Suspension - has this happened to anyone else?

[sorka]

Started hearing funny noises from front end about 6 months ago in my late 2014 MS85. 110,000 mi. Tesla replaced the entire front suspension for about $3500. Noise gone. I guess I should be glad it got replaced before breaking.

What kind of noise? What was the diagnosis? Did you pay the $3500?

 

[Nick B]

They replaced the control arms front and rear on my P85+ (2014). The car was still on warranty for 2 of them but they billed me 2500$ for the 2 rears (they were replaced 25 000 kms after - at around 127 000kms) and basically told me it was normal wear and tear. My car has 135 000 kms

 

[alloverx]

even in CAD$ that is real money. Presumably they should last another 4 years?

 

[Lasttoy]

Only recall if NHTSA gets a lot of complaints.

 

[sorka]

They replaced the control arms front and rear on my P85+ (2014). The car was still on warranty for 2 of them but they billed me 2500$ for the 2 rears (they were replaced 25 000 kms after - at around 127 000kms) and basically told me it was normal wear and tear. My car has 135 000 kms

Shhh. Don't tell my 300,000 mile prius which has all original suspension components including the struts and is doing just fine on them.

There is no suspension component these days that is considered normal wear and tear. Once upon a time shocks used to be considered normal wear and tear but that hasn't been true for decades.

Tell me you didn't actually pay the $2500. If that happened to me for something like that I'd sell the car immediately and never look back.

 

[Nick B]

Shhh. Don't tell my 300,000 mile prius which has all original suspension components including the struts and is doing just fine on them.

There is no suspension component these days that is considered normal wear and tear. Once upon a time shocks used to be considered normal wear and tear but that hasn't been true for decades.

Tell me you didn't actually pay the $2500. If that happened to me for something like that I'd sell the car immediately and never look back.

The original quote was higher. They waived most labor costs. I understand your comment about your prius but you have to realize two things: 1-I live in Montreal where the roads are literally crap because of the weather. 2-The Tesla is probably 2 to 3 times the weight of a prius so yes the suspension parts will use up more rapidly.

If investing 2500$ is a big deal for you, maybe you shouldn't own a Tesla? It won't be a maintenance free car like a Toyota

 

[sorka]

The original quote was higher. They waived most labor costs. I understand your comment about your prius but you have to realize two things: 1-I live in Montreal where the roads are literally crap because of the weather. 2-The Tesla is probably 2 to 3 times the weight of a prius so yes the suspension parts will use up more rapidly.

If investing 2500$ is a big deal for you, maybe you shouldn't own a Tesla? It won't be a maintenance free car like a Toyota

3000 vs 5000 lbs, so not even twice the weight yet the Tesla's suspension component sizing is proportional, so I think it comes down to quality rather than some sort of weight disadvantage of the Tesla.

 

[Nick B]

3000 vs 2000 lbs, so not even twice the weight yet the Tesla's suspension component sizing is proportional, so I think it comes down to quality rather than some sort of weight disadvantage of the Tesla.

Not sure where you get 3000lbs but 4,731 lb (2,146 kg) (P85+) is the weight of my model s.

I've also had suspension work on my lexus rx350 at 175 000km and the cost was about the same as what it cost me on my tesla. Finally, they also changed my discs and pads for 2500$ (the lexus) while my pads are still stock on the tesla and are like new. All of this is simply FYI.

 

[sorka]

Not sure where you get 3000lbs but 4,731 lb (2,146 kg) (P85+) is the weight of my model s.

Just a typo. The point is that my P85D which is heavier than your S weighs 2000 lbs more than my 3000 lb Prius so not twice.

 

[RichardL]

I just had something similar happen in my X - as far as I can see the control arm separated from the subframe (ie at the vehicle end, not the wheel hub end). It seems the wheel went backwards into the back of the wheel arch, so they are investigating if it damaged the harness in that area.

It happened when I had to make a light dab on the brakes at around 20 mph, nothing violent, but the noise was awful

Waiting on a call

 

[FMinMI]

Does anyone know when they started using the updated parts? I have a 12/16 production date 60D.

Thanks

Frank
Michigan

 

[maximizese]

Shhh. Don't tell my 300,000 mile prius which has all original suspension components including the struts and is doing just fine on them.

There is no suspension component these days that is considered normal wear and tear. Once upon a time shocks used to be considered normal wear and tear but that hasn't been true for decades.

Tell me you didn't actually pay the $2500. If that happened to me for something like that I'd sell the car immediately and never look back.

Apples and oranges. Design, regional use, and how a vehicle is used will determine suspension wear and tear more than anything. In this case, it seems like the design might not be up to snuff. Losing the control arm can mean loss of braking, steering, and control. Control arms do not typically fail. They serve as a horizontal plane that ties into the suspension, steering tie-rods, & spindle/knuckles. It is the bushings that usually fail, but more and more LCAs are designed to be hollow for weight savings.

I've got an old VW Golf TDI with 18 years/300K miles with the original clutch and control arms. I also have a 12 year old/180K miles GM Duramax that is on its 3rd LCA bushings, 3rd set of tie-rod ends, and 2nd pitman arm. Like I said, it depends on the design and how the vehicle is used more than anything.

 

[MP3Mike]

Apples and oranges. Design, regional use, and how a vehicle is used will determine suspension wear and tear more than anything. In this case, it seems like the design might not be up to snuff. Losing the control arm can mean loss of braking, steering, and control. Control arms do not typically fail.

Control arms are also designed weaker in some case so that they break in a controlled manor to help push the car away from offset frontal impacts.