The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while turning the steering wheel to the left or the right, there was an abnormal creaking sound. The failure occurred at various speeds and occurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed and determined that the creaking sound was coming from the front upper control arm while turning the vehicle and the front lower control arm while in reverse. The dealer also diagnosed that the latter link was torn. The contact was informed that the control arms and suspension nuts and bolts needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 49,000.
2019 Tesla Model 3 suspension complaints
Page 3 of 4: complaints 41 to 70 of 83, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Suspension lateral links attached to subframe became loose causing the lateral links to separate from the sub-frame. Wheel alignment shifted causing instability, which adversely impacted vehicle controllability and nearly caused a collision while driving. Problem was inspected, reproduced, and confirmed by the dealer/manufacturer/service center. Before the failure occurred, the primary symptoms were abnormal noises from steering/suspension area. Service center attempted to address these noises by inspecting and retightening the bolts, but unfortunately, this action did not resolve the issues and, eventually lead to a failure of the suspension system. It should be noted that parking brake functions and vehicle hold feature may have been affected by this failure. This incident may be associated with with the following recalls, the federal safety agency Recall: 23V‑235 or Manufacturer Recall: SB-23-31-001. However, my VIN does not appear to be included.
Issue with control arm and compliance links. Poor design causes corrosion problem.
I previously had asked Tesla to check my front suspension as I was noticing a unusual sound which they did however the technician assessment was that all was fine. Today, just 4 months out of warranty (but still under the 50k), the front control arm just fell off while I was driving. This resulted in the control arm to brake as well as my front fender (it hit the tire in motion). To my disbelief there was nothing put in place to keep that control arm up, if I were driving on the freeway it would have resulted in a catastrophic accident. I’m emailing you to see if there is anything that can be done to hold Tesla accountable for this major flaw. Online forums have plenty of other tesla drivers with similar issue as well as an official recall which unfortunately my vin did not fall under. Please advice on how to proceed. Thank you.
Loud squeaking noise inside cabin while driving started immediately after warranty expires and software update. Steering shakes with bumps. Almost felt like something is falling apart. Tesla service said known problem and since out of warranty customer will be charged. Wonder why all problems started immediately after warranty expires. Pls investigate if this part ( control arms and suspension) cause any safety issues. Also, software updates should be investigated as well.
The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the front suspension lateral link was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V235000 (Suspension)however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.
Left and right lateral links were blown. Increases the chance of a vehicle crash. Tesla has identified the issue in my vehicle and replaced both parts. There were no symptoms, the technician found it by inspecting the suspension due to an unrelated noise reported by me, the customer. There have been multiple recalls in the past for the Model 3 and Model Y manufactured in 2018 and 2019. Tesla has not issued any recalls for my vehicle. Now that my vehicle is off warranty, I was charged $803.50 plus taxes to replace both parts that should have been part of a larger recall. I suspect this is a recurring issue that Tesla is not addressing. The chances of having a similar issue on one side is already low. In this case, it is on both sides, which reinforces my suspicion.
At just 10 days over 4 years of ownership, which is out of warranty, and at about 44,360 miles, I noticed noise when going over small bumps, moving from stop to go and while turning the steering wheel. It appears that the upper control arm, a recall on about 3000 Tesla Model 3 and Y, was the culprit. I contacted the service center and right away, over the Tesla Mobile App, the knew it was the control arm going bad. They said it was safe to drive, however, it is a bit scary to hear the squeaking and noises when driving and turning the steering wheel, especially at highway speeds. The problem was fixed by Tesla's service center, however, because I was 10 days or so out of my 4 year/50,000 miles warranty, I was charged about $190 for the repair. I feel that since this is a know issue and has happened to many other non-recalled vehicles by Tesla, this would/should be a know defect and safety concern that should have been repaired under warranty.
I was driving using beta full self driving feature, and the vehicle was involved in a collision
The front control arm fails just 58k mile mark this known issue on car. Multiple time brought to there attention no action was taken
Front upper control arm is failing, making an awful noise and can be felt grinding inside the car while driving. Reported to Tesla service and they denied the repair. It is a known issue, they need to recall all effected vehicles for repair.
Squeaking while turning left, right, and under load while braking in a straight line. Problem is upper and lower control arms. Also at time is sound like metal grinding in a circular fashion like a break pad on a rotor, or like an inner bearing going out.
Broken control arms
Squeaking suspension not allowing for a safe drive.
You have many reports of Tesla Model 3 ball joint failures. The ball joints are failing due to lack of lubrication. If an owner complains enough Tesla will squirt some lube in and reseal with silicon goop. Owners are even DIYing with WD40. Here is a Tesla in the junkyard with upperball-joint popped apart and all other ball-joints busted. https://www.iaai.com/VehicleDetail/33393366~US Just wondering when you might get around to demanding a recall. Thanks Your friend Keef. Say Hello to Elon for me.
The left front lower control arm came loose while I was getting out of my garage. The vehicle immediately became undrivable.
squeaky sounds and shaking steering control due to the front 2 wheels upper control arm ball joints lost the lubrication. extremely laud squeaky sounds, the squeaky sounds is similar to car that about to fall apart in movies. resulting the model 3 driver has to be on high alert all time, scared if the wheels will fall apart or the steering will be out of control or difficult to control.
Yet another tesla in the junkyard https://erepairables.com/salvage-cars-auction/tesla/model+3/vid-43698899 not in a crash. Front suspension simply fallen to bits. The usual busted steering knuckle and popped ball joints. I've seen shopping trolleys with sturdier suspensions. Please get these death traps off the roads. Yours extremely persistently keef
Please please please have a look at the photographs of this tesla with a snapped suspension. Https://www.iaai.com/vehicledetails/39201645?tenant=us&rownumber=8 I have filed other complaints of this same failure on other model teslas that share the same suspension parts. This is not crash damage. This is bad manufacturing. Please investigate. Thank you keef
Here is a tesla model 3 in the junkyard. Https://www.iaai.com/vehicledetails/39201645?tenant=us&rownumber=8 it has not been in a crash. There is no impact damage and no air-bags deployed. The front suspension has simply fallen to bits. The stem of the ball-joint has snapped. The steering knuckle has broken in half. The tesla factory is a disorganized shambles. Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf_ormiy9tk there are many reports of drug use by employees and management. Quality control is nonexistent. Please stop this madness. Thank you keef
This is a complaint about ball-joint failure in tesla model 3 cars. Please note that I have used the VIN of another tesla to file this complaint since the VIN of the car in question is unavailable. Many owners are complaining on the forums that their steering is creaking and they are resorting to diy remedies such as peeling back the rubber boot on the top ball joint and squirting in lubricant. There have been many cases where the ball has eventually worn down and popped out of the socket. Here is a thread discussing this and the owner has included a photograph showing the separated ball joint. This photo is attached to this complaint thread: https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/whompy-wheel-syndrome.221394/#post-5355853 snip ***I was driving this morning and the car started to pull to the left, as if my tire had gone flat. I pulled over and found that side of the car to be resting on the tire. I thought the air suspension had gone out in that area, but after having it towed, we found the ball joint to have failed. After looking online, I am thankful it wasn't much worse. If you google whompy wheel syndrome, you'll see plenty of stories where an accident ensued and lots of damage followed. Now I'm just interested to see what this will cost to fix. Guessing I should have the passenger side replaced, as a precaution, as well. "whompy wheels" is a term coined and perpetuated by a lunatic living in australia.the pictures associated with that phrase were taken from random pictures the guy found while trawling the internet, that is not to say people haven't had suspension issues, but "whompy wheels" is fud and therefore not a legitimate source of information.**** there are many teslas showing up in the junkyards with this exact same failure. Please act now. Thank you. Keef
Here is another tesla model 3 in the junkyard. The front suspension has fallen to bits. All 3 ball-joints have simply popped apart. Even in cars that have been in major crashes it is unusual to see a ball joint that has separated. There are many reports on the forums that the ball joints on model 3 cars are squeaking badly when the steering is turned side to side. Example: https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/time-to-replace-upper-control-arm-ball-joints.202921/page-3 time to replace upper-control arm ball joints | page 3 | tesla ...teslamotorsclub.com ' tesla: vehicles ' model 3 I am exceptionally disappointed that tesla will not honor what's clearly a fleetwide part failure issue for the ball joints ** owners are resorting to diy repairs by injecting grease or wd40 through the rubber boot. The squeaking sound means that metal is rubbing on metal. Eventually the ball wears down sufficiently for it to pop out of its socket. I have made reports to you already on this subject and have supplied many photographs of tesla popped ball joints. I strongly urge you to take immediate action by issuing a recall. Thank you. Keef
Here is a tesla model 3 in the junkyard. Https://www.iaai.com/vehicledetails/38603577?rownumber=11 it has not been in a collision. There is no damage to the bodywork and no airbags have been deployed. The front suspension appears to have committed seppuku. All its giblets have fallen out. It looks as though the suspension has been unable to withstand the insane and ludicrous power of the motor and has had its nuts wrenched off. I think the same thing should happen to the federal safety agency officials that allow these lethal contraptions to be on the roads. Have a great day. Regards keef
Started to hear noise from steering. Front upper control arm failure. Many owners have same issue evidenced by forum.
Tonight my tesla 3 with 9500 miles was noted by the driver in the car next to mine to be riding on a tire that was sparking. Stopping the car I found the radial michelin tire was riding on the inner medial radial as the rubber was totally gone. Further inspection found both rear tires to be similarly marked by having no tread. This is a 4 shell drive car in which there is a major problem with the suspension or motors for the rear wheels. I have never had a car with this type of problem. I suspect they cut corners t some major step or this is a mother type of design flaw. The front tires appear to have minimal wear. Which is what one would expect for a car that is one year old. Lucky we did not have a blow out
Here is a tesla model 3 in the junkyard in hawaii. Https://www.iaai.com/vehicledetails/38117165?rownumber=0 I don't think elon can use the chinese roads and chinese drivers excuse for this one. The front wheel and suspension has simply fallen to bits. This is not the result of a crash, no air-bags deployed and no damage to the car except for the wheel falling off. The stems of the ball joints are snapped. These same failures of snapped ball joint stems happen repeatedly on teslas. There is something badly wrong with the manufacturing process and inspection. This car has only covered 6000 miles. Why in the world are you allowing tesla to get away with this? Yours in disgust. Keef
Here is a 2019 tesla model 3 in the junkyard. Https://www.copart.com/lot/53850990/photos/2019-tesla-model-3-pa-pittsburgh-north the front passenger side is completely smashed in. Judging by the fact that the passenger side air-bags have not deployed and that there is no blood splatter on the dashboard it looks as though the passenger seat was unoccupied. This is very fortunate. Turning now to the probable cause of the crash, the front suspension is in pieces. The stem of the lower ball-joint has snapped and so have most of the other giblets. The tire has had all the tread worn off. The tread on the other tires is in good condition. Given the known weaknesses of tesla ball-joints and castings that are the subject of a recall in china it is a near certainty that the suspension fell to bits causing the tire to be shredded and then things went from bad to worse. Why don't you follow the lead of china and get these junk-heaps off the roads? Yours in disgust. Keef
Yet another tesla in the junkyard with a suspension that has fallen to bits. Https://www.copart.com/lot/39479050/photos/salvage-2019-tesla-model-3-fl-orlando-north this car has not been in a crash. No air-bags have deployed. There is no significant damage to the bodywork. All of the ball-joints have snapped off. I am continuing to file these complaints in the public interest and in an attempt to prevent further loss of life. Thank you keef
Please note that I have used the VIN of another 2019 model 3 to submit this complaint since the VIN of the badly mangled car which is the subject of this complaint is indecipherable. Here is mangled model 3 in the junkyard: https://www.copart.com/lot/52448180/photos/2019-tesla-model-3-in-indianapolis from the condition of the wreck and the bio-hazard markings it is a certainty that occupants have been severely injured or killed. The attached photograph shows that the upper ball joint has popped apart. This can only happen if there is a manufacturing defect or if the ball has worn down due to poor lubrication. Many owners have complained about squeaking ball joints and some have resorted to puncturing the rubber boot and injecting spray lubricant. Even in such a severe crash the ball joint should not have popped apart like this. It is highly likely that this ball joint failure was the cause of the crash. In the photograph balljointfatal2 you can see that there is a flat section worn away on the tire tread. Teslas have anti-lock-braking system. The only way for a wheel to totally jam up and skid is by means of a mechanical failure prior to the crash. It is disgraceful that your organisation does not demand that tesla recall these deadly cars. Please take action. Thank you keef. Please note that although I have used a substitute VIN this submission is entirely honest and factual and I have supplied my genuine contact details. Number of deaths and injuries is an estimate based on the severity of crash damage. Date of crash and speed of vehicle are estimates. Mileage of vehicle is an estimate. I deny the claim by elon musk that my complaints are fraudulent and intended to damage the tsla share value.
Model 3 in the junkyard: https://www.iaai.com/vehicledetails/37485495?rownumber=9 the front suspension has fallen to bits. The lower ball joint stem has snapped. A ball-joint stem is normally made from high grade steel and would be expected to tear through the hole in the cast alloy steering knuckle before it would itself snap. Tesla must be obtaining these suspension parts from a a team of monkeys working in someone's back shed. Musk is fond of using the words insane and ludicrous. In the case of the snapping suspensions these words make perfect sense. It would be nice if you would take action but I won't be holding my breath. Yours whompily. Keef
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