knocking/rattling noise

[bktiger86]

Hi all,

Lately I've been stumped on finding where this noise is coming from. I especially hear it when I go over speed bumps/dips. I've searched all over the web at the possibility of it. I think it is coming from the rear seatbelt area. I want to ask for some help.

Anybody experiencing the same issue or maybe guide me where the noise is coming from/how to fix it?

I have a 2017 Model S.

 

[Gur814]

I have a Dec 2016 Model S and have a rattling coming from the rear right area as well. Last night my wife held her hand on the rear right door handle which seemed to make it go away.

It's definitely not the seatbelt on my car. It makes the noise regardless of if someone is sitting in the rear right seat or not.

I plan on bringing it in for service for several build issues soon. I'll let you know if they discover anything and fix it.

 

[ig_epower]

I sometimes hear a clunk on my left side as I drive over a speed bump. I find the bump has to cause my car to rock a little as it does not happen when I go over a speed bump evenly. I am wearing my seatbelt so it can't be that.

 

[sgmorton]

You might laugh at this but I had the same weird noise from what I thought was the rear passenger door area. Turned out to be my rear license plate holder only had two screws holding it in and every time I'd hit a bump it would rattle.

 

[boonedocks]

I sometimes hear a clunk on my left side as I drive over a speed bump. I find the bump has to cause my car to rock a little as it does not happen when I go over a speed bump evenly. I am wearing my seatbelt so it can't be that.

Next time you are going over something that you believe will cause the "clunk" sound, reach down next to your seat with your left hand and pull the plastic anchor for the seatbelt out a bit. I am willing to bet the clunking sound is that hard plastic anchor tapping against your seat. It is so annoying and happens only in certain instances and when I am seated in a particular place in the seat. It is repeatable tho.

You can even take your hand and tap that piece against the seat and you'll probably recognize the sound.

 

[ddimit]

My clunk on 2015 s85d was bad rear air shocks. Replaced under warranty with Gen2 replacements.

 

[bktiger86]

I have a Dec 2016 Model S and have a rattling coming from the rear right area as well. Last night my wife held her hand on the rear right door handle which seemed to make it go away.

It's definitely not the seatbelt on my car. It makes the noise regardless of if someone is sitting in the rear right seat or not.

I plan on bringing it in for service for several build issues soon. I'll let you know if they discover anything and fix it.

Awesome brother. Please let me know if they discover anything.

You might laugh at this but I had the same weird noise from what I thought was the rear passenger door area. Turned out to be my rear license plate holder only had two screws holding it in and every time I'd hit a bump it would rattle.

Right now I don't have a license plate, but I will go double check to make sure all the screws are in tight. Thanks for the heads up.

Next time you are going over something that you believe will cause the "clunk" sound, reach down next to your seat with your left hand and pull the plastic anchor for the seatbelt out a bit. I am willing to bet the clunking sound is that hard plastic anchor tapping against your seat. It is so annoying and happens only in certain instances and when I am seated in a particular place in the seat. It is repeatable tho.

You can even take your hand and tap that piece against the seat and you'll probably recognize the sound.

I do hear this a lot that people say it might be the seatbelt but I never knew it can be the driver side. I will hold it next time and let you know if that is the case.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[f-stop]

Next time you are going over something that you believe will cause the "clunk" sound, reach down next to your seat with your left hand and pull the plastic anchor for the seatbelt out a bit. I am willing to bet the clunking sound is that hard plastic anchor tapping against your seat. It is so annoying and happens only in certain instances and when I am seated in a particular place in the seat. It is repeatable tho.

You can even take your hand and tap that piece against the seat and you'll probably recognize the sound.

+1

I had a clunking noise bugging me for about a year, it was intermittent, mostly when going over a bump in the road at low speed.
Like mentioned above, I finally figured out that putting my left hand between the lower plastic anchor piece of the seat belt and the lower side of the seat while driving stopped the noise.

so I stuck a 2" diameter adhesive piece of felt on the lower anchor plastic piece - noise gone.

I posted a photo of the felt pad I used in another thread:
Seat belt buckles noise

 

[bktiger86]

Next time you are going over something that you believe will cause the "clunk" sound, reach down next to your seat with your left hand and pull the plastic anchor for the seatbelt out a bit. I am willing to bet the clunking sound is that hard plastic anchor tapping against your seat. It is so annoying and happens only in certain instances and when I am seated in a particular place in the seat. It is repeatable tho.

You can even take your hand and tap that piece against the seat and you'll probably recognize the sound.

So unfortunately, I tried holding the seat belt area and it didn't fix the issue. It still sounds like from the back seat driver side.

 

[bktiger86]

I recorded a video going over bumps. I edited the sound to make it sound louder so hopefully people can tell me whats going on.

 

[dragoljub]

I hear a suspension rebound clunk from going over speed bumps. 2017 S90D Air Suspension. I do not hear this same rebound clunk one our 2014 S85 with Air Suspension.

 

[bktiger86]

I hear a suspension rebound clunk from going over speed bumps. 2017 S90D Air Suspension. I do not hear this same rebound clunk one our 2014 S85 with Air Suspension.

My car doesn't have the air suspension. Just the regular one.

 

[Herbys]

If you hear knocking, maybe you need to move up to higher octane fuel.
OK, now seriously, having had my MS for four years and my MX for one, I have some experience with noises. In most cases it was nothing.
For example, a right side rattle I thought was on my passenger's door on my MX turned out to be the cover for the seat rails which a passenger had kicked out of place. A clunk on the MS when hitting bumps that drove me crazy for a while turned out to be a charging adaptor lose in the frunk. And a frequent rattle in both cars happened when the passenger's belt buckle was flipped and it was banging against the B pillar.
Of all the noises I had only one was mechanical: front A arm bushings were worn (or damaged). This was apparently a common problem in early Model Ss, but maybe something similar is happening with your rear arms.
Now, if it is just rattling, you can try driving with someone in the rear seat that can try to identify the source. It is hard to do when two thirds of the car lie behind your ears and the sound comes from that direction.

 

[Art VandeIay]

I hear a suspension rebound clunk from going over speed bumps. 2017 S90D Air Suspension. I do not hear this same rebound clunk one our 2014 S85 with Air Suspension.

I have this same issue with my 2017 S 90D with Air Suspension. I can clearly hear the rebound clunk since its maiden voyage out of the Service Center on Feb 20, especially on the front end of the car.

I can also hear what I think is a rattle coming from the split-rear seats (possibly the passenger side), but I'm not quite sure how to test my theory...

@bktiger86 I saw you video but I can't tell if the noise is coming from the back end of the car as the shot is very dark.

 

[bktiger86]

I have this same issue with my 2017 S 90D with Air Suspension. I can clearly hear the rebound clunk since its maiden voyage out of the Service Center on Feb 20, especially on the front end of the car.

I can also hear what I think is a rattle coming from the split-rear seats (possibly the passenger side), but I'm not quite sure how to test my theory...

@bktiger86 I saw you video but I can't tell if the noise is coming from the back end of the car as the shot is very dark.

Sorry. Yeah mainly I was trying to record the sound. It was coming from the driver side rear seats near the seat belt.

 

[bktiger86]

UPDATE:

I just want to give people some updates regarding this rattling noise. Took it to the service center, they did a test drive and they found out the issue.

They removed and replace the strut assembly. Now I don't hear anything

 

[sorka]

I recorded a video going over bumps. I edited the sound to make it sound louder so hopefully people can tell me whats going on.

I see the problem. You're going over those speed bumps about 5 times faster than you should

 

[sorka]

UPDATE:

I just want to give people some updates regarding this rattling noise. Took it to the service center, they did a test drive and they found out the issue.

They removed and replace the strut assembly. Now I don't hear anything

And it will probably stay that way as long as you stop flying over speedbumps

 

[boonedocks]

UPDATE:

I just want to give people some updates regarding this rattling noise. Took it to the service center, they did a test drive and they found out the issue.

They removed and replace the strut assembly. Now I don't hear anything

Glad you were able to reproduce & record it & have it repaired.

 

[bktiger86]

Glad you were able to reproduce & record it & have it repaired.

Seriously. The key was being able to reproduce it. The Tesla technician said that was the best way for them to fix it.