Front Tires Rubbing on P85+ when reversing

Tricolore · Oct 17, 2014

Hi folks,

I would like to know if anyone has had this issue and what the resolution has been.

I have had my car for over a year (P85+ 13,xxx) and for the past two weeks I am experiencing both front tires rubbing and noise when backing up and turning the wheel at the same time (50% or more to either right or left).

I did some A/B testing on the tire rubbing issue and have concluded that if the car has been sitting overnight or for some extended period, and if the driver immediately reverses and cranks the wheel within the first few seconds of the car starting, then the front tires rub. However, if the driver waits ~25 seconds after entering and starting the car then no rubbing occurs.

I checked and both front tires are making contact with the inner front area - same location on both sides:

I have taken the car to the San Diego SC and they did some alignment adjustments and caster settings, but they have so far been unable to fix things. Does anyone have any clue as to why this is now all of a sudden happening? Also, these are original front tires, so they are a bit worn - I can only imagine the rubbing being even worst with new tires that have thicker/higher thread.

Is this a 6.0 bug with the air suspension reaction time or some other tweak that is throwing things off unintentionally? Has anyone else experienced something similar and had it resolved?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Bighorn · Oct 17, 2014

I know there's a rear arch liner service bulletin. I wonder if there could be a similar issue in front?

pimp-boy · Oct 18, 2014

Have the same issue with the front right, but only when the suspension is set to "Very High" and rotating the steering wheel 80% to the left. Service center tried adjusting the caster, but did not make a difference. It is only a very slight rub. I've come to accept it after 2 attempts of trying to fix it. (P85+, 7,xxx)

Tricolore said:
Hi folks,

I would like to know if anyone has had this issue and what the resolution has been.

I have had my car for over a year (P85+ 13,xxx) and for the past two weeks I am experiencing both front tires rubbing and noise when backing up and turning the wheel at the same time (50% or more to either right or left).

I did some A/B testing on the tire rubbing issue and have concluded that if the car has been sitting overnight or for some extended period, and if the driver immediately reverses and cranks the wheel within the first few seconds of the car starting, then the front tires rub. However, if the driver waits ~25 seconds after entering and starting the car then no rubbing occurs.

I checked and both front tires are making contact with the inner front area - same location on both sides:

View attachment 61664

I have taken the car to the San Diego SC and they did some alignment adjustments and caster settings, but they have so far been unable to fix things. Does anyone have any clue as to why this is now all of a sudden happening? Also, these are original front tires, so they are a bit worn - I can only imagine the rubbing being even worst with new tires that have thicker/higher thread.

Is this a 6.0 bug with the air suspension reaction time or some other tweak that is throwing things off unintentionally? Has anyone else experienced something similar and had it resolved?

Thanks in advance for any help.

zwede · Oct 18, 2014

My P85+ does the same thing backing out of the garage in the morning (I have to turn sharply right as I back out). Doesn't really bother me.

I've noticed the air pump for the suspension runs hard after sitting over night now which I don't remember it doing in the past. As the system ages I guess it develops minor leaks letting the car sink down some over night.

Kbsilver · Oct 18, 2014

zwede said:
My P85+ does the same thing backing out of the garage in the morning (I have to turn sharply right as I back out). Doesn't really bother me.

I've noticed the air pump for the suspension runs hard after sitting over night now which I don't remember it doing in the past. As the system ages I guess it develops minor leaks letting the car sink down some over night.

May have nothing to do with age, but more the cooler temperatures in the overnight this time of year. I have air springs in the rear suspension of my 16 year old BMW station wagon (touring). Except when the air springs actually failed, I never noticed any overnight sagging issues over the years.

jhs_7645 · Oct 19, 2014

Have your service center contact the Portland service center, they fixed this exact problem for me by heating and re-shaping the inner wheel liner.

theheff · Oct 20, 2014

I had this same exact problem on all height settings on my P85. I didn't realize it, but someone hit me in the parking garage and had bent the inner liner far back enough to cause it to scrape. There was some minor bumper damage, as well. I had a body shop fix everything for about $500.

Tricolore · Oct 20, 2014

Thank you for all the feedback. I appreciate it.

jhs_7645, this is great news and guidance! I will let the San Diego SC know that Portland has a solution and to connect with them.

dark · Oct 23, 2014

Tricolore, I don't think it is a rubbing issue, it seems to me the noise is coming from the air suspension. When you turn your wheel, your suspension rotates with the axial and case the noise.

As the car warms up, the noise goes away. Try to pay attention to the liner to see if you have any scratches, for me I see none and I know it is from the suspension

Tricolore · Oct 25, 2014

dark, the tires are rubbing the liner(see picture), so it is not noise from the air suspension. San Diego SC confirmed that tires are in fact rubbing.

The puzzling aspect is that I have had my car for over a year without any rubbing, and it just started a few weeks ago.

Cool-Model S · Oct 25, 2014

I am experiencing this issue as well. This came up some time ago. It is rubbing at the same place as the pic. Will be at SC and hope to get it taken care of.

>NetZero · Nov 12, 2014

Cool-Model S said:
I am experiencing this issue as well. This came up some time ago. It is rubbing at the same place as the pic. Will be at SC and hope to get it taken care of.

Hi guys,

We put out winter tires on two weeks ago (rial Laguna rims) with 245/45 R19 Michelin X-ice Tires. As soon as we put them and reversed and turing the wheel as described earlier we get the same rubbing as the original poster. I was going to post a picture of the rubbing but its identical to the original poster.

Looks like one person as success at service centre heating up and altering the wheel well liner. Any one else have any luck at other service centres?

Similar to others, its not a huge issue as it is infrequent and not blatantly obvious. Not sure if it warrants a visit to a service centre as we are thousands of km's east of the nearest centre in Quebec. Not sure if a ranger visit would be worth it either.

We have a heat gun and might attempt to heat and mould the liner a bit if Tesla can't help.

WTFRUNK · Nov 24, 2014

I am having the exact same problem. So far nothing from the SC on how to resolve it.

scottm · Nov 24, 2014

Heat gun and reshaping the liner a bit while in place solves it.

mknox · Nov 25, 2014

FWIW, I bought 19" Rial Luganos and mounted the stock Goodyear tires to them. They rub exactly the same was as described here. The original Tesla 19's with the same tires did not.

romp · Nov 29, 2014

I have the same problem: backing into the garage while suspension is on Very High and doing sharp right-hand turn (steep part of the driveway). Have not noticed it in any other place.

I'm not too concerned and have not raised it with the SC yet. Is there any danger in neglecting it?

RVC · Dec 9, 2014

Same problem. Noticed front tires rubbing with extreme turns especially when backing up, after changing to winter tires a few days ago (same equipment as NetZero). Never happened with stock 19s. And I have coils.

slcuervo · Dec 10, 2014

Exactly the same problem here. Never had a problem with the stock 19s (and I have coils), but since I put the winter tires on (also 19s but non Tesla) I have the subbing when backing up turning almost fully...

matbl · Dec 11, 2014

Same here. Rial luganos with michelin xi3 and coil suspension...

deonb · Dec 11, 2014

Tricolore said:
The puzzling aspect is that I have had my car for over a year without any rubbing, and it just started a few weeks ago.

Exact same here - I didn't change tires in the mean time, it just started happening.

Curiously this happened since the day after I took the car to Tesla for the service bulletin on the rear arch liner & 12v battery. They also upgraded the software.

Front Tires Rubbing on P85+ when reversing

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