Service Bulletin for Rear Drive Unit "clunk"

[David.85D]

Found a nest of these Tesla Service Bulletins on the NHTSA website.
The link is https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2015/SB-10057892-9567.pdf

PDF also attached.

Interesting note is that lubricant for the rear drive unit is 1.4 liters of "DEXRON VI, SYN, 212B"

Condition - Some rear drive units were produced with inadequate grease, which could lead to a “clunk” sound during accelerator pedal transitions or a “hum” noise during high speed driving. Over time, this could lead to premature wear out of the drive unit evidenced by slower than normal acceleration or lack of acceleration at drive initiation.

Correction - Remove and replace the rear drive unit.

 

[boaterva]

May be a stupid question... what is the usage in the SB's: does 'remove and replace' mean 'remove, correct (add grease) and put it back' or 'remove this one and install a new one'.

This SB especially doesn't seem to spell out either course of action explicitly, I think, but I could have missed a step.

 

[nico180]

In the PDF: Correction
Remove and replace the rear drive unit.

So they remove the old and place a new unit

 

[Mobster]

I encountered the "hum" on acceleration. Took it to nearest service center and they replaced rear drive unit.

 

[Lump]

My original DU developed the " clunk's" & was replaced by a DU that soon "huned" (milling noise) & that was replaced with a Q version DU that appears to have addressed most of these problems, still have the battery contactor "balloon squeal" but thats another story .

 

[Knightowl]

My original DU developed the " clunk's" & was replaced by a DU that soon "huned" (milling noise) & that was replaced with a Q version DU that appears to have addressed most of these problems, still have the battery contactor "balloon squeal" but thats another story .

slight baloon squeal on hard acceleration? I thought that was normal (?) my s85 does that.

 

[Lump]

slight baloon squeal on hard acceleration? I thought that was normal (?) my s85 does that.

Tesla will tell you its normal if they don't want to change the contactors, check with you SvC to see if they will update your parts.

Proactive Contactor Replacement

For some reason even though I have a VIN 15XXX like many owners that have received replacement the "system" won't approve mine, its been 4 years.

 

[deonb]

slight baloon squeal on hard acceleration? I thought that was normal (?) my s85 does that.

The milling noise is distinctly different from the balloon squeal on hard acceleration.

For starters, the milling noise is constant and screeching - you keep hearing it if you drive above ~30mph - and could be for hours on end. It gave me throbbing headaches until they replaced my drive unit.

In comparison, the balloon squeal thing is short lived and kind'a pleasant sounding.

 

[nico180]

The milling noise is distinctly different from the balloon squeal on hard acceleration.

For starters, the milling noise is constant and screeching - you keep hearing it if you drive above ~30mph - and could be for hours on end. It gave me throbbing headaches until they replaced my drive unit.

In comparison, the balloon squeal thing is short lived and kind'a pleasant sounding.

I like the explanation, would it be possible to find an audiofile to identify these sounds.

 

[Lex]

It would be difficult to record (audio file) the sounds so in the meantime I will attempt to describe them (audiophile lol)

Milling / cicada - a metallic swishing noise, ranging from quiet to absurdly loud, former leading to latter, ultimately leading to DU failure based on most accounts. Occurs at any acceleration level but cannot recall if it happens at all times vehicle is in motion...

Balloon squeal - an electronic pitch that can vary in volume and in frequency based on high voltage energy flow at high acceleration levels. Only occurs at high acceleration level, eg. in my car 80%+ or so throttle position.

I've experienced Milling in a loaner and it's just like how everyone explained it. My 70D has Balloon Squeal and it seems I'm in the camp of consensus that it's highly common if not ubiquitous, and not unpleasant or disconcerting though I have often wondered if it caused undue vibration / wear and tear esp. on something like the inverter. Reading here that it is caused by the contactors is good news to me then (ie. not the capacitors in the inverter), and also reinforces that it is common if not normal as I've had 2 packs and the balloon squeal sound has been the same with both...

 

[Knightowl]

Tesla will tell you its normal if they don't want to change the contactors, check with you SvC to see if they will update your parts.

Proactive Contactor Replacement

For some reason even though I have a VIN 15XXX like many owners that have received replacement the "system" won't approve mine, its been 4 years.

ok so I did alot of hard acceleration testing this week and found my baloon squeal is gone, must have been when they replaced my contactor in the battery and didnt notice till now as ive not had any hard acceleration moments in a while with all my winding mountain driving.

 

[tinm]

While on a trip, I decided to take my car into service for some little things, since my state has no service centers. Now I find out they're replacing my drive unit! This will be my fifth DU!

Meanwhile as a loaner they gave me a brand-spanking new 2017 Model S 90D with all black interior, and I wanna just cry it's so gorgeous compared to my 2013 clunker

 

[mknox]

Meanwhile as a loaner they gave me a brand-spanking new 2017 Model S 90D with all black interior, and I wanna just cry it's so gorgeous compared to my 2013 clunker

Gee, my 2013 can hardly be described as a "clunker", but yes, DU repair/replacements seem to be the new "oil change" for me too!

 

[Lump]

@tinm What version DU is being replaced, "Q" or older?

 

[tinm]

@tinm What version DU is being replaced, "Q" or older?

Ha, I can't remember. Will have to ask them.

 

[tinm]

The 4th one was a Q and now the 5th one is a Q.

 

[hpartsch]

Found a nest of these Tesla Service Bulletins on the NHTSA website.
The link is https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2015/SB-10057892-9567.pdf

PDF also attached.

Interesting note is that lubricant for the rear drive unit is 1.4 liters of "DEXRON VI, SYN, 212B"

Condition - Some rear drive units were produced with inadequate grease, which could lead to a “clunk” sound during accelerator pedal transitions or a “hum” noise during high speed driving. Over time, this could lead to premature wear out of the drive unit evidenced by slower than normal acceleration or lack of acceleration at drive initiation.

Correction - Remove and replace the rear drive unit.

How did you find this? Is there a link you can share where you can see all of the bulletins for a specific model? I couldn't find it, if it exists.

 

[tomas]

It would be difficult to record (audio file) the sounds so in the meantime I will attempt to describe them (audiophile lol)

Milling / cicada - a metallic swishing noise, ranging from quiet to absurdly loud, former leading to latter, ultimately leading to DU failure based on most accounts. Occurs at any acceleration level but cannot recall if it happens at all times vehicle is in motion...

Balloon squeal - an electronic pitch that can vary in volume and in frequency based on high voltage energy flow at high acceleration levels. Only occurs at high acceleration level, eg. in my car 80%+ or so throttle position.

I've experienced Milling in a loaner and it's just like how everyone explained it. My 70D has Balloon Squeal and it seems I'm in the camp of consensus that it's highly common if not ubiquitous, and not unpleasant or disconcerting though I have often wondered if it caused undue vibration / wear and tear esp. on something like the inverter. Reading here that it is caused by the contactors is good news to me then (ie. not the capacitors in the inverter), and also reinforces that it is common if not normal as I've had 2 packs and the balloon squeal sound has been the same with both...

Let me correct one important word. Milling has very seldom, if ever, led to "failure". "Failure" would mead car unable to perform on road. It has led to "replacement". When you bring in a car with significant milling, Tesla services the DU. The way they have elected to service DUs is centrally. So, they swap in a remanufactured one and send yours back to be remanufactured. None of us know how big a procedure that is. Could be equivalent of ICE timing chain adjustment, or new rings. Doesn't matter for drivers, as replacement is 2 hours. Might matter for shareholders, but I'm not aware of any notes to Tesla financial reports in this regard, so I suspect it is a prudent way to repair vs training all the service centers and distributing special parts and tools.

 

[joer00]

While on a trip, I decided to take my car into service for some little things, since my state has no service centers. Now I find out they're replacing my drive unit! This will be my fifth DU!

Meanwhile as a loaner they gave me a brand-spanking new 2017 Model S 90D with all black interior, and I wanna just cry it's so gorgeous compared to my 2013 clunker

I am still one ahead of you. Was on my 5th in my old P85 and just got mine replaced in my new P85D. They gave me a brand new X90D loaner. Nice but prefer the S.

 

[tinm]

So they did the DU replacement last night, I got the car back. Then went to the supercharger early this morning so we could check out of hotel later on with a full battery to head back to New Mexico, and when the supercharging completed, there was a CLICK sound then the alert sound and an alert popped up in the dash saying "Car Needs Service" and something about a charging error.

I'm thinking, you have got to be KIDDING me. Here I am about to start out on a 900-mile return trip and I'm getting a serious alert, and then I notice the chargeport ring light is red, and I'm like, crap. So I took the car back to the service center and they're like, yep, logs show a weld contact error, you need new parts and it's 3-4 hours and crap crap crap. So, whole return trip messed up a bit now. But I figured we had to get this fixed, otherwise no supercharging. The techs said basically I could slow-charge with HPWCs but the DC fast charging could fully fail at any time unless I had this part replaced. Thing is, techs in Denver or somewhere DID replace this part based on a service bulletin a year or two ago. And now the same part has failed?

They give me another loaner, this time an old 2014-era S85 with 21" wheels. I get out on the freeway heading back to the hotel, and an alert pops up saying TIRE PRESSURE TOO LOW . . . . . . .