Tesla suspension creaking or knocking: what it is and how to fix it

Symptoms

What does it sound like?

• Creak or squeak at low speed while steering — typically in car parks, on full lock, or pulling off a kerb. This is the classic Model 3 front upper control arm noise.
• Knocking, rattling or creaking over bumps at low speed — the noise reported on the refreshed (2026) Model Y.
• Clunk under braking, a pull to one side, or uneven tyre wear — these point to wear rather than just noise and should be checked soon.

Record a short video with sound, and note which corner, which speed and whether it happens when turning, braking or over bumps. It saves a lot of diagnosis time at any garage.

Model 3 (2018–2020)

The Model 3 upper control arm creak

Tesla issued service bulletin SB-20-31-006 for a creak or squeak from the front upper control arm ball joints, mainly when steering at low speed under load. Tesla's bulletin puts it down to water getting into the joints. It covers 2018–2020 Model 3 cars (plus some Model X and Model Y) built before the part was sealed at the factory.

Tesla described it as a noise-only issue that does not cause premature ball joint failure, and contacted owners to reseal or repair the joint free of charge.¹ If your car is in that range and creaks, ask Tesla through the app whether the bulletin has been carried out on your VIN.

Model Y (2026 refresh)

The refreshed Model Y front-end noise

In May 2026 Tesla issued two bulletins, SB-25-31-005 and SB-26-31-003, for creaking, rattling or knocking from the front of the refreshed Model Y at low speed and over rough roads.^2,3 The repair replaces the front upper control arm mounts with updated parts, replaces the front dampers on Premium and Performance versions, and removes the wiper-bracket "pencil braces" that were carrying the noise into the cabin. Reports describe it as a campaign repair done under warranty, taking about four hours.

If you have a 2026 Model Y with this noise, book it in with Tesla and quote the bulletin numbers.

Other causes

Wear on older and high-mileage cars

Teslas are heavy and have instant torque, so control arms, ball joints and bushes work hard. Worn suspension arms are a known issue on some older Model S and Model X, and suspension is the second most common reason a Tesla Model 3 fails its MOT: it appeared in 15.3% of initial failures in 2025, and as an advisory on 9.4% of tests.⁴

Out of warranty, this is normal suspension work that a good independent EV specialist can do. Ask for a written quote that includes a wheel alignment afterwards — new arms or bushes without an alignment can wear the tyres quickly (see our tyre wear guide).

Warranty

Is it covered?

Bulletin repairs are done by Tesla. Beyond that, suspension parts on a newer car normally fall under Tesla's basic vehicle warranty — see our warranty guide for what's covered and for how long. Using an independent garage for routine work doesn't by itself void the warranty, but for a known bulletin issue on a car still in warranty, Tesla is usually the cheapest route.

Sources

Where this information comes from

1. Drive Tesla Canada: Tesla notifies Model 3 owners about upper control arm noise (SB-20-31-006)
2. Not a Tesla App: Tesla service bulletins for refreshed Model Y suspension creaks (May 2026)
3. Tesla service bulletin SB-25-31-005: Replace Suspension Components
4. MOT Scout: Tesla Model 3 MOT results 2025 (DfT anonymised MOT data)