WARNING For Those Installing Aftermarket Arms, Links, etc such as N2itive, Mountian Pass, etc.

[emailforbrett]

I have the rear tire tread separation issue on my 21” Michelin OEM tires on my Plaid. I had N2itive adjustable arms installed to correct this.

I ended up having an unrelated suspension issue and Tesla will not touch my car with any aftermarket products attached to the suspension. My car makes a metal on metal clunking sound when going over speed bumps.

YES, I know the MMWA. YES, I can file suit under that act. Is the juice worth the squeeze to attempt to litigate with Tesla while my car needs to be fixed and I risk losing the attorney fees? Not to mention the years it will take to resolve the suit one way or the other.

I had to pay Tesla $800 to remove the N2itive arms and install Tesla OEM arms before they would even see what the suspension issue is. I already took my car to Ostar Motorsports (Installer of the N2itive arms) before Tesla to make sure the N2itive arms were not the cause. They are working fine. Tesla disagrees. They sent me a video of the arms rotating around the spherical joint. (They are supposed to do this). Tesla says this is the cause of the metal on metal sound and if it is not, they will continue to diagnose if I have the arms removed and they will not reimburse me the $800 even if they find the suspension noise remains unresolved after installing the Tesla OEM arms.

So I am out $800, plus $1,500 for the N2itive arms including installation, and now I’m back to replacing rear tires every year.

I am awaiting the OEM arms to be installed and see what the cause of the metal on metal sound is.

 

[Ostrichsak]

YES, I know the MMWA.

I don't think you do. If you did, you would know that it simply states that the onus is on the manufacturer to prove the aftermarket part contributed to the failure that was denied warranty. If you replaced suspension components with aftermarket components and are having ANY suspension related issues they are 100% within their right to deny warranty work or even looking at the thing due to liability.

I'm typically the first person to inform people about the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act whenever they post the typical "If I tint my windows will it void my warranty" posts because they clearly don't know that they have consumer protections put in place to protect them from unscrupulous manufacturers selling cars w/stated warranty and then denying work to avoid paying for the repairs.

In this case, your change of a directly related component may have directly caused the related part failures because all suspension components are related. You adjust one and it puts different stresses and torque on another. Engineers put a LOT of hours into suspension geometry so you should change these out for aftermarket components with extreme caution and understand that you will likely be forfeiting any warranty coverage of related components in said ecosystem.

Probably not what you want to hear since it doesn't just blindly support you but it's the correct information, regardless of how difficult it is to read.

 

[emailforbrett]

…and you proved my point exactly, albeit in an amateurish passive-aggressive way.

MMWA provides protection for just my situation. The onus is on Tesla to prove the aftermarket part is causing the malfunction. It is not, as determined by a certified repair shop that inspected the arms prior to the Tesla visit. The act specifically prohibits the service center from denying warranty coverage simply on the basis that an aftermarket part is attached to a faulty component, unless it can be proven that aftermarket component caused the malfunction.

I do thank you for your compassion, as your reply was extremely difficult to read.

 

[DayTrippin]

Sad to hear of your plight but not unexpected. I've posted in several threads about how Tesla typically won't touch any aftermarket parts. By that they won't support them, work on them, and often blame them for whatever problem you might have.

What I did to correct my excessive camber was the Macboost camber kit. Basically some shims. Tesla didn't see to have an issue with that when they installed my track pack brakes. Not as elegant a solution as the adjustable camber arms like N2itive but less bling and low profile. It didn't raise the attention of Tesla. YMMV of course.

It doesn't matter MMWA says unless you want to fight it in court. Tesla can stonewall you until you likely give up. I say that having worked in warranty adjudication years ago for major auto companies. Tesla is more anti-mod than almost anyone I can think of, even if you fix their screw ups.

 

[strider]

Why are you "out" the cost of the N2itive links? Swap the OEM links back in, get Tesla to fix the actual problem, then swap the N2itive back in. Yes, you will have to pay for the labor, but eliminating variables is a foundation of troubleshooting. Paying for the labor to R&R the links will be cheaper than the time and money spent to hold the line.

 

[LoL-Gas]

The title of this Thread should be: If you install aftermarket suspension parts and end up with a suspension noise, Tesla will make you swap back to OEM parts before servicing.

 

[emailforbrett]

I see where you’re coming from. I guess it’s the hassle factor, but you’re right. I’ll likely go that route and have the N2itive arms out back on after Tesla fixes it. It’s just a PITA. I love the car but why does everything have to be such an issue with it. My other cars I just took them in when they rarely needed service and I got a loaner and went on my way. I just love my Tesla too much to give up on it. Hopefully the suspension gets fixed and I can put the N2itive arms back on and never have to deal with this again.

 

[DayTrippin]

I see where you’re coming from. I guess it’s the hassle factor, but you’re right. I’ll likely go that route and have the N2itive arms out back on after Tesla fixes it. It’s just a PITA. I love the car but why does everything have to be such an issue with it. My other cars I just took them in when they rarely needed service and I got a loaner and went on my way. I just love my Tesla too much to give up on it. Hopefully the suspension gets fixed and I can put the N2itive arms back on and never have to deal with this again.

Just consider it part of the Tesla tax. I just avoid any mods that I know Tesla is going to balk at when it comes to service.

Don't forget to get another alignment when the N2itive arms are back in place. The other thing is they look very nice and they draw a lot of attention. If they looked somewhat like a stock part, they probably wouldn't even notice.

I swapped out the suspension on our 3. I know I totally own it now. I did keep the stock parts in case I need to put it back to stock. Highly unlikely but if a major issue, I do have that options. That is the price I pay with a Tesla.

I hope after all this, they do find your issue. Don't underestimate the ability for Tesla to screw something else up while trying to fix your original issue.

 

[emailforbrett]

“Tesla Tax”



I love that. Perfect way to look at it. I love the car so I have to put up with a Tesla Tax every now and then. I pray they don’t screw anything up and they can fix this one issue with the suspension.

Thanks guys, I feel a bit better about the situation.

 

[James Cole]

please let us know what was the cause or the noise! Good Luck!

 

[Ostrichsak]

“Tesla Tax”



I love that. Perfect way to look at it. I love the car so I have to put up with a Tesla Tax every now and then. I pray they don’t screw anything up and they can fix this one issue with the suspension.

Thanks guys, I feel a bit better about the situation.

Except that it's not a Tesla only thing. This is all car manufacturers and they're well within their right to deny warranty work to related components that you changed out.

I always lowered my sports cars & sedans and lifted my trucks & SUVs. I knew that if a half-shaft (for instance) failed because I changed the input angle on the transfer case by changing the ride height from the manufacturer's original engineering... that was on me. The part I replaced DIRECTLY impacted the stresses on the part that failed. I wouldn't expect Toyota to eat the cost of those half-shafts because... warranty.

It's not rocket science and Tesla would win that in a litigation situation in short order. You're welcome to sue them but it will end badly for you because they can easily prove that your modification caused the part failure. Anything they do for you to help would simply be in good faith and will likely not have the positive impact on your valuation of Tesla that would be the objective of such a gesture. THis is also why manufacturers are doing it less and less these days as these sorts of "favors" directly impact their bottom line and no longer garner the life-long customers it once did.

You can complain all you want about Tesla but the reality is that YOU chose to change that suspension component. Eating the warranty on related components is part of the "cost" of your decision.

If you change out your side window for a solid lead shield to protect from bullets should Tesla have to replace the window motor under warranty that failed prematurely because it's being asked to raise and lower something 100x heavier? It's an unreal analogy but I'm just trying to gauge your level of logic at this point.

 

[emailforbrett]

An update from Tesla….

They removed the N2itive arms and put the OEM arms back on and the problem still persists…..as I knew it would.

So the N2itive arms are working as advertised. I’m going to put them back on after Tesla fixes whatever is wrong with the suspension that is causing my “clunking sound”.

 

[Ostrichsak]

An update from Tesla….

They removed the N2itive arms and put the OEM arms back on and the problem still persists…..as I knew it would.

So the N2itive arms are working as advertised. I’m going to put them back on after Tesla fixes whatever is wrong with the suspension that is causing my “clunking sound”.

That doesn't prove anything other than the aftermarket part(s) aren't the source of the noise. It doesn't mean that the aftermarket part(s) didn't add additional stresses to the other related suspension components that caused premature failure of a wear item.

In that instance, it wouldn't be a difficult thing for Tesla to prove that the part(s) you changed out caused additional stresses on the failed part in order to deny you replacing said factory part under warranty. Mostly because it very may well have done exactly that. That's the nature of suspension components and all related drive-train items. They're all engineered to work together in a certain way and altering that via aftermarket components may cause torque/stresses that they weren't originally engineered to withstand.

To act like that isn't a thing because it goes against your mission to get free work done is a little disingenuous. You can at least acknowledge that you understand those core tenants of how car warranties work and not attack the messenger for stating what most others see as obvious in this situation.

You even brought the car in with the aftermarket suspension components for them to document in the event of a warranty denial. "That's a bold strategy Cotton." If Tesla replaces faulty suspension components w/o charging you anything it will be done purely out of good will and not due to any sort of legal requirement to do so.

If you choose to take umbrage to that simple and factual statement that's fine but it's the reality of the situation you're currently in, regardless of how you take the news. Choosing to vilify me won't make your claim for warranty work any more or less valid.

 

[emailforbrett]

 

[Milan Djabirov]

That doesn't prove anything other than the aftermarket part(s) aren't the source of the noise. It doesn't mean that the aftermarket part(s) didn't add additional stresses to the other related suspension components that caused premature failure of a wear item.

In that instance, it wouldn't be a difficult thing for Tesla to prove that the part(s) you changed out caused additional stresses on the failed part in order to deny you replacing said factory part under warranty. Mostly because it very may well have done exactly that. That's the nature of suspension components and all related drive-train items. They're all engineered to work together in a certain way and altering that via aftermarket components may cause torque/stresses that they weren't originally engineered to withstand.

To act like that isn't a thing because it goes against your mission to get free work done is a little disingenuous. You can at least acknowledge that you understand those core tenants of how car warranties work and not attack the messenger for stating what most others see as obvious in this situation.

You even brought the car in with the aftermarket suspension components for them to document in the event of a warranty denial. "That's a bold strategy Cotton." If Tesla replaces faulty suspension components w/o charging you anything it will be done purely out of good will and not due to any sort of legal requirement to do so.

If you choose to take umbrage to that simple and factual statement that's fine but it's the reality of the situation you're currently in, regardless of how you take the news. Choosing to vilify me won't make your claim for warranty work any more or less valid.

Dude, I have no skin in this, but the guy just gave an update, where did you see him vilify you? Are you a Tesla lawyer?

 

[Laddcruzer]

That doesn't prove anything other than the aftermarket part(s) aren't the source of the noise. It doesn't mean that the aftermarket part(s) didn't add additional stresses to the other related suspension components that caused premature failure of a wear item.

In that instance, it wouldn't be a difficult thing for Tesla to prove that the part(s) you changed out caused additional stresses on the failed part in order to deny you replacing said factory part under warranty. Mostly because it very may well have done exactly that. That's the nature of suspension components and all related drive-train items. They're all engineered to work together in a certain way and altering that via aftermarket components may cause torque/stresses that they weren't originally engineered to withstand.

To act like that isn't a thing because it goes against your mission to get free work done is a little disingenuous. You can at least acknowledge that you understand those core tenants of how car warranties work and not attack the messenger for stating what most others see as obvious in this situation.

You even brought the car in with the aftermarket suspension components for them to document in the event of a warranty denial. "That's a bold strategy Cotton." If Tesla replaces faulty suspension components w/o charging you anything it will be done purely out of good will and not due to any sort of legal requirement to do so.

If you choose to take umbrage to that simple and factual statement that's fine but it's the reality of the situation you're currently in, regardless of how you take the news. Choosing to vilify me won't make your claim for warranty work any more or less valid.

But, will the Broncos and Wilson bounce back this season? Isn’t that the real concern?

 

[Aggmeister2010]

Why are you "out" the cost of the N2itive links? Swap the OEM links back in, get Tesla to fix the actual problem, then swap the N2itive back in. Yes, you will have to pay for the labor, but eliminating variables is a foundation of troubleshooting. Paying for the labor to R&R the links will be cheaper than the time and money spent to hold the line.

Yep. That's what I do. If I want a Tesla SC to work on that particular system, I make sure it's OEM spec the day I take it to the SC. Then swap back when it's fixed. Done it a dozen times, service centers are comfortable with this.

 

[Ostrichsak]

Dude, I have no skin in this, but the guy just gave an update, where did you see him vilify you? Are you a Tesla lawyer?

Scroll up. I played the role of devil's advocate by citing how warranty and MMWA consumer protection apply to this specific situation and, because it didn't support implicitly what the OP was wanting, I was attacked personally as if I was the one deny the warranty claim personally. Why the OP chose to focus their vitriol on me as if I personally denied their claim for warranty work is unknown. People can be weird like that.

As long as I'm going to be vilified, I'll go ahead and take things to an opinionated level: I hope they deny this person's claim. I really do. People don't seem to care that "free" work isn't free at all. Those costs have to be accounted for in new vehicle pricing. Whenever someone replaces factory components with aftermarket components and then has a related component failure and is able to sneak around the letter of the warranty to have work done, all consumers pay the price for that warranty work.

You want to modify your car? Cool. I'm all for it and have done the same thing many times over the decades. What I don't do is expect a free handout on the backs of others when said modification either directly or indirectly causes a failure. I mentally plan for this possibility when I'm considering the modification though and that's part of my pros/cons analysis before moving forward with a modification. Expecting Tesla to eat the cost of a related component failure and then complaining publicly on an internet forum when I don't get my way isn't something that has ever crossed my mind. I struggle to understand the victim mentality mindset behind such actions.

There, now you have reason to vilify me as I've injected personal opinion into the conversation. What I did up to this point was merely presenting facts though so the anger that was directed towards me was completely unwarranted unless you refuse to look at the situation objectively and logically.

But, will the Broncos and Wilson bounce back this season? Isn’t that the real concern?

Broncos country... let's ride!

 

[Evil EV]

I have the same rattling on low speed over smallbumps as well. Would love to know the solution.
Tesla tried to blame my after market brake rotors not being torqued to spec for the sound . They are torqued to spec. Still rattling. I’ve given up. Just crank the stereo up and call it a day.

 

[Evil EV]

I have the rear tire tread separation issue on my 21” Michelin OEM tires on my Plaid. I had N2itive adjustable arms installed to correct this.

I ended up having an unrelated suspension issue and Tesla will not touch my car with any aftermarket products attached to the suspension. My car makes a metal on metal clunking sound when going over speed bumps.

YES, I know the MMWA. YES, I can file suit under that act. Is the juice worth the squeeze to attempt to litigate with Tesla while my car needs to be fixed and I risk losing the attorney fees? Not to mention the years it will take to resolve the suit one way or the other.

I had to pay Tesla $800 to remove the N2itive arms and install Tesla OEM arms before they would even see what the suspension issue is. I already took my car to Ostar Motorsports (Installer of the N2itive arms) before Tesla to make sure the N2itive arms were not the cause. They are working fine. Tesla disagrees. They sent me a video of the arms rotating around the spherical joint. (They are supposed to do this). Tesla says this is the cause of the metal on metal sound and if it is not, they will continue to diagnose if I have the arms removed and they will not reimburse me the $800 even if they find the suspension noise remains unresolved after installing the Tesla OEM arms.

So I am out $800, plus $1,500 for the N2itive arms including installation, and now I’m back to replacing rear tires every year.

I am awaiting the OEM arms to be installed and see what the cause of the metal on metal sound is.

I would really like to know the solution to this noise. I have the same sound. Very irritating sound. It occurs on my front suspension area