"Thunk" sound while supercharging while cold and changing altitude

[jedi2b]

MAny of you seems to have experience the upsetting noise while supercharging on cold climate or changing altitude.

The good news is that Tesla is aware of it, has a service bulletin and a procedure to fix it:
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10163736-9999.pdf

The not so good news is that I just opened a service call with Tesla, and they told me by text that they can fix it, but because the issue doesn't impair the vehicle in any way, they will charge me for the fix, if I decide to go ahead with the service call.

Why are they willing to come to my place to fix any number of rattles but not to fix this? I understand the service centers are full all the time, but this job is quoted as a 15 minute repair on the bulltin itself.

Anyone got better luck with Tesla with this issue?

 

[DopeGhoti]

This is the first time I have ever heard of an OEM charging to implement a TSB.

 

[JayNJ]

They charge for fixing rattles too now. This is not a safety or a failure so not a required fix and not free.

 

[jedi2b]

They charge for fixing rattles too now. This is not a safety or a failure so not a required fix and not free.

I got my rattles fixed under warranty by the mobile team a couple months ago. Is it different now?

 

[camalaio]

I wonder if this is because you're in Canada and the NHTSA TSBs do not apply here. That would... suck?

 

[jedi2b]

ok, this is weird. After several back and forth via SMS, service center agreed to do the job, but charge me for "diagnostics"

Some more back and forth texting and now they agreed to not charge for repairs, nor diagnostics, nor parts.

The only caveat is that they say yhis could improve the situation, but maybe not fix it completely.

My appointment is in a couple weeks, we will see how it goes

PS rant: All this by SMS. Why can't we have a voice call?

 

[TKOGUY]

Everytime I start navigating to a Supercharger and the batteries start to warm-up I get that Thunk below the car. Or when Im at the Supercharger charging I hear that Thunk.

 

[DopeGhoti]

I suspect these thuds are "cookie sheet" noises caused by thermal expansion of the battery housing and may be innocuous, if unsettling.

 

[TomT]

They are caused by pressure changes and are only cosmetic. The new breather was incorporated somewhere around mid 2018...

 

[TKOGUY]

My car is a Aug 2019 build

 

[jedi2b]

They are caused by pressure changes and are only cosmetic. The new breather was incorporated somewhere around mid 2018...

My car is July 2019 and thunks very happily when supercharging and when changing altitude

According to the SC they will pay for everything, but the noises may not completely dissapear

 

[Scrannel]

My Sept. 2019 car 'thunks' when I wake it up -- such as when I open a door.

 

[TomT]

Perhaps they have redesigned the breather once again...

According to the SC they will pay for everything, but the noises may not completely dissapear

 

[DopeGhoti]

My Sept. 2019 car 'thunks' when I wake it up -- such as when I open a door.

That's a different "thunk" - I think it's the a relay (or the like) bringing the high voltage circuitry to life.

 

[lottadot]

My made-in-November 2020 was thunking when supercharging in the cold this past weekend.

 

[mchas]

My made-in-November 2020 was thunking when supercharging in the cold this past weekend.

Is it a time machine?

 

[agg212]

This is a widely known issue that I've noticed when the car is cold and I'm charging (even Level 2).

 

[Jsmithjr732]

First post (yay). June 2019 M3P build.

Same issue here. On some mountain roads over the holidays, it was making several thunk sounds under the car. Service scheduled for later this month - SC hasn’t mentioned a fee yet, but they did ask if it was noticed at a supercharger. I guess they’re looking to avoid those that only hear it then. Assume those sounds are due to the DC connections which I’ve read about.