Model 3 Performance/AWD Clunking sound

[Oyinko]

Is your Model 3 AWD or Performance making a similar sound?

According to the SC, it's coming from the gear backlash and is supposed to this sound but I'm a bit skeptical

To reproduce the sound, put the car on a hill. Stop the car and press the accelerator pedal a bit to accelerate from 0 to 3mph in a short bursts, several times. You should hear the clunk sound that I describe.

 

[stayfocus18]

will try this in a bit

 

[lozza]

Not on my P3D stealth... Hope you get it sorted!

 

[Oyinko]

Not on my P3D stealth... Hope you get it sorted!

Thanks. Have you tried to reproduce the sound? Do you mind doing a video so I can show to the SC that some other cars don't have it?

 

[happyzod]

I have a popping/clunking sound. This happens when I turn the wheel clockwise all the way, and quickly turn it counterclockwise (like you would do with a left turn).

 

[Msjulie]

Does sound like gear lash - I'll try to see if mine makes that sound

 

[ngogas]

@happyz mine does exact same clunking noise on turns. Noticed it when i had updated the car to 44.2 and now on 46.2.

 

[TankoftheNorth]

Seems like a service appointment to me...that doesn't seem normal. Good luck!

 

[ℬête Noire]

On the upslope or downslope of the hill?

Either way it doesn't reproduce for me.

 

[Oyinko]

On the upslope or downslope of the hill?

Either way it doesn't reproduce for me.

It's easy to reproduce on a upslope.

Can you please make a video and share it with me? I can use it to show to the SC that the noise isn't present on other cars.

 

[Oyinko]

Does sound like gear lash - I'll try to see if mine makes that sound

Indeed, they told me it's gear lash.

 

[stayfocus18]

i tried this last night and i hear it.... nothing egregious though

 

[stayfocus18]

to reproduce you have to be going very slow... you only hear it 0-3 mph with the window down. It was hard to recreate at first but then i let the car roll back a little then eased into the throttle and i heard the noise. Does not happen on flat ground only on a hill.

 

[ℬête Noire]

It's easy to reproduce on a upslope.

Can you please make a video and share it with me? I can use it to show to the SC that the noise isn't present on other cars.

I'll try later this morning. No GoPro so I guess I'll be hanging my phone out the window? LOL

Note though that mine is the non-P AWD, not P. The P's got some jump via software, but the same hardware and judging from your video I can't see how that'd make enough difference here?

 

[Oyinko]

I'll try later this morning. No GoPro so I guess I'll be hanging my phone out the window? LOL

Note though that mine is the non-P AWD, not P. The P's got some jump via software, but the same hardware and judging from your video I can't see how that'd make enough difference here?

I used my iPhone too

We know that the Performance and AWD share the same front drive unit so what matters is to have a unit at the front to be able to hear the sound.

 

[Oyinko]

to reproduce you have to be going very slow... you only hear it 0-3 mph with the window down. It was hard to recreate at first but then i let the car roll back a little then eased into the throttle and i heard the noise. Does not happen on flat ground only on a hill.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[ℬête Noire]

Slight change of answer; I was able to reproduce the sound but couldn't discern it from inside the cabin, even with the window down. However when I watched the video from my phone afterward it was there, but only when I let the car slow to going slightly backward before moving ahead again. I think it's a lot softer and less pronounced than what you are seeing, and it not clunking when stopping like that.

I isolated a 7s and 9s snippets, don't have a YT account though. Do you still want them?

 

[Oyinko]

Slight change of answer; I was able to reproduce the sound but couldn't discern it from inside the cabin, even with the window down. However when I watched the video from my phone afterward it was there, but only when I let the car slow to going slightly backward before moving ahead again. I think it's a lot softer and less pronounced than what you are seeing, and it not clunking when stopping like that.

I isolated a 7s and 9s snippets, don't have a YT account though. Do you still want them?

Yes! will send you a MP for my email.

 

[happycloud]

Indeed, they told me it's gear lash.

Oyinko,

I inspected the P3D I ordered at the Service Center and it made the same noise in the video you posted. The noise was replicated in the SC parking lot, which is a flat surface without inclines. Moderate acceleration forward from a stop caused the noise every time. Moderate acceleration in reverse did not cause the noise.

There was also a P3D demo on the lot that I drove and it did not make the noise: no clicking / clunking at all. I tested it at the same time in the same parking lot. The demo had less than 200 miles on the clock, and the car we ordered has less than 20 miles on the clock. Both cars have the performance brakes and 20" wheels. For the demos I drove the week before (two different cars at a different Tesla showroom), I did not hear the noise. We have not accepted the car yet, and would consider rejecting it if the issue turns out to be a serious systemic problem.

The Tesla rep said this is normal, caused by gear lash, and is coming from the drive motor assembly. According to him, it is not a problem. He also said he drove another P3D on the lot that made an identical noise. I did not drive that car and was not in it when he drove it.

In your Reddit post you say "... they already replaced the front drive unit because the noise was out of specs. However, they told me that all Model 3 Performance (and in some ways AWD) would always make a similar sound because of the space between the gears in the front drive unit."

Does this mean they replaced the front drive unit as a solution to the noise in your video? Does this also mean the new front drive unit makes the same noise, meaning replacement did not eliminate it?

 

[Oyinko]

Yes they did the replace the front drive unit because they were concerned the gear lash was out of specs. However, the SC told me a first they reached out to the engineers at Tesla to discuss the issue and they reported the noise was normal and within specs. The SC ultimately disagreed and ordered a new front drive unit that was mounted on my car.

The video you see is the noise coming from the old front drive unit. My new front drive unit is still making a similar sound but maybe a bit more subtile. When I picked the car, the SC told me this noise was within specs and they were all supposed to do this, especially Model 3 with front drive unit.

On this topic, I received some videos from people that tried to reproduce the sound. Some cars had the same sound and some cars were absolutely quiet. When Tesla replaced my front drive unit, they gave me a Model S Dual Motor as a loaner and this car did not have any gear lash.

To conclude, I'm under the impression that you could get a Model P3D that isn't making the noise... I will probably bring the topic again to the SC when I visit them in January for other minor issues. Meanwhile, I'm continuing my investigation.