Single click/knock noise when accelerating or slowing to a stop - MYP

[oghowie]

Forgot to update but this was what the tech found. Tried to get a picture, but they weren't able to get one for me.

Test drove vehicle again with second technician verified noise and pinpointed noise left B pillar area floor. Used bore scope inspected all load floor crevasse and channels. Found bolt wedged in load floor channel under seat riser by dowel pin of seat riser. Removed seat riser, removed bolt. Verified bolt was causing customer concern. Vehicle reassembled test drove customer vehicle and verified customer concern no longer present. (see attached pictures). All components removed for access torqued down to spec.

 

[Alan_F]

This issue is with my 2020 Model 3 SR+, but from the rest of this thread it sounds like it may be the same thing others experienced on Y's. The car only has about 11,000 miles, I also have a 2021 Y LR that has about 15,000 miles and doesn't have this issue (yet?).

Videos:

New video by Alan F

photos.app.goo.gl

New video by Alan F

photos.app.goo.gl

I recently noticed a clicking sound on acceleration and deceleration. As with others, I think I started to notice it because it is fall and I have the windows down more. With the A/C blasting and the radio on, I probably wouldn't notice it.

It can sound like it's coming from the right rear, left rear, or sometimes both sides rear. Sometimes is is a definite 'click' and sometimes it is a bit more of a creak. The videos did a pretty good job of capturing the sound. I am using hold mode, I don't think it is the solenoid, since it happens on regen before I come to stop, not only on stop/start. It didn't happen when I tried using the brakes to stop rather than regen, so I'm a bit confused as to what's going on.

Symptoms:
Accelerate from stop -> click -> Lift of and begin regen -> click -> Accelerate again without coming to a stop -> click

Stopped on a (down)hill -> Accelerate (click) -> shift to neutral and use brakes to slow car (weight transfers) -> NO click

I have a mobile service appointment tomorrow for an unrelated issue (driver's seat motor not working) so hopefully the tech will have some idea of what is causing this and can either fix it on the spot or at least diagnose it so I can put in another service request to get it fixed.

 

[Depwraith]

This issue is with my 2020 Model 3 SR+, but from the rest of this thread it sounds like it may be the same thing others experienced on Y's. The car only has about 11,000 miles, I also have a 2021 Y LR that has about 15,000 miles and doesn't have this issue (yet?).

Videos:

New video by Alan F

photos.app.goo.gl

New video by Alan F

photos.app.goo.gl

I recently noticed a clicking sound on acceleration and deceleration. As with others, I think I started to notice it because it is fall and I have the windows down more. With the A/C blasting and the radio on, I probably wouldn't notice it.

It can sound like it's coming from the right rear, left rear, or sometimes both sides rear. Sometimes is is a definite 'click' and sometimes it is a bit more of a creak. The videos did a pretty good job of capturing the sound. I am using hold mode, I don't think it is the solenoid, since it happens on regen before I come to stop, not only on stop/start. It didn't happen when I tried using the brakes to stop rather than regen, so I'm a bit confused as to what's going on.

Symptoms:
Accelerate from stop -> click -> Lift of and begin regen -> click -> Accelerate again without coming to a stop -> click

Stopped on a (down)hill -> Accelerate (click) -> shift to neutral and use brakes to slow car (weight transfers) -> NO click

I have a mobile service appointment tomorrow for an unrelated issue (driver's seat motor not working) so hopefully the tech will have some idea of what is causing this and can either fix it on the spot or at least diagnose it so I can put in another service request to get it fixed.

Did they figure out what it was? Taking mine in Saturday for the same exact issue and would love to be able to point them directly to the fix.

 

[Alan_F]

Did they figure out what it was? Taking mine in Saturday for the same exact issue and would love to be able to point them directly to the fix.

Not really. The mobile tech though it was most likely that the rear axle needed to be lubed. It's going in to the service center Friday afternoon.

 

[railroader1988]

mine clicked also, and it was fixed by lubing all 4 axle hubs

 

[Alan_F]

@Depwraith - the app shows: "Maintenance performed: lubricate at hub the left rear drive unit halfshaft. Maintenance performed: lubricate at hub the right rear drive unit halfshaft."

 

[Depwraith]

@Depwraith - the app shows: "Maintenance performed: lubricate at hub the left rear drive unit halfshaft. Maintenance performed: lubricate at hub the right rear drive unit halfshaft."

Thanks, they fixed my this weekend, lubricated both rear axle splines and retorqued them. Seems to be good for now.

 

[akidesir]

Can't believe they still have this issue going on. I had the same issue with my 2018 Model 3 after a few years they did the same diagnosis and fix.

 

[Alan_F]

Is it really an 'issue' or just maintenance the car needs every couple years? Considering how little other maintenance is required on the car, I'm not too worried if it just needs the half shafts lubed every 3 years.

 

[Depwraith]

Is it really an 'issue' or just maintenance the car needs every couple years? Considering how little other maintenance is required on the car, I'm not too worried if it just needs the half shafts lubed every 3 years.

Well I only had 1500 miles on my Y, so would consider that an issue and not normal maintenance.

 

[Alan_F]

@Depwraith Agreed. 1,500 miles seems more like they didn't lube it right when it was built. My M3 SR+ was built December 2019 and was fine for almost 3 years.

 

[spoony604]

I think I have the same noise in my Jan 2021 built MYP. Started after several months in August 2021. First from one side. Then on both sides. It’s a metallic click sound that at first I thought I got something loose under the rear seats. But then we heard it from the outside too. It only happened under rapid acceleration and deceleration (so there is a toggled shift of something in suspension in both directions. Lately it happens when going over large bumps like entering a driveway curb. So vertical acceleration too.

When I finally took it to Tesla service in Nov 2021, they changed all rear brakes, rotors, pads, lubed all they could and retorqued every bolt. It did not solve problem.

Next day I was accepting that the whole car will have to be taken apart but got a message from service that they consulted with Tesla engineering and apparently it’s a known issue that Tesla knows and is working on a fix for. Message says “the noise is coming from where the subframe bolts up in the rear of the vehicle.” But is not a safety issue (wheels won’t come off).

I followed up just a few weeks ago in mid-Feb 2022 and there is still no fix for it.

I’m thankful Tesla was very forthcoming with the cause of the noise.

The noise to the best of my interpretation sounds like two large steel balls collide. It’s always a single click per each side. I got used to it by now but worries me a bit it started happening lately with vertical accelerations when going over large bumps.

Anyone else has this or knows more? Diagrams of where this is actually happening and potentially how?

i have the EXACT issue, and tesla didnt know how to fix it
sigh

gonna make a second service request

 

[FamilYLR]

I had this noise, and recently went to Alhambra service center, they fixed the issue in 2 hours, and said they know it exists and they knew the fix put out by Tesla, and I can confirm the issue is gone and they also aligned my car for me as well after, drives much straighter and the noise is gone as it was getting annoying. I attached the fix, pulled, torque to spec, and greased....the basics photo shows details. Wanted to update the thread for those who find this via google.
edit: all handled under warranty obviously, I have a 2021 MYLR w/ 25k miles

 

[Tsaico]

I had this noise, and recently went to Alhambra service center, they fixed the issue in 2 hours, and said they know it exists and they knew the fix put out by Tesla, and I can confirm the issue is gone and they also aligned my car for me as well after, drives much straighter and the noise is gone as it was getting annoying. I attached the fix, pulled, torque to spec, and greased....the basics photo shows details. Wanted to update the thread for those who find this via google.
edit: all handled under warranty obviously, I have a 2021 MYLR w/ 25k miles
View attachment 889619

thanks For mentioning which SC, because not all SC is build equal, will make appointment now….thanks again!

 

[tesmonk]

I think I have the same noise in my Jan 2021 built MYP. Started after several months in August 2021. First from one side. Then on both sides. It’s a metallic click sound that at first I thought I got something loose under the rear seats. But then we heard it from the outside too. It only happened under rapid acceleration and deceleration (so there is a toggled shift of something in suspension in both directions. Lately it happens when going over large bumps like entering a driveway curb. So vertical acceleration too.

When I finally took it to Tesla service in Nov 2021, they changed all rear brakes, rotors, pads, lubed all they could and retorqued every bolt. It did not solve problem.

Next day I was accepting that the whole car will have to be taken apart but got a message from service that they consulted with Tesla engineering and apparently it’s a known issue that Tesla knows and is working on a fix for. Message says “the noise is coming from where the subframe bolts up in the rear of the vehicle.” But is not a safety issue (wheels won’t come off).

I followed up just a few weeks ago in mid-Feb 2022 and there is still no fix for it.

I’m thankful Tesla was very forthcoming with the cause of the noise.

The noise to the best of my interpretation sounds like two large steel balls collide. It’s always a single click per each side. I got used to it by now but worries me a bit it started happening lately with vertical accelerations when going over large bumps.

Anyone else has this or knows more? Diagrams of where this is actually happening and potentially how?

Had similar problem with MYLR 2023. SC found It was due to dirt on mating surface of the half shafts to hubs. My car is 3 weeks old and was driven once in rain from what I can recollect. SC cleaned and applied molykote to both rear half shafts and the noise got mitigated at this point. Something to watch for if it is going to be a recurring problem.

 

[untilcomplete]

Anyone know what lubricaiton they are using?

 

[Ant M3]

I have exactly this problem on my 3.5year old M3P. They sorted the front suspension creaking but the clicking on acceleration / deceleration still happens every time. It definitely coming from the rear drivers side of the car.
It’s booked in for them to sort tomorrow and I’m reluctant to have it back until it’s fixed as it’s close to the end of its warranty

 

[jsmay311]

I had this issue addressed (and hopefully permanently fixed ) at a service center yesterday on my Model 3 LR-RWD, out of warranty.

The process started with me driving around the parking lot with the tech in the passenger seat trying to replicate the noise. After that it was about a half hour for the tech to finish working on the car he was already working on, and then about an hour to complete the fix on my car. So I just waited while the work was done.

The cost came to $230.

 

[diomer]

Ok doods. This thread sent me down a dumb rabbit hole where I found the real cause for the knocking and how EASY it is to fix it. Here is the best video I found on this:

. Buy yourself a 200ft lb torque wrench. It’s worth the price. Get it from Harbor Freight tools.

 

[voom500]

Mine has the single click noise as seen in some of the videos above. I was able to reproduce it pretty well with quick acceleration and quick deceleration and recorded video/sound of the noise. I have service scheduled for about 10 days from now. My MYLR is about 11 months old and just over 12K miles on it.