Fixed: Gemini Wheel Cover Noise

[shawrf1]

Fixed: Gemini wheel cover noise issue - We've had the crackling noise at low speeds for the past 3,007 miles with no change. After removing our wheel covers to diagnose that they were the actual cause of the noise at low speeds, we had a mobile SA come out to troubleshoot/repair today.

Per the SA, their service department had tried replacing the covers on other previous Model Ys with brand new covers, but the noises remained. At that point, SAs were advised to tell owners that a) it's normal or b) there was nothing they could do while the problem was under investigation.

Under advisement from one of his more experienced peers, this intrepid SA pulled the wheel covers off and started snipping/filing off the little plastic nubs that make contact with the wheel rim. The noises are now gone. I would've thought that the nubs were designed to keep the cover aligned with the wheel at speed, but time will tell. For now, we're enjoying the blissful quiet of low speed maneuvers.

 

[acarney]

Very interesting... those plastic nibs might actually just be a molding left over or something. I would think the heavy duty clips (that scratch the wheels) are all that’s needed to really hold the wheels on. There may be flexing or slight movement while rotating, but I doubt it would be enough to unseat the covers... BUT, probably enough to make a taping/crackling sound as they flex on and off the wheel.

I’ll have to pull mine off and see how robust those nibs are and maybe rip mine off... if I F it up those covers are only what, $70 each? Lol

 

[acarney]

I should also mention that anyone that has Gemini’s that DON’T make sound, or a very recent delivery (within the last week), it would be wildly helpful if you could pull off a cover and take a detailed picture to see if the nibs have been removed from the factory or were never there to start with (adjusted molding?)

 

[SilverSp33d3r]

My Model Y was delivered at the end of dec 89k vin. I have this noise at low speeds, sounds terrible. How has this faired? Still no issues? I’m ready to just remove the covers and use them for road trips only....

 

[Pianewman]

I've had ONE of my wheel covers make the sound. I'll remove it and see if those "nibs" are there, and check the other wheels as well.

Glad this annoying sound has been located and eliminated!

 

[TomServo]

Mine made noise so I removed them and painted the Apollo wheels gloss black along with red calipers. I like that look more and will accept the 2 or 3 percent range loss at highway speeds. I won’t gamble reinstalling them on my painted wheels as Imknow the clamps will scratch the paint off.

 

[SilverSp33d3r]

Mine made noise so I removed them and painted the Apollo wheels gloss black along with red calipers. I like that look more and will accept the 2 or 3 percent range loss at highway speeds. I won’t gamble reinstalling them on my painted wheels as Imknow the clamps will scratch the paint off.

Pic?

 

[mackgriggs]

I had plenty of noise when I first received my car in May....but the noise went away by itself after a few months maybe. Most likely the nubs wore down naturally.

 

[Sommertime]

Got my Y on 1/23. I hear that sound too, although not all that loud.

 

[VioletPixel]

I took delivery of my Model Y on Feb 6th and all four wheels make this crackling sound. I removed the aero wheel covers and confirmed the sound is gone. All my wheel covers have prominent tabs and I'm wondering if I should file them down/cut them.

Has anyone driven for a while after filing down or cutting the tabs in their aero wheel cover tabs and experienced no issues with the modification?

 

[SilverSp33d3r]

I took delivery of my Model Y on Feb 6th and all four wheels make this crackling sound. I removed the aero wheel covers and confirmed the sound is gone. All my wheel covers have prominent tabs and I'm wondering if I should file them down/cut them.

Has anyone driven for a while after filing down or cutting the tabs in their aero wheel cover tabs and experienced no issues with the modification?

I’ve had mine cut for about a month now and ~1500 miles. No issues at all. Spoke to tesla tech and he mentioned the fix for this is making its way through the syste.

 

[X-Chris]

I had a very loud case of this on a 2021 Y. Sent SA a video of car backing into garage. It sounded a like a hail storm on tin roof.

Service center fixed it. Their write-up was weirdly passive-aggressive:

After finishing other repairs I did hear a slight crackling noise in reverse when leaving the shop. it is the hubcaps making the noise. Trimmed excessive plastic tabs off the hubcaps. No more noises heard.

“Slight crackling”? They seem to be implying I was overly picky, but it was LOUD. Anyway SA was very nice, helpful, and they did get the fix done.

 

[Pianewman]

X-Chris: "passive-aggressive"??? Reads more like "factual statement" to me. It got fixed, right?.

 

[X-Chris]

Slight crackling was an incredible understatement. These things were making a racket

 

[RetiredProf]

I should also mention that anyone that has Gemini’s that DON’T make sound, or a very recent delivery (within the last week), it would be wildly helpful if you could pull off a cover and take a detailed picture to see if the nibs have been removed from the factory or were never there to start with (adjusted molding?)

I just got my Model Y on March 27th and the noise is still there. Really annoying.

 

[RetiredProf]

Fixed: Gemini wheel cover noise issue - We've had the crackling noise at low speeds for the past 3,007 miles with no change. After removing our wheel covers to diagnose that they were the actual cause of the noise at low speeds, we had a mobile SA come out to troubleshoot/repair today.

Per the SA, their service department had tried replacing the covers on other previous Model Ys with brand new covers, but the noises remained. At that point, SAs were advised to tell owners that a) it's normal or b) there was nothing they could do while the problem was under investigation.

Under advisement from one of his more experienced peers, this intrepid SA pulled the wheel covers off and started snipping/filing off the little plastic nubs that make contact with the wheel rim. The noises are now gone. I would've thought that the nubs were designed to keep the cover aligned with the wheel at speed, but time will tell. For now, we're enjoying the blissful quiet of low speed maneuvers.

Thanks for posting this solution. I'm hesitant to start with cutting off parts. I saw another post that claimed to stop the noise with a grease called Door Ease. I think I'll try this first, but if that doesn't work, I'll consider your fix.

 

[TomServo]

Pic?

This was after just 500 miles when I pulled them off, I was lucky the "nibs" hadn't started digging into the paint on mine but you can GOOGLE and find many photos.

These marks are on most of the spokes when the aero covers clip to. I can't remove them.

 

[Dy/dt]

I cut each of those little nibs down by about half with an x-acto knife and that seems to have done the trick.

Oddly, I originally hadn't noticed the noise until I took the covers off and then reinstalled them a week later.

 

[Pianewman]

I heard a MY, with Geminis, rolling into the service area today. The irregular ticking sound was very loud, inside the garage.

 

[twc]

We been talking about the same thing here. ( gemini wheel cover plastic noise ) I used painters tape to cover the fingers. Which stopped the noise. Though I wonder if there is a bigger issue with the wheel flexing. Maybe its not a big deal, maybe there is suppose to be play in these wheels.