Tesla Spoiler Guide: Styles, Which One Fits Your Model 3 or Model Y, and How Tesla Fits It
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A spoiler is one of the most searched exterior add-ons for a Tesla, and one of the easiest to fit: no drilling, just adhesive tape. This guide explains the styles, which spoiler fits your car, the difference between real carbon fiber and a carbon look, and the fitting steps Tesla's own service manual uses for its spoilers.
What a spoiler does on a Tesla
Tesla's service manuals include procedures for removing and fitting Tesla's own rear spoilers, so a spoiler is something Tesla itself offers. On an everyday car, a small rear spoiler mainly changes the look. Tesla's manuals don't give range or handling figures for aftermarket spoilers, so treat any performance claims on a product page as the seller's.
Rear spoiler styles
| Style | What it looks like | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Lip or solid | A low wing along the trunk edge | The most subtle look. On the Model Y Juniper we list it in gloss black, matte black and two carbon looks. |
| Performance | A taller kick at the edge | A sportier look. Sold in plastic and in real carbon fiber. |
| Blade | A thin strip along the edge | The lightest look. On the Model Y Juniper it comes in gloss black, matte black and two carbon looks. |
| Rear window spoiler | A small piece at the bottom of the rear glass | For the 2017–2023 Model 3 only. The seller says it also channels rain to the sides. |
Which spoiler fits your Tesla
The trunk lid changed with the Model 3 Highland and the Model Y Juniper, so a spoiler for an earlier car won't fit the new one, and the reverse. Pick by model and year:
| Your car | Spoilers we list | Material and finish, as the seller lists them |
|---|---|---|
| Model 3 2017–2023 | Model 3 rear window spoiler; also a body kit with a rear spoiler | ABS plastic in a gloss carbon look or black |
| Model 3 Highland 2024+ | Model 3 Highland performance-style spoiler; Juniper and Highland real carbon fiber spoiler; also a Highland front lip with an optional rear spoiler | ABS plastic in gloss or matte black or a carbon look; or real carbon fiber, matte or gloss |
| Model Y 2020–2024 | Model Y real carbon fiber spoiler; also a body kit with a rear spoiler | Real dry carbon fiber, matte |
| Model Y Juniper 2025+ | Model Y Juniper rear spoiler (solid, performance or blade); Juniper and Highland real carbon fiber spoiler | ABS plastic in gloss or matte black or a carbon look; or real carbon fiber, matte or gloss |
We don't list a spoiler for the Model S, the Model X or the Cybertruck at the moment. The whole range is in our spoilers collection, and front lips and diffusers are in body kits, front lips and diffusers.
Real carbon fiber or a carbon look?
A carbon look and real carbon fiber can look alike in photos, but they are different materials:
| Real carbon fiber | ABS plastic (including carbon look) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Woven carbon fiber with a clear finish | Molded plastic, painted black or printed with a carbon pattern |
| Weight, as the sellers list it | About 200 g for the Juniper and Highland spoiler | About 1.2 kg for the Highland performance-style spoiler |
| Finish | Matte or gloss, with a real weave | Gloss or matte black, or a carbon look |
| Good to know | Usually costs more | A carbon look is a pattern, not carbon fiber |
How Tesla fits a spoiler
Tesla's service manuals for the Model Y and the 2024+ Model 3 include procedures for fitting Tesla's own rear spoilers. Tesla's technicians use alignment jigs, but the basic steps are the same ones that matter for any stick-on spoiler:
- Clean the surface. Wipe the trunk lid where the spoiler goes with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) wipes and let it dry. Tesla says to remove all moisture and dirt from rain or washing, because they can stop the tape from bonding.
- Check the temperature. Tesla fits its spoilers at an air and part temperature of 15–43 °C (60–110 °F), and recommends working indoors if possible.
- Fix the paint first. If the trunk lid needs paint correction, Tesla says to have a body shop or detailer do it before fitting.
- Mark the center. In Tesla's Model 3 procedure, painter's tape goes on the center of the spoiler and the trunk lid, with matching marks. A dry fit before you peel the backing helps you place it right.
- Skip the adhesion promoter on the liftgate. Tesla's Model Y procedure says not to apply it, because it can impair the tape and damage the paint.
- Set the center first. Peel the backing, line up the marks, hold both ends away from the lid and set the center section first. Then set each end.
- Press it down. Tesla's Model Y procedure says to work in small sections, pressing with more than 20 lb of force for 10 seconds, along the full length, with extra attention to the ends.
Large spoilers sometimes arrive damaged, so check the part as soon as the box arrives, before you start. If the seller's instructions differ from Tesla's steps, ask the seller before you fit it.
Living with a stick-on spoiler
- Car washes: Tesla's manual says to use touchless car washes only, with no brushes that touch the car. See how to wash a Tesla for the rest of Tesla's advice.
- Check the ends: after the first few drives and washes, make sure both ends still sit flat.
- Paint protection: if you plan to fit paint protection film on the trunk lid, it is easier to decide that before the spoiler goes on. See our Tesla PPF guide.
How we pick what we list
Everything we list is from third-party sellers on AliExpress, not made by Tesla. We look for stores with high positive feedback and read buyer reviews for fit and quality problems. Product claims on our pages are the seller's, and facts about the car come from Tesla's own manuals and pages. When you buy through the button on a product page, we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
Does a spoiler improve range or handling on a Tesla?
Tesla's manuals don't give range or handling figures for aftermarket spoilers. On a road car a small rear spoiler is mainly about looks, so treat any performance claims as the seller's.
Do I need to drill to fit a spoiler?
No. All the spoilers we list stick on with adhesive tape, according to the sellers. Tesla's own spoilers are also fitted with adhesive tape.
Which spoiler fits the Model Y Juniper?
Spoilers are made for one trunk shape, so the Juniper needs a Juniper spoiler. We list a plastic spoiler in solid, performance and blade styles, and a real carbon fiber spoiler with a Juniper version.
Is a carbon look spoiler real carbon fiber?
No. A carbon look spoiler is ABS plastic with a carbon pattern. Our real carbon fiber spoilers say so in their titles.
At what temperature should I fit a spoiler?
Tesla's service manual says to fit its spoilers at an air and part temperature of 15–43 °C (60–110 °F), and indoors if possible.
Can I take a car with a spoiler through a car wash?
Tesla's manual already says to use touchless car washes only, with no brushes that touch the car. We'd follow that even more closely with a stick-on spoiler.
Should I use an adhesion promoter?
Tesla's service manual says not to apply adhesion promoter to the liftgate when fitting its spoiler, because it can impair the tape and damage the paint. If a kit includes one, check with the seller first.
Can I remove a stick-on spoiler later?
Yes, but it takes care. Tesla's technicians release a spoiler with a length of fishing line and then remove the leftover adhesive with a rubber wheel tool. A body shop or detailer can do this without damaging the paint.
Next steps
Find the spoiler for your car in our spoilers collection, see more exterior accessories, or read what fits the Model Y Juniper and the Model 3 Highland.