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Creaking/Squeaking control arm ball joint fix

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I just started hearing this on my DEC2016 MX, 64k mi. Ironically, I'm going in for my screen yellowing on the 18th, and the service center automatically added the "reseal front upper control arm ball joints" on the ticket at zero charge.

This was added maybe a week or so before my appointment and I hadn't mentioned it previously. Hopefully it resolves the issue as well.
 

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Does anybody have a video/audio recording of the sound? My 2018 MX started making this sound a few weeks ago. I have a SC appointment, but curious. My car *does* have the infamous "shudder" but I don't drive it hard at all. I made a video shows me just driving slowly with all kinds of squeaking and squawking. Seems to be coming from passenger side, at startup and gentle acceleration. Mostly heard on bumpy roads and while turning. Will try to post it to YouTube so I can share it here.
This sounded exactly like my problem. I dropped off my 2020 Model X Raven today and the Tesla SC Advisor told me this creaking (mine is on the front drivers side) is a known issue with the control arm. Said it will take 2-3 days to repair and that Tesla does not have a recall for this problem but Tesla has issued a bulletin.
 
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This sounded exactly like my problem. I dropped off my 2020 Model X Raven today and the Tesla SC Advisor told me this creaking (mine is on the front drivers side) is a known issue with the control arm. Said it will take 2-3 days to repair and that Tesla does not have a recall for this problem but Tesla has issued a bulletin.

As an update, yesterday (took less than one day to repair) Tesla performed the following repairs to correct squeaks coming from my front driver side:

1. "Reseal Area Around Both Front Upper Control Arm Ball Joints With Urethane". I understand there is a service bulletin for this - $0.00
2. "Control Arm - Upper - Front - LH (Includes Alignment Check) (Remove & Replace)" - $0.00

All repairs were performed quickly and covered under warranty.
 
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My 2017 MX with 39K miles just developed this, conveniently 1 day after my 4 year warranty expired. The service estimate is ~$1k.

Upthread there were a few people that made it seem like there was a bulletin. It would be great to find out if that's true..
 
My X developed a very loud creaking/squeaking in the front from the suspension a few months ago. I didn’t know what the issue was and I was super busy and didn’t have time to deal with it so I took it to Tesla and they said the upper control arm in the front on pass side was bad and needed replaced. So they replaced it and $1,000 later there was no more squeak.
A few months goes by and then all of a sudden I get the same noise again but this time coming from drivers side. Now I’m getting pissed off because a vehicle that costs north of 100K shouldn’t have issues like this just out of warranty. I’m a pretty handy guy so I decided to jump in and take a look at it. I jacked up the vehicle and took off the front tire. I put a second jack just under the lower control arm to take the pressure off the suspension and I removed the bolt that connects the upper control arm (see attached). It’s a 15mm nut with a torx on the opposite side. With the bolt out I used the jack to lower the suspension about 1” and then used a small pry bar to pop out the upper control arm from the socket. I noticed the ball joint was stiff. I clamped on a pair of vice grips onto the stud of the ball joint and proceeded to rotate the ball joint around and around and side to side and front to back to move all the grease around inside the socket of the ball joint. I moved it around for about 2 minutes until it didn’t feel as tight because of the lubrication. I then jacked up the suspension the 1” I had lowered it and then pulled down the upper control arm to drop the ball joint stud back down into the hole. I had to use a large pair of pliers to sort of clamp it together to get it to go in. I prob could have done it by hand but pliers made it easier. I reinstalled the bolt that I removed and put the tire back on. Voila, no more squeak. The suspension is completely quiet.
The issue is the grease inside the ball joint doesn’t get moved around inside the socket enough and causes a squeaking over time. This took me all of 15 minutes start to finish to complete. That’s the easiest $1,000 I ever saved.
If you are a mechanical person it’s a quick and easy fix.
Wish I had of done this when my first one was noisy and would have saved a thousand bucks. Lesson learned.
See attached picture of the only bolt that needs to be removed. Except the wheel nuts of course.
I hope this info is able to help someone else.
I had this same issue, and after following this process, the squeaking went away. Thanks!
 
I just got an estimate back from a local independent shop that adding Teslas to their specialties. They found play in the right front lower rearward control arm ball joint. The total cost is almost $1800. They replace the control arm ball joints in pairs so they'll do both front ones, and a alignment is required so that's all included in the price.
 
Had the same problem just for the drivers side 2016 so out of warranty. Total was a little over $700. Anything under a grand at the SC feels like I got off easy. I was told this was a known issue and it took all day but was happy to have my car back.
 

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Had this done under warranty recently at 37k miles on my P July 2019 build. Attached is the cost in CAD for anyone looking to get this done out of warranty.

Feb 2021 while I was getting service for Coolant Heater - Electric - Battery (Remove & Replace) the service technician performed the bulletin below

Concern: Reseal Front Upper Control Arm Ball Joints
Technician performed bulletin. Resealed front upper control arm ball joints.
Correction: Reseal Area Around Both Front Upper Control Arm Ball Joints With Urethane (Model X)
 

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My X developed a very loud creaking/squeaking in the front from the suspension a few months ago. I didn’t know what the issue was and I was super busy and didn’t have time to deal with it so I took it to Tesla and they said the upper control arm in the front on pass side was bad and needed replaced. So they replaced it and $1,000 later there was no more squeak.
A few months goes by and then all of a sudden I get the same noise again but this time coming from drivers side. Now I’m getting pissed off because a vehicle that costs north of 100K shouldn’t have issues like this just out of warranty. I’m a pretty handy guy so I decided to jump in and take a look at it. I jacked up the vehicle and took off the front tire. I put a second jack just under the lower control arm to take the pressure off the suspension and I removed the bolt that connects the upper control arm (see attached). It’s a 15mm nut with a torx on the opposite side. With the bolt out I used the jack to lower the suspension about 1” and then used a small pry bar to pop out the upper control arm from the socket. I noticed the ball joint was stiff. I clamped on a pair of vice grips onto the stud of the ball joint and proceeded to rotate the ball joint around and around and side to side and front to back to move all the grease around inside the socket of the ball joint. I moved it around for about 2 minutes until it didn’t feel as tight because of the lubrication. I then jacked up the suspension the 1” I had lowered it and then pulled down the upper control arm to drop the ball joint stud back down into the hole. I had to use a large pair of pliers to sort of clamp it together to get it to go in. I prob could have done it by hand but pliers made it easier. I reinstalled the bolt that I removed and put the tire back on. Voila, no more squeak. The suspension is completely quiet.
The issue is the grease inside the ball joint doesn’t get moved around inside the socket enough and causes a squeaking over time. This took me all of 15 minutes start to finish to complete. That’s the easiest $1,000 I ever saved.
If you are a mechanical person it’s a quick and easy fix.
Wish I had of done this when my first one was noisy and would have saved a thousand bucks. Lesson learned.
See attached picture of the only bolt that needs to be removed. Except the wheel nuts of course.
I hope this info is able to help someone else.
Can you please confirm if this is the same issue as shown here in video?
 
My X developed a very loud creaking/squeaking in the front from the suspension a few months ago. I didn’t know what the issue was and I was super busy and didn’t have time to deal with it so I took it to Tesla and they said the upper control arm in the front on pass side was bad and needed replaced. So they replaced it and $1,000 later there was no more squeak.
A few months goes by and then all of a sudden I get the same noise again but this time coming from drivers side. Now I’m getting pissed off because a vehicle that costs north of 100K shouldn’t have issues like this just out of warranty. I’m a pretty handy guy so I decided to jump in and take a look at it. I jacked up the vehicle and took off the front tire. I put a second jack just under the lower control arm to take the pressure off the suspension and I removed the bolt that connects the upper control arm (see attached). It’s a 15mm nut with a torx on the opposite side. With the bolt out I used the jack to lower the suspension about 1” and then used a small pry bar to pop out the upper control arm from the socket. I noticed the ball joint was stiff. I clamped on a pair of vice grips onto the stud of the ball joint and proceeded to rotate the ball joint around and around and side to side and front to back to move all the grease around inside the socket of the ball joint. I moved it around for about 2 minutes until it didn’t feel as tight because of the lubrication. I then jacked up the suspension the 1” I had lowered it and then pulled down the upper control arm to drop the ball joint stud back down into the hole. I had to use a large pair of pliers to sort of clamp it together to get it to go in. I prob could have done it by hand but pliers made it easier. I reinstalled the bolt that I removed and put the tire back on. Voila, no more squeak. The suspension is completely quiet.
The issue is the grease inside the ball joint doesn’t get moved around inside the socket enough and causes a squeaking over time. This took me all of 15 minutes start to finish to complete. That’s the easiest $1,000 I ever saved.
If you are a mechanical person it’s a quick and easy fix.
Wish I had of done this when my first one was noisy and would have saved a thousand bucks. Lesson learned.
See attached picture of the only bolt that needs to be removed. Except the wheel nuts of course.
I hope this info is able to help someone else.
Squeak started a few weeks ago on a 17 MX with 80K miles. Would hear it from front drivers side at low speeds on uneven ground, turning and when suspension changed hights. Followed advice from OP and sure enough ball joint in upper control arm was seized. Broke it free and moved around for a few minutes. Put everything back together and happy to report squeaking is gone. Took me about 1 hour. Thanks for saving me a trip to SC and $$$
 
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