Tesla is facing scrutiny over its Model Y L, a six-seat SUV manufactured at the Shanghai Gigafactory, following reports of rear suspension collapses. Owners have shared complaints on social media, noting that the gap between the rear wheel arch and the tyre decreases significantly after long trips or when the vehicle is fully loaded.
Recent updates to the vehicle's official manual show changes to technical specifications. The total height is now listed as 1664 mm, while laden ground clearance is 118 mm and unladen ground clearance is 166 mm. These figures represent reductions of 4 mm, 4 mm, and 3 mm respectively compared to previous documentation.
Data from the Wayback Machine indicates that these parameters remained unchanged as of 16 June 2025. While the Chinese version of the website still shows an unladen ground clearance of 169 mm, the international site has updated the figure to 166 mm.
Tesla China customer service did not provide a technical explanation for the discrepancies when questioned. Representatives stated that wheel arch height can be affected by factors such as tyre pressure, road surface, and load distribution. The company has not issued an official statement regarding potential hardware changes.
Internal service guidelines for the Model Y L define a normal rear wheel arch height as 784 mm with a tolerance of 20 mm. Spring replacement is currently authorized only if the measurement falls below 764 mm. Tesla has not yet disclosed the root cause of the suspension issues.
