Gemini Wheel Cover plastic noise

[growler23]

I just spoke with the local service center, and it was explained to me that the technician who worked on my car back in April did escalate this, such that the engineering department in Fremont now wants my wheels and wheel covers so they can investigate this further. In turn, they will give me new wheels and wheel covers (they will put my existing tires on the new wheels), and I was told the wheel covers will be modified so they will not crackle. While the person I spoke with was not 100% sure, he seemed to suggest the plastic tabs would simply be cut off.

In other words, Tesla has not implemented an "official" fix, and it sounds like the company is offering to replace my wheels so the engineering department can look into it further.

While it's always nice to get new wheels and wheel covers, is this necessary? While the crackling noise does not bother me that much, I could also just cut the tabs myself without the inconvenience of having to drop the car off at the service center. Also, doesn't the engineering department have wheels they can test out?

As an engineer (of the software variety), I can say that we engineers greatly appreciate having a setup that is known to reproduce a problem. So getting your wheels might help them be sure they are fixing the exact right problem.
As a Tesla owner, I might be honored to have my wheels be the ones used to fix the problem for future generations - good bragging rights around the campfire! But definitely recognize the inconvenience as well.
As a Model Y owner, I am very interested in the outcome of this thread. Thanks for keeping us informed on it.

 

[JLOC]

As an engineer (of the software variety), I can say that we engineers greatly appreciate having a setup that is known to reproduce a problem. So getting your wheels might help them be sure they are fixing the exact right problem.
As a Tesla owner, I might be honored to have my wheels be the ones used to fix the problem for future generations - good bragging rights around the campfire! But definitely recognize the inconvenience as well.
As a Model Y owner, I am very interested in the outcome of this thread. Thanks for keeping us informed on it.

While I was hesitant to get the replacement due to the minor inconvenience, I figured I should just do it, in part out of respect for the technician who actually escalated this issue, in part because I am interested in the implementation of a permanent fix for this issue, and in part because - who turns down new wheels and wheel covers?

I'll provide a further update after the service, which is currently scheduled for next Thursday (June 24th).

 

[twc]

While I was hesitant to get the replacement due to the minor inconvenience, I figured I should just do it, in part out of respect for the technician who actually escalated this issue, in part because I am interested in the implementation of a permanent fix for this issue, and in part because - who turns down new wheels and wheel covers?

I'll provide a further update after the service, which is currently scheduled for next Thursday (June 24th).

Seeing it might be the rim itself that is flexing, maybe its good your giving your wheels up. Maybe manufacturing messed up on some of the rims produced. This will allow some type of recall as well. Would be good to know if my rims are going to fail in the feature from this flexing. To me, it seem there would have to be some type of flexing in the rim that causing the outer edge of the rim cover to move to cause the fingers to rub on the rim.

 

[growler23]

While I was hesitant to get the replacement due to the minor inconvenience, I figured I should just do it, in part out of respect for the technician who actually escalated this issue, in part because I am interested in the implementation of a permanent fix for this issue, and in part because - who turns down new wheels and wheel covers?

I'll provide a further update after the service, which is currently scheduled for next Thursday (June 24th).

I (we?) appreciate you "taking one for the team" in terms of the trouble of getting the wheel work done. Thanks for helping resolve this and keeping us in the loop. I for one want my Y to be both powerful and quiet.

 

[timeshifter]

I've got 3,000 miles on my car, had it about three months. The wheels have creaked from day one. It may have gotten better, but I still hear it, so maybe I've adapted. Talked to another owner who said it'll go away after the first 1,000 miles (he said that before he was aware that I had 3,000).

I was thinking it was merely cosmetic. But @twc comment make me wonder.

A few weeks ago I noticed that the left front tire was a little low. 38 psi instead of 42 psi like the others. Last night I remedied that by adding some air.

Now I wonder if the two are related. Maybe that left front rim is flexing, making a noise AND leaking a tiny bit of air.

Hmmm.

 

[twc]

I've got 3,000 miles on my car, had it about three months. The wheels have creaked from day one. It may have gotten better, but I still hear it, so maybe I've adapted. Talked to another owner who said it'll go away after the first 1,000 miles (he said that before he was aware that I had 3,000).

I was thinking it was merely cosmetic. But @twc comment make me wonder.

A few weeks ago I noticed that the left front tire was a little low. 38 psi instead of 42 psi like the others. Last night I remedied that by adding some air.

Now I wonder if the two are related. Maybe that left front rim is flexing, making a noise AND leaking a tiny bit of air.

Hmmm.

That's what I am thinking. Those fingers are on the outer part of the rim, and if you roll the wheels slowly, you get the noise. To me something that is stationary and attached to the rim shouldn't be moving. This leads me to believe the rim itself is flexing from the weight of the car, which doesn't seem good, though I don't know where to go from here. If I bring it up, will they just going to cut the fingers off? Problem solved or will someone really find out if the rim itself is flexing. @JLOC, did you get the new wheels, and did this stop the noise? Did they cut off the fingers on the new wheels?

 

[JLOC]

That's what I am thinking. Those fingers are on the outer part of the rim, and if you roll the wheels slowly, you get the noise. To me something that is stationary and attached to the rim shouldn't be moving. This leads me to believe the rim itself is flexing from the weight of the car, which doesn't seem good, though I don't know where to go from here. If I bring it up, will they just going to cut the fingers off? Problem solved or will someone really find out if the rim itself is flexing. @JLOC, did you get the new wheels, and did this stop the noise? Did they cut off the fingers on the new wheels?

Not yet, as my appointment isn't until Thursday (June 24, 2021).

 

[Andimichii]

Not yet, as my appointment isn't until Thursday (June 24, 2021).

Have you found out anything new? Just accepted delivery 2 days ago and noticed this same issue.

 

[JLOC]

That's what I am thinking. Those fingers are on the outer part of the rim, and if you roll the wheels slowly, you get the noise. To me something that is stationary and attached to the rim shouldn't be moving. This leads me to believe the rim itself is flexing from the weight of the car, which doesn't seem good, though I don't know where to go from here. If I bring it up, will they just going to cut the fingers off? Problem solved or will someone really find out if the rim itself is flexing. @JLOC, did you get the new wheels, and did this stop the noise? Did they cut off the fingers on the new wheels?

Have you found out anything new? Just accepted delivery 2 days ago and noticed this same issue.

I had my appointment this past Thursday, and all they did was cut the tabs, i.e., the "fingers" on my existing wheel covers. In other words, they did not replace the wheels or wheel covers, as the service advisor had previously indicated. Of course, the person who made those representations to me is out until Monday, and the two service advisors I spoke with on Thursday had no idea I was told I’d be getting new wheels and wheel covers.

The service advisor who helped me when I picked up my car did send an e-mail to the original service advisor to follow-up on my inquiry as to why I received a solution other than what I was told I would receive. However, I am not holding my breath for a callback.

However, it was not a complete waste of time, since, when I dropped the car off, I was told my temperature sensor would be replaced as part of a service bulletin (I believe it was discussed in this thread: Model Y Service Bulletins)

 

[Andimichii]

I had my appointment this past Thursday, and all they did was cut the tabs, i.e., the "fingers" on my existing wheel covers. In other words, they did not replace the wheels or wheel covers, as the service advisor had previously indicated. Of course, the person who made those representations to me is out until Monday, and the two service advisors I spoke with on Thursday had no idea I was told I’d be getting new wheels and wheel covers.

The service advisor who helped me when I picked up my car did send an e-mail to the original service advisor to follow-up on my inquiry as to why I received a solution other than what I was told I would receive. However, I am not holding my breath for a callback.

However, it was not a complete waste of time, since, when I dropped the car off, I was told my temperature sensor would be replaced as part of a service bulletin (I believe it was discussed in this thread: Model Y Service Bulletins)

Awesome! Thanks for the info.

 

[chyuan]

So with an end of September delivery this seems to be still an issue...which means Tesla has done nothing to address this issue I didn't notice this until about a week or two ago, not sure if it was there I just didn't pay attention since I can only hear if the window is down and driving at very low speed, mostly when backing out of the garage.

 

[timeshifter]

I stopped noticing the noise some time ago. I'm pretty sure it's gone. Haven't even thought about it for along time until I got the notification that this thread had been updated.

 

[growler23]

I stopped noticing the noise some time ago. I'm pretty sure it's gone. Haven't even thought about it for along time until I got the notification that this thread had been updated.

That is interesting - I was exiting our parking garage here the other day and rolled down my windows, and I did not notice the noise either. This is the same garage where I first noticed the noise myself.
I've had the car for about 6 months now; no work has been done on the wheel covers or anything. Not sure if it was just other noise drowning it out, or not being close enough to the walls to hear the sound reflecting off them, or if things have "worn in" and the sound is gone.

 

[angus[Y]oung]

That is interesting - I was exiting our parking garage here the other day and rolled down my windows, and I did not notice the noise either. This is the same garage where I first noticed the noise myself.
I've had the car for about 6 months now; no work has been done on the wheel covers or anything. Not sure if it was just other noise drowning it out, or not being close enough to the walls to hear the sound reflecting off them, or if things have "worn in" and the sound is gone.

It does indeed seem to go away on its own after several months. I don't know exactly when ours stopped. We've had it a bit over 7.5 months now and I would wager it's been at least a couple of months since I last heard it, maybe a little more.

 

[cgell]

I have two sets of covers (I painted one set black) and both make the noise. One set is OEM and the other is a knockoff from ebay. Mine only seem to make the noise when traveling at low speeds in temperatures below 60f. I cut the “fingers” off and it worked for a while, but as the weather got colder the sound returned. I don’t think I removed enough material. My guess is that the wheel contracts slightly in cold weather and that is enough to make the fingers touch the wheel. Combine that with the cold flexing plastic and now you have a creaking noise. At some point I will sand down the remaining material from the “fingers” and see if that fixes it. I got the Y in August, so I can’t say yet if it gets better over time as others have suggested. For now I have the covers off to avoid the issue.

 

[SgtTortuga]

Just picked up my 2023 Model Y with the Gemini wheels and they are still making the crackling noise, so nothing has been done to fix this. I am putting new wheels on it on Monday, so it won't matter for me, but thought I would provide an update.

 

[growler23]

Thank you for the update! We are now a 2 model Y family over here. This issue, while minor, would be nice to see resolved.

 

[Unsta]

New 2023 MYLR here, still happening. Sounds like loose gravel or driving over glass at slow speeds.

The design of the covers has changed slightly though, they aren’t small tabs anymore but are wide raised areas.

Took them off and completely cleaned everything, no better.

I have a service appointment for next week to address some other minor delivery issues so will definitely talk with them about it.

These seem to scuff up the rim just as much if not more than the previous versions.

 

[Yeslak]

We have some aftermarket wheel covers for Tesla Model Y 19'' wheels, that could cover the whole wheel to protect the curb rash, and they did change the wheel's look.

Wheel Covers for Tesla Model Y 19'' Gemini Wheels

***Free shipping within the USA/EU; ETA in 5-7 business days. The wheel covers are custom designed for Tesla Model Y 19'' Gemini wheels and made of premium PC-ABS material. They are directional to have left & right sides, and they can cover your wheel rims fully and protect your wheel rims from...

www.yeslak.com