39k mile Model 3 dual motor suspension squeaks

[stlgrym3]

started hearing the squeaking noise from driver side when going over speed bumps at slow speed. my warranty just expired, so i would have to pay out of pocket to have Tesla to work on it. i'm looking at alternatives.

1. getting aftermarket coilovers. I know Mountain Pass and KW make them, but they're too expensive. are there any coilovers less than $1500? i'm looking for a more comfortable ride, so ride height adjustment is not my main concern.

2. if i don't want height adjustment, can i just buy a new set of shocks? what are my options there?

3. how much would it be to buy a set of 3 Performance suspension from Tesla directly?

 

[thesmokingman]

Did you do the a-arm ball joint fix? That's what ends up squeaking, usually.

There's not a whole lot of choice for cheaper coils, and generally you would want to avoid the cheap product anyways. The MPP/KW coilovers are actually a value product, coilovers used to cost a lot more till KW came along with a much reduced cost for a 2-way adjustable coil and have had huge success.

And regarding M3P dampers, yea you can buy Tesla parts thru the app.

 

[stlgrym3]

Did you do the a-arm ball joint fix? That's what ends up squeaking, usually.

There's not a whole lot of choice for cheaper coils, and generally you would want to avoid the cheap product anyways. The MPP/KW coilovers are actually a value product, coilovers used to cost a lot more till KW came along with a much reduced cost for a 2-way adjustable coil and have had huge success.

And regarding M3P dampers, yea you can buy Tesla parts thru the app.

thanks for replying. how much would Tesla charge for the a-arm ball joint fix out of warranty?

 

[thesmokingman]

thanks for replying. how much would Tesla charge for the a-arm ball joint fix out of warranty?

If the joint is fine, they just fill it with gasket maker stuff. I don't know what it would cost an hour or two of labor maybe?

 

[jjrandorin]

thanks for replying. how much would Tesla charge for the a-arm ball joint fix out of warranty?

You should check in with Tesla to see if they will do your upper control arms, like @thesmokingman mentioned. I had mine done right before my warranty expired ( bumper to bumper warranty expired dec 4th). Perhaps they let you slide (ok, ok stop laughing everyone... rofl)

Still, its common enough that it wouldnt hurt to ask, especially if your warranty just expired a month or so ago. mention you started hearing it a few days before your warranty expired (if it was recent, like 2-3 weeks ago) and busy end of year crunch has prevented you from putting in a request until now. You can then see how much it costs, and once they assign someone to the request you can ask if its possible to cover it (nicely). If they say no, you can then decide whether you want to go forward or not.

 

[Occhis]

Squeaking is likely upper control arm. If you DIY, buy the part from Tesla for $100 and install yourself in about 1 hour.

 

[dsgerbc]

If the joint is fine, they just fill it with gasket maker stuff. I don't know what it would cost an hour or two of labor maybe?

I had a tech visit the other week and asked about this (since I'm on OEM arms for the winter). He said they no longer do the goo thing, and just wait until the arm becomes noisy and replace it.

 

[The Pooka]

started hearing the squeaking noise from driver side when going over speed bumps at slow speed. my warranty just expired, so i would have to pay out of pocket to have Tesla to work on it. i'm looking at alternatives.

1. getting aftermarket coilovers. I know Mountain Pass and KW make them, but they're too expensive. are there any coilovers less than $1500? i'm looking for a more comfortable ride, so ride height adjustment is not my main concern.

2. if i don't want height adjustment, can i just buy a new set of shocks? what are my options there?

3. how much would it be to buy a set of 3 Performance suspension from Tesla directly?

I have the same problem! Just over 39k miles and Tesla charged me $1600 to fix it. They act as if it's normal for it to wear out this fast, but it is not (city driving, not dirt roads, garaged at night). We just reported it to the Federal Department of Transportation - Office of Defect Investigation, as a potential defect. You might want to do the same. The more people that report it, the more likely Tesla will issue a recall and we get reimbursed for our repairs.

 

[ucmndd]

The more people that report it, the more likely Tesla will issue a recall and we get reimbursed for our repairs.

recalls are for safety issues. Squeaky ball joints are not safety issues.

I mean, unless they are, but I don’t hear a lot about people losing control and crashing due to this issue.

So no, you’re not likely to see a recall.

 

[Krobbler]

A front end squeak is more than likely an upper control arm.

Depending on the year of your car tesla heavily discounts the part and labor for cars out if warranty.

My front upper control arms needed replacement at 72k miles. The arms were $99 each and labor was free. An alignment isn't needed but I got one anyways which was $275.
Prices for this same service is all over the place across the country but the service manager stated it was so cheap due to my VIN.

 

[GoodKarma]

A front end squeak is more than likely an upper control arm.

Depending on the year of your car tesla heavily discounts the part and labor for cars out if warranty.

My front upper control arms needed replacement at 72k miles. The arms were $99 each and labor was free. An alignment isn't needed but I got one anyways which was $275.
Prices for this same service is all over the place across the country but the service manager stated it was so cheap due to my VIN.

What year and model is your car? Thx

 

[Krobbler]

What year and model is your car? Thx

2019 Model 3 long range

 

[CitiesSprinter]

Our experience: 25K miles on the odd, and our Long Range Dual Motor 3 was squeaking up a storm whenever it went over a bump or turned the wheel, so we booked an appointment with Tesla Service, waited 7 days for our appointment day, and took it in. While the estimated charge on our app was $215, that turned out to be just the standard pricing for evaluating squeaks. All said, our service advisor was exemplary as the replacement of both upper A-arms in the front suspension was done in just a few hours under warranty. Total cost: $0.00 dollars! FREE!
On top of it all, they gave us a Model Y loaner for the day, and it was nice to experience all the little improvements Tesla has made on the 3/Y since our 9/2019 build. I am reticent to say this, but nice job Tesla making good on this part. That said, I've never had to had any upper A-arm on any of my prior cars wear out so quickly - likely either due to poor QA from Tesla and/or its supplier.