2015 Model S 85D - New Owner

[Averdi]

OP, are you sure the car is 100% functional?

if not, check these:

- do all 4 handles present upon request
- squeaking sound from driver seat when moving/touching arm rest
- is pano roof opening/closing smooth? id still lubricate it asap
- are there any odd noises from front/rear while driving on bumpy roads - sway bar links
- hows the steering wheel? first versions of u-joint were without rubber housing and prone to failure
- do louvers work?

Thats about all the problems i had with the car until now (after buying it second hand)

Everything’s drives great aside from a few things I’ve noticed after driving for a month .

Issues I’ve noticed is a squeaking noise coming from the front middle of the pano roof, right where it clicks in the front. Drives me nuts.

Also noticed it does have the slight shake under high acceleration and does get better when I lower the car suspension

The other issue is a rattle from front suspension on uneven roads. Also drives me nuts. Brought it to Tesla , $2.5k later and some suspension components, and still there! I I’ll not be bringing it back to tesla for that

 

[Werecow]

OP, are you sure the car is 100% functional?

if not, check these:

- do all 4 handles present upon request
- squeaking sound from driver seat when moving/touching arm rest
- is pano roof opening/closing smooth? id still lubricate it asap
- are there any odd noises from front/rear while driving on bumpy roads - sway bar links
- hows the steering wheel? first versions of u-joint were without rubber housing and prone to failure
- do louvers work?

Thats about all the problems i had with the car until now (after buying it second hand)

What is the fix for a squeaky drivers seat? Thought my car was shaming me lol

 

[Averdi]

What is the fix for a squeaky drivers seat? Thought my car was shaming me lol

Lol mine does it too. I put a black microfiber fight where the seat hits the arm rest

 

[LonelyMS]

Tesla service center can fix it with “lubricating” it

 

[ChooseFreedom]

Also, you may want the n2itive suspension links. They will reduce the constant wear and tear your front driveshafts receive from the front motor mounted too high, causing a non-optimal angle on the CV axles.

Hey Clever,
Can you elaborate on this issue for us? Is there another thread you can link?
Are you saying we should lower the front end with the n2itive links?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ChooseFreedom]

What is the fix for a squeaky drivers seat? Thought my car was shaming me lol

If you have tan seats, I saw a YouTube video that recommended mole skin patches since they're naturally close to the same color.
Once I trimmed them to fit the rub area, no more squeak! They're not the best looking for aesthetics, but worth it to cheaply eliminate that annoying sound!

 

[cleverscreenam]

Yes, I have tan seats, and love them Your avatar is the Game Of Thrones character, right?
If you check out the company website they explain it much faster and with more experience than I can, including video.

Eliminate Inner Tire & Premature Half-Shaft Wear On Tesla X/S!

Finally you can properly align your Tesla Model S or X to completely eliminate inner rear tire wear and premature half-shaft wear!

n2itive.me

 

[KalJoMoS]

Are you saying we should lower the front end with the n2itive links?

Thanks in advance!

I believe if you have air suspension and you use the low setting on most of your drives then the REAR suspension is lacking a camber setting as the factory setup are greatly towards negative degree. On the front it should not need for additional adjusting. On coils suspension (as mine) it’s not that bad but still very little noticeable on rear tires.

 

[ChooseFreedom]

I believe if you have air suspension and you use the low setting on most of your drives then the REAR suspension is lacking a camber setting as the factory setup are greatly towards negative degree. On the front it should not need for additional adjusting. On coils suspension (as mine) it’s not that bad but still very little noticeable on rear tires.

Okay, I too have coils. So should be fine.

I have the common knocking from the front suspension area when turning over a bump at low speed.
Haven't tried to diagnose it yet. A lot of posts lean toward the link arms, which I feel I can probably replace myself.
I just bought some 21" turbines and installed them for summer, love the look. Has the slightest of misalignment. I can live with it.
But if I replace the link bars, will it mess up the alignment more?

 

[cleverscreenam]

That's the trade off, the lower your car sits, the less damaging the half shaft angle is, AND the faster the negative camber+toe will eat your rear tires. People have reported new 21" tires showing the belts after 5,000 miles! 19"s get more leeway because they flex and stretch more. That full kit (links+arms) lets you have your cake and eat it too.

Replacing link arms will not mess up your alignment, go for it. They are cheap, easy to change, and tend to be the first sacrificial part, keeping the rest long-lived. I use the high quality brands such as Mevotech and Moog, because Model S is quite heavy for a car.

 

[ChooseFreedom]

That's the trade off, the lower your car sits, the less damaging the half shaft angle is, AND the faster the negative camber+toe will eat your rear tires. People have reported new 21" tires showing the belts after 5,000 miles! 19"s get more leeway because they flex and stretch more. That full kit (links+arms) lets you have your cake and eat it too.

Replacing link arms will not mess up your alignment, go for it. They are cheap, easy to change, and tend to be the first sacrificial part, keeping the rest long-lived. I use the high quality brands such as Mevotech and Moog, because Model S is quite heavy for a car.

So I found the Mevotech site and part, but how do you order? Do you contact them directly, or have to go through a supplier?

Part - Mevotech

This is the page content

www.mevotech.com

And I don't see where Moog has the bar link.

https://www.moog-suspension-parts.com/products/tesla_model_s_awd_2015

I've found several options on eBay (ex: TESLA Model S Stabilizer Link Front Left and Right replaces 1030603 00 B - NEW | eBay ), but wanted to compare pricing to your recommendations, because I know how hit/miss quality can be from eBay. So if the price isn't much different, I'd def go with your rec's.

Thanks in advance!

 

[cleverscreenam]

I buy most everything on eBay, it's pretty safe but has some annoyances. You're right about quality, I'm sure they have $10 links with 14 days warranty they could sell you lol. Most things have free shipping, making comparison shopping easy.

I've bought on RockAuto, website navigation is incredibly quick and efficient, so easy that a monkey could order from it. Also they have pictures of most parts, and cross-reference numbers to make sure you're getting the right parts. But you always pay shipping, sometimes unfairly high.

But if you want easy returns/warranties, or just feel like supporting local business (by paying a markup to feed workers families ) buy from a local auto parts store. Where I live, you can't drive 4 miles in any direction without hitting an Auto Parts Plus, Napa, AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, etc. Plus if you need a part fast, they can get most anything overnight.

That eBay item you linked seems fine, it's hard to mess up a sway bar link, but RockAuto has the link by Moog for $22 plus $8 shipping, cheaper than the unknown eBay company, so why take a chance? The huge international Moog factory is just 30 mins from me, and I know several people that have worked there, so I can attest to Moog's quality and dedication. (Also my local auto parts stores always have Moog parts for everything)

 

[HDWSJ]

Every one of my doorhandles failed when the plastic paddles on them broke on my 2014 model S. Also just has the battery fail with only 64,000 miles on it. No warning before that or any difficulty with charging. I use a standard Tesla charger in my garage. so best of luck to you. So far, the model three we have has performed better.