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Creaking noise
- Thread starter BelfastEV
- Start date
Had my upper front control arms replaced in March this year at 90k, have now got the low speed creaking again, I have had a look and the inner bushes on the lower rear arms (front suspension) have delaminated and look like they are splitting, I also have increased wear on the iner edge of the tyres, and the car is subject to camber changes / truck grooves.
I can get a pair of arms for £200 ish and ws going to do them myself as it looks relatively simple.
Car is a 21 LR now with 114k on
I can get a pair of arms for £200 ish and ws going to do them myself as it looks relatively simple.
Car is a 21 LR now with 114k on
New arms installed, very easy, only took about 20 mins per side, took longer to get the undertray off than it did to change the arms, completely changed the handling of the car, no more 'weaving' about with camber changes and steering feels a lot tighter.
The bushes in both of the old arms were completely shot, the rubber completely split through.
Have now ordered the other lower arms for each side as well, the bushes are showing wear, although not destroyed, but would rather change them all out to prevent excessive wear on the new arms fitted.
Then noticed I still had creaking from the rear, so took the rear wheels off and checked all the linkages (of which there are many), no significant play, so cleaned them up and a light spray with penetrating oil and the creaking has all but disappeared.
If i'm honest, I'm a bit disappointed with Tesla service, a, for not checking the lower arms when they replaced the upper, and b, for not doing the geometry check when asked (they did a road test instead) as I have gone through a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 5's in under 15k miles.
The bushes in both of the old arms were completely shot, the rubber completely split through.
Have now ordered the other lower arms for each side as well, the bushes are showing wear, although not destroyed, but would rather change them all out to prevent excessive wear on the new arms fitted.
Then noticed I still had creaking from the rear, so took the rear wheels off and checked all the linkages (of which there are many), no significant play, so cleaned them up and a light spray with penetrating oil and the creaking has all but disappeared.
If i'm honest, I'm a bit disappointed with Tesla service, a, for not checking the lower arms when they replaced the upper, and b, for not doing the geometry check when asked (they did a road test instead) as I have gone through a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 5's in under 15k miles.
MrBadger
Badger out
Seems to be very much an age thing, and empirically temperature.
Our top fronts replaced at 3 years, circa 20k (although previously regreased by Tesla the year before) and hopefully bottoms this week (before warranty expires) at 4 years circa 30k. Bottom ‘de lamination’ (ooh-err) detected unprompted in a service by CleevelyEV but we had noticed a creak for several months and thought it was top again. I think @Dilly’s recent comments on his creaky fronts are even less mileage.
The temperature bit is that I found creak far more noticeable in very hot weather but once started deteriorated quite rapidly - for the top arms at least. Once our tops started creaking they deteriorated in a matter of days to the point of not driving the car until sorted but that was during last years hot spell.
Yes, I realise it doesn’t always go by mileage. It seems to be another aspect that has a variation between cars. Several people have reported similar suspension issues but many people have been unaffected. By definition those who are presently unaffected (with cars 4+ years old) are more likely to see the issues as age and mileage increase rather than as an early fault condition.
MrBadger
Badger out
Tesla replaced our "LOWER LATERAL LINK - FRONT" x 2 due to "large splits" under warranty (just) which required a 4 wheel alignment check and subsequent adjustment, again under warranty. Hopefully the lateral links are the same as the "lower camber arm" that CleverlyEV identified above.
Thankfully caught at tail end of warranty hence pre warranty expiry check at Cleverly that more than paid for itself finding this issue. About £300 in parts (I guess ex vat), 1 hour 'general diagnosis' then best part of 1/2 hour to fit and 2 hours for wheel alignment and a test drive. Along with a couple of other items, not sure how they managed that in the 3 hours that car was at SC... I guess it was 1 person per corner doing wheel alignment! I certainly would have been querying that had I been paying the bill. I suspect they just throw in a '1 hour general diagnosis' for each item.
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I've got two weeks left on our warranty and some slight creaking at low speeds from what appears to be driver's side rear. I tried to make a service request for this but in order to get the service, I have to agree to a £200 invoice in advance. Never had that before? I'll be in an SC this weekend as it happens and I'll query it but wondered if anyone knows why I am receiving a bill when I'm still (just) under warranty.
tomorrowman
Member
Interesting. Over last 4 years 80k miles have had various bits replaced either under warranty or paid for by me.
My rear has just started creaking (low speed) but the estimated bill is £85 which sounds like a lube job.
But won't be suprised if on day get the 'ah discovered xcx' conversation that costs more money.
Suspension on early model 3's is very susceptible to premature wear and tear
My rear has just started creaking (low speed) but the estimated bill is £85 which sounds like a lube job.
But won't be suprised if on day get the 'ah discovered xcx' conversation that costs more money.
Suspension on early model 3's is very susceptible to premature wear and tear
MrBadger
Badger out
I queried via chat in the service appt part of app the £99 estimate on our pending visit for this work (drop link rather than control arm which was replaced the year before) and it was immediately removed. I think who/what ever first looks at the booking puts an arbitrary cost estimate to the work irrespective of warranty status, but once the service centre get involved, common sense and a bit more 'concern' specific interaction takes place.
tl;dr - query it in the service part of the app.
As an aside, we have already had a pre warranty inspection done at ClevelyEV who picked up the problem (and saved us a lot of money) so I specifically told Tesla what the issue was. Phone call from service centre - 'don't tell anyone that you have had work done on the car'. Not that finding this issue required doing anything different to what would have been done in an MOT, ie visual inspection and checking for play. That said, the chap was still thankful for point him in the direction of the fault and 1 hour 'general diagnostics' added on invoice (albeit free) for this specific item. Just glad I didn't have to pay the bill.
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Powerflex now have replacement control arms for Model 3 with their poly bushes fitted.. another option for our of warranty cars.
Yea, I'm probably going to give the powerflex arms a go. Tesla have had my rear suspension appart 4 times and each time I've got about 6 months out of it. They replaced the rear upper arms last year and it's squeaking again, the front arms have been squeaking for 2 years now but apparently not enough for the SC to warrant a replacement and I'm now out of warranty.
So maybe moving over to a higher quality part is the way forward.
So maybe moving over to a higher quality part is the way forward.
that sounds pretty grim @Plagued - perhaps the inspiration for your username?
Anyway, at SC this weekend I queried it and was told that as it could be a non-warranty-able cause, the invoice was automatically generated based on that assumption and that, if I had word with them, they'd forego it and get it in to have a look. I'll give that a go
Anyway, at SC this weekend I queried it and was told that as it could be a non-warranty-able cause, the invoice was automatically generated based on that assumption and that, if I had word with them, they'd forego it and get it in to have a look. I'll give that a go
I don't think I had to agree to pay over 3 years ago but any of the SC work in the last 3 years I've always had to agree a price to fix it, which was then deleted and covered by warranty.
I'd be interested to know what they find, as I currently have "slight creaking" and when they replaced the rear arm due to delaminated bush it was not "slight" it was like driving about in a clown car. So I'm guessing it's not the same arm, and is probably something else.
