Rock Disabling The Model X

[RR Runabout]

I had the car for about a week and was driving on a gravel road at normal speeds. And all of sudden the a TERRIBLE grinding noise started. It was LOUD especially compared to how quite the car drives. Stopping and then moving slowly with the windows open I could ascertain the noise was emanating from the front drivers side wheel. Turning the wheel left and right did not really help. I stopped and got out. What do do? My brand new Tesla X P100D was disabled. It could NOT be moved without that grinding noise. How much did I spend on a car that just broke down in a remote area?

After all those thoughts of angst passed, I got out and tried to figure out what was wrong. My fingers, traced over the back of the drivers side tire along the arm that holds on the wheel. There is NOT much clearance to reach in but angling my arm just right to feel something that was NOT metal. A ROCK... My fingers could just touch it but not move it.

Now what to do...

 

[BestRadar]

Try going in reverse

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

I suggest you abandon the vehicle, leave the keys in it, and give me your exact location. Then leave the area. Someone will be by to remove the car for you

 

[RR Runabout]

First thoughts, I need to remove the tire. I am on a slight downhill. The car is new to me, I guess I have to read the manual how to do this. I sit in the car call up the manual and think about it. REALLY don't want to pull the tire off.

Think think think.....

 

[xkwizit]

Put some water on that area..at times gravel rocks will shed some dirt and loosen up

 

[Solarman004]

Would raising suspension to Very High open up that gap?

 

[RR Runabout]

Ok.... before doing the hard thing (and a little dangerous) lets really look at problem. I turn the wheel all the way to the left get out and reach in to find the rock. I can just make it wiggle but I cannot get it out, try and try but cannot move it. But now I am optimistic. Jump back into the car turn the wheel all the way to right.. Reach back behind the wheel and now the rock is loose and I can easily pull it out.

Whew.........

 

[Zarwin]

I'd call Tesla first. If you're in NC as your location indicates:

Raleigh service
Raleigh Service | Tesla
Service (919) 420-0280
Roadside Assistance (877) 798-3752

Email
[email protected]

 

[RR Runabout]

The picture shows the rock relative to the key fob.. Yes, I saved the rock... It is almost too perfect of a 3-D granite wedge and it was point down behind the tire..

What are the odds the rock aligning and falling into that gap? Hard to believe...

 

[RR Runabout]

I also took the rock to the Tesla Service team so they could look at it...

 

[RR Runabout]

Would raising suspension to Very High open up that gap?

So if turning the wheel did not work.. The suspension was already at high (geo raised) and raising even higher/lower and turning the wheels at the various heights was my next steps....

 

[xkwizit]

Glad you got it out easy. Jacking up the car would have been for me the worst case scenario.

 

[RR Runabout]

Try going in reverse

I did not mention it.. but I did try reversing... it did not help... that rock is the perfect wedge

 

[RR Runabout]

So now I have a memento and a couple lessons learned....

......It does not matter what you spend or what you buy - everything can break....

.... think, and try the simple things before the hard things

-- share/read others experiences to to LEARN....

 

[xkwizit]

You are so right. With our 3month old X, returning from a trip to Canada we had two objects hit the car on I5 I believe in Washington state area. It was raining hard

Suddenly a noise like something hit the belly but it didn't persist so I continued and then a little later something hit the windshield. Sounded like a metal bolt hitting glass.

When we reached home, I checked the car - windshield survived with no sign of being hit but there was a piece of trim under the passenger side FWD that came apart about 5mm. I guess that could have been worse.

 

[Tam]

...gravel road...

Thanks for sharing your story. Now, I've learned another risk with off road driving.

 

[AudubonB]

When in reverse, try turning the wheel lock-to-lock several times.

In your situation, that granite wedge MIGHT HAVE very likely defeated all remedies short of full take-apart; this post then may assist others in similar situations.

That's great you were able to solve it as described. For my own sake - as well as Tesla's - I do fervently hope their engineering/design team is taking notes on how not to position suspension arms on a Tesla pickup truck....

 

[Sailrider]

I know this is a bit of a late post but I found it very helpful. Our driveway is a 1/4 mile of gravel road. While slowly driving down the driveway I heard a pop and then the most horrible sound coming from the front of the Model S. I thought for certain that something catastrophic had happened and I would be having to take the car in for service. BTW the nearest service center is 250 miles away. I put the car in park and looked all around the underside of the vehicle. I did not see anything out of order. I got back in the vehicle and backed up about a foot or two and I did not notice the noise anymore. The then went forward, still no noise. Drove about 4 miles and no problems. I was very worried that the problem would return. I then searched the driveway and found the culprit. It is funny that I was at a restaurant having lunch and one of the locals saw the car and wanted to check it out. I made the mistake of telling him I have not had a single problem over the past 14 months. I could imagine him stopping by to see the car only to find out it was in the shop. Oh well, all appears to be well. I did upload a picture of the culprit. Notice the metallic scraps on the rock.

 

[hpjtv]

Had a rock put my MS out of commission first 3 weeks of ownership. It punctured a hole in the radiator for the battery cooling system. Was getting warning messages on and off for several days so I made a service appointment. Appointment day, while driving, only 20 miles from center, I get a warning that power is being limited. Get out of the car and see a pool of radiator fluid. The hole must have gotten bigger. At about 5 miles left, power was being really limited. Last little bit was nerve racking as my speed was getting limited more and more as the battery heated up. Was only able to go like 10 mph before it finally stopped about 2 blocks from the service center. I had to walk there, someone came and during that time, it had a chance to cool down and they were able to drive it in the shop.

 

[Peteski]

Would raising suspension to Very High open up that gap?

No, I was looking at that, but the part where the rock is stuck is fixed relative to the wheel so that gap would not change. Going to very high would help with access behind the wheel though. I do that when I'm cleaning the wheel arches etc.