(21 Plaid) Something is popping when my wheel turns or the car moves at low speeds.

[n2mb_racing]

Sorry to hear, but I’m frankly not surprised. There’s been some shady stuff happening with service centers as of late. Either they claim they test drove it and couldn’t reproduce, where in fact they didn’t even bother doing a proper test drive (if any at all), or they claim they repaired the issue and it’s so obvious the issue is still present. My conspiracy theory is that Tesla is trying to avoid having to buy back cars through lemon law claims, and are using these BS service invoices as “proof” that they did attempt to repair issues “in good faith”…

Actually, the noise might be gone now. We'll see. They did drive my car to road test it several times.

Also, I think working on the car wouldn't avoid a lemon law claim. Even if they try to fix it, if they can't fix it after a certain number of tries, it's eligible for a lemon law claim.

 

[RalphsRedModS]

I have a 2021 Plaid S as well and mine makes this funny sound . Usually at very low speed with wheels turned sharply to the left. I describe it as a low bass note string being plucked on a piano. 74,000 km and it's been doing it all along. Something must be causing it.

 

[RalphsRedModS]

I have the same noise. It is most obvious during low speed maneuvers like turning around in my driveway or parking spots. I’ve also picked up on it at speed when turning if it’s bumpy just right. Service appointment for 2/17.

You describe it well. My car does the same. Maybe getting worse with time. 74,000 km now.

 

[n2mb_racing]

I have a 2021 Plaid S as well and mine makes this funny sound . Usually at very low speed with wheels turned sharply to the left. I describe it as a low bass note string being plucked on a piano. 74,000 km and it's been doing it all along. Something must be causing it.

Mine is a very different sound. Mine is creaking like a rusty truck.

 

[L@urens]

For me, it was the bash/skid plate.
I removed the cover, the skid plate with the alu bar and separated them. Cleaned all the dirt and grime and dried them. Then added some tape like below.

Also added tape to the rear inside edge that touches the battery pack front.

Bolted it all down in sequence (inside to outside) to 70Nm (aside from the small bolts that are ~10Nm).

Result: car is silent! Huray!

 

[SDRick]

For me, it was the bash/skid plate.
I removed the cover, the skid plate with the alu bar and separated them. Cleaned all the dirt and grime and dried them. Then added some tape like below.

Also added tape to the rear inside edge that touches the battery pack front.

Bolted it all down in sequence (inside to outside) to 70Nm (aside from the small bolts that are ~10Nm).

Result: car is silent! Huray!

View attachment 952910

Way to go! Nice job L@urens!

As I mentioned up thread I checked the torque on the bolts and they seem to be in spec after the first service center did not fix the problem.. The second service center I tried did exactly what you did, which solved the problem!

It's nice to have relief from the creaking noise.

 

[n2mb_racing]

For me, it was the bash/skid plate.
I removed the cover, the skid plate with the alu bar and separated them. Cleaned all the dirt and grime and dried them. Then added some tape like below.

Also added tape to the rear inside edge that touches the battery pack front.

Bolted it all down in sequence (inside to outside) to 70Nm (aside from the small bolts that are ~10Nm).

Result: car is silent! Huray!

View attachment 952910

That's great! Did yours sound like this?
Creaking Suspension

Also, what kind of tape did you use? Fabric tape?

 

[SDRick]

Hard to tell on the recording but my noise was similar and also louder from the outside of the car.

 

[L@urens]

Way to go! Nice job L@urens!

As I mentioned up thread I checked the torque on the bolts and they seem to be in spec after the first service center did not fix the problem.. The second service center I tried did exactly what you did, which solved the problem!

It's nice to have relief from the creaking noise.

Yea, just (re)torque is not going to cut it with sand, grit and stuff in between.

 

[L@urens]

That's great! Did yours sound like this?
Creaking Suspension

Also, what kind of tape did you use? Fabric tape?

Yes same sound. You’d think it’s from the dash but it is not. I used cloth/fabric tape indeed.

 

[Evil EV]

I went to an independent ev repair shop to check out my aftermarket brake kit install. Those fellows pointed out that my half shafts where failing and this was the cause of rattling from my front suspension. I’m getting the half shafts checked out from tesla service. The funny thing is that tesla acknowledged the half shafts are failing on the plaid and long range and they have no fix for it. Even after the new half shafts get installed they will also fail. They are apparently working on a updated half shaft design. No idea when that is gonna come out. The only solution for now is to get aftermarket lowering links, drop the suspension by about 1/2” all around. This is more of a bandaid but at least my time is not going to wasted repeatedly.
Grr

 

[kimi1983]

For me, it was the bash/skid plate.
I removed the cover, the skid plate with the alu bar and separated them. Cleaned all the dirt and grime and dried them. Then added some tape like below.

Also added tape to the rear inside edge that touches the battery pack front.

Bolted it all down in sequence (inside to outside) to 70Nm (aside from the small bolts that are ~10Nm).

Result: car is silent! Huray!

View attachment 952910

Hello,

my car was already twice in the service center. Still not solved.
They said : Dropped the skidplate, lubricated an retorqued

Did the car stand on the wheels when you dropped the skidplate ?

Here is my noise :

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drive.google.com

Could this be the skidplate or something else ?

Best regards,
Kim from Luxemburg

 

[L@urens]

For me, it was the bash/skid plate.
I removed the cover, the skid plate with the alu bar and separated them. Cleaned all the dirt and grime and dried them. Then added some tape like below.

Also added tape to the rear inside edge that touches the battery pack front.

Bolted it all down in sequence (inside to outside) to 70Nm (aside from the small bolts that are ~10Nm).

Result: car is silent! Huray!

View attachment 952910

Update; I had some clicking/popping return after a few days.
Found some time this week and removed the bolts one by one and applied Loctite 2701 and retorqued to 70Nm.
So far so good.

I don't really understand the 'lubrication' part that Tesla seems to do. Is there an (online) service bulletin on this?

 

[kimi1983]

S

Update; I had some clicking/popping return after a few days.
Found some time this week and removed the bolts one by one and applied Loctite 2701 and retorqued to 70Nm.
So far so good.

I don't really understand the 'lubrication' part that Tesla seems to do. Is there an (online) service bulletin on this?

Sad that the issue returned...it is driving me crazy. Still waiting on a solution. I am not sure that an official service bulletin exists.

Keep us informed.

Best regards,
Kim

 

[n2mb_racing]

Update; I had some clicking/popping return after a few days.
Found some time this week and removed the bolts one by one and applied Loctite 2701 and retorqued to 70Nm.
So far so good.

I don't really understand the 'lubrication' part that Tesla seems to do. Is there an (online) service bulletin on this?

Is the loctite 2701 removable? And these are the bolts on the bash plate, right?

 

[kimi1983]

Update; I had some clicking/popping return after a few days.
Found some time this week and removed the bolts one by one and applied Loctite 2701 and retorqued to 70Nm.
So far so good.

I don't really understand the 'lubrication' part that Tesla seems to do. Is there an (online) service bulletin on this?

Any news regarding your latest fix?
Still quiet?

 

[Sajad]

Hi all I have 2023 MS with yoke and 21” wheels
8k miles. Went to SC a month ago and was kept for 3 days for complaint of creaking noise Left front with turning and bumps. Angelo replaced all front jointed suspension components/retorqued-he’s very expert. He was almost finished and they pulled him. Got better after the first SC visit but lasted for 3 day. Now is worse. A new guy who he thought was also as expert as Angelou’s Woking on it. I have the car in SC again on day 2 today
and Angelo says IMO it’s “left front frame rail and lock carrier”. Let’s hope it is resolved

 

[L@urens]

Any news regarding your latest fix?
Still quiet?

Still fully silent after the loctite. 2701 is a strong one but still removable with force or some heat.

 

[Evil EV]

Hi all I have 2023 MS with yoke and 21” wheels
8k miles. Went to SC a month ago and was kept for 3 days for complaint of creaking noise Left front with turning and bumps. Angelo replaced all front jointed suspension components/retorqued-he’s very expert. He was almost finished and they pulled him. Got better after the first SC visit but lasted for 3 day. Now is worse. A new guy who he thought was also as expert as Angelou’s Woking on it. I have the car in SC again on day 2 today
and Angelo says IMO it’s “left front frame rail and lock carrier”. Let’s hope it is resolved

I have a maddening popping noise on small bumbs. Recently I went to an independent EV repair shop after Tesla SC could not find the source. They diagnosed my car with half shaft failure. The SC changed my half shafts under warranty. I was hoping the sound would go away. Unfortunately the sound is more so a combination of multiple sounds. It partially went away. The noise I hear now still occurs on bumby roads at low speed.

The lastest diagnosis is a failing power steering rack is causing the noise.
The EV repair shop took a video. The rack sounds horrible.
At this point I’m seriously thinking of selling the car and taking a depreciation hit (thanks Elon)
So check your power steering rack and your half shafts

 

[n2mb_racing]

The lastest diagnosis is a failing power steering rack is causing the noise.
The EV repair shop took a video. The rack sounds horrible.
At this point I’m seriously thinking of selling the car and taking a depreciation hit (thanks Elon)
So check your power steering rack and your half shafts

I'm trying to have Tesla buy mine back under lemon law