Model 3 front suspension clunking

[SiEV75]

No I've checked all that stuff, headlights, even read somewhere it may be the screw in towing eye rattling about. All this talk of mud flaps and head lights is BS. Its definitely a more mechanical knock on the front suspension. Anyway, when i took the car back i had the same, the tech and master tech said as much as they dare to support my concerns without openly admitting there is an issue.

I am dealing with Bristol Tesla, so it sounds like our cars are close together geographically, when was yours delivered ? May have come on the same dodgy shipment ? Mine was delivered 26/11/21

I took a demo out the same day as i collected mine and it was fine. I also work for a company where other people have had there model 3s delivered in the last 2 months and they are all fine. The only difference with mine and there cars are that i upgraded to 19" wheels but i cant believe thats a factor.

 

[DickiJ]

No I've checked all that stuff, headlights, even read somewhere it may be the screw in towing eye rattling about. All this talk of mud flaps and head lights is BS. Its definitely a more mechanical knock on the front suspension. Anyway, when i took the car back i had the same, the tech and master tech said as much as they dare to support my concerns without openly admitting there is an issue.

I am dealing with Bristol Tesla, so it sounds like our cars are close together geographically, when was yours delivered ? May have come on the same dodgy shipment ? Mine was delivered 26/11/21

I took a demo out the same day as i collected mine and it was fine. I also work for a company where other people have had there model 3s delivered in the last 2 months and they are all fine. The only difference with mine and there cars are that i upgraded to 19" wheels but i cant believe thats a factor.

I was told of a recent tale whilst at Cardiff Tesla of the Bristol service team keeping someone's Tesla for 2 months and replacing almost the whole front end chasing a knocking sound for a customer - only to discover it was a 'characteristic of the car' the whole time. I wonder if this is why both our service teams are hesitant to admit something is wrong.

I agree the knock sounds 100% mechanical, but currently I'm willing to try replacing anything I can prove is wrong

 

[Aye_Watt]

My car has also developed this issue over the last week. I supect it's the same control arms problem as per this link. Plenty of owners reporting similar issues online have had the arms replaced under warranty. I've booked a service appointment armed with this knowledge.

An update on my service visit. Issue has now been resolved. Both control arms were replaced and car is squeak free and silky smooth.

Fantastic experience at Tesla Glasgow too, I cannot fault the SC at all.

 

[dsc888]

You've used the same words as I used when filling out the rattle form... That the noise is more apparent when the wheel drops rather than being impacted.

Unfortunantly the visit hasn't got rid of the noise... I found my own test route before I visited in a rough road residential street. First tech came out with me and clearly started to doubt himself about the noise so he sent his supervisor out with me instead. He also started to doubt himself so we went out in a demo. To my disgust the demo car also exibited the same noise. I still don't believe it's right - there's no way a car manufacturer would design a car that has this level of noise coming into the cabin from some rough roads and for two techs to doubt themselves I know it can't be normal.


Can I ask a favour? Do your headlights rattle if you give them a thumb? Not a hard hit just a decent one with the palm of your hand? Mine rattle like mad and I'm wondering if they're producing the noise. Half tempted to take the 20 minute trip back to Tesla today and start hitting their demo cars.

I have a 2021 LR and have the EXACT same noise. I have the upgraded 19 inch sport wheels and I noticed that clunking mostly in city speeds over mildly broken pavement or with sharp bumps where the wheel suddenly drops. It sounds like it's higher up like a loose strut mount. I did bring it to the attention of the service center and the tech did say that it was "normal". I can hear it slightly in the Right Front over similar surfaces but is is much less evident. Something is off but I don't feel it in the handling. It does sound rubbery in nature so I'm just curious if it has anything to do with the upper mount or the bumpstops. I hope other owners who has the issue can chime in as well.

 

[SiEV75]

I was told of a recent tale whilst at Cardiff Tesla of the Bristol service team keeping someone's Tesla for 2 months and replacing almost the whole front end chasing a knocking sound for a customer - only to discover it was a 'characteristic of the car' the whole time. I wonder if this is why both our service teams are hesitant to admit something is wrong.

I agree the knock sounds 100% mechanical, but currently I'm willing to try replacing anything I can prove is wrong

Yes i was told that story too. To be honest regardless of past experiences i cannot accept that the noises coming from my car are ok. If they all do it to some extent then i would at least expect Tesla to change the parts to minimize the issue even if a complete fix is out of the question.

 

[SiEV75]

An update on my service visit. Issue has now been resolved. Both control arms were replaced and car is squeak free and silky smooth.

Fantastic experience at Tesla Glasgow too, I cannot fault the SC at all.

When you say its now squeak free, was it a squeak originally ? Mine is a definite clunk, possibly different issues here ?

 

[Aye_Watt]

When you say its now squeak free, was it a squeak originally ? Mine is a definite clunk, possibly different issues here ?

It sounded to me more like a squeaking/creaking noise. Not a clunk or mechanical type noise. I could replicate the sound myself by bouncing the chassis above the strut or by rotating the steering wheel when parked.

What I will mention though is my car makes no sound at all now in drive, not even on speed humps.

 

[DickiJ]

Funny enough Tesla never got back to me on the headlights rattling so to force them to respond I booked an appointment for today over the weekend. The Supervisor there called yesterday and instead offered to see me a week Thursday when one of their 'Master Techs' are in the shop to go over my car in detail. I'll provide an update when that's happened

 

[Ucsbshawn]

My Clunk has gotten worse and is VERY noticeable when the temperature is cold. it sounds like something (bolt/nut) is loose on the front right side. Its most audible under 40mph and only on small expansion joints / bumps in the road. It only happens when the right wheel hits a bump. All of the suspension components have been checked for torque. I even replaced the swaybar end link. I dropped it off for a full day at a SC and they told me they spent 8 hours trying to figure it out and couldn't. I was told they took the belly pan, and the front bumper off. They tried to charge me for 30 mins of labor ($100) and gave me my car back. I threw a fit and had them make it a warranty inspection, but it still didn't resolve my issue. I'm starting to think it is something in the fender between the wheel and the door. Anyone know if something is bolted onto the body behind the fender liner?

 

[FiveInline]

My Clunk has gotten worse and is VERY noticeable when the temperature is cold. it sounds like something (bolt/nut) is loose on the front right side. Its most audible under 40mph and only on small expansion joints / bumps in the road. It only happens when the right wheel hits a bump. All of the suspension components have been checked for torque. I even replaced the swaybar end link. I dropped it off for a full day at a SC and they told me they spent 8 hours trying to figure it out and couldn't. I was told they took the belly pan, and the front bumper off. They tried to charge me for 30 mins of labor ($100) and gave me my car back. I threw a fit and had them make it a warranty inspection, but it still didn't resolve my issue. I'm starting to think it is something in the fender between the wheel and the door. Anyone know if something is bolted onto the body behind the fender liner?

This sound exactly like my 2021 Performance (China) Tesla had the car from a Tuesday to Friday the week after, that’s 8 work days and they still could not figured out the problem. They changed the shock absorber and a whole lot of other things in the front suspension, but ended up with “it’s coming from the shock absorber and it’s suppose to sound like this”.

Very strange then, that my left side is silent.

 

[SiEV75]

Funny enough Tesla never got back to me on the headlights rattling so to force them to respond I booked an appointment for today over the weekend. The Supervisor there called yesterday and instead offered to see me a week Thursday when one of their 'Master Techs' are in the shop to go over my car in detail. I'll provide an update when that's happened

Hope you have more luck than i did with the master tech, they just repeated the same message, "its a characteristic of the car". I've made three return visits now without any clear idea of how this will be resolved. We cant all be wrong about this issue, I'm just not sure how it will ever get sorted.

 

[Aye_Watt]

Hope you have more luck than i did with the master tech, they just repeated the same message, "its a characteristic of the car". I've made three return visits now without any clear idea of how this will be resolved. We cant all be wrong about this issue, I'm just not sure how it will ever get sorted.

Is it possible to film the sound from inside or outside the car?

 

[DickiJ]

Is it possible to film the sound from inside or outside the car?

I know I've struggled to record it in the car... A phone's mic just isn't sensitive enough to the sound over the normal background noise of a car being driven.

I've been considering buying a cheap action camera ahead of my appointment and see if I can mount it somewhere underneath the car but would struggle as I've no access to a ramp and I just haven't got the time in life to be faffing with jacking cars up, removing under trays etc...

 

[DickiJ]

16-19s you can hear it the most.

Ignore whatever is rattling in the cabin, I think the child seat must have been unlocked. When the car drops into those dips and hits the bottom the bump sounds clunky... This isn't the best example but gives you an idea.

 

[nsyr]

I have noise in my front end when driving on a slightly bumpy road. It sounds like ball joint chatter. I have a 2022 M3P. The noise is still there after I installed MPP sport coilovers. At this point I am guessing low quality ball joints. I don't know the anatomy of the ball joints in this car but it may be bad tolerances or possibly weak tension springs if they use them.

 

[SiEV75]

Is it possible to film the sound from inside or outside the car?

I've tried to record it but its difficult to pick up on a mobile phone mic. Its just a poor quality ride, and clear when its driven, we shouldn't need to capture it on film, if the SC technician drives the car it obvious, it needs Tesla to acknowledge its not acceptable and fix it,

 

[jackmott]

I wonder if the clunk is a bushing somewhere that is a wee bit too thin, such that a quick movement of the wheel causes the two parts to use up all the squish in the bushing and clunk.

Given that people with clunks haven't had bolts fall out or any visible wear on anything (Mine clunks and I can't see anything and bolts are in place) that could be it.

 

[FiveInline]

I have noise in my front end when driving on a slightly bumpy road. It sounds like ball joint chatter. I have a 2022 M3P. The noise is still there after I installed MPP sport coilovers. At this point I am guessing low quality ball joints. I don't know the anatomy of the ball joints in this car but it may be bad tolerances or possibly weak tension springs if they use them.

Do you hear it on both sides or just one?

 

[DickiJ]

I've had my appointment with the Master Tech. Really nice individual who clearly wants to do more - but seems unable to as there isn't a current fix. His words were:

• My vehicle is noisy on both passenger and drivers side. He's experienced this noise before in a handful of cars (I also believed he referred to your vehicle @SiEV75 ).
• All Model 3's exhibit this noise but on the whole to a lesser extent. Some vehicles are noisy on just the drivers side, others on the passenger - and in some cases both. They know this as they've isolated the noise to be coming from the shock absorbers using chassis ears. On someone else's Model 3 that is experiencing the same they changed the shock absorbers and surrounding components but this did not reduce the noise levels. Even their demo car at Cardiff exhibits the same noise as my car, although not quite as loud.

Because all Model 3s make this noise to some extent they aren't treating this as a warrant-able issue - yet anyways. If a fix or a revision to the parts is ever issued I imagine they won't have a problem revisiting this in the future.

Unfortunately it doesn't look like there's much else that can be done, at least from myself. I've asked for the issue to be formally acknowledged in writing even if the letter is to be heavily wordsmithed as to not expose Tesla to a liability, that quite frankly I think they should own. The Master Tech is hopeful that if/as more people come forward with this complaint it'll shine a spot light on the problem. I've also had assurances from the Cardiff Service Team that they'll schedule semi-regular contact with me on the progress of this matter, even if it's a nil response.

 

[jackmott]

Has anyone had this clunk and replaced front control arms and had it go away?
That might point to bushings being the culprit.