Model 3 delivery checklist

A free Tesla Model 3 delivery inspection checklist for your phone: a 30-item quick check or the full 82, photos of anything wrong, and a report to show your delivery advisor. Works with no signal.

Before you go

Ask your advisor how long you have to report issues. Tesla does not publish a deadline and it can vary by service center, so ask at collection and note the answer and the advisor's name. Whatever you are told, aim to report everything in the Tesla app within 24 hours.
Check your VIN for open recalls and delivery holds. Once a VIN is assigned, look it up on NHTSA's recall page and in the Tesla app. Ask the advisor to confirm all recall work is done before handover and to note it on the paperwork.
Bring a small inspection kit. Phone with the Tesla app signed in, flashlight, microfiber cloth, a USB-C cable, a song you know well, and this checklist. Optional: a tire pressure gauge (the Model 3 Standard shows no tire pressures on screen) and a small 12V device to check the outlet. Also bring your driver's license, proof of insurance, payment confirmation, and any trade-in with its keys.
Plan to inspect in daylight and record a walk-around video. Arrive early. Ask to look over the exterior before signing. Record one continuous video around the car that includes the odometer and the delivery bay, so later finds can be shown to be pre-existing. If at all possible, try to avoid collection when it's raining or dark.
Know that you can decline a car with serious faults. If the paint or panel gaps are clearly wrong, you can decline the car and wait for another one rather than accept a promise to fix it later. Decide before you go what you would not accept, so you aren't deciding under pressure.

At delivery

VIN on the car matches the paperwork. Compare the VIN on your purchase agreement with the VIN plate visible through the windshield and the VIN on the touchscreen (Controls > Software). Photograph the odometer at the same time. Check your name, address and registration details on the paperwork too.
Certification and tire labels are on the driver's door pillar. Open the driver's door and look at the pillar. You should see the vehicle certification label (with the VIN and weight ratings) and the Tire and Loading Information label. Photograph both.
Ordered and promised accessories present. Check every accessory on the order: Wall Connector, all-weather liners, trunk liner, roof rack, console trays. If your car has a tow hitch, the receiver comes in a bag in the trunk; check it's there and that the cover below the rear bumper is in place. Get anything missing written on the due bill.
Every driver is added to the car in the Tesla app. Have the advisor add each driver, or do it in the app under Security & Drivers, while you are still there.
Front plate bracket supplied (if your state needs a front plate) and not blocking the camera. Ask for the front plate bracket if your state needs a front plate. Owners report it sticks on with double-sided tape rather than drilled holes. If it's fitted and your car has a front bumper camera (cars built from about October 2025), open the front camera view and check the bracket doesn't block it. Check the temporary plate is fitted, and that you have the paperwork for the permanent one.
Floor mats included. Basic carpet floor mats come with the Premium All-Wheel Drive and the Performance. Check they are all there and fit their footwells, and that any all-weather liners you paid for are there too. Owners report the base Model 3 comes without mats, and mixed results on the rear-wheel-drive Premium.
No chips, scratches, dents, runs or dust bumps in the paint. Walk around in good light and look along each panel from a low angle. Look for chips, scratches, dents, runs, bubbles, overspray and specks of dust under the clear coat. Pay extra attention to the trunk lid and the pillars beside it, the rocker panels below the doors, and the bumpers. If a fingernail catches in a mark it is deep. Wipe a suspect spot with a damp microfiber: dirt and water spots wipe off, defects stay.
No fresh touch-up or polishing marks. Look for small blobs of paint or patches with a slightly different shine, where marks were touched up or polished during prep. Ask the advisor whether any paint work was done before delivery, and get the answer on the paperwork.
Door jambs, openings and seals free of overspray, marks and damage. Open each door, the frunk and the trunk. Check the painted surfaces inside the openings for overspray, rough patches and scuffs. Run along the rubber seals: none torn, loose or missing, and no paint or marker on them.
Door gaps even and doors flush with the body. Check each door's gap top to bottom and that its surface lines up with the fender and the next door. Compare the left side with the right. Open and close each door to see it shuts fully without extra force. Then look along the black window trim from front to back: it should run in one straight line across both doors.
Hood gaps even and flush; headlights sit evenly. Compare the hood gap on the left and right, front and back. The hood should not sit sunken or proud of the fenders. Check both headlights sit at the same height, with an even gap to the hood and bumper on each side.
Trunk lid gaps even; tail lights flush and lined up. With the trunk lid closed, compare the left and right gaps, and check it sits flush with the rear quarters and evenly below the rear glass. The tail lights run from the body onto the trunk lid: check the two parts of each light line up across the gap and sit flush. Look along the bottom edge of the lid above the bumper.
No condensation, dust or cracks in the lights. Look inside the headlights and tail lights for moisture, droplets, dust or cracks. Turn the lights on: dust inside a lens shows up then.
All exterior lights work, including the reverse lights. Use Controls > Lights and the steering wheel buttons; walk around the car. A helper makes this quick. Have someone press the brake, use each turn signal (the stalk; cars built before about October 2025 have arrow buttons on the left of the steering wheel instead), press the hazard button on the overhead console and select Reverse while you watch. Every lamp should light, including both reverse lights.
Windshield free of chips, cracks and optical distortion. Sit in each front seat and look through the windshield at straight lines (lane markings, building edges) while moving your head. Wavy or bending lines mean distortion. Also look for chips.
Side windows and rear glass unscratched and uncracked. Check every side window, especially near the mirrors and door edges, and the rear window.
Roof glass intact, with even trim along both edges. Look at the roof glass from outside (stand on a step if one is offered). Check for cracks, and that the rubber trim along each edge and at the windshield seam sits evenly.
Wipers clear the windshield, park correctly, and the washers spray. Spray washer fluid (hold the wiper button on the steering wheel) and run each speed. Both jets should spray onto the glass. The blades should clear the glass without skipping or chattering and return to their rest position without touching the trim.
Side mirrors intact, adjust and fold. Check the glass and housing. Adjust each mirror with the left scroll button (Controls > Mirrors). On Premium and Performance, fold and unfold them from Controls and check they move without grinding. On the Standard they fold by hand.
Every door opens from its handle and inside button, and closes fully. Open each door from its outside handle, then from the button at the top of each interior handle. Close by pushing, not slamming. The window should drop slightly as the door opens and seal back up when it closes. Each door should latch with one push and open with one pull.
Charge port door opens, sits flush and closes. The port is in the driver's side tail light. Open it from the touchscreen, the app, or by pressing the bottom of the door with your phone nearby; the T logo lights. Don't force the door. It closes by itself after a few minutes if nothing is plugged in.
Wheels and tires undamaged; aero covers and valve caps present. Check each rim for curb rash. On wheels with aero covers, check none is cracked, loose or crooked. Look at each valve stem cap. Check the wheel size matches your order and look at each sidewall and tread.
Bumpers, lower trim, wheel arches and sills free of scuffs and cracks. Look along both bumpers, the black lower trim, the wheel-arch edges and the sills below the doors. Look for scratches, cracked plastic and paint lifting near the wheel arches.
Performance spoiler, splitter, diffuser and calipers present and undamaged. Check the carbon fiber spoiler on the trunk lid is secure, with even gaps. Look at the front splitter and the rear diffuser for scuffs and cracks: they sit low and catch curbs. Check the brake calipers are red and the 20in Warp wheels are fitted, with wider tires at the rear.
Underside and front lower area free of transport damage. Use a flashlight to look under the front and rear and behind the wheels. Look for bent covers, loose fasteners and fresh scrapes. Grey or orange sealant squeezed out along the battery pack under the doors is normal.
Frunk opens, closes and latches. Open it from the touchscreen or the app, then lift the hood. To close, lower it until it meets the latches, then press down firmly with both hands flat on the front of the hood, not the edge. Then try to lift the front edge: it must not move.
Frunk tub clean and undamaged; seal in place. Check the tub for cracks and debris, and that the rubber seal around it sits evenly all round. Water on the plastic outside the tub after rain or a wash is normal: only the tub is sealed. On the Standard the frunk isn't sealed, so keep anything water would harm out of it.
Power trunk lid opens and closes from every control. Open it from the touchscreen, the app and the switch under the trunk lid's outside handle (the car must detect your key). Close it with the button on the underside of the lid. It should move smoothly and close fully with no warning left on screen; then lift the bottom edge to check it's latched. Keep hands clear as it closes: it doesn't stop as readily as some powered tailgates.
Trunk lip, seal, carpet and sub-trunk clean and undamaged. Look along the trunk opening and its rubber seal for scuffs and gaps, and check the side carpets hold their shape. Lift the floor and check the sub-trunk is clean and undamaged. Find the glow-in-the-dark emergency release inside the trunk.
Mobile Connector included. The Mobile Connector comes with every Model 3. You will find it, with its plug adapter, in the sub-trunk under the trunk floor. Check it is there.
J1772 adapter included. Owners find it in the sub-trunk with the Mobile Connector or in the glovebox. If it's missing, ask for it before you leave.
Two key cards handed over, and both lock, unlock and start the car. Tesla supplies two key cards with every car. Get both before you leave. Tap each card on the reader about a third of the way up the driver's door pillar, then on a wireless charger pad inside to authorize driving.
USB drive fitted in the glovebox USB-A port. Open the glovebox and check a flash drive is plugged in (used for Dashcam and Sentry Mode).
Tire pressures correct and even. On Premium and Performance, Controls > Service shows each tire (it may need a short drive to fill in). Owners report 42 psi front and rear on every Model 3 wheel size, including the Performance's wider rear tires; the Tire and Loading label on the driver's door pillar is the figure to go by. The Standard shows no figures, so check it with a gauge.
Dash, doors, console and pillar trim free of scuffs and gaps; lids close cleanly. Look over every interior surface, including the B-pillar trim at the door openings. Open and close the glovebox and both console compartments, and slide the front compartment's cover forward and back. Pull down the rear armrest and push it back up.
Headliner clean, unscratched and tucked in. Check the headliner for scratches, pulls and greasy fingerprints, and that its edges are tucked in against the roof glass. Check the sun visors, rear-view mirror and coat hooks too. Look up at the trim where the roof glass meets the door pillars: the gap should be even on both sides.
Ambient light strip lines up from dash to doors, lights evenly and isn't cracked. Turn on the accent lights (Controls > Lights) and pick a bright color. Look where the dash strip meets each front door strip: they should line up. Look for dark gaps, bright spots or fine cracks along the strip, especially on the doors above the handles, then change the color and check the whole strip follows.
Front seats free of tears, stains and uneven stitching; all adjustments work. Inspect both front seats, then run every adjustment including lumbar. Premium and Performance have buttons on the side of the seat; the Standard adjusts from the touchscreen (Controls > Seats) or the left scroll wheel. On the Performance, check the sport seats' raised side bolsters for creases and scuffs.
Rear seats free of tears and stains, and the seat backs line up. Inspect the rear seats. With both seat backs upright, check they line up with each other and are locked: pull each one forward.
Second-row seats fold flat and lock upright by hand. Clear the seats and footwells first. Pull the release lever on top of each seat back, next to the head support, and fold the seat forward; you may need to move the front seats forward for it to fold flat. Raise it until it locks, then pull it forward to check it's locked.
Every seat belt latches, releases and retracts. Buckle and release each belt and let it retract fully.
Trim, options, price and badges match your order. Check Controls > Software for the trim name. Check the final price, paint, wheels, interior, FSD and any accessories line by line. Save a screenshot of your order: trim (Model 3, Model 3 Premium or Model 3 Performance; Rear- or All-Wheel Drive), paint, wheels, interior. Trim decides which features you can test (rear screen, ventilated seats, ambient lighting, power-folding mirrors, FM radio). Check the badges on the trunk lid match. Ask for, or download, copies of the signed agreement and the registration paperwork.
Purchased software features are active. On the touchscreen (Controls > Software) confirm FSD (Supervised) if you bought it or started a trial, and Premium Connectivity if it's included. Confirm they show on the account. The Performance includes Premium Connectivity.
Software is current and any delivery work is recorded. Check Controls > Software for the version and release notes. Ask whether updates or recall work were done during prep. Check the car shows a cellular connection.
Front touchscreen responsive and sitting flush in its bezel. Tap all areas of the screen, open several apps and check for lag, dead zones, stuck pixels, and any gap between screen and bezel. Note which size you have: Tesla says every US Model 3 now comes with a 16in screen (October 2026); earlier cars have 15.4in. It matters if you buy a screen protector.
Rear touchscreen responsive and controls rear climate. From the back seat use the 8in rear screen for climate, seat heaters and media.
Steering wheel buttons and stalk respond; horn sounds; wheel adjusts and heats. Test the turn signal stalk (cars built before about October 2025 have arrow buttons on the left of the wheel instead), the high beam, horn, wiper, camera and voice buttons and both scroll wheels. Check a touchscreen restart (hold both scroll buttons while parked). Adjust the wheel: on Premium and Performance with Controls > Steering and the left scroll button; on the Standard with the lever under the column. Turn on the heated wheel from climate.
Backup gear selector on the overhead console works. Parked, foot on the brake: touch one of the P, R, N, D buttons on the overhead console to wake it (briefly pressing both steering wheel scroll buttons together does the same; holding them restarts the touchscreen). The lights come on. Press P. The frunk must be closed for this to work.
All camera views clear and undamaged; rear view appears in Reverse. Open the Camera app and check the rear camera above the plate, the door-pillar cameras, the fender cameras and, on cars built from about October 2025, the front bumper camera. Images should be sharp, level and not fogged. Check the lenses for scratches or cracks. Shift to Reverse (foot on brake) and check the rear view shows straight away. On cars with the bumper camera, run its washer and check it clears the lens.
Air conditioning and heat both work at full power without odd noises. Set full cold, then full hot, and feel every front and rear vent. Try the defroster and the heated mirrors. On Premium and Performance, also run the rear climate from the rear screen.
Seat heaters (and ventilation where fitted) work. Turn each one on from climate controls and feel the seat. Ventilated seats blow air through the perforations. Rear seat heaters are on the front and rear screens.
All four windows run up and down smoothly and quietly. Use each switch, full and partial travel. Then open each door: the window should drop slightly and reseal when closed. Check the rear window lock and child locks.
Phone key works: unlock on approach, lock on walk-away. Pair your phone as a key in the app. Walk away with Walk-Away Door Lock on and check it locks (lights flash); walk back and pull a door handle.
App controls work: lock, frunk, trunk, climate, charge port. From the app, try each control while standing near the car.

First 24 hours

Inspect again after the first wash, in daylight. Washing your car is by far the best way to spot any defects in the paint or alignment. Try to do this in the first 24 hours, and take photos of any new issues for the due bill.
No water in the cabin or trunk after rain or a wash. After rain or a hand wash, check the door bottoms, footwells, the headliner edges near the roof glass, the trunk floor and the sub-trunk, and look into the tail lights for standing water. On Premium and Performance the frunk tub should stay dry; water on the plastic around the tub is normal.
No lasting condensation in the lights after a wash or a cold night. Look into the headlights and tail lights the morning after a wash or a cold night. Mist that clears within a day is normal; droplets that stay for days are worth reporting.
Cabin power works: USB-C ports, wireless chargers and 12V outlets. Plug a device into each USB-C port: one in the back of the center console compartment and two below the rear vents. Plug a small 12V device into the outlet in the console's front compartment. Place a phone on each wireless pad with the car on. Remove any card from your phone case first.
Interior lights work: dome, footwell and puddle lights. Toggle each from Controls > Lights and press the dome lenses. Open each door at dusk and check the puddle and footwell lights come on.
Every speaker plays cleanly; Bluetooth calls, microphone and radio work. Play a track you know. Use balance and fade to isolate each speaker and turn it up: listen for buzzing or distortion. On cars with subwoofers, play something bass-heavy and listen for a buzz from the shelf behind the rear seats. Pair your phone, make a call and ask the other person how you sound. On Premium and Performance, tune in a local FM station.
Dashcam and Sentry Mode record to the USB drive. Turn on Sentry Mode and Dashcam, save a clip, then view it on the screen.
No active alerts after the first drives. Tap the alerts (bell) icon on the touchscreen and photograph any alert names or codes to include in a service request.
Set up your profile and charging. Save your seat, mirror and steering positions to a driver profile; set the charge limit and schedule; add home and work; choose your Autopilot settings.
Home charging works with the Mobile Connector. Plug the Mobile Connector into the wall first, then the car. The latch should lock, the port light pulse green, and the screen show charging.
Supercharge once and learn how to park for the cable. Use the car's navigation to pick a Supercharger. The port is at the driver's side rear corner, so park where the cable reaches it; at most stalls that means backing in.
No wind noise, rattles or squeaks on the drive home. On a quiet highway at 50-70 mph listen at the doors, mirrors, the top of the windshield and the roof. Then drive over rough patches at low speed with the radio off and listen for a buzz from the dash, creaks from the back of the car as you pull away and stop, and creaks from the wheels and seats. Note where and when each noise happens.
Front seats don't squeak, creak or clunk. Shift your weight forward, back and side to side in each front seat, and brake and accelerate gently. A creak or clunk from the seat base is worth logging.
Brakes, regen and steering feel normal; no pull or vibration. Check firm brakes, smooth regen on lift-off, and that on a straight, level road the wheel is centered and the car doesn't drift. At highway speed, feel for vibration through the wheel or floor. Report pulling, vibration or an off-center wheel early.
Note any sudden braking you can't explain. If the car brakes hard for no visible reason, on or off cruise control, note the time and place and save a dashcam clip (tap the dashcam icon). Report it with the clip.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and FSD (if bought or on trial) engage. On a suitable road, engage Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and confirm it holds and adjusts speed. Check the blind-spot light in the door trim comes on when a car is beside you.
Headlights and high beams work at night, aimed evenly. Drive somewhere dark: check low and high beams and that Adaptive Headlights or Auto High Beam switches. Parked facing a wall, both beams should sit at the same height. Don't adjust the aim yourself: the manual says you can't restore the factory setting.

First week

You know where the manual door releases are. Front: the release in front of the window switches; pull it up. Rear: a cable under a cover at the bottom of the rear door pocket. Check they are there; don't use them (the window won't drop and trim can be damaged).
Cabin still quiet after a week of driving. After a few drives on rough roads, listen again for rattles from the dash, doors, rear seats and the shelf behind them. Record a video with sound for the service request.
Set up Hands-Free Trunk and Phone Left Behind alerts if your phone supports them. Both need a phone with Ultra-Wideband. In the app go to Phone Key > Upgrade, then on the car turn them on in Controls > Locks. Test the trunk by standing still behind the car with your phone in a front pocket.
Read the owner's manual and watch the Tesla tutorials. The manual is on the touchscreen and at tesla.com/ownersmanual. Read the frunk, trunk, seats and normal operating sounds pages first.
Check tire pressures cold with a gauge. One morning before driving, check all four tires with a gauge: 42 psi cold, or what the door-pillar label says. A tire that keeps losing pressure may have a nail; book it in the app.
Learn paint care before the first wash. Remove bird droppings, sap, tar and road salt quickly. Hand wash with pH-neutral car shampoo, rinse, and dry. Use Car Wash Mode (Controls > Service) for any car wash, and keep a pressure washer at least 12in from the paint.