Tesla Contacting Some Model 3 Owners For Control Arm Fix
If you're hearing a loud squeak from the area around your upper control arm ball joints, you may need the free fix.
Tesla has been known to have build and quality issues in the past, but the majority are related to cosmetic concerns rather than safety concerns. When people started hearing a loud squeaky sound from the front of their Model 3, they may have thought a part was broken or there was a safety issue.
As it turns it, while the sound is a problem, there is no safety concern. In fact, Tesla is aware of the problem and has been applying a fix to vehicles for some time now. Apparently, the issue is quite common among certain Model 3 sedans, and it has to do with the car's upper control arm ball joints. Due in part to the fact that electric cars are virtually silent, owners have noted that the sound coming into the cabin is very loud and annoying.
Toward the end of last year, Tesla began applying a "preemptive fix" for this concern. It involves resealing the upper control arms with urethane paste. As you can see from the tweet below, the folks over at Drive Tesla Canada had the fix applied by Tesla Mobile Service.
Up until recently, owners with the issue would have had to contact Tesla to schedule an appointment for the fix. However, now it seems Tesla is reaching out to Model 3 owners to make them aware of the issue and offer the fix more widely.
Drive Tesla Canada says many of its readers have received a message from Tesla about the upper control arm. It reportedly came from Tesla in the form of a "mandatory bulletin" in the Model 3 owners' Tesla Mobile App. The message actually has a pre-scheduled date and time for the fix, though the owners can choose a different date and time on the app.
The bulletin notes that the fix "proactively addresses possible water ingress near these components to prevent premature wear." There is no charge for the fix.
Source: Drive Tesla Canada
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