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⭐ Rated 5 StarsOver 430 Google Reviews3M Prestige DealerFamily Owned Since 1989
Tesla Window Tinting in San Antonio
Tesla window tinting in San Antonio for the Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X, done with 3M film at our shop on Grissom Road. We’ve tinted hundreds of Teslas, so we know where the cameras, the screens and the frameless doors are before your car rolls into the bay. Every film carries a lifetime film warranty. Free quote on every Tesla, and same-day is usually available.
Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X
5.0 on Google
From San Antonio drivers and homeowners
Family owned, on Grissom Road
Why San Antonio Tesla owners gave us 5 stars
“Fletch Window Tint is a solid choice for anyone, especially Tesla owners, looking for a quality tint job. The owners, who also own Tesla vehicles, have a good understanding of the specifics that come with Teslas. They take the time to share their personal experiences and knowledge without pressuring a sale.”
Ben B., July 2023
“They walked me through how each tint would impact the manufacturer’s tint (I have a Model Y) and what the visibility would be at night through the glass ceiling. It turned out great and I felt the difference in heat/sun driving home.”
Jillian S., March 2022
“Called and got in right away. They explained and presented every option I had regarding my window tint. I got my entire Tesla Model Y tinted and I can tell a HUGE difference in temperature.”
Alyssa G., May 2023
“They did a fantastic job with my Tesla Plaid. Efficient, professional, great reputation and beautiful job!”
michael f., November 2021
Tesla window tint is its own kind of job
Tinting a Tesla takes more know-how than tinting most cars. The design that makes a Tesla look the way it does, and the technology packed inside it, both make the job harder. San Antonio Tesla owners trust us with every model, and we’ve tinted hundreds of Teslas.
We don’t just tint them, either. I drive a Tesla, and so does Sally. Our daughter and our granddaughter drive Teslas too, so most of the questions you’ll ask at the counter are ones we’ve already asked about our own cars.
Below, we’ll cover what makes every Tesla a challenge to tint, then go through the Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X one at a time.
Why Teslas are harder to tint than most cars
Three things set a Tesla apart from a regular car in the tint bay: the size and curve of the glass, the electronics, and the battery.
Bigger, more curved glass
Tesla’s sleek, aerodynamic design means bigger windows with more curve than most cars have. The Model X windshield, for one, runs right up over the driver’s head for a panoramic view. Film on glass that curved has to go on with real precision, or it creases and bubbles. The upside is that all that glass gets more out of a good heat-rejecting film than a regular car does.
Cameras and sensors
Teslas carry cameras and sensors for their safety and driver-assist features, some on the inside of the windshield and some around the windows. The film has to go on without covering them or interfering with them, because a blocked sensor can affect how the car performs and how safe it is. Done right, the tint still blocks UV and cuts glare for everyone in the car.
The high-voltage battery
An electric car brings extra safety rules to the bay. Installers have to take care not to cause any electrical interference or damage while they work, and that takes training and tools made for electric vehicles.
Why Tesla experience matters
Pick an installer who’s done a lot of Teslas. They know the quirks and they’ve got the tools for them. Our customers tell us it shows in the finished car.
3M Ceramic IR: our pick for any Tesla
The right film makes the job easier and the result better, especially on curved glass in a high-tech car. We recommend 3M Ceramic IR for every Tesla model. It’s a high infrared-blocking film, and 3M says that even in virtually clear shades it blocks nearly 80% of the infrared heat, along with 99.9% of harmful UV.
That means you can keep the front side windows light, stay inside the Texas tint law and still feel the difference on your arm in July. It’s ceramic, with no metal in it, so it won’t get in the way of your phone or GPS.
Want the most heat rejection at the lightest shade? Ask about 3M Crystalline when you call.
Window tinting the Tesla Model 3
The Tesla Model 3 can be a tough car to tint. Three parts of it need special care: the frameless doors, the huge rear window and the windshield.
Frameless doors
The Model 3 doors are frameless, so there’s no frame above or beside the door glass. Instead, the window drops slightly when you open the door and rises again when you close it. That’s a challenge for tinting, because the glass has to be in the up position while the film goes on, and the door has to be open to do it.
An experienced tinter tricks the window into thinking the door is closed by triggering the door latch. The one thing you never do is close the door with the glass up, because that can damage the outside trim or even shatter the window. Our installers have tinted a lot of Model 3s, and they take great care that your Tesla never gets damaged. Window film on a Model 3 cuts the solar heat, keeps the cabin more comfortable and protects the interior.
The 60 by 70 inch rear window
The Model 3 rear window is one of the harder installs on any car. It’s extremely large, with a complex compound curve, and it runs from the bottom of the rear deck to above the heads of the back-seat passengers. It takes a single piece of film 60 inches wide and 70 inches long.
That film then has to be heat shrunk with a heat gun until it matches the curve of the glass. It’s slow work, because too much heat stresses the film and one wrong move creases it. Our installers have hundreds of hours of hands-on experience tinting the Model 3. The finished rear glass blocks UV rays and helps keep the interior from fading.
The windshield and the front screen
The Model 3 windshield is big and curved too, and the dash and the front screen sit right below it. Window film goes on wet, so we protect both. The screen gets a cover designed for it, the dash gets its own cover, and a specialized microfiber rope goes between the windshield and the dash to keep water from getting behind the dash. A Tesla has a lot of onboard computers, and none of them are thirsty. Texas has its own rules for windshield tint, and we explain them on our windshield tint in Texas page.
Tinting the Tesla Model Y
The Model Y has frameless doors too, so it gets the same careful door-latch routine as the Model 3. It also comes with factory privacy glass on the rear doors and the rear window, and a glass roof that runs the length of the car.
Factory privacy glass
Privacy glass gives you some privacy, but very little heat rejection. It only cuts visible light, so it doesn’t block infrared heat or UV. Most privacy glass lets 20% to 22% of the visible light through.
Privacy glass isn’t a film, so there’s nothing to remove. We tint right over it, and most Model Y owners choose to, for more privacy and much better heat rejection. With a ceramic film you can go darker or keep the glass exactly as dark as it is now, and still block the heat. 3M window tint on a Model Y keeps the cabin cooler, blocks UV and adds privacy.
The panoramic glass roof
The Model Y’s glass roof runs from the front of the car all the way to the back, and yes, it can be tinted. The roof glass isn’t fully clear, so it already cuts some visible light, but it does nothing about UV or infrared heat. That’s why so many Model Y owners have it filmed.
The roof has to be done in one large piece of film, about the size of two windshields. Shrinking a piece that big without distorting it is hard for a lot of installers, so the roof gets extra time and care, both in the shrinking and in the install.
Seat covers and a dry interior
When film goes on the roof, the seats and upholstery have to be protected from the water. We cover every seat and interior surface first, with seat covers made for exactly this job. Leather seats don’t need a shower.
The Model Y windshield is large and curved like the Model 3’s, so it gets the same protection: a cover on the front screen, a dash cover, and the microfiber rope between the glass and the dash.
Tinting the Tesla Model S
The Tesla Model S is the luxury line, and it usually comes with two screens, one up front and one in the back. Both have to be protected from water during the install, so each one gets a waterproof screen cover.
Protecting the interior
You’ve probably already pictured water running down the back of that screen. So have we. The leather and the finishes in a Model S can be damaged by too much moisture, especially while film goes on the big roof, because water drips from the roof as the squeegee works. Every seat gets covered before we start.
Clear side glass and a privacy-glass roof
The Model S doesn’t come with privacy glass, so the side windows and the rear window are all clear. The roof does have privacy glass, but a layer of ceramic tint on it still adds UV protection and boosts heat rejection by blocking infrared heat.
The windshield
Like the Model 3 and Model Y, the Model S has a large, curved windshield. It gets the same screen cover, dash cover and microfiber rope. A Tesla has a lot of onboard computers, and we’d like every one of them to stay dry.
Tinting the Tesla Model X
The Model X is Tesla’s other luxury model, and it’s the most challenging Tesla to tint, without question. The reason is the windshield. It’s extra large, and it flows straight into the sunroof above the driver and front passenger.
A two-person windshield
A plastic trim piece runs down the middle of that windshield, which makes it harder still. It’s usually a two-person install, with extra time and an extra pair of hands to get the film on right.
The falcon-wing doors
The Model X rear doors open upward, and each one has a roll-down window and a small sunroof built in. That’s a lot more glass to tint, and it takes more time.
Choosing the right shade
The Model X has factory privacy glass, so the shade you pick matters. Go too dark on top of it and your view out at night drops off sharply. We’ll help you pick a shade that keeps the heat out and the road visible after dark.
Caring for the film
Clean tinted glass gently, with products that won’t hurt the film, and the view stays clear. Ask us what to use when you pick up the car. And like every Tesla we tint, the Model X gets its interior and electronics covered before any film goes on.
Professional installation from people who drive Teslas
We tint Teslas and we drive them, and we take pride in every one that comes through the shop. In San Antonio’s heat and sun, Tesla window tint earns its keep with UV protection, less heat and more privacy.
Protecting the inside of your Tesla is high on our list, so we follow the same steps on every one we tint. We also cut every window on a state-of-the-art computer plotter instead of trimming film by hand on the glass. No blade goes near your glass, your trim or your paint.
Tinting a Tesla has its challenges, but they’re all manageable with the right knowledge and the right approach. Know the car and follow the steps, and you get every benefit of window tint without changing how the car works or how safe it is. We tint every kind of car in San Antonio, and homes too. Teslas are just the ones the family drives home in.
Teslas we've tinted lately
Three recent Teslas from the shop
Tesla Model 3. Frameless doors, and a rear window that takes one 60 by 70 inch piece of film, heat shrunk to fit the curve.
Two white Teslas. Lined up in our lot on Grissom Road. Nobody here minds the view, since Kevin, Sally, their daughter and their granddaughter all drive Teslas.
Tesla Model 3, finished. 3M film, cut on the computer plotter and installed by hand, with the screen and dash covered first.
We’ve tinted hundreds of Teslas, and more than 120,000 cars since 1989. Eric S. put it simply in June 2022: “I had my 2022 Tesla done and I’m glad I did. They did the entire car and it looks fantastic!”
More recent work from the shop
Tesla Window Tint Frequently Asked Questions
Questions Tesla owners ask before they book
Can you tint a Tesla glass roof?
Yes. The Model Y roof takes one large piece of film, about the size of two windshields, and the Model S roof can take a layer of ceramic tint over its privacy glass. Roof film adds UV protection and blocks infrared heat, which the factory roof glass doesn’t do much about.
Will window tint get in the way of my Tesla's cameras and sensors?
No. We put the film on without covering or interfering with the cameras and sensors on the windshield and around the windows. 3M Ceramic IR has no metal in it either, so it won’t get in the way of your phone or GPS.
Is Tesla window tint legal in Texas?
Yes, when it’s installed to the Texas rule, and that’s the only way we install it. The front side windows have to be 25% or lighter and the back windows can be any darkness. The windshield has its own rules, which we explain on our windshield tint in Texas page.
Do I have to remove the Model Y's factory privacy glass first?
No. Privacy glass is tinted glass rather than film, so there’s nothing to remove. We tint right over it, which adds the heat rejection and UV protection the privacy glass doesn’t give you.
Which 3M film is best for a Tesla?
We recommend 3M Ceramic IR for every Tesla model. 3M says it blocks nearly 80% of the infrared heat even in virtually clear shades, along with 99.9% of UV. If you want the most heat rejection at the lightest shade, ask about 3M Crystalline.
How do you keep water away from the screens and electronics?
Every screen gets a waterproof cover and the dash gets its own cover. A microfiber rope goes between the windshield and the dash to stop water getting behind it. When we film a roof, every seat gets covered too.
How long does it take to tint a Tesla?
Most cars are done the same visit, and our customers report anywhere from about 45 minutes to two and a half hours for a full car. A Model X windshield or a full glass roof takes extra time. Ask when you call and we’ll tell you what to expect for your model.
What warranty comes with Tesla window tint?
A lifetime film warranty. It covers the film bubbling, peeling or discoloring. We re-apply failed film free, labor included. When there’s a problem, we make it right.
How much does Tesla window tint cost?
Every Tesla gets its own free quote, by phone or through the form. The model, the film and whether you want the roof or the windshield done set the price, and we’ll tell you the number before you drive over.
Areas we serve
The shop is at 7607 Grissom Road, Suite 114, on the northwest side of San Antonio. Most of our car customers come from the city itself and the towns around it.
- New Braunfels. A straight run down I-35 or the back way through Bulverde. Plenty of New Braunfels drivers make the trip for 3M film.
- Boerne. Twenty-odd miles up I-10. We’ve done work in Boerne for years, including the security film on St. Peter’s Catholic School. Window tinting in Boerne.
- Alamo Heights, Stone Oak and Castle Hills. All inside the loop or just past it, all a short drive to Grissom Road.
- Converse and Seguin. East side and beyond. Worth the drive for a film you’ll keep as long as the car.
- San Marcos and Kerrville. A longer drive for a car, so most of our San Marcos and Kerrville work is home and commercial film, where we travel to the job.
Home or business instead of a car? That’s home window tinting, and we do travel for it.
Visit us from San Antonio
Fletch Window Tint is at 7607 Grissom Road, Suite 114, San Antonio, TX 78251, on the northwest side off Loop 1604 and Culebra Road. Open Monday to Saturday, 9:30am to 5:30pm.
Get your free Tesla window tint quote
Tell us which Tesla you drive and the year, and whether you want the roof or the windshield done too. We’ll call you back with a free quote.
Or call (210) 669-2940. Monday to Saturday, 9:30am to 5:30pm. A person answers.
