Rear creaking noise when load shifts

[ishulai]

I know this seems like just another creaking/rattling noise post, but I've searched everywhere and haven't come across anyone with a similar issue (it's not any of the common issues, like upper control arms or rear seat latches).

I have a 2018 Model 3 Performance (stealth), and I've been getting a creaking noise (sounds like metal flexing) whenever I let off the throttle completely at around 40mph, and sometimes when accelerating from around 30mph. It's more audible with the rear seats down, but I can hear it with the seats up too. It's coming from the trunk area.

I had a friend drive around while I was in the trunk listening for it, and we found that it was coming from the "pocket" on the left side of the trunk, near the rear. After removing all the carpets from the trunk and stripping everything down to bare metal, the noise became louder.

I've tried diagnosing with a ChassisEAR kit and found that it was loudest when the mic was clipped to the welding flange on the rear driver's side wheel well inside the trunk. I also checked all suspension and subframe bushings (clipped mics to subframe bolts and suspension control arms), and it wasn't audible at all in any of those areas except when the mic was clipped to the rear left strut top-hat, but the noise was much quieter than when it was clipped to the inside of the trunk. We've tried pressing against pretty much every visible metal panel in the trunk and couldn't feel anything actually flexing or moving around, and the noise was still present. It's definitely coming from a lower area rather than the rear shelf or roof of the trunk.

Unfortunately, I have aftermarket suspension components (MPP coilovers, rear camber arms, sway bars & end links) so Tesla SC wouldn't even touch my car, even though I told them the noise was coming from inside the trunk. If anyone's experienced a similar issue, any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Perscitus]

Good attempts and troubleshooting thus far.

There appear to be at least a few common (control arms, half shafts, splines, end links, axle nut) and few less common (chassis welds, flex, rear footwell hallowgate, v1 steering rack, v1 disc brake shields, wheel bearing, knuckle) sources of suspension and hardware sounds on these things.

SCs and MSs are fairly hopeless beyond throwing new parts at the cars and hoping something sticks.

This sounds like another one to add to the list. Ugh.

 

[ishulai]

Good attempts and troubleshooting thus far.

There appear to be at least a few common (control arms, half shafts, splines, end links, axle nut) and few less common (chassis welds, flex, rear footwell hallowgate, v1 steering rack, v1 disc brake shields, wheel bearing, knuckle) sources of suspension and hardware sounds on these things.

SCs and MSs are fairly hopeless beyond throwing new parts at the cars and hoping something sticks.

This sounds like another one to add to the list. Ugh.

Wow, I haven't actually seen any of the chassis weld or flex issues on the forums. That sounds like something that could be the cause of my noise. Were there any fixes for those issues?

 

[Gauss]

I’m having the same problem. I’ve been to the service center four times. Last time they replaced the sway bars. It made no difference. I think they’re just guessing. I have an appointment again next week. Did they ever solve your problem?

 

[ishulai]

I’m having the same problem. I’ve been to the service center four times. Last time they replaced the sway bars. It made no difference. I think they’re just guessing. I have an appointment again next week. Did they ever solve your problem?

They didn’t, unfortunately. What have they tried so far? That way I can avoid doing those.

I took my bumper cover off two days ago and realized that the actual bumper bar wasn’t torqued down properly (body shop took it off while replacing quarter panel). I’m not sure if it’s placebo, but torquing it down seemed to reduce the frequency and volume of the noise by about half. I wish I had test driven it before reinstalling the bumper cover though, to verify that that wasn’t making the noise.

 

[Gauss]

They didn’t, unfortunately. What have they tried so far? That way I can avoid doing those.

I took my bumper cover off two days ago and realized that the actual bumper bar wasn’t torqued down properly (body shop took it off while replacing quarter panel). I’m not sure if it’s placebo, but torquing it down seemed to reduce the frequency and volume of the noise by about half. I wish I had test driven it before reinstalling the bumper cover though, to verify that that wasn’t making the noise.

The first visit they claimed to not hear the noise. The second visit they said "Verified noise coming from rear. Tech removed rear shield plate, retorque both side sway bar links and both side strut assembly. Perform multiple test drives. vehicle operation ok." When I picked the car up, the noise was still present. The third visit the technician rode in the trunk while I drove and decided they needed to replace the sway bars. Those weren't in stock so I had to return for a fourth visit for the replacement. They claim to have "verified proper operation," but when I picked up the car after hours the noise had not gone away.

 

[Gusone18]

I know this seems like just another creaking/rattling noise post, but I've searched everywhere and haven't come across anyone with a similar issue (it's not any of the common issues, like upper control arms or rear seat latches).

I have a 2018 Model 3 Performance (stealth), and I've been getting a creaking noise (sounds like metal flexing) whenever I let off the throttle completely at around 40mph, and sometimes when accelerating from around 30mph. It's more audible with the rear seats down, but I can hear it with the seats up too. It's coming from the trunk area.

I had a friend drive around while I was in the trunk listening for it, and we found that it was coming from the "pocket" on the left side of the trunk, near the rear. After removing all the carpets from the trunk and stripping everything down to bare metal, the noise became louder.

I've tried diagnosing with a ChassisEAR kit and found that it was loudest when the mic was clipped to the welding flange on the rear driver's side wheel well inside the trunk. I also checked all suspension and subframe bushings (clipped mics to subframe bolts and suspension control arms), and it wasn't audible at all in any of those areas except when the mic was clipped to the rear left strut top-hat, but the noise was much quieter than when it was clipped to the inside of the trunk. We've tried pressing against pretty much every visible metal panel in the trunk and couldn't feel anything actually flexing or moving around, and the noise was still present. It's definitely coming from a lower area rather than the rear shelf or roof of the trunk.

Unfortunately, I have aftermarket suspension components (MPP coilovers, rear camber arms, sway bars & end links) so Tesla SC wouldn't even touch my car, even though I told them the noise was coming from inside the trunk. If anyone's experienced a similar issue, any help would be greatly appreciated!

I have a 2018 LR 3 with about 53,000 miles. In the past 6 weeks a creaking noise began and has become increasingly worse. Can't pinpoint the area but it appears to be in the rear portion of the cabin. It seems to be louder with dry, hot weather, lessens with rain. Most noticeable with acceleration and slowing. Attempted spraying silicone behind the wheels around the suspension and rubber bushings to no avail. Made an appointment with Service Center to sort it out as well as the AC going out after Supercharging.

 

[m a x i m u s]

I have the same creaking, although it doesn’t bother me much. Maybe it’s the springs?

 

[Dolemite]

I'm assuming you're on sway bars with polyurethane bushings? Could it be the rear bar? Might be worth a quick shot removing it & driving around.

 

[ishulai]

I'm assuming you're on sway bars with polyurethane bushings? Could it be the rear bar? Might be worth a quick shot removing it & driving around.

Definitely possible, no idea why I haven't tried that yet. I'll definitely give it a shot sometime this week!

 

[Henrykaed]

I have a 2018 LR 3 with about 53,000 miles. In the past 6 weeks a creaking noise began and has become increasingly worse. Can't pinpoint the area but it appears to be in the rear portion of the cabin. It seems to be louder with dry, hot weather, lessens with rain. Most noticeable with acceleration and slowing. Attempted spraying silicone behind the wheels around the suspension and rubber bushings to no avail. Made an appointment with Service Center to sort it out as well as the AC going out after Supercharging.

Was the Service Center able to pinpoint the issue for you? I'm having a similar creak from somewhere at the rear of the car and I've been trying to track down what the cause is. This post talks about other owners having their rear struts or subframes replaced.
I'm just trying to figure out if there's anything else I can check before taking it in.

 

[norazi]

I saw another thread where the guy said it was coming from the trunk hinge... If you press down on the trunk where the hinge is bolted, it shouldn't move if it's correct.

 

[Henrykaed]

I saw another thread where the guy said it was coming from the trunk hinge... If you press down on the trunk where the hinge is bolted, it shouldn't move if it's correct.

Well that thread fixed another issue I didn't even know I had, however the creaking is still there. But it's less noticeable now that the temperature around here is warming up.

 

[SeanTiz]

I have a 2018 LR 3 with about 53,000 miles. In the past 6 weeks a creaking noise began and has become increasingly worse. Can't pinpoint the area but it appears to be in the rear portion of the cabin. It seems to be louder with dry, hot weather, lessens with rain. Most noticeable with acceleration and slowing. Attempted spraying silicone behind the wheels around the suspension and rubber bushings to no avail. Made an appointment with Service Center to sort it out as well as the AC going out after Supercharging.

Mine does that as well, and I have an appointment. With mine, the noise went completely away when I fold the back seat down. So I pressed on the side panels adjacent to the seatbacks, just behind the rear side windows. The noise when pressing on them was the same. They even mimic undercarriage noise when the car “flexes”, but it’s those panels causing it all.

 

[Bizzwhizz]

Anyone got a DIY fix worked out? I notice it can reproduce the noise when pushing and pulling on the backseat and that general area.

 

[SeanTiz]

Anyone got a DIY fix worked out? I notice it can reproduce the noise when pushing and pulling on the backseat and that general area.

Tesla said mine was caused by the seat latch that holds the seat in position. They wrap the metal “U” shaped bar with felt tape and the noise was gone.