On September 24, 2026, my red 2021 Tesla Model 3 Performance came out of the Kiwi Car Wash on Gatlin Boulevard in Port St. Lucie with chipped paint on the lower passenger-side rocker panel. A photo I took earlier that day shows the same panel clean. This is how Kiwi handled it.
The timeline
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Sep 24, 2026 | Damage found right after the wash. Reported to staff before leaving; filled out Kiwi's Customer Experience Report. |
| Sep 25, 2026 | Collision Pros in Port St. Lucie wrote a repair estimate for $645.31. |
| Sep 28, 2026 | Kiwi denied the claim. |
| Sep 29, 2026 | Kiwi declined to share its internal claim documentation with me directly. |
| Oct 6, 2026 | I sent a final pre-suit demand for $645.31. |
| Oct 13, 2026 | USPS confirmed delivery to Kiwi's registered agent. |
| October 2026 | Kiwi emailed what it called its "last communication on this matter." |
What Kiwi sent as "proof"
- The user manual for its pump
- A hose pressure-drop chart
- An article on pressure-washer "safe zones"
- A Tesla VIN decoding chart
- A 2023 news link about a class action in Quebec, Canada
- A Google search
What Kiwi never sent me
- An inspection report on my car
- Video of my car in its tunnel
- Equipment or maintenance logs from September 24
Kiwi's words
"...low pressure, under 1000psi is safe as long as the paint is in good condition."
"This link... references the class action lawsuit filed in Canada against Tesla..."
"The Google search attached also provides you with other links confirming defective Tesla paint specifically on the rocker panels."
"We are unable to assume liability for the damage to your paint as it is a manufacturer defect and not caused by defective car wash equipment."
Why I don't buy it
- Its own source undercuts it. The pressure is "safe as long as the paint is in good condition." Kiwi says my paint was defective, and sprayed it anyway.
- The Canada case isn't a ruling. A Quebec court only authorized a class action to proceed. No court has found Tesla paint defective. (What the case actually says.)
- A spec sheet isn't an inspection. A pump manual describes design, not what happened on my day. (What PSI numbers do and don't prove.)
- No one looked at my car. "Manufacturer defect" was declared from a Google search.
I'm not the only one
Other customers have posted public Google reviews describing paint chips, a torn-off fin, and replies blaming factory paint. See the customer reports.
My opinion
I don't recommend Kiwi Car Wash. If you care about your paint, choose a touchless or hand wash.
The photos
The before photo shows the lower passenger-side rocker panel clean earlier on September 24. The after photo shows white chips on the same panel, behind the front wheel, right after the wash. Both are posted on the homepage, unedited except for resizing, cropping and a blurred license plate.
What a fair response would have looked like
- Inspect the car, or have a body shop do it
- Review the tunnel video from my visit
- Check the equipment and nozzle logs for that day
- Explain the findings in writing
- Pay for the repair if their equipment caused it
None of that happened.
Where things stand
I sent a final pre-suit demand for $645.31 with a proposed deadline of October 20, 2026. Kiwi's reply called itself its last communication. This page will be updated with what happens next.
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