Tesla Model 3 & Model Y: 7 things to check before your warranty ends

Tesla Model 3 / Model Y front upper control arm — a suspension part owners often report for creaks

Short answer: have the car checked while it is still inside Tesla's Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty — 4 years or 80,000 km, whichever comes first. Tesla's warranty says you must notify Tesla within the warranty period to get warranty service, so a fault you first report after that is normally no longer covered.

A month or two before the date or the kilometres run out, go through the seven checks below, take photos or short videos of anything you find, and put every item into one service request. The battery and drive unit carry a separate, longer warranty (8 years, and 160,000 or 192,000 km depending on the version); this checklist is about the parts the 4-year warranty covers.

1. Suspension and steering: creaks, squeaks and clunks

On Model 3 owner forums, a front upper control arm that creaks or squeaks from around the ball joint is a widely discussed fault. Owners who reported it inside the warranty describe the arms being replaced at no charge, while several owners past the limit were quoted for the repair. Listen with the window down while turning the steering at parking speed and driving slowly over bumps.

Also look at the rubber boots and bushings on the control arms, the stabilizer-bar links and the rear knuckles — cracks or tears in the rubber are easy to photograph — and listen for knocks from the steering rack or column when turning slowly. A noise that comes with new wear on a tire's shoulder can point to a worn bushing letting the wheel move under load.

Tesla's warranty excludes creaks, rattles and knocks when there is no malfunctioning part that needs replacing, so what counts is a technician confirming a worn part. Record a short video with the conditions — speed, road surface, temperature — and attach it to the request.

2. Steering wheel: bubbling, peeling or wrinkles

Some Model 3 owners have reported the steering-wheel covering bubbling or peeling within a few years. The outcome has varied: one owner's wheel was replaced free as a goodwill repair, while another was told the damage came from hand lotion or sanitizer and was not covered. Check the grip in good light, photograph any raised spots, wrinkles or peeling, and have it written up while the car is still under warranty.

3. Heat pump and air conditioning

Run the climate control at full heat and then full cooling, and listen at the front of the car for squealing or grinding. The warning sign to act on is cabin heat that stops working in cold weather.

In early 2022 Tesla recalled a group of heat-pump cars, Model 3 and Model Y among them, over a software fault that could cause a loss of cabin heating, particularly at −10 °C or colder, and fixed it with a software update. Some owners who took their cars in had the heat pump hardware replaced — a physical repair like that is exactly the kind of job you want done while the warranty still applies.

4. Seats, dash and door trim

Owners report early wear on the front-seat side bolsters, most often on the driver's seat. One Model 3 owner who asked Tesla twice was told the wear was not covered, so photograph both front seats and raise anything beyond ordinary wear before the warranty ends.

Check the dash and door trim for cracks, and note any creak or rattle — exactly where it comes from and when it happens. Tesla's warranty excludes creaks and rattles unless a part has actually failed, so a precise description helps the technician find a loose or broken piece.

5. Window and seat switches

Model 3 owners have reported cracked window-switch buttons, and the switch is a separate part that Tesla's service manual shows how to remove and replace. Try every window switch and every seat adjustment in both directions; a button that sticks or cracks, or a seat that moves erratically or not at all, is worth reporting.

6. Rear tires wearing on the inside edge

Look at the inner shoulder of each rear tire. Tesla's owner's manual says to schedule a wheel alignment if you notice uneven wear on one side of a tire, or if the car pulls left or right. Ask for the camber and toe readings: smooth, even wear on the inner shoulder points at camber, feathered wear points at toe, and wear that comes with a noise points at a worn part.

Tesla recommends rotating the tires every 10,000 km, or sooner if the tread depths differ by 1.5 mm (2/32 in.) or more since the last rotation. Wheel alignment itself is a maintenance item the warranty excludes, but a worn suspension part that lets the alignment move is worth having inspected while the car is covered.

7. Frameless door glass: alignment, wind noise and leaks

Model 3 and Model Y door windows have no frame, so to avoid damage each window lowers slightly when you open or close the door. Listen for wind noise at highway speed and look for water marks after rain or a car wash. In cold weather the windows deliberately stop slightly below the trim, so judge the alignment on a mild day.

If a window touches the bright molding, does not open or close properly, or goes down more than normal when the door opens, Tesla's owner's manual gives a calibration you can do yourself: close the doors, sit in the driver's seat, and use that window's switch on the driver's door to raise it until it stalls, lower it until it stalls, then raise it until it stalls again. If the problem continues after a couple of tries, the manual says to contact Tesla — better done before the warranty ends.

How to report it before the warranty ends

Tesla's warranty requires you to notify Tesla within the warranty period to get warranty service. Book the visit before the date or the kilometre limit, list every item in one request, attach your photos and videos, and keep the estimate or invoice — it shows what you reported and when.

After the warranty: worn suspension parts

Once the basic warranty has ended, worn suspension parts can be replaced by any qualified repair shop. MapleV stocks Tesla Model 3 and Model Y control arms, links, knuckles, stabilizer-bar links and hub bearings, each listed by its Tesla OE number and including ZF Lemförder OEM options, with delivery across Metro Vancouver and shipping to any address in Canada.

Frequently asked

How long is Tesla's basic warranty in Canada?

For a new Model 3 or Model Y, the Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty is 4 years or 80,000 km, whichever comes first. The battery and drive unit have a separate 8-year warranty with a kilometre limit (160,000 or 192,000 km) that depends on the version.

Are squeaks and rattles covered by the warranty?

Only when a malfunctioning part needs replacing. Tesla's warranty excludes general creaks, rattles and knocks, and wind and road vibration, where no part has failed — so ask the technician to confirm the cause.

Is a wheel alignment covered?

No. Wheel alignment and balancing are listed as maintenance, which the warranty excludes. Whether a worn or defective part caused the alignment to move is a separate question for the technician.

What if I notice a problem just after the warranty ends?

Tesla's warranty requires you to notify Tesla within the warranty period, so report anything you are unsure about before the date or kilometre limit rather than after it. Past the limit, owners describe Tesla sometimes offering a goodwill repair, but that is not guaranteed.