Well, just 2 weeks after my last service visit where they replaced the drive unit, I now have a different sound coming from the rear left. It's a crackling type sound (as if you're bending plastic or small pebbles are rolling around in a plastic tub) and is most noticable when accelerating from a standstill. Any ideas what it might be?
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Crackling sound from rear left
- Thread starter brokensendhelp
- Start date
beatle
Active Member
tmyl21
Member
What year is your MS build and how many miles on it? It may be the result of 'wear' or loss of lubricant in the splines.
The sound may be coming from the splines in the wheels. I have a similar thing going on and it's usually heard when accelerating from a standstill and the 'crack' sound or what sounds like a welded hinge breaking free and coming undone, I know scary, coming from the rear.
It is the conclusion I have come up with in my circumstance without taking in to the SC for a diagnosis by Tesla. I may be wrong on your issue and/or mine but after extensive research and reading I feel it is a more than likely conclusion.
Avoid hard repeated acceleration until further diagnosis is performed. It is my understanding that it is not too much of an issue short-term and a heavy lube needs to be packed in the hubs to prevent the splines from knocking metal on metal.
The sound may be coming from the splines in the wheels. I have a similar thing going on and it's usually heard when accelerating from a standstill and the 'crack' sound or what sounds like a welded hinge breaking free and coming undone, I know scary, coming from the rear.
It is the conclusion I have come up with in my circumstance without taking in to the SC for a diagnosis by Tesla. I may be wrong on your issue and/or mine but after extensive research and reading I feel it is a more than likely conclusion.
Avoid hard repeated acceleration until further diagnosis is performed. It is my understanding that it is not too much of an issue short-term and a heavy lube needs to be packed in the hubs to prevent the splines from knocking metal on metal.
Hello and thanks for your reply. It's a 2013 mod with ~130k km. I originally had a loud banging sound coming from the rear whenever I was turning. I was 100% sure it was the half shafts and the spline banging against the hub, but Tesla took it in and replaced the DU and it was perfectly fine after. This sound is nowhere near that banging sound so I don't think this is the splines. Especially not right after Tesla serviced it.
Many Model 3 owners with the exact same creaking has said that the sway bar links needes re-torquing. Tesla replaced the links on mine when they replaced the DU. Super weird, hope that it's the links to I can do it at home.
tmyl21
Member
Hello that is great information @brokensendhelp
I am thinking if whether Tesla would consider my issue a drive unit problem and want to replace it despite only that creaking noise that I am experiencing for some time now albeit the sway bar links or some other related issue.
What is your opinion @brokensendhelp?
I am thinking if whether Tesla would consider my issue a drive unit problem and want to replace it despite only that creaking noise that I am experiencing for some time now albeit the sway bar links or some other related issue.
What is your opinion @brokensendhelp?
beatle
Active Member
If you only have this creaking noise they won't replace the DU, because that's not where the fault is. Do you have the exact same sound as in the video?
Seawind300
Member
My ranger found it best with raising and lowering the suspension. Looks like a lower bushing on the rear (left for my car ) lower control arm.
Mike
Mike
I have a Jan 2014 Model S85 that "creaks" or "crackles" sometimes. Took a while, but I know exactly what the problem is - parking brake mounting bushing are worn.
The sound happens most often when starting from a stop. It also makes the sound when slowing down after driving steady speed for a while, but only under regen, never with the brakes.
For reference, I build crapcan endurance race cars and I'm used to diagnosing odd crap all the time. Here is what we did to figure it out:
With the car on a level surface, had someone "rock" the car forward and backward lightly using the motor, while I listened at the rear wheels for the sound. It was definitely coming from the wheel area and not the motor or axles. After repeatedly looking for loose bolts in the rear suspension, I finally had someone sit in the car and put it in tow mode while I poked around. With both the parking brake and main brakes released, the parking brake calipers were loose and can move laterally around their mounting bolts. They definitely shouldn't be moving that way and appear to have worn bushings around the mount bolts. The sound is happening when the parking brake calipers are shifting forward or backward due to changes in the rotor speed.
I've been trying to figure out how to buy replacements from Tesla. I'm hours from the closest service center and no one ever answers the phone or responds to messages.
The sound happens most often when starting from a stop. It also makes the sound when slowing down after driving steady speed for a while, but only under regen, never with the brakes.
For reference, I build crapcan endurance race cars and I'm used to diagnosing odd crap all the time. Here is what we did to figure it out:
With the car on a level surface, had someone "rock" the car forward and backward lightly using the motor, while I listened at the rear wheels for the sound. It was definitely coming from the wheel area and not the motor or axles. After repeatedly looking for loose bolts in the rear suspension, I finally had someone sit in the car and put it in tow mode while I poked around. With both the parking brake and main brakes released, the parking brake calipers were loose and can move laterally around their mounting bolts. They definitely shouldn't be moving that way and appear to have worn bushings around the mount bolts. The sound is happening when the parking brake calipers are shifting forward or backward due to changes in the rotor speed.
I've been trying to figure out how to buy replacements from Tesla. I'm hours from the closest service center and no one ever answers the phone or responds to messages.
Do you hear this creaking while going over speed bumps as well? I do on mine
A. Sway bar link
B. Some control arm
C. Park caliper mounting bushing
Do the service center have an email address? Or you could use the app to schedule an appointment and just explain that you need them to ship you the parts
tmyl21
Member
Good luck if that's your next course of action to get the parts.
I listened to the sound on the video above in this thread and I'm hearing a different noise with my issue on a 2013 MS60.
It's not a crackling at all but it is a single creak or more like a knock when starting from a standstill and also when letting off the accelerator just as regen initiates.
Any experience with this type of noise coming from the rear of a MS?
I listened to the sound on the video above in this thread and I'm hearing a different noise with my issue on a 2013 MS60.
It's not a crackling at all but it is a single creak or more like a knock when starting from a standstill and also when letting off the accelerator just as regen initiates.
Any experience with this type of noise coming from the rear of a MS?
