Common Problems When Taking Delivery of a New Tesla
By the makers of TSL Check · July 16, 2026
Delivery day is exciting, and delivery centers move fast — which is exactly why small problems get missed. Most of them are easy for Tesla to fix if you document them before you drive off. Days later, the conversation gets harder: it becomes your word about when the damage happened.
This guide covers the problems buyers most often report at delivery, based on the inspection checklist behind the TSL Check app. For each one: what it looks like, why it matters, and a quick way to spot it. None of this is about "gotcha-ing" Tesla — factory variation is real in every brand. It's about knowing what's normal, what isn't, and documenting the difference while it's still Tesla's to fix.
TL;DR — the most commonly reported delivery issues:
- Uneven panel gaps (doors, hood, trunk)
- Paint scratches, chips and transport marks
- Orange peel, paint runs and thin paint on edges
- Misaligned lights or condensation inside them
- Loose or pinched door seals (future wind noise)
- Interior defects: trim, seats, screen pixels
- Missing accessories (cables, second key card)
- Warnings on the screen that shouldn't be there
Uneven panel gaps
The single most reported Tesla delivery issue. Doors, hood and trunk should sit with gaps that look consistent from side to side. A door gap noticeably wider at the top than the bottom suggests the door is misaligned on its hinges; a hood gap clearly wider on one side than the other is a factory fit issue.
Why it matters: beyond looks, misaligned panels can cause wind noise at highway speed, and they're the first thing a future buyer's eye lands on. Small, even gaps are normal — asymmetry is what you're looking for.
Quick check: stand squarely in front of the car and compare the hood gap left vs. right, then walk the doors comparing each gap top vs. bottom.
Paint scratches, chips and transport marks
Fine scratches often only show at certain angles — and bumpers and sills are the hotspots. Cars are wrapped in protective film for transport; removing it sometimes leaves marks, most often on bumpers and door sills. A scratch you can feel with a fingernail is generally considered reportable.
Why it matters: cosmetic damage reported at delivery is typically handled by Tesla; the same mark reported a week later may not be.
Quick check: walk the car slowly in direct sunlight, crouching to eye level with each panel and tilting your head to catch reflections.
Orange peel, runs and thin paint
Some texture in factory paint is normal — heavy texture and drips are not. "Orange peel" (a dimpled texture in the clear coat) exists to some degree on most factory-painted cars, Tesla included. What's worth documenting: texture visible from more than a meter away, frozen drips along lower edges of bumpers and doors, or a panel whose color or metallic flake doesn't match its neighbors (a possible repaint).
Thin paint on door edges and the underside of the hood is a separately known issue — exposed metal there can corrode over time.
Why it matters: paint condition is a resale-value item, and edge corrosion is a years-later problem that starts at delivery.
Quick check: compare adjacent panels from about a meter away in daylight, then open each door and look along its edges.
Lights: alignment and condensation
Headlights and taillights should sit flush — and stay dry inside. A light that sits proud of, or recessed into, the body line can indicate bumper misalignment. Inside the housings, a little temporary fogging after a cold night can be normal; persistent droplets are a seal failure.
Why it matters: moisture inside a housing sits next to electronics and reflectors, which means corrosion and dimmer output over time — a warranty conversation that's much easier on day one.
Quick check: run a fingertip along the seam between each light and the body, and look inside the lenses for droplets or fog.
Door seals and wind noise
A pinched or loose door seal is the classic source of highway wind noise. The rubber should run continuously around each opening and compress evenly when the door closes. Sections that are folded, loose, or torn will whistle at speed — and can let water in during heavy rain.
Why it matters: wind-noise complaints are among the most common Tesla service visits, and the cause is often a seal that could have been spotted at delivery.
Quick check: open each door and run your eyes (and fingers) around the full length of the seal.
Glass: windshield and roof
Look through the windshield, not just at it. Optical distortion — straight lines that bend as you move your head — chips, and scratches are all reportable at delivery. The panoramic glass roof should be free of cracks and chips, and its tint should look even.
Why it matters: windshield replacement is expensive, and a chip that spreads a month later starts a much harder conversation than one documented at handover. Policies vary, so confirm what applies where you are — but document everything either way.
Quick check: sit in the driver's seat and scan straight lines (poles, building edges) through every part of the windshield.
Interior: trim, seats and screen
A new car's interior should have no story to tell. Look for scuffed or loose trim panels, marks on seats, and — on the center screen — dead pixels or discoloration (easiest to spot on a pure white or black image). Trim that flexes or clicks under light finger pressure may not be clipped in fully.
Why it matters: interior defects are the ones you'll see every single day. They're also quick fixes for a delivery center — and slow, appointment-based fixes afterwards.
Quick check: with the screen on a bright, uniform image, scan it corner to corner; then press gently along trim edges.
Missing accessories and second key
Check the trunk and frunk before you leave the lot. What's included varies by market and changes over time — mobile charging equipment, for example, hasn't been standard in every region for years. Verify against your order exactly what should be in the car: charging cables or adapters, both key cards, mats, and any included extras.
Why it matters: a missing item flagged at delivery is a simple handover; discovered at home, it's a support ticket.
Quick check: open your order confirmation and physically match each listed item.
Warnings on the screen
The car's own diagnostics are your free inspector. After the car boots, the screen should show no persistent alerts — no tire pressure warnings, no restraint system messages, no "schedule service" prompts. Also confirm the car pairs with your phone and shows in your Tesla account correctly.
Why it matters: an alert at delivery means the delivery center resolves it before you accept. The same alert at home means a service appointment.
Quick check: dismiss nothing — photograph any alert that appears and ask about it on the spot.
What's actually normal
An honest inspection needs calibration, not paranoia. Generally considered normal: small and even panel gaps, a light degree of orange peel, brief condensation in lights after a cold or wet night, and minor software quirks that clear after an update. The pattern that matters is asymmetry and persistence: one side different from the other, or an issue that doesn't go away.
If you find something
Photograph it before you sign anything, from an angle that shows both the defect and its location on the car. Report everything you found to the delivery team while you're still there, and ask how each item will be handled. Tesla has historically allowed a short window after delivery for reporting cosmetic issues — the specifics have changed over time and vary by market, so confirm the current policy at handover rather than assuming one. The safest window is always the same, though: before you drive away.