Thunk, clunk, pop, “scrape”?

[RyMY]

A few times when I’m pulling into my driveway or a shopping center complex, I hear this thunk, clunk, or pop sound for a split second. I heard it once when driving off after stopping at a stop sign. Sounds like mud flaps scraping, ABS, or traction control but just for a second or less. I have after market mud flaps.

My driveway and that shopping center complex has a normal looking entrance. It’s not steep. That stop sign was just a flat street.

When approaching any type of driveway entrance, I always take it slowly. On a ice car, I would let go of the gas pedal and apply a little brake right before the entrance. On my MY, I’m still getting used to the regen when I let go of the gas pedal. But it’s a somewhat similar process. Let go of gas pedal slowly and apply very little brake. The sound seems to occur when I let go of brake and apply a little gas. It doesn’t always happen on my driveway. Happen like once. If I had music on, I would not had heard it.

 

[Pianewman]

Are you turning sharply when entering your driveway and shopping center? Is the dip low enough that the car twists from side-to-side?

I hear this sound at specific driveway entrances, while turning, and I believe it's the traction-control slipping/grabbing. Totally a WAG.

 

[Arthur31]

Mine does the same thing entering my driveway or while driving slow on an undulating surface ( a grass field is was parking in reproduced this sound). To me it sounds like the sway bar, possible bad endlinks. It's not consistent so it's hard to nail down what it is.

 

[Pianewman]

I thought of endlinks, as well, but my car has done this, driving into steep driveways uphill from street level, since day one.

 

[Arthur31]

Yeah it's more of a game for me at this point. If I back out of my driveway with the wheels straight it will not make this noise. I just keep the radio on and all is well. lol

 

[MikeR99]

The first time I heard this I thought my rim hit the driveway lip (it's only about an inch high), but then it made me wonder if a bolt in the suspension wasn't tightened to spec. I heard they had a recall for that, but I didn't get a notice.

 

[RyMY]

Are you turning sharply when entering your driveway and shopping center? Is the dip low enough that the car twists from side-to-side?

I hear this sound at specific driveway entrances, while turning, and I believe it's the traction-control slipping/grabbing. Totally a WAG.

Entrance is on the left side of a 2 way street. Dip is not low.

 

[Trip McNealy]

Yea I hear the clunk noise from what appears to come from driver's side front tire when I make a turn at slow speed on to a side street up a slight incline and the load is more towards one side. I have front mud flaps on but I checked mine recently and there are no scrapes on them. Something tells me it's related to the shock absorbers or front linkage when the car dips a little in a turn. It does not clunk traveling straight or over speed bumps which is interesting.

 

[Arthur31]

Yea I hear the clunk noise from what appears to come from driver's side front tire when I make a turn at slow speed on to a side street up a slight incline and the load is more towards one side. I have front mud flaps on but I checked mine recently and there are no scrapes on them. Something tells me it's related to the shock absorbers or front linkage when the car dips a little in a turn. It does not clunk traveling straight or over speed bumps which is interesting.

exactly what I am experiencing. I have an appt with the service center in a few weeks. Not expecting anything but it's worth a try.

 

[Corndart]

exactly what I am experiencing. I have an appt with the service center in a few weeks. Not expecting anything but it's worth a try.

You may want to try and capture video of this as well, in case they are unable to reproduce. Not sure how feasible it is to mount a GoPro in that area, or setup a camera on the ground, close to where you can reproduce the issue at will, but thought it was worth mentioning.

 

[Arthur31]

Thanks. Already had my wife record me pulling into our driveway and you can hear the noise twice. First time when I enter my driveway (which is basically flat) and it makes the sound again after about 1 tire rotation.

 

[Kchiao1994]

Would you be able to post a link to the video? I'm curious about what the sound is so I know what to be listening for in case it happens to me. I haven't taken delivery yet, but have been putting together a list of possible problems to generally expect. Thank you!

 

[DogtownTX]

I had these same similar symptoms, clunk/thunk that can be felt and heard when turning up an incline. It's at the service center now for this. They diagnosed and are replacing the front stabilizer bar along with the left and right stabilizer links.

 

[RyMY]

I had these same similar symptoms, clunk/thunk that can be felt and heard when turning up an incline. It's at the service center now for this. They diagnosed and are replacing the front stabilizer bar along with the left and right stabilizer links.

Did it start doing this when new? Are you able to replicate it easily?

Today after I dropped my daughter off at her after school activities, I drove home and heard it again. It was a left turn onto my driveway. It was a quick short drive. After I picked her up, I drove a extra distance and made a right turn onto my driveway and nothing.

From what I experienced, it seems to only happen when turning left onto a driveway/ramp. I do tend to take these very slowly. I’m wondering if the front brake is causing it.

 

[DogtownTX]

Did it start doing this when new? Are you able to replicate it easily?

Today after I dropped my daughter off at her after school activities, I drove home and heard it again. It was a left turn onto my driveway. It was a quick short drive. After I picked her up, I drove a extra distance and made a right turn onto my driveway and nothing.

From what I experienced, it seems to only happen when turning left onto a driveway/ramp. I do tend to take these very slowly. I’m wondering if the front brake is causing it.

Not when new, about 2.5 months and 2500 miles in I first noticed it.

It's very easy to replicate when turning right going up an incline, a ramp or even over a speed bump while turning right. I heard it at other random times as well, always when turning.

They replaced the stabilizer bar and links as I mentioned above but say it's still making the noise. Now they are saying it's a body panel flexing causing the 'thunk'. They're going to have to drop the battery to diagnose the panel flex, so guess it's the floor pan or something? Not sure, just going to stay tuned. Good news is I don't need the car right now.

 

[thesmokingman]

I'm getting a "clink" noise on driveway or inclines now too. Mine is towards the rear. At first I thought it was the rear hatch but that wasn't it. Crap I hope its not battery related. A poster at the end of the Michelin AS4 tire thread wrote about a similar clunk and it was a deformation in the battery... do not want that.

Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 on Uberturbines- 265/35 & 275/35R21

This probably isn’t quite the thread to ask, but it sort of is.. For those that have wheel rub from running a wider tire, have you considered spacers? I’m considering it in the event I have some wheel rub. And they’d be the minimum or smallest I can find. Nothing crazy. Thoughts? You can get...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[RyMY]

Does everyone here have aftermarket mud flaps installed? Is it flush with body? My front driver side mud flap is not flush. I wonder if that’s what’s causing it.

I really hope it’s not battery or body panel flex.

 

[illson]

I am also having this problem where I hear this "clunk" or "thunk" sound when I pull into/out of my driveway (hill/decline) - I can reproduce this most of the time w/ my driveway when I turn left into my driveway.

I brought this into service, and we had to find a steep driveway to reproduce the issue with the technician in the car.

Service ended up "torquing the front suspension" (that is all the notes say) but I am still having this problem.

I plan on bringing this back into service and interested to hear other's experience with service on resolving this issue.

I have a Sept 2021 MYP, ~ 2k miles, stock suspension/wheels, and FWIW aftermarket mud flaps (I was having this problem before the mud flaps).

 

[MikeR99]

My suspicion is that this will never be fixed because it is inherent slop in suspension components. I don't say that as a knock on Tesla, and I bet it happens on a lot of cars and it just isn't noticed as much. At least, based on the noise mine is making. Take a look at all the places slop might be introduced.

 

[thesmokingman]

My suspicion is that this will never be fixed because it is inherent slop in suspension components. I don't say that as a knock on Tesla, and I bet it happens on a lot of cars and it just isn't noticed as much. At least, based on the noise mine is making. Take a look at all the places slop might be introduced.

All cars will develop a clunk over time but not this early. Ours is only a few months old with under 2K miles. That is way too early to develop this issue.