Table 1 shows one common suspension related problems of the 2017 Tesla Model 3.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Suspension problems |
My 2017 Tesla Model 3 long range (rwd) makes a knocking/thumping noise from the front driver-side suspension when turning the steering wheel at very low speed (under 5 mph) while the vehicle is pitched on an incline or decline — for example, entering or exiting a parking lot via its ramp. It does not occur when turning on flat ground. I first noticed the noise in fall 2025, a few months before taking the vehicle to Tesla. Tesla service ([xxx]) took the car in for this complaint and on xxx replaced the front lower lateral links and front lower compliance links (both sides) and performed an alignment, at a cost of $1,886. 78, at 44,486 miles. The noise was unchanged immediately after the repair. On xxx I reported through the Tesla app that the car was 'still making the same exact knocking sound,' and returned to the service center; a technician test-drove the car with me, could not replicate the noise on flat roads, and said the car was fine, without putting the car on a lift or re-inspecting the suspension. The noise has continued and progressively worsened over the following year and now sometimes occurs with slight steering inputs. The car currently has 52,126 miles. I am filing because the front lower lateral links Tesla replaced are the component under investigation in pe26006 for detachment, and Tesla's defect information for recall 23v-235 identifies abnormal front suspension noise when steering as an early warning of loosening lateral link fasteners. My car is a 2017, outside the current pe26006 population (2018-2020), but it shows the same symptom pattern and had the same components replaced. No crash, fire, or injury. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
This is a complaint about a Model 3 with a whompy wheel. . Read more...