Loud sound when reversing after parking

[ronin]

I’ve been noticing this more especially in the winter. When I leave my car parked overnight in my garage, the next morning when shifting to reverse, I feel and hear this really loud thunk sound. Like the brakes are adhered to the rotor and the movement into reverse breaks it off or something.

Have no clue if this is concerning or others have similar experiences ?

I might try and take a recording tomorrow and post it here.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Yes, it's most likely the brakes have lightly rusted shut.

 

[nvx1977]

million times worse in Model S. Feels like the brake system being torn off.

 

[Kuhz]

Pads rust into the rotors. Before parking, dry the rotors by a quick brake session

 

[Nocturnal]

Yeah, just your pads releasing. I think a combination of low use, the dual calipers on the P cars, and no engine noise make it apparent. Took me a bit to figure out that it wasn't a problem.

 

[mspohr]

I’ve been noticing this more especially in the winter. When I leave my car parked overnight in my garage, the next morning when shifting to reverse, I feel and hear this really loud thunk sound. Like the brakes are adhered to the rotor and the movement into reverse breaks it off or something.

Have no clue if this is concerning or others have similar experiences ?

I might try and take a recording tomorrow and post it here.

Same thing on my Model S. Happens when the brakes are wet. The pads stick to the rotors and give a thunk when you move.

 

[Verynoice]

I consider it a feature as it tells everyone around to get out of my way.

 

[Shateam]

Yes on my S too after a car wash or if it was raining.

I can also confirm the exact identical behavior on my previous car (Mercedes) so def not specific to Tesla. Pretty sure it’s normal and nothing to be alarmed about.

 

[ronin]

million times worse in Model S. Feels like the brake system being torn off.

Dude. It sounds exactly like that. Major cringe when it happens.

So all and all, nothing to worry about?

 

[nvx1977]

Dude. It sounds exactly like that. Major cringe when it happens.

So all and all, nothing to worry about?

Just to give people some perspective, here's how awful the issue is in the S:

You put the car in R to back out of the garage and apply throttle. The car doesn't move. So you apply more throttle. it feels stuck. Suddenly, THUD! one side of the car feels freed up, and then THUD! the other side frees up. And now the car is backing up pretty fast. It was hard to believe this was functioning as designed, yet 2 service centers and a mobile service tech all acknowledged it happens and there's not much you can do about it except try to dry out the rotor/pads via braking before parking. They claim the brakes can take it. Wow.

I was under the impression that Model 3 resolved the issue because I have never experienced this issue at all. My understanding is that when you shift from P to R or D in model 3, something actually retracts the brakes away from the rotors, whereas in the S, the pads are still rust-caked on. I have noticed a tiny pop sometimes when the brakes are retracted, but it's so soft that I wouldn't notice it if someone were talking to me.

 

[WATT TF]

What you are experiencing is completely normal for all models (S, X, and 3).

In an ICE vehicle that many of us are accustomed to, the transmission is used to hold the vehicle stationary when in Park - after putting the car in Park you can feel it roll an inch or 2 after taking your foot off the brake.

Tesla's use a physical brake to hold the vehicle stationary when in park - similar to a parking brake on a vehicle with a manual transmission.

As some have mentioned above, short term rust can develop between pads and rotors causing them to briefly stick when moving the vehicle after being parked for more than an hour. This effect is less evident in ICE vehicles because the brake is not actively engaged when the vehicle is in park.

This is about as harmful as the brief period after washing an ICE vehicle where brakes can stick for the first few minutes of driving.

 

[Nate977p]

Dude. It sounds exactly like that. Major cringe when it happens.

So all and all, nothing to worry about?

I assume you are a P3D by your avatar? We have both a P3D and 3D. It is much more pronounced in the P; I assume due to different brakes. As far as I know, as other posters said, nothing to worry about .you are just freeing up the little bit of surface rust.

 

[42M3]

Glad I found this. My 2023 Model 3 LR start making noise after being in park and then starting to go in reverse. Was suspecting it had to do with the wet and salt from winter. It had never really been this loud before. But I am guessing the salt and water together made it rust a little faster.