Model S Headliner, unexplained noise (tapping / Clicking) with video

[tpnicho]

Hi All,

I bought a used Model S about 3 weeks ago and love it, but....

Ever since day 2 its been making an odd noise when driving, it almost sounds like its raining when its not! It gets really bad around the 30 second mark in the vid below. I have it booked in with Tesla in a couple of weeks.

Please watch the vid below, any suggestions of the issue would be welcome!

20190324_133845000_iOS.MOV

Many Thanks,

Tom

 

[CyberShy]

Can you feel anything against the headliner? Touch with clean fingers or you’ll leave a stain.

You might be able to feel what is rattling up there. Maybe, with very slight pressure, you can isolate it.

 

[verdee]

I had this on my 2015 for 3 years. Never could figure it out. Sometimes pressure would stop it sometimes not. I just turned the music up and didn’t notice it

 

[compnd]

My 2016 Model S started making a similar noise right after the windshield was replaced - I spent some time pushing and prodding the headliner and eventually popped a section of it away just a little bit (just a mm or so) and that stopped it. I think it was something with the plastic velcro-like clips holding the headliner on - possibly the adhesive letting part of the clip flex away just slightly popping on and off. It sounded like a ticking noise just to the left of my mirror.

 

[glide]

I had a similar noise and it turned out to be the sunroof. Tesla put some grease on it and the noise went away...for a while.

 

[NoMoGas]

Been trying to find my click for YEARS. I think its possibly rubber moving against sunroof but this intermittent issue has been the only thing about the car that drives me nuts.

 

[thinklabinc]

My 2016 Model S started making a similar noise right after the windshield was replaced - I spent some time pushing and prodding the headliner and eventually popped a section of it away just a little bit (just a mm or so) and that stopped it. I think it was something with the plastic velcro-like clips holding the headliner on - possibly the adhesive letting part of the clip flex away just slightly popping on and off. It sounded like a ticking noise just to the left of my mirror.

Compnd is correct. There are several velcro fasteners across the front of the headliner that seem to be just not connecting enough. From the back seat look through the open sunroof into the headliner and you'll see the plastic white/black velcro to know where to apply pressure on the headliner. The one that was making noise was a triple decker they sandwiched in there. fyi mine is 2018.

My main source of annoying clicking sounds was from inside the microphone grill in the middle of the headliner. You remove the microphone grill by pulling on the sides/front because it is hinged from the back (hinged on the side closest to the windshield). It's hard to describe the area inside there but if you open it then drive and apply pressure, to find the source of the clicking sound, you'll realize there is a gap between two materials that is causing the clicking sound. I stuck a two ply velcro (soft sides) into the area and it stopped the sound - for a while, then the piece slipped out. I have to go back in to double or triple up the thickness of the velcro. Must be a lot of movement to slip my velcro out, but the fact that I know how to fix it makes the sound not as bad and annoying as it was.

 

[cybergates]

im having this exact sound in the video - late 2016 Model S with sunroof - service center couldn't fix it :/