Four-wheel alignment on a 2024 Model 3 Long Range AWD. Tesla specifies tight tolerances on camber, caster, and toe; this dual-motor variant requires both front and rear adjustments using the cam/eccentric bolts at the rear lower control arms and the front tie rod adjusters.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Rear adjustable camber/toe cam bolt kit (only if existing cams are seized or stripped) × 1 — Manufacturer-specified rear suspension cam bolt

Preparation

1. Park on level ground, place in P, engage parking brake.
2. Exit ALL doors with the key fob away from the vehicle. Wait at least 2 minutes for HV systems to fully de-energize, even on this non-HV job.
3. Disconnect the 12V low-voltage battery. On 2024 Model 3, locate per architecture notes — most units are behind the right rear seat back panel; some 2024 builds use a lithium 12V under the floor. Note: some technicians keep 12V connected for alignment because the vehicle's steering angle sensor and ride-height-related modules remain awake; if you choose to leave 12V connected, set the vehicle to Tow/Transport mode and disable Sentry/Cabin Overheat in the touchscreen before lifting.
4. DO NOT touch, cut, or pierce ANY orange cable — these are high-voltage and lethal.
5. If at any point you encounter an orange cable, an HV component, or are unsure if a system is de-energized: STOP and consult a Tesla-certified technician.
6. Verify tire pressures are set to the door-jamb placard (typically 42 psi cold for 2024 Model 3 LR AWD on 18"/19") — uneven pressures will skew alignment readings.
7. Inspect tires for uneven wear, suspension bushings for play, wheel bearings for free movement, and tie rod ends for slop. Do not align a vehicle with worn components.
8. Confirm the vehicle is at curb weight: no cargo, no aftermarket roof rack load, factory spare/jack stowage in place.
9. Roll the vehicle onto the alignment rack using only the manufacturer-specified lift pads. Center the front tires on the turn plates and the rears on the slip plates.
10. Install the steering wheel holder and brake pedal depressor.

Procedure

1. 1

   Mount targets and perform initial measurement
   Mount the alignment heads/targets to all four wheels per the rack manufacturer's procedure. Perform rolling compensation. Run a full initial measurement and print/save the 'before' readings. Compare against current Tesla Model 3 2024 AWD specifications loaded in the rack software.
2. 2

   Evaluate what is adjustable
   On Model 3, factory-adjustable parameters are: front toe (via tie rods) and rear camber and rear toe (via eccentric cam bolts at the rear lower control arms). Front camber and caster are not factory-adjustable on a stock Model 3 — if out of spec, inspect for bent components or collision damage before considering aftermarket camber bolts. If front camber correction is required and aftermarket camber bolts are installed, torque to the Camber Bolts spec.
   ⚠If front camber/caster is significantly out of spec on an undamaged vehicle, suspect a bent fore-link or fish-hook arm. Do not attempt to 'pull' alignment back with aftermarket parts on a damaged car.
   Torque spec

   Camber Bolts75 Nm (55 lb-ft)
3. 3

   Adjust rear camber
   At each rear lower control arm inner pivot, mark the cam bolt's starting position with a paint pen. Loosen the cam bolt nut just enough to allow rotation of the eccentric. Rotate the cam bolt to bring rear camber into the center of Tesla spec. Work one side at a time, then re-check; rear camber and toe interact, so iterate.
   ⚠Do not fully remove the cam bolt — only loosen. Removing it on a loaded suspension can shift the control arm.
4. 4

   Adjust rear toe
   Adjust the rear toe cam bolt on each side to bring individual rear toe and total rear toe into the middle of Tesla spec. Confirm the thrust angle is within tolerance — a non-zero thrust angle will force the front to be aligned to the thrust line and cause an off-center steering wheel.
5. 5

   Torque rear cam bolts
   Once rear camber and toe are correct on both sides, hold each cam bolt head stationary and torque the cam bolt nut. This is a CRITICAL fastener — under-torque will allow the eccentric to slip under load and the alignment will drift. Re-measure after torque to confirm the values did not shift.
   ⚠️Cam bolts are safety-critical. A loose cam bolt can allow the rear control arm to shift under braking or cornering loads.
   Torque spec

   Cam Bolts129 Nm (95 lb-ft)
6. 6

   Center the steering wheel
   With the steering wheel holder removed momentarily, drive the vehicle straight on the rack (or use the rack's steering-straight-ahead routine) to identify true straight-ahead. Reinstall the steering wheel holder with the wheel exactly centered. The vehicle's onboard steering angle sensor zero point will be reset later via a road test or service routine.
7. 7

   Adjust front toe via tie rods
   Loosen the tie rod jam nut on each side. Rotate the inner tie rod to adjust toe — split the total toe equally between left and right so the steering wheel remains centered. Aim for the middle of Tesla spec for total front toe. Iterate side-to-side as needed.
   ⚠Do not twist the outer tie rod boot. Hold the tie rod end stationary or release the boot clamp temporarily so the boot does not wind up and tear.
8. 8

   Torque tie rod jam nuts
   Once front toe is correct and the steering wheel is centered, hold the tie rod stationary and torque each jam nut. This is a CRITICAL fastener — a loose jam nut will allow toe to drift and can lead to loss of steering control.
   ⚠️A loose tie rod jam nut is a safety-critical failure. Verify torque with a calibrated wrench.
   Torque spec

   Tie Rod Jam Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)
9. 9

   Final measurement and printout
   Bounce the suspension, perform a final measurement run, and confirm all values are within Tesla spec — not just the rack's generic green band. Print/save the 'after' readings. Confirm cross-camber, cross-caster, thrust angle, and steering wheel angle are all within tolerance.

Reassembly

1. Remove the steering wheel holder and brake pedal depressor.
2. Remove alignment heads/targets.
3. Roll the vehicle off the rack.
4. Reconnect the 12V battery if it was disconnected. Allow the vehicle to wake; the touchscreen may briefly show calibration messages for driver-assist cameras.
5. Reset Tow/Transport mode if used.

Verification

• All four corners within current Tesla Model 3 2024 AWD alignment spec, with thrust angle as close to 0.00° as achievable.
• Steering wheel is dead-center on a flat, straight road test of at least 1–2 miles. If off-center, re-check front toe split — do NOT 'fix' an off-center wheel by re-clocking it on the column.
• No pulling under steady-state cruise on a level road. A residual pull after a correct alignment usually indicates a tire conicity issue — swap front tires side-to-side to confirm.
• Autopilot/Autosteer behavior: after alignment, Tesla recommends a drive cycle so the vehicle re-learns straight-ahead. If Autosteer drifts or warns of camera calibration after alignment, a camera recalibration drive may be required (this is performed automatically by the vehicle, not via Toolbox for the customer).
• Confirm cam bolt nuts and tie rod jam nuts are torqued — these are CRITICAL fasteners. Re-check torque visually one more time before releasing the vehicle.
• While the vehicle is on the rack, this is also the appropriate time to check tire rotation interval (Tesla recommends every 6,250 mi on Model 3 due to high torque and curb weight) and to inspect brake pad thickness and brake fluid age (Tesla recommends brake fluid replacement every 2 years regardless of mileage).

More procedures for this vehicle