Model 3 clicking sound near the rear wheel area

[chinnam3]

The axle has splines which transfer torque to the hub. There is a little clearance so the two parts can be assembled and later serviced if need be. A little clearance also allows parts to be more durable. After reading this thread this sounds like the countless other threads involving very similar parts on other cars and trucks. The click shouldn't hurt a thing and can be solved with grease until the grease dries up or gets slung out of the hole and the click returns. The parts can also wear enough so that nothing sticks and the sound disappears.

A few years ago Ford had this problem with driveshafts, exacerbated by the fact the metal they used would rust and fuse the parts together until they broke free with a clunk and bang loud enough to make the driver think they had been in an accident. After a while, they would wear enough and the problem would fix itself. Greasing it also helped but prolonged the time it took for the surfaces to break in.

Haven't seen these parts on the M3, but they are pretty robust un the Model S. Ostensibly someone who mostly regens may never have the rear suspension apart and these are supposedly designed to go 1,000,000 miles or more (which we are hearing a lot about today with the new battery news). If so, that's a heck of a bearing ... .

I would actually have greater concern about the axle nuts being over-torqued to silence a click and causing premature wear elsewhere. My guess is that this has a bearing pressed into the carrier assembly and not many of us have a bearing press in our garages anymore.

I recently got this click fixed for driver side rear wheel. Talked to tech about it, but what he says did not make any sense. He said, some about the washer there, and when the axle is moved relative flange, washer is sliding/clicking because of relative motion between those.

There is not supposed to be any backlash between wheel hub/flange and the axle splines. Backlash is never good in any drivetrain. There is a reason that axle nut is tightened pretty hard on pretty much any car(front wheel or rear wheel drive), and it is not a floating joint. Its not unusual to see some backlash in the differentials(and tolerances are specified), but no backlash is allowed/expected between the axle and hub. If there is a backlash, the axle splines had to deal with impact force, instead of simple torque transfer. You may not see failure right away because of this backlash, but eventually it will damage Hub splines and/or shaft splines.

Not sure where you got the idea that the backlash is ok between these two components. These are not designed to have relative motion between axle splines and hub unlike the gears. It is not even recommended that you put the lube in between.

Lubricating Light Vehicle Axle Shafts

 

[flynryan]

Took mine in for them to fix it. Turns out a sway bar was loose and everytime the car flexed it would make the knock noise I was complaining about.

 

[CAAD]

Dry splines is a problem. Someone mentioned that by greasing them, it is quiet.
That is the first thing to be done by service. Leaving it dry will cause premature wear and vibration.
I have the same tapping noise described by @AlanSubie4Life . The play demonstrated in the video looks typical on every car.

 

[polyphonic54]

Dry splines is a problem. Someone mentioned that by greasing them, it is quiet.
That is the first thing to be done by service. Leaving it dry will cause premature wear and vibration.
I have the same tapping noise described by @AlanSubie4Life . The play demonstrated in the video looks typical on every car.

Mine is a click sound, different than AlanSubie4Life, but they did the same thing.
Greasing the splines kept my front axle quiet for couple weeks around 5k miles, but then the 'CV click sound' reappeared. 3 weeks ago they replaced a front half shaft, which got rid of the sound, but now it's back. Always on left turns only. Really not sure what's going on here. 10k miles on the car.

 

[vladmury]

My P3D has the same sound and I have taken the car to Tesla Service 3 times, they acknowledge the noise but claim its completely normal which I do not agree. Now I have a lawyer on the case but Tesla still refuses to do any fix.

 

[IronQQQ]

Here is clicking on my axle. LR RWD June 2019 build I have an appt tomorrow morning. Made a last minute video to record it.

 

[XLR82XS]

Mine is a click sound, different than AlanSubie4Life, but they did the same thing.
Greasing the splines kept my front axle quiet for couple weeks around 5k miles, but then the 'CV click sound' reappeared. 3 weeks ago they replaced a front half shaft, which got rid of the sound, but now it's back. Always on left turns only. Really not sure what's going on here. 10k miles on the car.

I had a LF shaft replaced in June - noise returned after a couple days.

 

[IronQQQ]

Here is clicking on my axle. LR RWD June 2019 build I have an appt tomorrow morning. Made a last minute video to record it.

Service advisor said it's a common problem. He said grease and retorque axle nut.

Not certain if the actual work is to loosen the nut, squirt some grease and retorque or a more involved loosen control arm, untorque nut, remove caliper/rotor, swing knuckle away and disengage axle splines, grease and reassemble.

 

[groovyd]

They going to do the least effort possible... just hope they remove the boot at least before shooting the grease. They really need to replace the CV with much stronger ones.

 

[hridge2020]

Mine is a click sound, different than AlanSubie4Life, but they did the same thing.
Greasing the splines kept my front axle quiet for couple weeks around 5k miles, but then the 'CV click sound' reappeared. 3 weeks ago they replaced a front half shaft, which got rid of the sound, but now it's back. Always on left turns only. Really not sure what's going on here. 10k miles on the car.

Production issue, the person was going to break or lunch in a hurry and forgot..

 

[akidesir]

Had same thing with my May 2018 build Model 3 LR RWD last month.

 

[4agemr2]

Had same thing with my May 2018 build Model 3 LR RWD last month.

Mine is a 2018 May LR as well, have had this issue a while back but I've always thought it was my lug nuts being slightly under torque.
But recently it has become a double click and I can even hear it clicking at low speed driving.

I am wondering if any of you with the problem has aftermarket suspension components such as lowering spring...etc.
I am curious to what service would do if they see your aftermarket suspension even knowing the axle clicking is a known issue and shouldn't have anything to do with your aftermarket modification.

My car is on full air suspension and I am debating rather or not return to factory form prior to taking it in. I would MUCH rather leaving it as is if I can.

Meanwhile, i will try removing the 32mm axle nut and give a some grease to see if it helps, I have already tried torqueing it down, didn't seem to help.

Thanks in advanced

 

[G35SWO]

Feb 2022 MYLR developed this same affliction after a month. In the shop now and I’m being told the axle needs to be greased. Based on this and other forums, I’m skeptical this will solve the problem. So, I now have a brand new car with a chronic issue? Not good.

 

[apacheguy]

Is this a purely cosmetic issue? I notice the clicking on my 3 but I’m not really bothered by it.

 

[G35SWO]

I also jus found this:

What do you think about that guy’s fix?

 

[G35SWO]

Is this a purely cosmetic issue? I notice the clicking on my 3 but I’m not really bothered by it.

No. I’m certain it isn’t cosmetic. Anything making noise in the suspension or drivetrain can’t be good.

 

[apacheguy]

No. I’m certain it isn’t cosmetic. Anything making noise in the suspension or drivetrain can’t be good.

My 3 has been making the noise for at least 2 years and I haven’t had any issues. If this is just a component that needs to be greased or re-torqued that certainly doesn’t sound like it would cause a failure.

 

[G35SWO]

My 3 has been making the noise for at least 2 years and I haven’t had any issues. If this is just a component that needs to be greased or re-torqued that certainly doesn’t sound like it would cause a failure.

Let’s hope not.

Tesla service center said they greased the half shafts which run from the drive unit to the wheel. Clicking is no longer present. I asked if this is a chronic problem - that I’ll need to have these things greased on some regular periodicity. They said no that this should fix it permanently. I’m not convinced. 5 week old car and we already have to grease something?

They also said it was odd to see this symptom on a Model Y - that this is a common issue on Model X and S.

 

[bnsfengineer]

Service advisor said it's a common problem. He said grease and retorque axle nut.

Not certain if the actual work is to loosen the nut, squirt some grease and retorque or a more involved loosen control arm, untorque nut, remove caliper/rotor, swing knuckle away and disengage axle splines, grease and reassemble.

View attachment 570444

They did the exact same thing to wife's M3 @ 49k and now click just started happening again at 54k and of course out of warranty. Just noticed where your from and you probably took to same RC SC.

 

[navguy12]

Going in tomorrow to see what the issue is; single “clink like two empty beer bottles taping each other” when initially accelerating or coming to full stop. May 2018 build LR RWD TM3; 87,000 km