Noise from the suspension area

[Andino]

I've had the car for 3 months now and every time when I drives it in my office parking garage, or on unevenly paved roads at low speed (5-15mph), I will hear a continuous but not overly loud clunking, metal to metal, noise. I had trouble reproducing this noise when doing a test drive with the technicians.

The SC looked at the suspension and everything checked out. Could it be the sway bar or any other parts? My gut is something is loose around the suspension area. I've had two loaners and they didn't produce the noise when driven on the same location.

My car has air suspension. Anyone else ever experienced this?

 

[vgrinshpun]

I did. The noise could be reproduced only driving at low speed (parking lot speed) on uneven surfaces. I first heard this noise driving through back alley in a city, and then reproduced it for a technician just driving slowly around SC parking lot. My car was about 3 years old at a time, with about 65k on it. SC ended up replacing lower control arm on the driver side.

 

[glhs272]

I have had worn sway bar links. But that took over 50K miles.

The symptom was a light clunking from the front of the car on uneven pavement. Sway bar links were the cause. I looked at them myself to see if they were visibly loose, but it was difficult to tell. It's hard to tell if they are loose/worn by jacking up the car. Jacking up the car and unloading the suspension on one side puts the sway bar into tension and makes it difficult to tell. But my service adviser told me usually light clunks are associated with sway bar links. Creeks and groans are usually associated with lower control arm. So I had them replace the sway bar links and that cleared up all the clunking. My car was out of warranty, but the links were cheap.

With a new car, I wouldn't think the sway bar links would be worn out by now...

 

[widodh]

Good that I found this thread!

I have this as well on my S from Sep 2013 with 155k km (~95k mile) on it.

Going in for Service on Jan 16th in Rotterdam, I'll mention them that other have reported this as well.

I hear it on the right side of my car at low speeds when going over a small bump, just as described above. Doesn't seem to influence the handling though.

 

[Dborn]

At very low speed I had this from the rear. Turned out to be hub nuts. They replaced nuts and washers, re packed with grease and retorqued - problem fixed.

 

[Andino]

thanks all for the inputs. I will forward these useful info to my service adviser so he can figure this out.

 

[wildtigg3r]

Keep us posted on what your service center finds out.

 

[widodh]

My car went in for service in Rotterdam yesterday, they replaces some things under warranty. Keep in mind, I have 156.000km (~98.000 miles) on the ODO.

Concern: Customer states: Vehicle Front suspension is noisy on the right side, cst hears a "bonk" when he drives over a pothole.
Corrections: Diagnosis indicated the front lower control arms and the front sway bar links needs replacement. The front links have some play on the ball joints.
Corrections: Replaced the front left lower control arm.

Didn't pay anything and the noise is gone! Super service from Tesla (again)!

 

[wildtigg3r]

My car went in for service at the San Diego service center last week. Picking up the car today. According to the service rep, the noise coming from the rear was caused by the rear air strut. They had to order the part and had it shipped over the weekend. We'll see if the problem has been fixed after I pick up the car.

My noise occurs when the car is parked and then put into drive. The clunk noise appears when the car starts moving at a slow forward speed. Doesn't happen all the time but I was glad I was able to reproduce the sound when I took the car in.

I have a 2013 P85+ with about 32,000 miles on it.

 

[Dborn]

My car went in for service at the San Diego service center last week. Picking up the car today. According to the service rep, the noise coming from the rear was caused by the rear air strut. They had to order the part and had it shipped over the weekend. We'll see if the problem has been fixed after I pick up the car.

My noise occurs when the car is parked and then put into drive. The clunk noise appears when the car starts moving at a slow forward speed. Doesn't happen all the time but I was glad I was able to reproduce the sound when I took the car in.

I have a 2013 P85+ with about 32,000 miles on it.

Sounds like the issue I had. Mine was due to loose hub nuts that were replaced along with their washers and re torqued. Noise gone.

 

[jstack6]

I have had worn sway bar links. But that took over 50K miles.

The symptom was a light clunking from the front of the car on uneven pavement. Sway bar links were the cause. I looked at them myself to see if they were visibly loose, but it was difficult to tell. It's hard to tell if they are loose/worn by jacking up the car. Jacking up the car and unloading the suspension on one side puts the sway bar into tension and makes it difficult to tell. But my service adviser told me usually light clunks are associated with sway bar links. Creeks and groans are usually associated with lower control arm. So I had them replace the sway bar links and that cleared up all the clunking. My car was out of warranty, but the links were cheap.

With a new car, I wouldn't think the sway bar links would be worn out by now...

My 2012 S 85 has a similar problem. A broken sway bar. At 48K miles.

 

[Daniellane]

May be same issue as noted in the 436 posts on this here:
Rattle noise coming from front air suspension