Wow!! Your description is basically the exact description I just experienced Friday night in my 2017 (March) Tesla Model S (except that mine was the left front).
I was backing out of a parking space at the local supermarket, heard the same type of noise and thought exactly the same thing, checked under the car, just like you. But, I also noticed that the bottom part of the body right behind the wheel well was sticking out about an inch...I wondered if someone hit the car while I was in the supermarket... However, that seemed very unlikely because this was so low on the car, and also there was no evidence of an inward impact anywhere on the car or wheels.
I drove a little further and light braking caused the "jacking up" you mention, but I wasn't sure what was going on. I looked in the wheel well and saw the wheel well liner (fabric/soft plastic) had been dislodged and was crumpling up. I figured maybe it was just that the liner had come loose and was peeling off (a more minor thing).
Since it was Friday at 7pm and dark, like you I figured I'd try to mellowly drive home (and check the Sentry footage to see if anything happened).
The one exception was a sudden red light caused me to have to brake, which caused the noise and smoke to increase (and I felt, but didn't quite fully perceive the jacking up). So, I drove the rest of the way using only regenerative braking until my driveway, which I entered at ~2-3mph so no real braking.
I asked the supermarket if they had surveillance video, just to rule out a collision of some sort while parked, but unfortunately, my car, parked right in front of the store, was in a "blind spot".
Unfortunately, my last Sentry data was from September 30 (I think I took the USB drive out to view on my MacBook, but must have replaced the drive insecurely, so it didn't capture footage). I hoped maybe there would be some data in the "cloud".
I contacted Tesla who said I'd have to sit until Monday when the service centers were open again.
On Monday morning, after some back and forth between service center and body shop (at times they recommended each alternatively as the discussion progressed and I was transferred to specialists in each area), the conclusion was that I should get the car towed to a service center.
I also submitted a "Privacy Data Request" (
Obtain a Copy of the Data Associated With Your Tesla Account) for Nov 6-7 as instructed to see if there was any Sentry data in the cloud. It says it can take up to 30 days, but I got mine in less than 24 hours. Unfortunately there was no data at all relating to the vehicle data itself, just my Tesla account and warranty information.
So, I needed to arrange a tow. I was thinking that Tesla Roadside assistance would cover it, but the rep said that since it *possibly* could be caused by a collision, I would have to pay $210 now and then ask for a refund later if it didn't turn out to be a collision. I told the guy I seriously doubted it was a collision, but didn't want to take the risk of a fight over $210, and since I have AAA, I used one of my free tows.
Here's where it got tricky...I live on a hill with quite a bit of grade, so when the tow truck arrived, I tried to gingerly back the car to the street so I could get it to the flatbed ramp driving down parallel to the street. After backing into the street and trying to go forward, the "jacking up" of the front right wheel started (because I had to brake to prevent running down the hill). It was bad enough to see a freaked out expression on the tow truck driver's face. Now I was in a fix--in the street at a perpendicular angle. The only solution was for the tow truck to drive into the across the street neighbor's driveway and back up to me, blocking this busy street up and down the hill. People were pissed!! But it was the only way, so we had to take it.
Tesla just confirmed this morning that it was the control arm, and I have asked for photos (I don't know if I'll get them, as it certainly presents them in a less than favorable light out here on the boards).
I posted a couple of photos of what it looked like from the exterior, before knowing it was the control arm (and being able to look under the car).
And based on this thread, I will ask if they are planning to replace the right side control arm as well (not sure about rear ones)!
Cheers,
Dr Azin
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