Low pitch rattle coming from front - no fix available?

[ishareit]

Fremont Tesla replaced the "STEERING GEAR, LHD (1070801-00-D)" on my less than 3-month-old MS after verifying that there is a rattle coming from the front of the car. After this repair, it felt like the rattle went away, but it returned in less than a day, louder than before. I took the car in for service again and I was told that this is how it is going to be since they need to work with the steering rack part supplier to get them to update the design of the part and that they will bring it up with their engineering, and I don't buy that.

The rattle is pretty bad and loud and bothers me the most about this car. I wonder if other people are having this issue as well since they told me that this is a defect in a part that they don't have a fix for. I also wonder why they replaced the part on my car to begin with (and made the rattle worse) if they knew that they did not have a fix for it. A new rattle was also introduced, which doesn't bother me that much, after this service.

I am getting really frustrated with my Tesla quality issues. I have been to PA and Fremont SC combined at least 5 times with 4 of them being a day or more long repairs since getting the delivery of my car during the last week of September.

 

[moore101]

Hi, My MS 75 built in November 2017 might have the same issue. My car has a deep rattle (not super loud but noticeable) that you can hear and sometimes feel coming from down low in the front. It sometimes seems to be the steering column or can be felt through the steering wheel. It is most noticeable at very low (parking lot) speeds. Is that the same for you?

 

[ishareit]

Hi, My MS 75 built in November 2017 might have the same issue. My car has a deep rattle (not super loud but noticeable) that you can hear and sometimes feel coming from down low in the front. It sometimes seems to be the steering column or can be felt through the steering wheel. It is most noticeable at very low (parking lot) speeds. Is that the same for you?

Yes - deep rattle, coming from front lower part of the car at low parking lot speeds when going over very small bumps. So annoying...

 

[jjh1234]

I almost posted a pic of a rattle, but then I would think I'm funny like @buttershrimp does. (But is not)

 

[buttershrimp]

I almost posted a pic of a rattle, but then I would think I'm funny like @buttershrimp does. (But is not)

Hey! You son of a .... well,crap I totally would have done that.

 

[ishareit]

This is what they had to say the second time:

Concern: Customer: Rattle noise can be heard from steering rack area. Noise has been reviewed once, noise can still be heard after previous repair order.

Corrections: Exterior NVH General Diagnosis

Steering rack replaced on previous visit. Engineering aware of concern, working on permanent solution. Not a safety concern.

Pay Type: Goodwill

 

[ishareit]

wow.. no one besides me and @moore101 has this issue or care about it? If this is a poorly designer part, then a majority of MS out there should be having this issue...

 

[jd2017]

I have the same issue. Picked up my S end of September. I have had it back to Tesla twice now with no repair. They are saying it is with Engineering which it has been since October. I email my service centre every couple of weeks asking if the issue is resolvable yet. So far all i get is we are still waiting.

We need to keep pressure on Tesla to get the issue resolved.

 

[Don85D]

My experience with suspension noises at low speed and over parking lot speed bumps has always been sway bar bushings. But that should have been the first thing checked and if they already know the source you can only wait. I doubt that you will get a warranty fix faster using this site. I may be wrong.

 

[Speedr117]

I too have this low, almost thumping sound on my September 2017 build. Would not characterize it as a rattle, more like a bolt that's just sitting on top of a hole without a nut holding it in. Like a low decibel flutter. Only at slow speed. Definitely needs suspension travel to get it to do it, though. If the road is smooth, I don't hear it. Glad I'm not the only one! Otherwise, the car's been pretty perfect (knock on wood).

 

[MisterTwo]

I too have this low, almost thumping sound on my September 2017 build. Would not characterize it as a rattle, more like a bolt that's just sitting on top of a hole without a nut holding it in. Like a low decibel flutter. Only at slow speed. Definitely needs suspension travel to get it to do it, though. If the road is smooth, I don't hear it. Glad I'm not the only one! Otherwise, the car's been pretty perfect (knock on wood).

I also have this issue on my Sept 17 Model S. I was going to bring it up to my service department when I took it in, I'm glad to hear its not just some random problem with my car.

 

[apples23]

Same issue on my sept build. Toronto service department also told me its an engineering issue with no fix

Seems to be getting worse so taking it back in next week

 

[ishareit]

Thanks for your responses. I will keep checking with the service center to ensure that they're looking into it. An executive escalation into this issue might be an option as well to get a formal response from Tesla.

 

[dog_car]

Don't know if this is the same, but on my July 2016 build, I recently noticed a front end 'clunk" sound at parking lot speeds. An uneven parking lot surface seems to be required to hear the sound. Hate to start the frustrating "whack a sound' repair cycle. Keep us up to date if a fix becomes available.

 

[cmblk]

Having the same rattling noise in my Model S 2017 Jan build. Dropped the car for service and told the same story that they are working on a fix.

There is also another cluck noise coming from front suspension when going over bumps mainly speed bumps. I was told it is from the air suspension valves and it is normal after visiting the service center couple of times. Although I did not hear the same noise from the loner that I got with air suspension.

Overall I have lost my confidence and loyalty with Tesla. For the past year I have visited the SC at least five times. Three times just to replace the dashboard top. Their factory is not the only place lacking quality control. Even the SC does not know how to correctly install a part, dashboard top in my case.

What about "auto pilot"? Is it an assistant to the driver or driver is assisting the "auto pilot"? I know that the last update made auto pilot much better than the previous versions. But think about how you use auto pilot. You have to hold the steering wheel tight so that you can take control anytime, keep your leg ready to press the brake pedal, keep your eyes on the road to make sure it is following the lane markers as well as there are lane markers on the road. In other words you are being the assistant to auto pilot.

What about "full self driving" capability? When is it going to come? In another 5 years? This was one of the reasons I considered buying a Tesla vs others. I paid for full self driving when I bought mine. They basically advertised something that they cannot deliver to capture a larger customer base. I guess I am the fool now. What about the customers who leased a Tesla? Are they ever going to see full self driving?

Finally I very much appreciate Tesla for starting the electric car revolution. Without Tesla other auto manufactures will still be thinking how to make more powerful gasoline cars.

 

[buttershrimp]

Having the same rattling noise in my Model S 2017 Jan build. Dropped the car for service and told the same story that they are working on a fix.

There is also another cluck noise coming from front suspension when going over bumps mainly speed bumps. I was told it is from the air suspension valves and it is normal after visiting the service center couple of times. Although I did not hear the same noise from the loner that I got with air suspension.

Overall I have lost my confidence and loyalty with Tesla. For the past year I have visited the SC at least five times. Three times just to replace the dashboard top. Their factory is not the only place lacking quality control. Even the SC does not know how to correctly install a part, dashboard top in my case.

What about "auto pilot"? Is it an assistant to the driver or driver is assisting the "auto pilot"? I know that the last update made auto pilot much better than the previous versions. But think about how you use auto pilot. You have to hold the steering wheel tight so that you can take control anytime, keep your leg ready to press the brake pedal, keep your eyes on the road to make sure it is following the lane markers as well as there are lane markers on the road. In other words you are being the assistant to auto pilot.

What about "full self driving" capability? When is it going to come? In another 5 years? This was one of the reasons I considered buying a Tesla vs others. I paid for full self driving when I bought mine. They basically advertised something that they cannot deliver to capture a larger customer base. I guess I am the fool now. What about the customers who leased a Tesla? Are they ever going to see full self driving?

Finally I very much appreciate Tesla for starting the electric car revolution. Without Tesla other auto manufactures will still be thinking how to make more powerful gasoline cars.

This post is so puke. Just bs.... dumpy pile of dumpy pile.... go rate the car poorly on edmunds and leave the rest of TMC to the folks that avoiding dropping turds in their first post.

Booo.

 

[ishareit]

The car has been at the service center for 6 days now to get the cruise control errors and the rattle issue taken care of. They are replacing some part for the cruise control errors, and for rattle, this is what they had to say -

"Applied chassis ears to the left and right front air spring modules. Confirmed that the right front air spring module was making noise. Escalated case and found that this concern is currently being investigated at this time, and will be addressed in a future fix."

Anyone else had the air spring module replaced? Any ideas why they won't just replace it rather than waiting for a future fix?

 

[aptekcom]

i think i have the same issue. I noticed it a few days ago. It doesn't seem to happen every time though. I'm trying to find a pattern. While slowing down, and getting close to 6-8 mph, it feels like the whole front end vibrates. Nothing violent, but just not smooth. i was thinking this doesn't sound normal, and this post seems to describe it exactly. Mine is a Nov 2017 build. Does my noise sound like the same thing?

 

[ishareit]

i think i have the same issue. I noticed it a few days ago. It doesn't seem to happen every time though. I'm trying to find a pattern. While slowing down, and getting close to 6-8 mph, it feels like the whole front end vibrates. Nothing violent, but just not smooth. i was thinking this doesn't sound normal, and this post seems to describe it exactly. Mine is a Nov 2017 build. Does my noise sound like the same thing?

Does not seem like the same issue that I have. The rattle that I hear is constant and more prominent at low speeds when going over minor bumps.

 

[DjiM]

I have (~had) a similar issue with my 2014 coil-sprung Model S.

When on a cobblestone parking lot, there was a pretty loud, low pitched rattle, especially with the steering wheel turned to the left.

Had two interventions on this problem already. It isn't completely fixed even though it is much, much, much better.

First intervention, they replaced the bolts of the shock absorber. This initially seemed to fix the problem but the rattle came back very quickly. During the second intervention, the front stabilizer bar links were replaced. This has certainly had a significant (positive) effect.

I hope it helps.