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Plaid Suspension / Steering clicking issue.
- Thread starter ViperGuy
- Start date
So far the fix has been holding. No issues. It took two service appointments to get fixed. The second one they actually removed the bash/skid plate cleaned debris and retorqued…first appointment was just retorquing. Looking back…I wish I had them take pictures of the area and bolts they torqued so I can share with you all.
Thank you. I had one appointment, they torqued everything and it was quiet for a couple weeks but then it came back. I am going to a second appointment soon. I keep my fingers crossed.
I finally got around to getting my car up on ramps this past weekend. Took off the front aero shield (remove a few 10mm bolts and a few push pins) and it gives you complete access to the skid plate. There are 4 15mm bolts (torque spec = 70Nm) that connect to the front subframe and 2 15mm bolts (torque spec = 60Nm) that connect to the front body casting. There are 2 other bolts that connect to the side sills (hidden under some more plastic), but these have a torque spec of 30Nm and I can't imagine how these would be the culprits.
In my case, both 60Nm bolts were torqued to spec. No issues there. However, the 4 front subframe bolts (70Nm) were not torqued properly. I was able to tighten all 4 of them an extra 1/4 turn before hitting the 70Nm torque spec. Initial driving impressions, the creaking has gotten much much better. There are certain instances where you'll hear a couple quiet clicks, but much improved. If it gets worse, I may try to remove the skid plate completely and make sure there's no debris stuck between.
In my case, both 60Nm bolts were torqued to spec. No issues there. However, the 4 front subframe bolts (70Nm) were not torqued properly. I was able to tighten all 4 of them an extra 1/4 turn before hitting the 70Nm torque spec. Initial driving impressions, the creaking has gotten much much better. There are certain instances where you'll hear a couple quiet clicks, but much improved. If it gets worse, I may try to remove the skid plate completely and make sure there's no debris stuck between.
My car goes into service next week (to address this and some other issues). Will report back.
From what I read here (and other places) so far, the standard solution from the SC that has proved to work is to:
- tighten all the six 15mm bolts to specs
- remove and clean debris behind the bash plate (if needed)
Is that correct? Anything else was done to fix this?
Technical advisor at local SC was telling me something about "installing some insulation material between the bash plate and the body". Has anyone heard anything about this? I got the feeling that he was pulling my leg with this. On the other hand, that's the same advisor who told me that Model S refresh has a charging door that does not open when you press on it due to a change in the design so not really sure...
From what I read here (and other places) so far, the standard solution from the SC that has proved to work is to:
- tighten all the six 15mm bolts to specs
- remove and clean debris behind the bash plate (if needed)
Is that correct? Anything else was done to fix this?
Technical advisor at local SC was telling me something about "installing some insulation material between the bash plate and the body". Has anyone heard anything about this? I got the feeling that he was pulling my leg with this. On the other hand, that's the same advisor who told me that Model S refresh has a charging door that does not open when you press on it due to a change in the design so not really sure...
Just as an update for those with this issue. The SCs have started adding a rubberized foam to prevent recurrence of this issue. My car is currently in service having this fix applied now.
NarTaX
Member
I dropped the skidplate. Cleaned it up and reinstalled and the noise went away for now. There’s two 13mm bolts that attaches the plate to the square aluminum tube above it. That tube has a nutsert and I can reproduce that clicking noise if I just snug the bolts and push the tube around. When reinstalling I just made sure to make all the gaps around the tube as even as possible. My guess is that that subframe flexes a bit and ends up pushing that bar around so it bangs on the lip of the nutsert.
The “dash” noise is gone but now I notice other rattles
. Also there’s a ton of gravel that ends up on top of plastic cover and I have less than 2k miles on the car.
The “dash” noise is gone but now I notice other rattles
. Also there’s a ton of gravel that ends up on top of plastic cover and I have less than 2k miles on the car.
Last edited:
SDRick
Active Member
NarTaX:
Good find and nice picture, thanks for the post!
Are the 2 outermost bolts the 13 mm of which you speak?
I had the same noise, service center fixed by cleaning and re-torquing.
Good find and nice picture, thanks for the post!
Are the 2 outermost bolts the 13 mm of which you speak?
I had the same noise, service center fixed by cleaning and re-torquing.
NarTaX
Member
NarTaX
Member
Plaid Suspension / Steering clicking issue.
I am not sure if I am having the same issue. So I took delivery of my MSLR three weeks ago with the 21 summer tires and been driving them carefully till I get the 19 AS hopefully next week anyways ever since I took delivery I notices when I am reversing or turning especially when car and or...
teslamotorsclub.com
You'll need metric socket wrenches and a torque wrench. Raise the car up a bit. I have the safejacks but you can probably jack each side up and put some blocks under each wheel. Remove the front lower splash guard. Remove and clean up the bash place and reinstall/torque. Should just get the service center to fix this unless you're comfortable working on the car.
Short update from my side. I had the clicking noise since I got the car. I went to SC to fix it. It came back a few days later and the “technical advisor” (using the term loosely here) was telling me all kinds of things that could be summarized that some Tesla S and X do that and there is nothing Tesla can do about it and increasing the music volume is what people do. That noise was constantly driving me crazy, it was so annoying.
Anyway, I went one more time and spoke and test drove with a technician who would be doing the job before/after the car was fixed. He told me that he removed the bash plate, cleaned it up really well and then torqued the bolts slowly in alternating fashion (as it should be done). Anyway, 8 month later the car is still quiet and no more noise coming from the bash plate.
Good luck everyone.
Anyway, I went one more time and spoke and test drove with a technician who would be doing the job before/after the car was fixed. He told me that he removed the bash plate, cleaned it up really well and then torqued the bolts slowly in alternating fashion (as it should be done). Anyway, 8 month later the car is still quiet and no more noise coming from the bash plate.
Good luck everyone.
tommybahamaX
Member
Had the same thing with my 2023 MS LR, been in service for a week and just got a message that said they removed and replaced the front stabilizer bar and the problem is fixed, with mine whenever i turned the yoke in any direction it just made this awful clicking sound, drove perfect but sounded like something just wasn't right... glad its fixed whatever the heck it was.. im not very mechanically included so a "stabilizer bar" is a bit greek to me..
I took delivery of my MSP 12/22/23 and I don't have this problem, at least not yet. Fingers Crossed I don't.
As an update (2022 MS), I have visited SC 4 times so far for this issue. The first couple times, the noise went away for a few days. The third time, the noise went away for almost a year. The last time was quite recent so no noise yet. I was told that they put some foam between the bash plate the body of the car to help. Seems like a band-aid solution rather than root-cause fix to me. I expect the noise will come back again. Whenever it happens, I will likely jack up the car myself and try to figure out a better long-term solution. It is quite disappointing so far.
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