Model S with 21" Wheels, Brake noise.

[realdannys]

I've had my Model S for about 3 months now, it's been in to Tesla for 2 weeks to get a snag list fixed but most stuff came back the same.

One of the things that annoys me most is the noise from the breaks when breaking slowly to stop, or slowly taking your foot off them on a hill.

I wanted to know if everyone with 21" wheels has this, if people here think this is normal and/or acceptable. The UK forum is a complete mix of people who say it's normal and fine, people who says it's normal but not fine (but there's nothing you can do) and people who say theirs don't do it at all!

Would shims, lube, 3rd party brake pads stop this if its acceptable for a Tesla? My non Tesla owning friends think it's ridiculous and it's rather noisy in stop start traffic.

For the record creep is off (this vid is on a decline), the discs are clean, rust free and I have just done some higher speed heavy breaking.

 

[CalBlue 85D]

Not normal. Mine did the same thing after a brake job and Tesla fixed it under warranty when I complained.

 

[realdannys]

Not normal. Mine did the same thing after a brake job and Tesla fixed it under warranty when I complained.

Someone on the UK forum is telling me it's much worse with 21" wheels and there's nothing I can do about it...

 

[CalBlue 85D]

I had 21's and they fixed it. I've since switched wheels, but that's another story.

 

[FlyingCookie]

My car does it, but it's never bothered me. I'm used to this sound from previous cars that had very aggressive brake pads on them.

 

[jorobsand]

Aside from the annoyance, is this a sign of a problem that needs fixing? Or is it just a nuisance? My new MS P100D does something similar, but not nearly to the degree of OP. I will sometimes get a very short noise when the brakes take the car to a full stop.

When taking this in for service, what kind of "fix" do they apply?

 

[realdannys]

Aside from the annoyance, is this a sign of a problem that needs fixing? Or is it just a nuisance? My new MS P100D does something similar, but not nearly to the degree of OP. I will sometimes get a very short noise when the brakes take the car to a full stop.

When taking this in for service, what kind of "fix" do they apply?

Oh it's not a problem that needs fixing it terms of "doing it's job" it's just an annoyance , especially in stop/start traffic - sounds like an old van.
I've had it into Tesla once and this is how it came back after being "fixed" - so it either can't be or they didn't do anything and assume it's normal.

The internet is awash with opinions from, "this isn't normal or acceptable get it fixed" to "this is exactly what breaks do, my does it and it sounds fine to me" - when customers can't even agree Tesla definitely won't.

I'll push again, if it can't be fixed i'll live with it and take it into consideration when buying my next electric car and there's a lot more choice, if it can, then great, i'd love the silence! (Considering 3rd party ceramic pads and extra shims to try and stop it)

 

[welcomewagon]

Brakes are the same either way, has nothing to do with wheel size.

 

[realdannys]

SC in UK insisted it'll go away if I use them more. I'm not convinced, but i'll try a few hefty bedding in procedures and see.

 

[FlyingCookie]

SC in UK insisted it'll go away if I use them more. I'm not convinced, but i'll try a few hefty bedding in procedures and see.

I've found that some runs to 100MPH and then hard braking down to 1 or 2MPH will usually make mine be quiet for a few days, but the sound usually returns. I don't really care about it, so I haven't taken it in to get the noise looked at.

 

[rdr1rx]

You have glazing on the rotors due to minimal, improper use. Those 4-pot calipers are built to take abuse. Screw the regen. Slam on those brakes and give those rotors hell. Find an open road and do three to four 70 to 5 mph slow downs using threshold braking (full braking force without activating ABS) with 1-2 miles of cool-down between runs. Do the same with the parking brake by holding P down (just once is sufficient).

Think of it as "dentistry" for your brake pads and rotors and all you're doing is eliminating plaque (and preventing it through repeated/proper "brushing").