
Tesla Model 3 Rattle Fixes
Do you have some rattling noises or vibrations in your brand new Tesla Model 3? You aren’t alone. You can take it into a service center and complain, or you can take a DIY approach. Here is a collection of information on how to fix Model 3 rattle noises.
Passenger Side Front Wheel Well
Where the fender liner meets the passenger side fender, there is some play in the two parts which can cause a squeeking/rattling type noise when driving. It can be fixed by sticking a piece of window adhesive foam inbetween the two pieces.
Foam is available at HomeDepot or online at Amazon.com
Rattle caused by Passenger door speaker grill being loose
Passenger and driver door tweeter assembly rattles
The tweeter is attached to the plastic enclosure by a few small plastic clips. These hold the tweeter in place but don’t necessarily hold it firmly enough to prevent Model 3 rattling noises. You can apply some superglue or silicon to the tabs to hold the tweeter in place firmly.
Don’t worry about replacement troubles – the replacement tweeter part includes the plastic cover as a one piece unit.
There are also some other sources of rattles from the front tweeter assemblies on the Model 3 between two close plastic pieces, and then even the attachment hooks that hold the tweeter onto the door.
Rattle from inside the door
There is a wire inside the Tesla Model 3 front door covers that can cause a rattling or buzzing noise while driving.

Go here to see how to remove and reinstall the front door panel. This video from LivingTesla explains which wires and wire clips were vibrating.
Seatbelt adjuster rattle fix on Model 3
Model 3 Driver’s under-dash air conditioning vent rattle
Rattles from the backseat area of the Tesla Model 3
Reddit user magicbliss removed the headliner and found loose plastic pieces inside. After connecting a rubber band that wasn’t connected, the rattle stopped.


Model 3 Center Console Vibration Noise
The center console latch on your Model 3 may not hold the armrest securely, allowing for an intermittent vibration noise – intermittent because when you have your arm on the arm rest it won’t make the noise!
This video from Lovesword show how a little bit of foam tape fixes the issue.
VIN plate squeaking against the windshield
The VIN plate on top of the dashboard may slightly touch the windshield. This can cause a squeaking or vibration noise when the Tesla Model 3 is in motion. To fix, gently push on the VIN plate with a screwdriver to push it away from the windshield.
This video gives you a sample of what the noise sounds like:
Model 3 Phone Tray Rattle
The plastic bar that you remove to put the USB cables in causes some rattling issues on certain Model 3. Foam tape and WD40 didn’t seem to fix it for Reddit user dscrptr, so the service center attached a weighted mass inside the slot at the bottom where the bottom of the phone rests.
Another Redditer used furniture leg felt pads and attached them to each side of the phone tray by the rounded corners. src
fajitmondays removed the cell phone tray and applied felt tape on the clips and the plastic/plastic mating surfaces
Remove the two T20 screws under the cell phone tray hinge. Make a mental note of where you removed these screws (for reasons noted below). The cell phone tray is now held onto the center console by five clips. Pull straight back towards you with moderate force to pop the top clips.
Remember where you removed the T20 screws? That entire black plastic trim piece is where the remaining clips are behind. If you can wedge a trim tool from the top where you popped the top clips, you can pop the rest fairly easily. Otherwise, carefully apply force towards you, mentally noting that the entire tray + black plastic trim piece where the screws go in are one unit. Perhaps best to start pulling from the top near the hinge point, so you don’t break anything by pulling on the tray itself once it starts to flex with applied force.
Once removed, go to town with Tesa tape (or similar) on each clip, and any plastic:plastic mating surfaces. Pop back in, tighten screws. Rattle gone.
Source: Reddit
Other sources of rattles
Reddit user gjas24 has 2 rattles that aren’t solved as of January 2020:
- the two plastic halves of the steering column cover. If I squeeze them together fairly hard it stops the noise
- the wood trim piece in the dash on the driver’s side. It is fully snapped in, but I can push on it and the noise will stop
In this Youtube video, there are some other items outlined that can cause rattles and noises on the Tesla Model 3:
- Plastic cover on the hood hinges (0:55)
- Mid aero shield rattle (3:05)
- Rear aero sheild thud fix
- rear seat floor vent rattle (9:25)
- bracket bolts under the rear seat are loose causing rattle, or styrofoam support pieces (12:30, 13:09)
Resource
There is a great Reddit thread here that outlines most of these videos and rattling issues
If your steering wheel is squeaking, check out this page
My right had drive Model 3 squeaks n the area behind the left hand side rear door when the car is on an uneven road or any situation that causes the chassis to flex. Annoying when you are on the phone with no other sound. The only way to stop the squeak is to undo the wide or 60 side of the 60/40 rear seat and leave it forward. You then trade the squeak for a bit of road noise. On my visit to Service it is hard to replicate as the road is flat. Service says it could be something to do with the rear parcel shelf. I have tried foam in between the seat and the lock. Lubricating the lock. Any other suggestions?
Can you mimik the sound by wiggling or pushing and pulling on the seat back? If so, you can replicate it for the service center people.
Ideas for the source of the Model 3 noise:
Does it squeak when you have a passenger seated on the 60 side of the rear seat?