Refreshed Model S - rear seat rattle

[aerodyne]

It has been over a year since I wrapped mine in a bit of gaffer's tape. Zero squeaks.

I found the material that I know will work even better, at a local aircraft supply. Very inexpensive.

Tef. Fabric Tape With Adhesive

Fabric (Glass Cloth) Tape With Single Side Adhesive Available in 25mm, 30mm, 40mm, 50mm, and 60mm Width

wingsandwheels.com

 

[cwanja]

If you have Tesla check this (or they decide to do it on their own), check your truck before leaving. This is how Tesla decided to leave mine after troubleshooting a rear seat rattle I did not ask for (semi-appreciate, although I still hear more like money in a piggy bank).

Edit: no clue what is going on with TMC image upload, so here is a link.

 

[Beandoc]

If you have Tesla check this (or they decide to do it on their own), check your truck before leaving. This is how Tesla decided to leave mine after troubleshooting a rear seat rattle I did not ask for (semi-appreciate, although I still hear more like money in a piggy bank).

Edit: no clue what is going on with TMC image upload, so here is a link.

WTF???? That's ridiculous.

 

[aerodyne]

Wow, the best service really is no service!

@cwanja, I have felt your pain. It's arguably worse with mobile as you watch them break stuff. My condolences.

Suggest check your rear seat side bolster clips. They probably broke them. The service manual gives bad instructions as how to remove the bolsters.

My cheap Teflon tape fix is still working, have had no need to upgrade to the reinforced tape yet.

 

[cwanja]

Wow, the best service really is no service!

@cwanja, I have felt your pain. It's arguably worse with mobile as you watch them break stuff. My condolences.

Suggest check your rear seat side bolster clips. They probably broke them. The service manual gives bad instructions as how to remove the bolsters.

My cheap Teflon tape fix is still working, have had no need to upgrade to the reinforced tape yet.

Funny enough, both sides have been replaced when they originally were investigating the rear seat rattle. Before a tech discovered the striker / latch we all know too well. But it would not surprise me to find them broken again.

 

[aerodyne]

Funny enough, both sides have been replaced when they originally were investigating the rear seat rattle. Before a tech discovered the striker / latch we all know too well. But it would not surprise me to find them broken again.

The SM tells you to pull the bolsters the wrong way, ensuring the clips will break, sometimes along with the clip support in the bolster.

 

[dmurphy]

So I thought I had a rear seat squeak and rattle …

I already wrapped the latches in tape.

Had my S in the shop for something else and asked them to check the rear seat one more time …

Turns out, it wasn’t the seat at all. The rattle and squeak was from the *headliner*!

Problem solved — the car is finally quiet as a church mouse. All of the chassis and seat noises are gone.

To say I’m beyond thrilled with Tesla Paramus NJ is an understatement. They rocked this!!

 

[saj070]

So I thought I had a rear seat squeak and rattle …

I already wrapped the latches in tape.

Had my S in the shop for something else and asked them to check the rear seat one more time …

Turns out, it wasn’t the seat at all. The rattle and squeak was from the *headliner*!

Problem solved — the car is finally quiet as a church mouse. All of the chassis and seat noises are gone.

To say I’m beyond thrilled with Tesla Paramus NJ is an understatement. They rocked this!!

Do you know exactly what’s they did? If you know can you take pictures and a quick guide interested if we can do it at home

Thanks

 

[dmurphy]

Do you know exactly what’s they did? If you know can you take pictures and a quick guide interested if we can do it at home

Thanks

I know they added some felt tape behind the headliner, somewhere in the right rear, but I’m not inclined to pull it down and find out exactly where. I dont have any rattles or squeaks currently and don’t want to poke at it and make some appear unnecessarily.

Best advice I have is push on the headliner, find out where/if it squeaks, and that should be your target area.

 

[spoonf20c]

For whatever it's worth, I've learned to track down rattles myself unless it's a known specific issue. I've had two cars now, both luxury/premium, where the dealers messed up a bunch of stuff trying to solve a rattle issue.

yup i feel thats whats its come to. they address and issue, arent able to fix it and mess up a lot of other stuff in the process. its a task that requires patience and meticulous with all the fragile plastic clips and such. nothing a tech really cares to chase down. i took mine in for the repair once and it wasnt done correctly. going to refer to all the info on this thread and chase it down myself.

 

[cwanja]

Tesla has a new "procedure" to address the rear seat rattle. They are calling it a "seat adjustment". Per my recent visit:

Verified customer concern. Performed 2nd row seat adjustment. Lubricated the Pivot Bushing and the Static Pivot Collar. Performed Validation Test Drive.

Initial drive home was positive and I have lengthy drives tomorrow to further test. If you have followed any of my post, my rear seats have been abused. The strikers have taken a beating from a mallet, latches have been replaced, tape has been applied and chewed through in six months, seat backs have been replaced all to no luck. We shall see what happens here.

 

[Predation]

Tesla has a new "procedure" to address the rear seat rattle. They are calling it a "seat adjustment". Per my recent visit:

Initial drive home was positive and I have lengthy drives tomorrow to further test. If you have followed any of my post, my rear seats have been abused. The strikers have taken a beating from a mallet, latches have been replaced, tape has been applied and chewed through in six months, seat backs have been replaced all to no luck. We shall see what happens here.

interesting. would've been dope to see pictures. Is this pertaining to the latch/striker noises?

 

[Predation]

Tesla has a new "procedure" to address the rear seat rattle. They are calling it a "seat adjustment". Per my recent visit:

Initial drive home was positive and I have lengthy drives tomorrow to further test. If you have followed any of my post, my rear seats have been abused. The strikers have taken a beating from a mallet, latches have been replaced, tape has been applied and chewed through in six months, seat backs have been replaced all to no luck. We shall see what happens here.

How is it so far?

 

[cwanja]

How is it so far?

Rear passenger side has been fixed. Need to address the rear drivers side.

 

[aerodyne]

After about 5 months, the rattle started to come back.

Upon investigation, found the latch has worn through the single layer of unreinforced Teflon tape.

I added two layers of reinforced Teflon tape (Trade name, "Tool Tech".

Doubt I have to do it again.

Pic below.

 

[TSLA Pilot]

After about 5 months, the rattle started to come back.

Upon investigation, found the latch has worn through the single layer of unreinforced Teflon tape.

I added two layers of reinforced Teflon tape (Trade name, "Tool Tech".

Doubt I have to do it again.

Pic below.

Does anyone else here find this level of Quality at Tesla to be simply pathetic?

How can NOT ONE TESTER at Tesla not noticed these incessant rattles from the earliest design and testing stages? How is it that MBZ, Audi, BMW, Lexus, et al, can make cars and SUV's with folding rear seats and they do NOT have to rely on Yugo-level tape wrapping to solve these chronic rattle issues?

What the heck is going on at Tesla that after nearly 20 years of building cars that they can still be so intermittently and profoundly inept?

 

[aerodyne]

Does anyone else here find this level of Quality at Tesla to be simply pathetic?

How can NOT ONE TESTER at Tesla not noticed these incessant rattles from the earliest design and testing stages? How is it that MBZ, Audi, BMW, Lexus, et al, can make cars and SUV's with folding rear seats and they do NOT have to rely on Yugo-level tape wrapping to solve these chronic rattle issues?

Maybe they did, but they were afraid to bring it up to the head of customer service...and it has been said, "The fish rots from the head"

What the heck is going on at Tesla that after nearly 20 years of building cars that they can still be so intermittently and profoundly inept?

Possibly a study was done, by the same person that took away lumbar supports on the passenger side of the M3, that showed "99% of owners never notice the rattle"

And for what it's worth, I used aircraft quality glass reinforced Teflon tape....

 

[cwanja]

After about 5 months, the rattle started to come back.

Upon investigation, found the latch has worn through the single layer of unreinforced Teflon tape.

I added two layers of reinforced Teflon tape (Trade name, "Tool Tech".

Doubt I have to do it again.

Pic below.

Do not tell Tesla that the latch could chew through the tape. They would be SHOCKED and I imagine some latches are worse than others.

 

[Predation]

After about 5 months, the rattle started to come back.

Upon investigation, found the latch has worn through the single layer of unreinforced Teflon tape.

I added two layers of reinforced Teflon tape (Trade name, "Tool Tech".

Doubt I have to do it again.

Pic below.

do you have to really force the seat back to latch with this material and the amount of times you've wrapped?? Tesla has really wrapped the *sugar* out of mine and its a bitch to open. looks like you did 2 full wraps. link to the tape? is this reinforced tape "glass cloth?" is there a black versioN

 

[aerodyne]

do you have to really force the seat back to latch with this material and the amount of times you've wrapped??

No, resistance is minor compared to the seat back side rubbing on the side bolster. Unlatches fully via switch.

Tesla has really wrapped the *sugar* out of mine and its a bitch to open.

OJT x zero QA = (The best service is no service)

looks like you did 2 full wraps.

Yes. Only did one wrap before with the unreinforced tape. That lasted for 5+ months

link to the tape? is this reinforced tape "glass cloth?"

See image below. There are fine glass filaments in the tape. It is a durable, high temperature
product used for composite curing tool (Mold) surfaces

is there a black versioN

Not that I know of.

Below is an image of both types of PTFE tape on a pen approx the same size and color as the striker. Note the unreinforced tape goes on almost translucent. The reinforced tape without the yellow backing is not very noticeable.

Also note the supplier name and item number for the reinforced tape, less than $4. You might be able to get free samples of both types.