MYAWD: Two SC visits and they can't figure this noise out

[Alex425]

Hi all -- I'm really hoping you can help me figure this out. I am not technical at all with cars and it's driving me crazy. I've had the car at the SC twice and they haven't fixed it. (More details below). I'm hoping you all can help me suggest things for them to look at so I don't have to request a buyback after my next visit. My employer pays for group legal, so I'm ready to take whatever action is necessary to remedy this situation.

2023 Model Y AWD
Austin Built

LINK TO VIDEO

The vehicle emits a loud, metallic clicking noise when turning the wheel all the way to the right or the left. It does not persist when turning in motion (i.e. there isn't a speed dependent, constant clicking like you'd expect with a bad CV joint)

1. At the first SC appointment, they "torqued all suspension components, found no 'give' and can't identify the cause". Super.
2. At the second SC appointment, they said it was the "tie rod" and ordered a replacement. When I brought the car back, they installed the new tie rod, except now the car is misaligned and the clicking is still present. I returned and they aligned it, but issue is still present.

Obviously this issue is still persisting and I'm just confused as to why these people can't figure it out. Any ideas? I'd really like to keep the car, but I refuse if they can't address this. I'm grateful for any insight you can provide.

 

[Tam]

Hi all -- I'm really hoping you can help me figure this out. I am not technical at all with cars and it's driving me crazy. I've had the car at the SC twice and they haven't fixed it. (More details below). I'm hoping you all can help me suggest things for them to look at so I don't have to request a buyback after my next visit. My employer pays for group legal, so I'm ready to take whatever action is necessary to remedy this situation.

2023 Model Y AWD
Austin Built

LINK TO VIDEO

The vehicle emits a loud, metallic clicking noise when turning the wheel all the way to the right or the left. It does not persist when turning in motion (i.e. there isn't a speed dependent, constant clicking like you'd expect with a bad CV joint)

1. At the first SC appointment, they "torqued all suspension components, found no 'give' and can't identify the cause". Super.
2. At the second SC appointment, they said it was the "tie rod" and ordered a replacement. When I brought the car back, they installed the new tie rod, except now the car is misaligned and the clicking is still present. I returned and they aligned it, but issue is still present.

Obviously this issue is still persisting and I'm just confused as to why these people can't figure it out. Any ideas? I'd really like to keep the car, but I refuse if they can't address this. I'm grateful for any insight you can provide.

It sounds terrible. They are the experts so they should be able to hunt down where it comes from and how to fix it.

 

[Pianewman]

I just listened to your video. That sound is NOT NORMAL, and should be addressed by the SC.

Have you dealt directly with the manager of your SC? Has he/she actually heard it?

How about taking it to a reputable independent alignment shop and have them check it out?

(as for a "buy back", based on extensive experience reading here, I'd say there's zero chance that would happen for a clicking sound.)

 

[MY1stEV]

Ask them if they put a ChasisEAR-type device on the car to try and isolate the source of the sound.

ChasisEAR is a brand name, but basically it's a diagnostic tool with multiple microphones that they can clip onto different points of the car and using headphones isolate where the sound is loudest. They should be able to clip mics on the tie rods, near the CV joints and the steering rack

 

[Goobers]

Did anyone check if it still made noise while they were replacing the tie rod? Namely, while it was disconnected, did the steering column or rack system make noise?

Did anyone check while the car was off the ground? Specifically, car isn’t resting on the tires to see if the unloaded suspension makes the noise?

I kinda wonder if it’s the coil springs. It reminds me of safety caps on bottles that clank when you’re turning it without pressing down to engage the teeth. Like somehow one end of the spring is moving on the perch, making the noise metal makes a different sound from plastic).

Theres the brake shield… it’s also thin enough to make that kind of noise if it’s in contact with something.

 

[Alex425]

Did anyone check if it still made noise while they were replacing the tie rod? Namely, while it was disconnected, did the steering column or rack system make noise?

Did anyone check while the car was off the ground? Specifically, car isn’t resting on the tires to see if the unloaded suspension makes the noise?

I kinda wonder if it’s the coil springs. It reminds me of safety caps on bottles that clank when you’re turning it without pressing down to engage the teeth. Like somehow one end of the spring is moving on the perch, making the noise metal makes a different sound from plastic).

Theres the brake shield… it’s also thin enough to make that kind of noise if it’s in contact with something.

They said they tried while it was on the lift and that they had multiple people with their hands on parts to figure it out. But who knows — they also said they test drove it after the tie rod… the clicking was still there and the alignment was so jacked up I had to drive it back… so obviously not.

 

[Alex425]

I just listened to your video. That sound is NOT NORMAL, and should be addressed by the SC.

Have you dealt directly with the manager of your SC? Has he/she actually heard it?

How about taking it to a reputable independent alignment shop and have them check it out?

(as for a "buy back", based on extensive experience reading here, I'd say there's zero chance that would happen for a clicking sound.)

It’s clearly a suspension issue they can’t figure out. If they can’t figure it out, how do they know it’s not a safety issue which falls under lemon law?

 

[Pianewman]

Alex425: Research PA lemon law.

 

[Alex425]

Alex425: Research PA lemon law.

Oh for sure. I am having a friend who’s a suspension expert come by to take a look to see if I can make a recommendation to the service center. This is just crazy. $58,000 and they can’t figure out what’s clicking — esp that loud! Sad.

 

[Alex425]

‘23 4680 Model Y. Been in SC twice for an issue they still haven’t fixed. Went under today to measure these holes so I can get pucks and this is what I find. Are these people serious? I mean really… are they serious? Who treats someone else’s $55k car like this? Cant even align the jacks right?

 

[glide]

Jokes on you. They already have your money and there’s nothing you can really do about it.

 

[Vinnigan]

I had a brand new WRX STI back in 2012 going in for the first oil change, and the dealer put the lift arms on the actual side skirts, denting and cracking both skirts in 4 places. Didn't even bat an eye when returning the car to me.

Had another brand new BMW M3 where the dealer put in the wrong grade of differential fluid during break-in service (they used the previous generation specs without checking the manual), which damaged the diff over time.

These days I service my own cars. Pretty much nobody besides my own hands get to touch it.

My goal is to help you answer the question "are they serious?" Yes, they are serious. Any after-sales channel is bound to provide lower quality work- they are lower wage, lower expectation jobs, regardless of whether they are run by Tesla or not. Mechanics, body shop, etc. The only exception are performance tuning shops, which are typically run by enthusiasts who simply care about cars more than the average person.

Sorry I don't have an actual solution for you, other than to say that this is very much par for the course. Every time a shop touches your car, there is a probability that they will break something in the process. For you, this is an object that you have to live with every day. For anybody servicing your car though, it's one of dozens of objects that come in and out of the shop every day.

 

[Alex425]

I had a brand new WRX STI back in 2012 going in for the first oil change, and the dealer put the lift arms on the actual side skirts, denting and cracking both skirts in 4 places. Didn't even bat an eye when returning the car to me.

Had another brand new BMW M3 where the dealer put in the wrong grade of differential fluid during break-in service (they used the previous generation specs without checking the manual), which damaged the diff over time.

These days I service my own cars. Pretty much nobody besides my own hands get to touch it.

My goal is to help you answer the question "are they serious?" Yes, they are serious. Any after-sales channel is bound to provide lower quality work- they are lower wage, lower expectation jobs, regardless of whether they are run by Tesla or not. Mechanics, body shop, etc. The only exception are performance tuning shops, which are typically run by enthusiasts who simply care about cars more than the average person.

Sorry I don't have an actual solution for you, other than to say that this is very much par for the course. Every time a shop touches your car, there is a probability that they will break something in the process. For you, this is an object that you have to live with every day. For anybody servicing your car though, it's one of dozens of objects that come in and out of the shop every day.

Omg… what happened with the WRX? Thank you for the thoughtful reply, it really helped cool me off.

 

[Vinnigan]

Omg… what happened with the WRX? Thank you for the thoughtful reply, it really helped cool me off.

They offered to "fix it", but I felt like if they couldn't handle a 2-post lift, there was no way they could handle paint matching.

I ended up making it better with a lot of elbow grease and some touch up paint, to the point where it was hard to see without squatting down. I was okay with that. Just sucked for it to happen to a 3 months old car.

My philosophy these days is that if my brand new car is gonna get messed up, I want to be the person who messed it up. Once it passes its first birthday, I start to care less and accept things going wrong.

I saw your video a few days ago actually, sorry you're going through this. That noise definitely doesn't sound right- maybe your best call is to try a different SC, since this is something that you definitely can't DIY. Here's to hoping that it gets all sorted out sooner rather than later.

 

[Alex425]

UPDATE: FIXED! The SC replaced the lateral links and aligned the car. No more clicking.

 

[IvesSM]

@Alex425 Persistence pays off.

Congrats