-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
-
On today's TMC Podcast, we ask the question "What is the Tesla Cybercab?". Join us on YouTube live at 1PM and participate in the chat.
Steering "Click" at stop and low speed--normal or not
- Thread starter efusco
- Start date
-
- Tags
- Model S User Interface
FYI
After my 1 year service where I had the shim update, I had clicks return a couple of months later. A ranger came and re-did the shims/ added a couple that weren't done at the 1 year (there are 4 that they were adding) About a month later, after a bit of hard driving, my steering started squeaking instead of clicking due to the shims that were put in. Very horrible sound.
you might not want to see/hear it...
So, I opened it all up to see what exactly was going on(since it isn't really drivable with that noise!). As you can see, the keeper bolt (with orange shim under) is loose enough that it moves. This is the problem location that produces the steering 'clicks'. Without the shims, the metal binds and clicks when the keeper bracket(painted steel) is horizontally stressed/slid on the steering rack(aluminum) with a bolt trying to keep them tight but the bolt hole has a tiny bit of play in the keeper hole. I tried every material I could to replace the shims and found either a teflon or a fiber washer to work the best. I didn't notice at this time that the bigger horizontal bolts (that hold the steering rack to the subframe) were also loose on my car. So loose after my last drive that I could hand unscrew the passenger side bolt all the way. I figured this out when my steering started to get about a dead spot when turning left from straight.
I think one of the problems was that the ranger didn't use a torque wrench after putting the shims in. The keeper bolts are a pretty low torque but the main steering bolts are closer to the wheel specs
After I got the bolt torque specs for the 4 bolts it all seems pretty good
After my 1 year service where I had the shim update, I had clicks return a couple of months later. A ranger came and re-did the shims/ added a couple that weren't done at the 1 year (there are 4 that they were adding) About a month later, after a bit of hard driving, my steering started squeaking instead of clicking due to the shims that were put in. Very horrible sound.
you might not want to see/hear it...
So, I opened it all up to see what exactly was going on(since it isn't really drivable with that noise!). As you can see, the keeper bolt (with orange shim under) is loose enough that it moves. This is the problem location that produces the steering 'clicks'. Without the shims, the metal binds and clicks when the keeper bracket(painted steel) is horizontally stressed/slid on the steering rack(aluminum) with a bolt trying to keep them tight but the bolt hole has a tiny bit of play in the keeper hole. I tried every material I could to replace the shims and found either a teflon or a fiber washer to work the best. I didn't notice at this time that the bigger horizontal bolts (that hold the steering rack to the subframe) were also loose on my car. So loose after my last drive that I could hand unscrew the passenger side bolt all the way. I figured this out when my steering started to get about a dead spot when turning left from straight.
I think one of the problems was that the ranger didn't use a torque wrench after putting the shims in. The keeper bolts are a pretty low torque but the main steering bolts are closer to the wheel specs
After I got the bolt torque specs for the 4 bolts it all seems pretty good
Last edited by a moderator:
sp4rk
Banned
It's a known problem on a couple of cars. Mine started doing it at around 12,000 mi. And at my 12k service it was fixed.
mknox
Well-Known Member
I got the clicks/snap sound fairly early on. Whatever they did at my service interval seems to have fixed it.
That is what I said in my e-mail! They really need a bolt with a wider shaft or a smaller hole in the steel keeper bracket that wont allow for play. I hope that they put some thread lock in when they redid mine. I pulled my frunk out a couple of times and don't really want to do it again (pretty easy but...I'm not working on a stereo upgrade or something fun!). I almost laughed when I first saw the 'shim' fix. thin orange plastic? not even Tesla red :wink:
SeminoleFSU
Voluntaryist
That is beyond terrible! I have the clicking noise too- nothing like that though. I also have a clunking noise (two clunks) whenever my steering wheel collapses all the way forward from me changing to my "exit" profile.
Last edited by a moderator:
carrerascott
FUEL FTR
Service is coming to fix this today for me, happened about 6 months ago as well (they fixed it then too).
Not sure if my issue is related with what is discussed in this thread, but I will ask anyway. Every time I turn the turn indicator on, and begin to turn the steering wheel, I hear a faint click - as if the auto turning off of the indicator upon steering wheel returning to normal position just got enabled. Is this normal?
(Note that the click I am talking about is at the beginning of turning the wheel, not at 180°. Also, it is not as loud as in the videos posted here.)
(Note that the click I am talking about is at the beginning of turning the wheel, not at 180°. Also, it is not as loud as in the videos posted here.)
paco3791
TMC OG
Interesting that there haven't been many comments on this thread recently but my car has started to get "the click". Planning on getting my annual service in Sept. - Oct., haven't decided if I'll wait till then to get it fixed or not, I have a growing list of little things for the service center to look into.
I would have expected that the new bushings would be standard now, and that's probably why we haven't seen any cases. Perhaps you had a bushing fail or something.
Vger
Active Member
Our car now has the click, but it only became noticeable at around 30,000 miles (We are at ~34k now). I am taking it in for service next week, and we shall see what the state of the art solution is now...
paco3791
TMC OG
my cars early enough that it probably didn't get the fix at the factory so with 18k miles it's not a total surprise given previous comments in this thread.
