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Rattle noise coming from front Air Suspension (2017-18)

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Hey guys,

Here you go. This is the loaner 90D that I am driving and this is the air suspension in it. Having driven in the same exact route of my own car, I can confidently say that this car does NOT have any of the noise I notice in my car. It is super quiet. Suspension seems a bit stiffer as well. There isn't as much play from side to side.

Also...I noticed something interesting. On my car, lowering suspension makes the car go down in STEPS... you can hear this slight creak in the rear suspension as it goes down/up. But, in this loaner form feb 2016, there is no sound...the lowering and raising is continuous and smooth.

Let me know if you guys want any info/particular pictures to narrow down the part differences.

cheers

V
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Hey guys,

Here you go. This is the loaner 90D that I am driving and this is the air suspension in it. Having driven in the same exact route of my own car, I can confidently say that this car does NOT have any of the noise I notice in my car. It is super quiet. Suspension seems a bit stiffer as well. There isn't as much play from side to side.

Also...I noticed something interesting. On my car, lowering suspension makes the car go down in STEPS... you can hear this slight creak in the rear suspension as it goes down/up. But, in this loaner form feb 2016, there is no sound...the lowering and raising is continuous and smooth.

Let me know if you guys want any info/particular pictures to narrow down the part differences.

cheers

V
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Looks like different parts. The part we're seeing on cars with the complaint is manufactured by Firestone, this appears to not have a Firestone part.

Problem part: 1067361-25-C "Air Spring Assembly" (w/ Firestone logo) (link) (from 9/2017 75D)

Good part: 1030608-00-C "Assy Air Sping" (no Firestone logo) (link) (from 2/2016 90D)
 
I'd be cautious about false positives.

Do you have video/audio of your rattle/knocking? Not denying you have something, but am skeptical it's the same root cause.
I'll take a video of it this afternoon. My service center has already replaced the steering rack which really did not do much at all. In my opinion, I think it's a strut bearing.
 
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Can you please post a video when you have a chance as we are currently leaning towards this being an air suspension.

- Tesla CS have confirmed it being a known air suspension issue
- Most complaints here are also related to air suspension
I personally think that it's a problem with the strut bearing and both the coil and the air suspension have that part. The knock is so sharp sounding and rapid that I don't think it could be further down in the suspension, especially since others have had the strut tower braces removed and the sound is dampened.
 
Do we know if this is still an issue with the latest MS 2018 production.
Part #'s from a new vehicle would be interesting to see. If they have changed it would mean that there is a possible (costly) route to a fix.
The non defective parts used on earlier vehicles may no longer be available.
 
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Picked up my car today from the SC. I talked to them extensively about the differences between the 2016 AP1 loaner and my car. Immediately the tech who worked on my car was like : “Yes... let me guess, that is an older car?”. “They used to use Tesla’s self manufactured air suspension. Last year, they switched to continentals. I don’t think it is retrofittable to the Tesla part and they “switched it due to long term reliability issues” with the original parts.” Furthermore, he immediately recognized the difference in behaviour of the car raising and lowering between the two air suspensions. The bottom line is that the techs do understand it, however, they say that this is normal for this build of the car with this type of air suspension. Whether or not in the future Tesla decides to change suppliers again and replace this part with a better one, that we have to wait and see.
 
Same rattle here. December 2017 S75D Air Suspension. There are brick pavers at the entrance and exit of my neighborhood and it is quite noticeable at low speed 5-10 mph. I haven't taken it to the SC because they are finishing a new service center in Tampa (Aug 2018) that will be 3 miles from my house. From all the posts I have read it sounds like there is no fix at this time. I hope Tesla doesn't ignore this as I am sure this affects thousands of MSs.
 
Same rattle here. December 2017 S75D Air Suspension. There are brick pavers at the entrance and exit of my neighborhood and it is quite noticeable at low speed 5-10 mph. I haven't taken it to the SC because they are finishing a new service center in Tampa (Aug 2018) that will be 3 miles from my house. From all the posts I have read it sounds like there is no fix at this time. I hope Tesla doesn't ignore this as I am sure this affects thousands of MSs.
I have an executive escalation case with my car over the issue and if it's not fixed before my warranty is up, I'm going to insist that they start throwing parts at it until it is fixed.
 
I know exactly what this is. I had the same exact issue, and it took Tesla a year to finally diagnose and fix. Its the sway bar assembly. Apparently, there is a plastic bushing or something that rots out causing this noise. Make them replace this part

FR STABAR ASSY, 26MM (1043960-00-D) 1

I had every front end part replaced in a year. The above part is what solved the issue.
 
I know exactly what this is. I had the same exact issue, and it took Tesla a year to finally diagnose and fix. Its the sway bar assembly. Apparently, there is a plastic bushing or something that rots out causing this noise. Make them replace this part

FR STABAR ASSY, 26MM (1043960-00-D) 1

I had every front end part replaced in a year. The above part is what solved the issue.
It would be easy to test. Just disconnect the sway bar on one side and the noise should go away. I had a mystery clunk (unlike the one in my Tesla) and I tracked it down to the sway bar with this method.