Did I ruin my sons car?

A clay bar should take off anything clinging to the paint. I'm not sure exactly what you're seeing, but running a clay bar over the surface of the car where it's affected can't hurt anything. Watch videos on how to use one properly though or you WILL do damage.

It’s the rainbow effect on the metal trim around the doors. OP, use some stainless steel cleaner and it’ll be fine.

Not my photo but it looks like this: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQAIZnKuRYxl4jUzGpFGPAUTBP6_X96k21hK5yLl2sbO8eVsd61gW0Rokd&s=10

Tub-O-Towel wipes. Useful for many other things as well

From what im seeing these towls just hide the issue and it returns after rain?

WD40 takes it off and you just reapply as needed, happens to me too

From what im seeing wd40 just hide the issue and it returns after rain?

WD40 removes it.

Does that actually remove it or just mask it temporarily?

WD40 takes care of it pretty well. Comes back once in a while, I just re-apply. This is very very common in Teslas.

Tub o towels completely removed it for me, even after rain. I believe it balances the PH value of the metal trim or something along those lines, thus removing the discoloration.

Deep breath! I understand your pain because I 100% freaked out the first time it happened to my trim. Feared it was permanent 😳 Gratefully, it’s not! Just get stainless steel wipes. I use [these](https://a.co/d/00xSX5Bh). Use one wipe for driver’s side and another for the passenger. Apply a couple of times per week. It may take several weeks for the trim to look like new again.

Happens to literally everyone. Nothing to be concerned about.

I used wd-40. It made it look perfect and the rain did not revert it back. Just bring it back to a automatic car wash

It only comes back when I go to the local touchless wash.

Thank you. Haha. That really helped me freak out lees.

I bought stainless steel wipes, took care of it after one quick and easy application.

Totaled

You're a good dad, let us know his reaction

Hope you’re able to fix it. We’d love to know your son’s reaction. Wonderful dad!

Nah, just don't use automatic car washes or acidic soaps. Use a quality soap and hand wash and it will not occur.

If it's that rainbow effect you don't even need a cleaner it's a bit of work but just buffing it with a good microfiber cloth will remove it. The WD40 and other stuff will damage the paint long term it will end up turning the black into a grey haze due to the sun. You can use some water first to remove any leftover soap residue and then if it remains just buff it by hand with a dry cloth, no product. It will stay black the longest this way but it's more work for sure.

WD40 repels moisture, so it’s unlikely for the issue to return until future car washes.

303 aerospace protectant

Good good! You’re welcome. It was a Reddit thread that saved my sanity after I tumbled down the rabbit hole of despair. Glad I could return the favor.

If you wash the car yourself that will eventually go away. I know cause I had them and I don’t have them anymore.

Automatic car wash takes another victim lol Its common and its normal.

Turtle Wax Renew and Restore wipes.

Sorry, but it’s totaled.

Who’s got time to hand wash cars? I got better things to do.

You can get the car and or the trim WRAPPED

My 2022 MYP arrived with horrible holograming on the paint along with paint chips and scratches. This was a new car straight off the lot. Wish I caught it within the first 100 miles but I didn't as the holograming could only be noticed under direct sunlight at certain angles. I had a detailer fix it and he said it wasn't uncommon and that he has seen new Teslas where the issue was under the clear coat, which is a big problem. And no, I didnt wash the car in the first 100 miles.

If you care about your vehicle at all, you do. lol

I had clear PPF put on part of my trim. It works beautifully, but it was such a pain to put on that we didn’t do the rest. It’s the only part of the trim that doesn’t discolor ever.

The rainbow colors on the black trim? It’s just soap residue. I’ve always just wiped it off with a microfiber cloth and it doesn’t come back. Literally buffing it (no soap/water) and definitely no extra chemicals like WD40. Don’t do any permanent damage with clay bars or magic erasers. Both are abrasive and will do damage.

Yah I was looking for someone else to say this. Doesn’t necessarily cost a lot for just the trims, and more of a permanent fix if done right, can’t even tell it’s not supposed to be there.

Well, that takes me out of the conversation.

It's a car, not even a fancy car. Or a trophy. The only one who cares is you.

Happened to me years ago. I kinda love the iridescent rainbow glow it gives. I’ve gotten used to it and kinda like it

I get that, I was more commenting regarding the fact we all know the paint is fragile and it’s either touchless wash and wiping the rainbows off the trim or hand wash to keep it nice which is a baseline respect of property thing. It’s like saying why vacuum your house it’s not a mansion. Just pride.

Does this happen in Juniper models too?

Tub O Towel wipes works great on the trim

All other MYs that have been washed look the same, it's just part of the cars "charm". Don't worry to much about it.

[https://a.co/d/01OnfYsO](https://a.co/d/01OnfYsO) I read somewhere this is what they use for that issue at the service center. It works really well.

The car is ruined, I'll take it for 5 grand

Keep it out of the sun during and after car washes and in general garage stored doesn’t happen to me ever and I go car wash all the time

Cerakote trim coat kit worked great on my 23 Y. Easy to use.

Rub it out with compound. IDK why people think it's more complicated than that. Rub it out, wax or ceramic coat it, and it won't happen anymore. Source: my 22m3lr

For future reference, highly acid or alkali detergents leave those marks. “Green” or chrome approved chemicals should be good.

It only comes back if you go through a drive through wash again. Get a rag with little wd40 and wipe it off.

You have the right idea. This is what I did but it requires you to be very careful. 1. To clean use stainless steel cleaning solution. That gets rid of the soap residue (rainbow) 2. To protect use a ceramic coating https://a.co/d/02tVFvBb only on the trim. The trick is you only get 1 shot : apply carefully only once and do not try multiple coatings and let it fully dry, takes a while, don't touch it, just wait. This is for the window trim which is aluminum. Use the rest in the plastic trim as a bonus, shines nicely. The soap rainbow will never return

I wonder if the tub o towls is enough then a ceramic coat on top of it?

Use the tub o towel. It fixed it for me permanently. Wd 40 can use damage if you are not careful. And it comes back

Absolutely nothing wrong with the wd40 fix. I do it on my own car once a year. I run through automatic washes several times a week.

I had same issue. WD40 took care of it. And then Hand Wash going forward.

This seems to be a problem more with the drive through washes than the DIY bays usually available at the same location. I rarely have time anymore to hand wash, but I am not going to sit in line for 15+ minutes and pay 4x the price of the DIY bays just so I don’t have to get out of the car. Neither does a great job compared to a hand wash at home anyhow.

if you're talking about like the plastic trip above the doors between the doors and the roof, yeah, my car usually has some discoloratins there, I don't worry abou it

> The rainbow colors on the black trim? > > It’s just soap residue. I’ve always just wiped it off with a microfiber cloth and it doesn’t come back. It's not always soap residue. Tesla uses thin anodized aluminum for the side trim, highly alkaline car wash detergents (esp touchless car washes) will chemically discolour it. It has the same rainbow effect but doesn't come off. Masking it with WD-40 or a ceramic wax is the only way to improve the look of it other than replacing or wrapping the trim.

I don’t vacuum my house, either. Smart vacs + weekly maid…but I’m glad you value washing your car

> Nah, just don't use automatic car washes or acidic soaps. It's not acidic soaps that discolour it but highly alkaline ones. Automatic car washes don't use acidic detergents

> If it's that rainbow effect you don't even need a cleaner it's a bit of work but just buffing it with a good microfiber cloth will remove it. If the anodized aluminum has been chemically discoloured by high pH soap buffing won't remove it, masking it is the only option

For me it comes back after the rain even with tub o towels

I've never used a high ph soap, usually it happens from soaps with wax in them which is why I asked if it was that rainbow effect. It can be removed with a little bit of water and then buffing by hand I've done it several times and it comes off if it's just soap/wax residue. I would try this first because most of those products you put on trim accelerate the fading.

Please let us see his reaction and share some pics of the car as well! Congrats it's a great car and your kid is going to be pumped regardless.

Take a picture, send it to him, and tell him to post in the reddit asking if it's totaled. That will complete his entry to the club; Membership card is in the mail.

> I've never used a high ph soap, usually it happens from soaps with wax in them which is why I asked if it was that rainbow effect. It can be removed with a little bit of water and then buffing by hand I've done it several times and it comes off if it's just soap/wax residue OP took it through a car wash which do you use high pH soaps. In his case (like mine) the discoloration may be permanent

Turtle wax fixed it for me

It’s just on plastic why would it come to your mind that you “ruined” the entire car?

the side trim on my 2023 model Y is just black plastic.

Have a professional cra detailer take a look and recommend a correction.

> the side trim on my 2023 model Y is just black plastic. No, the side trim is black anodized aluminum not plastic

Embrace the rainbow. Very few people have the time or inclination for a life spent avoiding the drive through car wash.

On my 22. MYP I had to use the WD40 method and it worked everytime it only came back after the car wash. I don’t have that issue on my MY juniper though

Use wd-40 on trims always helps

I tried Tub-O-Towels like others suggest, but also as others said, it doesn't do anything to permanently remove it, but yes, it is caused a bit by rain, and even worse from certain soaps. I went on TesBros, and they sell a PPF kit specifically for the window trim to keep the factory look without worrying about the oil slick looking staining coming back. It's not exactly "cheap", but as long as you follow their instructions, installation is fairly easy to do. This is their kit for the Model Y, pre-refresh. https://www.diywrapclub.com/products/window-trim-protection-ppf-for-model-y?variant=46385557111002

upon closer examination, you are right. I stand corrected!

Tub O’ Towels is the best. Just keep using it.

I use Plexus on mine. Spray in on a cotton cloth and wipe the trim. Done!

What is that a picture of. I can’t figure it out.

My husband is in the car was business…. As in built a carwash, knows all the programming, the equipment, the chemicals, etc. He will only hand wash our cars (I drive a MY) and will never go through an automatic car wash. The ph in the soap eats away at the plastic. Nothing you can do to fix it other than to treat it regularly to maintain esthetics.