Opening Tesla glove compartment without PIN is alarmingly simple with this method

On TikTok, a mechanic demonstrates how easy it is to open the Tesla glove compartment when you've lost your PIN code. In fact, the process is so simple that you wonder why the brand bothers to secure the compartment in this way. All it takes is a simple metal rod and the removal of a cover. That's it.

All Teslas have a glove compartment secured by a PIN code. This can be activated via the vehicle's interface – and it's easy to think that bypassing it would be difficult, at least in software terms. As a result, many owners use this storage to store valuables or a GPS tracker to easily find their car in case of theft.

This is a very bad idea, however: the system is linked to rather strong software security – which prevents this PIN code from being deleted or changed if you don't know it. But, very concretely, the latch itself is mechanical. This offers potential thieves a surprisingly simple attack surface to open this compartment.

The Tesla glove compartment doesn't offer much security when protected by a PIN code

This is what @itsmedrauto, a mechanic who became known for his videos challenging the security of these electric cars, demonstrates on TikTok. In his latest post, he shows how disconcertingly formal it is to open the glove compartment without a PIN code – even without any real skills:

@itsmedrauto♬ original sound – Original Dr.auto

As you can see, the only prerequisite is to be able to open the car doors. This can be achieved using other techniques, when the car isn't already open. From there, all you need is a tool, a metal rod, or even a fairly rigid wire, the end of which forms a hook. The plastic cover to the right of the glove compartment must be removed. Then the metal object is inserted into a hole – which allows you to hook onto a trigger. Then you have to pull, and voilà: the glove compartment opens immediately.

The operation only takes a few seconds in total. This urges Tesla owners to be cautious, especially if you intend to hide a tracker in your car. Clearly, the glove compartment isn't the best place. We hope Tesla eventually revises this system a little to offer a little more resistance to thieves. A system that, as it stands, isn't very useful when you know this method.