside the panels, under the armrest
If you have any object including a keycard, ID Card, credit card etc. stuck in a tiny space under the armrest you can attempt to remove the sliding drawers and/or the armrest. There is a big illuminated storage area there under the armrest.
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It might be safer to take your Tesla to your local service center and see if they can do it for free. There’s a lot that can go wrong if you try to disassemble it.
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However, if you prefer DIY, you might decide to take apart the arm rest yourself. Here is how you do it.
- Pull up and open the arm rest.
- Push the padded arm rest cover panel backwards
- Lift it up
- It will pop right up and release from armrest
- Push the panel out of the way
- You can now access the inside of your arm rest
- Lift your pry tool in the inside fabric of your arm rest
- Use the pry tool to release the latches that lock the storage space underneath there
- Search for what you are looking for
- Pop the padded armrest cover panel back
- Slide it in slowly in a sideways motion
- Give panel a good firm tap to ensure it aligns into place and it slides back in
- Sliding center console armrest getting stuck.
- Wear and tear
Has your armrest been angled in an awkward position? Does it refuse to open and close. Have you noticed that the edges and frayed?
Have you observed that the horizontal pegs that lock into the outer edge of the track were once covered in a felt, and they are not anymore?
You may have had your Tesla for quite some time and some of the pleather and side seams look a bit worn out and dull.
Sliding mechanisms that have not been used for a long time tend to wear out due to lack of lubrication and over use. This might be the reason that your armrest is stuck open.
Because of the constant elbow placement, opening to store items and then closing it over the years, your armrest is growing old and even the locking and unlocking mechanisms are also getting worn out.
After some years you will find that your rear armrest console has widened over time and tiny items just get trapped by the newly created spaces. The widening leads to the armrest being stuck when the back seat is down.
Components such as latches, and clips do not operate as smoothly as they did before and tend to get stuck or broken.
The are also pieces of tiny upholstered fabric on the slider which tend to degrade very quickly and start hampering the movement of the sliding mechanisms.
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Check to see if your car dealer can replace your worn-out armrest and you can get some nice covers for it online.
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If the sliding mechanism does not glide as easily as it did before, a silicone spray will help with the slide.
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Replace the tiny “cloth” pieces on the slider, with new ones.
- Mishandling
The armrest can get stuck occasionally due to poor handling or mistreatment. Some armrest lock mechanisms are delicate. The pieces might be made out plastic or other fragile materials and need to handled gently.
The action of opening or closing the armrest also needs to done in the right way. If you constantly put a lot of force or end up lifting, sliding or pushing the panels, sliding mechanisms or being rough you can damage the armrest and end up getting it stuck or in an immovable placement.
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Restrain kids who play roughly in the car. Some have been known to pull the armrest out manually. Try and return the pulled-out armrest. Don’t shove it in. You may encounter some protesting clicks being emitted.
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Be gentle. Are you pulling the armrest panels in an upward motion while you open or close it? Do not do this. Push it downwards and slide it in using the right movements
5. Your center console is stuck
You find that with no warning your center console is stuck. The sliding door opens with a lot of difficulty and gets scratches. The sliding door no longer retracts by itself anymore.
Are you wondering what can you can do to make it work properly again? Or asking whether this will center console needs to change completely? And if so will Tesla cover it under warranty?
Troubleshooting questions, you can ask yourself are:
- Do you have something stuck in between?
- What’s the scratch from?
- Have you spilled anything that can make a sticky mess
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Try to get something hard to swipe if you have an object stuck in the middle
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Try the paper trick or a credit card you don’t care about. Put a piece of paper on top and slide it in and hold the other end of the paper. Maybe you will get it or push it back.
Remember there is a cup holder in the center console and it is possible to spill some drops of milk, soda pop, beer etc. You may not realize it or forget to clean it up until the drops are dried out and sticky. the center console the mechanism might be affected by the stickiness or smell badly afterwards
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Wipe what you can get to.
It’s better to safely take center console apart and clean all of it
It’s not that hard to remove the center console, remove the covers and access the inside to clean and replace that part.
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The most effective solution is probably to just do a warranty repair or replacement
If an object fell inside where the armrest door opens and now it’s stuck open you can get inside to retrieve the item and unstick the door.
The side panels of the center console do come off easily. They actually pop off. You will have to keep going though.
You have to remove the metal trim with a torx screw driver and then the top plate of the cup holders. That too plate pops off to expose another plastic plate that holds the security module.
Depending on how big the object you will most likely be able to get it at this point.
If not, you will need to keep going to remove the center console so you can go from the bottom up. That step can involve finesse.
1. Move the front seats to their rearmost positions to allow for additional access.
2. Unplug the phone adaptor cable from the USB connector, if installed
3. Pull the two panels off from the sides of the center console. Be careful to replace any broken clips.
4. Loosen the button head screw on each side of the console. Do not remove the screws completely.
5. Remove the screws (x2) that secure the center console to the carrier.
6. Lift the rear of the center console up, then remove it from the carrier. Do not damage the arm rest while pulling the center console out of the carrier
7. If the mounting bracket needs to be removed, release the screws (x4) that secure it to the carrier and remove the mounting bracket
Installation procedure is the reverse of removal.