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Clicking noise when accelerating
- Thread starter Oceans808
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- clicking noise
Dolemite
is my name
They claim that it’s dirt & debris that’s getting caught in-between the brake rotor and the hub. It’s entering through the 5 holes that are machined into the rotor. I’m planning on making a more detailed thread/video about it - it’s the only thing that makes sense... so I’m inclined to believe them and hope they’re right.NOPE. Clicking not resolved. Forward, reverse with steering wheel locked left or right. Now it happens when car rolling at very slow speeds and hitting the accelerator.
@Dolemite , how did your appointment go?
SK360
Member
I started noticing rotational based clicking yesterday, I thought it was something in a tire or brakes but when I swapped my 20's back on this morning I couldn't find anything. Someone sent me this video from yesterday and you can def hear it. I'm not sure if this is the same type of clicking you guys had with axle issues
I have a service appointment next week for something else, I guess I need to add this to the list.
I have a service appointment next week for something else, I guess I need to add this to the list.
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Dolemite
is my name
Wish you got a closer shot but it sounds very similar - see my previous post as to the suspected cause. May explain why it went away when you swapped. Mine has yet to return after my previous visit, but I'm sure it's on its way...
It seems (maybe?) to be most common with OEM wheels since they have "channels" machined into the hub of the wheel that allow debris to enter the hub/rotor mating surface.
SK360
Member
It hasn't gone away on my OEM wheels that I know of.... I also haven't driven on it since I noticed the noise and swapped the wheels back this morning (did it before my first meeting so it's still sitting in the driveway). I am going to drive it tonight on OEM wheels to see. We just did a 1300 mile road trip and when I got home Saturday I swapped to my AutoX setup and noticed it on the way to the event yesterday.
Makes sense about the rotor to hub and debris, moved the rotor a bunch and hit it a few times when the wheels were off, also turned it listening for sounds but nothing except the rotor turning slightly and hitting the studs and the typical driveline slop.
XLR82XS
D M C
@SK360 that video sounds close to what my 2020 is experiencing only more rapid obviously due to higher acceleration rate.
The clicking in conjunction with the deeper tone click/clunk when turning the wheel entering driveways, parking garages, etc... leads me think something is going on with sway bar mounting, control arm, ball joints or steering rack. Other reported upper control arm replacements and steering rack issues add to my concern in that area. The LF axle shaft Tesla replaced earlier this month did not do anything to resolve the issue.
Getting back to SC is difficult as they want to road test with me but their limitations due to COVID are preventing that. The car drives ok so I'm going to leave it be for now. It can only get worse and there is plenty of warranty remaining.
The clicking in conjunction with the deeper tone click/clunk when turning the wheel entering driveways, parking garages, etc... leads me think something is going on with sway bar mounting, control arm, ball joints or steering rack. Other reported upper control arm replacements and steering rack issues add to my concern in that area. The LF axle shaft Tesla replaced earlier this month did not do anything to resolve the issue.
Getting back to SC is difficult as they want to road test with me but their limitations due to COVID are preventing that. The car drives ok so I'm going to leave it be for now. It can only get worse and there is plenty of warranty remaining.
Dolemite
is my name
Alright here's the story I've heard. What you're experiencing may or may not be some variant of this. Who knows. But everything I've been through tells me there's a good *probability* that this is the truth...
Basically, if you look at the hub of our OEM 18s, there are channels machined into the bosses or whatever they're called:
I believe the OEM 19 & 20s may be similar.
This allows dirt & other crap to enter through the holes in the brake rotor. For the noobs: a small bolt (not shown in this pic) is used to fasten the rotor to the hub to keep it from being a general pain in the ass while you're assembling/working on the car... otherwise the only thing holding the rotor in place is the lug nuts when they're sandwiching the wheel. It's a fairly inconsequential but helpful thing in every car. That's why these holes exist - there are five for ease of assembly during production on the TM3. Can't recall whether there are 5 on other cars:
The holes line up with these areas of the hub:
The hubs are machined so that there's a considerable "alley" that allows dirt & stuff to accumulate:
I'm not exactly clear on is what happens next. I assume that over time, dirt, debris, brake dust, and other *sugar* gathers up in there and eventually starts getting ground down into even smaller particles from the microscopic play between the hub & rotor. It eventually works its way into some tiny area(s) in the mating surface between rotor & hub. Since it's a 4,000+ lbs car and the forces are massive, I don't imagine it takes much for this to make a lot of noise once they're in there, and the wheel's doing its job.
It also may explain why removing & reinstalling my wheel makes the noise go away for a few hundred miles. Since the brake rotor is sandwiched by the wheel & hub and has 5x 129 lbs ft-lbs nuts holding it all together, once that tension is released, it's possible that these theoretical particles get dislodged.
When mine returns, I may try plugging the holes (or something) to see if that changes anything. If not, I might lube the area between hub & rotor so that debris "sticks" and can't migrate anywhere. If either of these work and the noise doesn't return, we can be confident that's it... Only time will tell. But I do hope it's this, since it's fairly minor.
Basically, if you look at the hub of our OEM 18s, there are channels machined into the bosses or whatever they're called:
I believe the OEM 19 & 20s may be similar.
This allows dirt & other crap to enter through the holes in the brake rotor. For the noobs: a small bolt (not shown in this pic) is used to fasten the rotor to the hub to keep it from being a general pain in the ass while you're assembling/working on the car... otherwise the only thing holding the rotor in place is the lug nuts when they're sandwiching the wheel. It's a fairly inconsequential but helpful thing in every car. That's why these holes exist - there are five for ease of assembly during production on the TM3. Can't recall whether there are 5 on other cars:
The holes line up with these areas of the hub:
The hubs are machined so that there's a considerable "alley" that allows dirt & stuff to accumulate:
I'm not exactly clear on is what happens next. I assume that over time, dirt, debris, brake dust, and other *sugar* gathers up in there and eventually starts getting ground down into even smaller particles from the microscopic play between the hub & rotor. It eventually works its way into some tiny area(s) in the mating surface between rotor & hub. Since it's a 4,000+ lbs car and the forces are massive, I don't imagine it takes much for this to make a lot of noise once they're in there, and the wheel's doing its job.
It also may explain why removing & reinstalling my wheel makes the noise go away for a few hundred miles. Since the brake rotor is sandwiched by the wheel & hub and has 5x 129 lbs ft-lbs nuts holding it all together, once that tension is released, it's possible that these theoretical particles get dislodged.
When mine returns, I may try plugging the holes (or something) to see if that changes anything. If not, I might lube the area between hub & rotor so that debris "sticks" and can't migrate anywhere. If either of these work and the noise doesn't return, we can be confident that's it... Only time will tell. But I do hope it's this, since it's fairly minor.
Last edited:
SK360
Member
Alright here's the story I've heard. What you're experiencing may or may not be some variant of this. Who knows. But everything I've been through tells me there's a good *probability* that this is the truth...
Basically, if you look at the hub of our OEM 18s, there are channels machined into the bosses or whatever they're called:
I believe the OEM 19 & 20s may be similar.
This allows dirt & other crap to enter through the holes in the brake rotor. For the noobs: a small bolt (not shown in this pic) is used to fasten the rotor to the hub to keep it from being a general pain in the ass while you're assembling/working on the car... otherwise the only thing holding the rotor in place is the lug nuts when they're sandwiching the wheel. It's a fairly inconsequential but helpful thing in every car. That's why these holes exist - there are five for ease of assembly during production on the TM3. Can't recall whether there are 5 on other cars:
The holes line up with these areas of the hub:
The hubs are machined so that there's a considerable "alley" that allows dirt & stuff to accumulate:
I'm not exactly clear on is what happens next. I assume that over time, dirt, debris, brake dust, and other *sugar* gathers up in there and eventually starts getting ground down into even smaller particles from the microscopic play between the hub & rotor. It eventually works its way into some tiny area(s) in the mating surface between rotor & hub. Since it's a 4,000+ lbs car and the forces are massive, I don't imagine it takes much for this to make a lot of noise once they're in there, and the wheel's doing its job.
It also may explain why removing & reinstalling my wheel makes the noise go away for a few hundred miles. Since the brake rotor is sandwiched by the wheel & hub and has 5x 129 lbs ft-lbs nuts holding it all together, once that tension is released, it's possible that these theoretical particles get dislodged.
When mine returns, I may try plugging the holes (or something) to see if that changes anything. If not, I might lube the area between hub & rotor so that debris "sticks" and can't migrate anywhere. If either of these work and the noise doesn't return, we can be confident that's it... Only time will tell. But I do hope it's this, since it's fairly minor.
Good theory and you may be right. Interesting on the 5 holes, my performance rotors don’t have 5, just one with the assembly bolt in it.
HOWEVER something interesting, when I was mounting my race wheels Saturday evening I noticed the assembly bolt was halfway backed out on the front left so I took it out and mounted the wheels which leaves the hole completely exposed due to the wheel design and then I started to notice the sound and it sounded like it was coming from that corner.
When I put my OEM wheels back on this morning I put the bolt back in just Incase it somehow contributed to the sound. I just put 60 miles on it and confirmed I no longer have the annoying sound.
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XLR82XS
D M C
Interested guys. My clicking started at LOW mileage and zero debris at the hubs/rotors. (not even rain driving during FL winter when I took delivery) It's load specific and when gently accelerating it does not occur. My noise is accompanied by popping as well when moving at parking lot speeds and turning the steering wheel.
Something is going on with axles/steering rack/suspension and I may check it out myself on a hoist in the coming weeks.
Something is going on with axles/steering rack/suspension and I may check it out myself on a hoist in the coming weeks.
XLR82XS
D M C
Forgot to add: Mobile tech came out the first time I heard it on the 2020 and he said the axle nuts were VERY LOOSE.
(I posted this a while back)
(I posted this a while back)
XLR82XS
D M C
Ha! Funny thing is I have owned 2 Accords. '94 & '97. Both SOLID with zero issues. Both used hard and put away wet. Tons of mileage and nothing but wear item maintenance.
XLR82XS
D M C
Jacked it up today and checked suspension components and sway bar links - all seem within spec. The lower ball joints have very little movement and, based on my 20+ years in the automotive world, they do not seem the culprit. Judging by how and when the noise occurs I still think it's in the steering even though inner and outer tie-rods are tight.
that_HMMWV_guy
Member
Has anyone figured this out yet? Mine is making the clicking/popping sound while accelerating and turning right. I took delivery in March 2020 and noticed the sound about a month after I got it.
I took it to my closest SC, which is 3 hours away for them just to tell me it’s the axle boot getting warm and sticking to itself. They claimed that they lubed the boot and it fixed it. But that’s not the case. By the time I got back home it was doing the same exact thing. Here is a video of mine.
I took it to my closest SC, which is 3 hours away for them just to tell me it’s the axle boot getting warm and sticking to itself. They claimed that they lubed the boot and it fixed it. But that’s not the case. By the time I got back home it was doing the same exact thing. Here is a video of mine.
that_HMMWV_guy
Member
Dolemite may be on to something with the wheel removal temporarily making the noise go away. I removed the wheel after making the video today to inspect the suspension better. Which I couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary. I took it for a drive afterwards and the noise is now gone.
My thinking is that the SC removed the wheel when they lubricated the outside of the axle boot and that temporarily made the sound go away, so they thought that fixed the problem.
My thinking is that the SC removed the wheel when they lubricated the outside of the axle boot and that temporarily made the sound go away, so they thought that fixed the problem.
Dolemite
is my name
Mine hasn't returned since - I'm waiting for it to come back so that I can start experimenting. Most plausible thing I've heard thus far... remains to be seen.
XLR82XS
D M C
I had the axle lube thing done months ago. That lasted ~2 weeks. Maybe the U-joint itself is the culprit. Time to remove CV boots!
The hubs are machined so that there's a considerable "alley" that allows dirt & stuff to accumulate:
.
My model 3 and my brother's one have had the same problem.
Click noises when steering or accelerating.
My brother called Tesla and they sent a mobile assistance guy that assured him it was nothing to worry about, only some quite invisible debris between the machined surface of the hub and the rotor".
Guy left without solve the problem :-/
Next day i removed the rim, screw that keep rotor against the hub and then moved the disc some mm away from the hub, cleaned surfaces with air compressor and reassembled all things.
click noises disappeared on both the cars.
So i think Dolemite is right.
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