Drain and refill the front and rear drive unit gearboxes on a 2024 Model 3 Performance Dual Motor. Tesla now recommends gear oil service (initial at ~12,500 mi, then every 25,000–50,000 mi) despite earlier 'lifetime fill' marketing.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Drive unit gearbox drain plug crush washers / sealing rings × 4 — OEM Tesla replacement sealing washers — replace any removed
• Underbody aero panel fasteners (plastic rivets / clips, often one-time-use) × 1 — Tesla underbody aero shield fastener kit

Fluids

• Tesla-spec drive unit gear oil (front gearbox) — 1.5 qt
• Tesla-spec drive unit gear oil (rear gearbox) — 2 qt

Preparation

1. Park on level ground, place in P, engage parking brake.
2. Exit ALL doors with the key fob/phone key away from the vehicle. Wait at least 2 minutes for HV systems to fully de-energize, even on this non-HV job.
3. Open the right rear seat back access (2024 Model 3 12V is behind the right rear seat back panel area; some 2024 builds use a lithium 12V — locate the negative terminal before disconnecting) and disconnect the 12V/Li-ion low-voltage battery negative terminal.
4. DO NOT touch, cut, or pierce ANY orange cable — these are high-voltage and lethal.
5. If at any point you encounter an orange cable, an HV component, or are unsure if a system is de-energized: STOP and consult a Tesla-certified technician.
6. Drive the vehicle 10–15 minutes beforehand to warm gear oil to operating temperature for cleaner drainage, then allow ~30 minutes cool-down before working under the car.
7. Raise the vehicle on a lift using Tesla-approved lift pad locations (puck adapters at the four lift points on the rocker pinch welds). Confirm the vehicle is stable before going underneath.
8. Have new sealing washers, the correct quantity of Tesla-spec gear oil (1.5 qt front, 2.0 qt rear), and a clean fluid transfer pump staged before opening any plug.

Procedure

1. 1

   Remove the underbody aero shields
   Remove the front and rear underbody aero panels covering the front and rear drive unit gearboxes. Most fasteners are plastic push-rivets and Torx screws. Bag fasteners by location. Inspect any one-time-use rivets and replace those that deform on removal.
   ⚠Aero panels can sag suddenly on the last fastener — support them with one hand as you release the final clip.
2. 2

   Identify drain and fill plugs on the rear drive unit
   Locate the rear gearbox drain plug (lowest point on the gearbox housing, on the differential casting side of the unit) and the fill/level plug (higher on the side of the housing). Do not confuse these with coolant ports or the inverter cover fasteners. The fill plug is what determines fill level — it must be the FIRST plug you confirm you can break loose, before draining.
   ⚠Crack the fill plug loose BEFORE draining. If the fill plug is seized and you've already drained, you cannot refill the unit.
3. 3

   Drain the rear gearbox
   Position a clean drain pan under the rear gearbox drain plug. Remove the drain plug and sealing washer. Allow oil to drain completely (15–20 minutes). Inspect the drained oil: small ferrous fuzz on the magnetic plug is normal break-in debris; large metal flakes or chunks indicate internal damage — STOP and consult a Tesla-certified technician before refilling.
4. 4

   Clean and reinstall the rear drain plug
   Wipe the magnetic drain plug clean of debris. Install a new sealing washer. Reinstall the drain plug and torque to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual (drive unit drain/fill plug torque is not in our verified spec list; do not guess).
   ⚠Aluminum housing threads strip easily. Start the plug by hand for at least 3 turns before using a wrench.
5. 5

   Refill the rear gearbox
   Using a clean fluid transfer pump, pump fresh Tesla-spec drive unit gear oil into the fill port until oil just begins to seep back out of the fill port (level fill). Approximate capacity is 2.0 qt for the rear unit; use the overflow-from-fill-port method as the true level reference, not the bottle count.
6. 6

   Reinstall the rear fill plug
   Install a new sealing washer on the fill plug. Thread in by hand, then torque to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual. Wipe the housing clean of any spilled oil so future leak inspections are meaningful.
7. 7

   Identify drain and fill plugs on the front drive unit
   Move to the front drive unit. Locate the front gearbox drain plug (low side of the gearbox housing) and the fill/level plug (mid-height on the housing). Confirm you can break the fill plug loose before draining, same as the rear unit.
   ⚠️The front drive unit sits in close proximity to orange HV cabling and the high-voltage junction. Route tools and your drain pan to avoid any contact with orange cables.
8. 8

   Drain the front gearbox
   Position the drain pan, remove the front drain plug and sealing washer, and allow full drainage (15–20 minutes). Inspect drained oil and magnetic plug for debris as in step 3.
9. 9

   Clean and reinstall the front drain plug
   Wipe the magnetic plug, install a new sealing washer, hand-start the plug, and torque to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual.
10. 10

    Refill the front gearbox
    Pump fresh Tesla-spec gear oil into the front fill port until it just seeps back out (approximately 1.5 qt). Use the overflow method as the level reference.
11. 11

    Reinstall the front fill plug
    Install a new sealing washer, hand-thread the fill plug, and torque to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual. Wipe the housing clean.
12. 12

    Inspect for leaks before closing up
    With the vehicle still on the lift, inspect both gearbox housings around drain and fill plugs for any seepage. Check the drain pan capture against expected drained volume — significantly less drained than expected can indicate the unit was previously low.

Reassembly

1. Reinstall the front and rear underbody aero shields, replacing any one-time-use rivets you damaged on removal. Aero shields are critical for thermal and aerodynamic management — do not omit any fastener.
2. Tighten aero panel fasteners snug — do not overtighten plastic-to-aluminum threads.
3. Lower the vehicle to the ground.
4. Reconnect the 12V/Li-ion low-voltage battery negative terminal. Close access panel and reinstall the right rear seat back trim.
5. Wake the car with the key fob and allow the touchscreen to fully boot. Clear any 12V-disconnect-related alerts.

Verification

• On the touchscreen, check Service tab and vehicle alert list — there should be no new drive unit, gearbox, or HV-related alerts.
• Test drive at low speed (under 25 mph) for 2–3 minutes, listening for any new whine, growl, or vibration from either drive unit. Then a moderate-speed run (40–55 mph) under both light acceleration and regen.
• Return to the lift and re-inspect both gearbox housings around drain and fill plugs after the test drive — any wet film indicates a sealing washer or torque issue and must be corrected before release.
• Record the service mileage. Per Tesla's current guidance, next gear oil service is typically 25,000–50,000 mi from now depending on use (Performance dual-motor and track-driven cars trend to the shorter interval). The 12,500 mi initial service interval only applies once per vehicle.
• If any debris larger than fine ferrous fuzz was found on a magnetic drain plug, flag the unit for follow-up inspection — internal gearbox wear is not a DIY repair on this vehicle.

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