Any ideas what this is for….

Pretty sure it’s some sort of safety mechanism to keep the door latched in case of an accident.

It is for manually unlock the door from inside

Safety

It makes the door close more firmly for a premium feel, so instead of closing and hearing cranky sounds it’s more of a thump sound

Highland brought improved side-impact crash door-stiffeners. The pre-2024 models already had a reinforced rail running from door hinge to door lock. They improved that design to become a "t-shape" with hardened "hook" on the tail that you can see protruding from the door. The hook ties directly into the door sill and high-strength steel cross-beam to transfer door-impact energy away from passengers, into the rest of the chassis, and of course resist cabin penetration/intrusion. Interesting structural diagram where you can see the door stiffeners, and door-sill latch points. Red components are ultra-high-strength steel. https://preview.redd.it/955gbq7ktfag1.png?width=1600&format=png&auto=webp&s=d4b1fcba4149c106d1f7205da05b747a4e8a3b69 [https://service.tesla.com/docs/BodyRepair/Body\_Repair\_Procedures/Model\_3\_2024/HTML/en-us/GUID-B4A61C9E-4CE2-4D9A-B9B3-B6D74EEFE038.html](https://service.tesla.com/docs/BodyRepair/Body_Repair_Procedures/Model_3_2024/HTML/en-us/GUID-B4A61C9E-4CE2-4D9A-B9B3-B6D74EEFE038.html)

structural integrity, prevent door crushing in during a side collision.

Results in better seal for less road noise

Safety. My Subaru and BMW had these too

Greater structural integrity and noise reduction


Looks like an ankle annihilator

It’s so you won’t slam your fingers. If you pull the handle the door opens slightly then if you push it it won’t close unless you fully open the door.

Well crap.. I was going to come in with an assessment on this from an engineers perspective and promptly saw this reply and was like “nothing more to say here!” Nice work.

I thought these were on the Highland models for improved noise reduction- At least that’s what I read before picking up my ‘24 M3P

For smashing your feet/shins into

You have to be extremely careless getting out of the car to even touch that

It transfers the impact velocity into the rest of the chassis so the door isn’t the only thing taking the hit

Not even close

No

No

It’s for smashing your toes against, while you’re wearing flip flops. 0/10. Would not recommend…

Lars explained in an interview. The 3 has it but not the Y because the Y is higher up so when larger/higher vehicles impact on the side the frame and battery pack add structure. Because the 3 is lower, the doors didn’t provide enough structure in themselves…so tying them into the frame with that piece transfers the energy down into the frame/pack.

Makes the car quieter and increases the safety from side impact

This is the correct answer

Huh? Nothing sticks out on the car side. And it’s mostly under the door.

Yes it does, the door sticks out and it slots in on the door frame.

Better seal for wind noise reduction, it was explained by Franz in the Jay Leno’s garage episode about the new Model 3 redesign

Its a buttplug for your car🤣

Tesla definitely has their build quality issues but you have to give them credit where credit is due; they certainly take crash safety seriously!

My 2006 Subaru Legacy had the same thing so its not new or Tesla thing. Great to have though just watch ur shins

I would argue they are very useful for “toeing” the door open.

Shin stop

Is the stiffeners the tiny blue part under the yellow floor? I don't see how the cut-out is necessary...

The door stiffeners are inside the door itself - as part of the red system that you can see in cutaways behind the door pockets (can see them in the right-hand doors in the image). They have a fitting in the cut-out that ties like a dagger into the sill system and subfloor when the door is closed.

*force

Okay technically it’s energy

Ist tp prevent the door from crushing you in a side impact.

Yes I have.

Noise reduction they talk about it in the Tesla video for the highland

Also acceptable ;)

This makes the door close like BMW sound

I’ve never gotten near it in my ‘24 M3P. Hardly notice them. They are under the door panel for the most part.

My Porsche Cayman has these too, always wondered what they were for but suspected crash safety.

Asking the important questions, always knew they were for safety but someone explained it really well. The Outback has a similar system in their door, another car with exceptional crash scores.

I believe it also Helps with sound dampening as it makes the rubber seals fit better since there is less “sway” in closing the door.

Nice.

Cocaine