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Drive Unit failure symptoms and thresholds for replacement
- Thread starter supratachophobia
- Start date
You are not alone
-Stealth mode ?? Not DU noise- Tesla Model S 85 - 16 500 km later - YouTube
DU noise- Tesla Model S 85 - 16 500 km later - YouTube
Last edited:
Sogorman
Member
Update; spoke to the Scottsdale SC and they are going to take care of my DU. Once again Tesla has stepped up and taken care of its customers which is appreciated. I can't think of any other manufacturer where you can send a YouTube clip to on a Sunday and get a call Monday morning saying that they have a replacement part sitting on the shelf and to come on by whenever it's convenient for a replacement out of goodwill.
Tesla may may be late on some of their timelines or promises (AP coming in a few months) but at the end of the day they step up and take care of their user base.
Tesla may may be late on some of their timelines or promises (AP coming in a few months) but at the end of the day they step up and take care of their user base.
deonb
Active Member
My milling noise seems similar, if not a bit louder than the one from Sogorman's video (comparing milling noise vs. tower noise ratio). The Service Center took a look at it and said to wait and that there is an upcoming repair procedure:
Is it really true that there is an updated repair that's already formally planned and in the works? Or is my Service Center just brushing me off and hoping I go away?
I wouldn't mind waiting two or three months if a correct and final repair is being planned, but we all know Tesla's definition of "upcoming". And I don't want to wait a year.
Is it really true that there is an updated repair that's already formally planned and in the works? Or is my Service Center just brushing me off and hoping I go away?
I wouldn't mind waiting two or three months if a correct and final repair is being planned, but we all know Tesla's definition of "upcoming". And I don't want to wait a year.
kishdude
P #130
So my drive unit on my P85 is being replaced. I have 32K miles on the car and the problem I was having is excessive noise when driving above 75 mph. I've been doing some research on the drive unit problems and it is difficult to get a good idea with no official word from Tesla regarding what is causing so many failures. It is concerning as far as the number of failures and really that they are happening with not an excessive amount of miles on the car.
In general, there are two general categories problems: abject failures and excessive noise. The abject failures are relatively rare compared to the noise issues and also seem to be more prevalent on cars that were manufactured in the early production runs so this maybe an issue that Tesla has fixed in current production models. The excessive noise issues can be further subdivided into three types: clunk when the car is switching from propulsion to regen, milling noise even at low speeds, and vibration type noise only seen at highway speeds. I think that these three types of noise failures have different causes and I don't think that these causes are necessarily related. My big question is has Tesla identified the specific causes of these items and have they already implemented solutions to them in models coming off of the production line today. Since we have no official word from Tesla, we don't really know.
My drive unit replacement has not soured me on my decision to buy a Model S. It is still the best car I've ever owned. Tesla service provided their usual excellent service and only took 2 days to do the replacement and dropped off a loaner during the repair, and the replacement was covered under warrantee. So really it was no big deal. The real issue for me becomes can I recommend to a friend that they buy a Model S give the uncertainty of the status of the drive units. The answer to this is still yes because Tesla warrantees both the battery pack and drive unit for 8 years and infinite miles. Also, this warrantee is transferred to any new owner. So if a failure occurs, it is really not a big deal to the owner.
I would however like some official word from Tesla about what is causing these issues, if the issues have been fixed, and if the new drive unit being placed in my car is still prone to having these issues since it may affect how long I decide to keep the car and also may affect resale value for a car approaching 8 years of age.
In general, there are two general categories problems: abject failures and excessive noise. The abject failures are relatively rare compared to the noise issues and also seem to be more prevalent on cars that were manufactured in the early production runs so this maybe an issue that Tesla has fixed in current production models. The excessive noise issues can be further subdivided into three types: clunk when the car is switching from propulsion to regen, milling noise even at low speeds, and vibration type noise only seen at highway speeds. I think that these three types of noise failures have different causes and I don't think that these causes are necessarily related. My big question is has Tesla identified the specific causes of these items and have they already implemented solutions to them in models coming off of the production line today. Since we have no official word from Tesla, we don't really know.
My drive unit replacement has not soured me on my decision to buy a Model S. It is still the best car I've ever owned. Tesla service provided their usual excellent service and only took 2 days to do the replacement and dropped off a loaner during the repair, and the replacement was covered under warrantee. So really it was no big deal. The real issue for me becomes can I recommend to a friend that they buy a Model S give the uncertainty of the status of the drive units. The answer to this is still yes because Tesla warrantees both the battery pack and drive unit for 8 years and infinite miles. Also, this warrantee is transferred to any new owner. So if a failure occurs, it is really not a big deal to the owner.
I would however like some official word from Tesla about what is causing these issues, if the issues have been fixed, and if the new drive unit being placed in my car is still prone to having these issues since it may affect how long I decide to keep the car and also may affect resale value for a car approaching 8 years of age.
During the most recent earnings call, Elon and JB both said that the DUs produced in the last few months are of "excellent" quality and that the bad DUs were largely early units. Then there is the case of TMC member Islandbayy who just received a brand-new, fresh from the factory Q revision DU (the latest that we know of) that has developed a milling type of noise shortly after he left the service center. I have informally polled members of our local Tesla group, very few have had DU swaps. My local Service Manager said that there has not been a single owner stranded in Arizona from an outright DU failure.
kishdude
P #130
This is good to know. I'm wondering if the P85 has more failures compared to the 85 or 60. Also, I was one of the first cars delivered in AZ, but do not drive my car "hard" so I'm wondering also if this may be a use related phenomenon that can show up with more miles. The interesting thing for me was that this is an issue that was slowly building up over a period of months and only showed up at highway speeds. Initially I thought, that the road I was driving on was bad, and then I thought that my tires were wearing. But it was only after I had the tires replaced and the sound didn't change that I did some research on these forums and realized that it may be the drive unit. The noise really sounds like you have a tire that is unbalanced and not something you would think would be coming from the drive unit. But Telsa was very responsive and I'm happy that it is fixed.
Sounds like you had the highway hum. All of my DUs were ultimately replaced for that reason, although the last one started to develop either a milling noise or inverter buzz prior to replacement. The incidents of highway hum have all but disappeared, so I think that is one issue that Tesla has resolved. Now we have to see if they can successfully kill the milling noise.
BozieBeMe2
May I have this dance?
@David99,
I agree with you on many points, Tesla has produced a product that I and many others believe in.
I also agree Tesla has had some teething issues but the bigger picture will support their plans.
The world is changing and the EV world is a disruptive mover, and will not go away.
As the song says, 'It's Been A Long Time Coming'
My current job is reminiscent of how the buggy whip maker must have felt when the transportation world embraced gasoline. My previous plant was closed because our employer switched from hydraulic power steering pumps and steering gears units, to electric units.
Now, along comes the EV world, Tesla style, and with the design of a Tesla, my current job is being drastically changed, again!
Our plant makes the engines, transmissions, and axles for thousands of cars and trucks, daily.
While old technology closed my previous plant, it looks like what with the new technology coming, it will again or severely disrupt it.
My parent company has made efforts to produce EV's in the past, and it was easy to see that these were the usual 'token' federal models. 32 MPH for a full battery, Ha!
Beautiful cars but still a gas car made over. Tesla didn't fall into this mind set. They started fresh and built from a strict EV view point. Sort of like how cell phones didn't follow the land line phone model.
The current cell phone is a personal assistant, information assistant, GPS, banker and a phone, among allot of other things.
So, Tesla might not be perfect ((and I do sweat the things I read on the forums)) Tesla is everything I could ask of a first generation EV builder. Yes, I do have some "wishes" and some druthers, but mostly I worry more about how some of Tesla's initial promises have been changed. The mechanics of the car, I'm sure will be ironed out, but the new way of selling, maintaining the car and even the customer goodwill policy's as Tesla touted them and sold them, will be the true test of durability.
Can anyone describe this milling noise to me better? My 5xxx vin car makes a whining noise at pretty much any speed above 25mph that sounds like a noisy differential. It makes it under power or regen and the only way to get rid of it is to modulate the throttle so that the motor is neither under power or regen, so basically coasting. It's not a grinding but it's a noise none the less. My 21,xxx car just made the balloon squeal at wide open throttle but made no part throttle noise.
Many of the rear drive units were manufactured with inadequate grease which will eventually lead to a clunk or whining noise under acceleration, leading to premature wear of the drive unit. It depends on how long the drive unit has been making the noise or having symptoms for if it warrants a replacement or not, also depends on if the unit has been replaced before, if it has then they typically discourage a second replacement but it does depend on the noise level of the unit.
If no prior replacement they will typically drop the unit and replace with a unit that has re manufactured shims
If no prior replacement they will typically drop the unit and replace with a unit that has re manufactured shims
thegruf
Active Member
85D Dec '15 delivery - 1000 miles and the drive has gone from silent to noticeable whine (I assume front).
This sounds exactly like a straight spline gear noise and you can even hear it chirping on light throttle openings.
The noise is annoying aleady especially around town, just a question of how bad does it have to get before it requires replacement.
Disappointed to say the least, especially as my SC is a 150 mile round trip, and I specifically noted Elon's statement that current DUs were showing great reliablity before proceeding with the purchase.
Seems Elon may have been premature in claiming DU problems no longer an issue.
This sounds exactly like a straight spline gear noise and you can even hear it chirping on light throttle openings.
The noise is annoying aleady especially around town, just a question of how bad does it have to get before it requires replacement.
Disappointed to say the least, especially as my SC is a 150 mile round trip, and I specifically noted Elon's statement that current DUs were showing great reliablity before proceeding with the purchase.
Seems Elon may have been premature in claiming DU problems no longer an issue.
davidc18
Active Member
I wanted to believe but knew better. I do think that based on the feedback from this forum, that my original hypothesis is on the right track and that dual-motor is a way for Tesla to either eliminate DU failure or stretch out the timeline so that it doesn't happen as soon (by reducing stress on a single DU).
How about considering that the AWD was planned long before any DU noises appeared ?
...or two motors, twice the risk of failure ?
While contemplating any further conspiracy theories you can listen to my RWD DU before I got it replaced
DU noise- Tesla Model S 85 - 16 500 km later - YouTube
...or two motors, twice the risk of failure ?
While contemplating any further conspiracy theories you can listen to my RWD DU before I got it replaced
DU noise- Tesla Model S 85 - 16 500 km later - YouTube
Possibly, but I think their timetable was moved up once they started realizing just how many DU's were failing in the wild. My tin-foil hat says that originally, S was supposed to be RWD until X and/or the 5yr scheduled S revamp.
MY tinfoil hat says that it was smart to introduce the AWD on the S since it share the same platform..
When I ordered my car in sep 13 I anticipated some kind of teething problems from a fresh company.
Re: "fresh company", per About Tesla | Tesla Motors, Tesla was founded in 2003 and they launched the Roadster in 2008.
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