Found under my car...

[nrcooled]

Uhh...I think the Porsche would be wearing the skirt in this analogy...:wink::biggrin:

True since the Tesla has a "D"

On topic: I wonder if this is one of the steering "clunk" issues. I know that the backing out of a bolt is one of the causes that leads to the clunk. I've had my clunk fixed three times and it seems to have gone away finally.

 

[agloutney]

Not sure about the steering clunk. I didn't notice any difference but then again the bolt didn't back out it broke in half so may have still been holding on by a few threads.

 

[EternalChampion]

That bolt is a $12k option on the Porsche.

 

[tliving]

Update: After showing the bolt to a technician at the service center it was determined to have come from a late model Porsche. The ones holding the battery back, while similar, are steel, not aluminum. How it got under my car in my driveway remains a mystery as I don't have a Porsche.

I had an '81 928, things fall off of them all the time. Not to worry. The Model S is the best car i've ever owned by a huge margin.

 

[mhpr262]

OP, do you have any neighbours who hate you? Because this reminds me of a guy on my motorcycle forum and the prank he played on a neighbour who was constantly giving him trouble. He kept pouring out small quantities of old engine oil under his neighbour's Mercedes when it was parked in front of his home at night. God only knows how much money the owner spent, and how long the car was at the shop, trying to "locate the issue and fix it". :biggrin:

 

[TesAus]

Perhaps not any longer, I suspect with that bolt missing the skirt on the Porsche will have dropped off by now...?

 

[agloutney]

OP here. It was determined the bolt came from the steering assembly. Tesla took the car in and fixed it under warranty while I drove a loaner. Very good service as expected.
Not a crazy neighbor or some guy with a Porsche sneaking around. Besides my wife is smarter than that. She'd have him park down the street!

 

[ecarfan]

You are saying that a bolt just fell out of the steering assembly of your Model S? That seems like a potentially serious problem!

 

[agloutney]

It's a bolt that holds the entire steering assembly to the frame of the car. There was no noticeable difference while driving and Tesla said it was safe to drive to the service center. ...but yeah, the bolt sheared and fell out. The bolt was probably already cracked when installed on the car since you could tell it was cracked 3/4 through and there was a small part that was freshly sheared off.
I don't know how common this is but had the bolt fallen off anywhere other than my driveway, I would have never known.

 

[mknox]

I don't know how common this is but had the bolt fallen off anywhere other than my driveway, I would have never known.

...and hopefully this is something that Tesla adds to the annual inspection "checklist".

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

True since the Tesla has a "D"

On topic: I wonder if this is one of the steering "clunk" issues. I know that the backing out of a bolt is one of the causes that leads to the clunk. I've had my clunk fixed three times and it seems to have gone away finally.

does look similar to the keeper bolts. not sure if the D has the same bolts though?