Replace the front upper control arm on a 2024 Model S Plaid. The Plaid uses a multi-link front suspension with air struts; the upper control arm connects the upper knuckle to the chassis and its outer end uses a tapered ball-joint stud secured by a castellated nut and cotter pin.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Front upper control arm assembly (Model S Plaid, 2021+ refresh) × 1 — OEM Tesla front upper control arm, side-specific (LH/RH)
• Ball joint castle nut cotter pin × 1 — New cotter pin, OEM size
• Ball joint castellated nut (if not reusable) × 1 — OEM ball joint nut

Preparation

1. Park on level ground, place in P, engage parking brake.
2. On the touchscreen, enter Service Mode and activate Jack Mode (Suspension → Jack Mode) to disable self-leveling and raise the vehicle to Very High if needed for access.
3. Exit ALL doors with the key fob/phone key moved at least 10 m away from the vehicle. Wait at least 2 minutes for HV systems to fully de-energize.
4. Open the frunk, remove the nose cowl/apron trim, and disconnect the 12V (or 16V Li-ion on Plaid, located under the rear seat on some builds — verify by VIN) low-voltage battery negative terminal. Isolate the terminal so it cannot accidentally re-contact.
5. DO NOT touch, cut, or pierce ANY orange cable. If you encounter an orange cable, HV component, or are unsure if a system is de-energized, STOP and consult a Tesla-certified technician.
6. Loosen the front wheel lug nuts a half-turn while the vehicle is still on the ground.
7. Lift the vehicle at the OEM front pinch-weld lift point and support on jack stands rated for the Model S curb weight. Do not place stands under the HV pack, subframe edges, or aluminum cast nodes.

Procedure

1. 1

   Remove front wheel
   Fully remove the lug nuts and pull the front wheel off the affected side. Set the wheel aside on its face to protect the finish (especially 21"/22" Plaid wheels).
2. 2

   Inspect and document the suspension
   Before disassembly, photograph the upper control arm orientation, any alignment shims/cams, and the routing of the ABS/wear sensor harness clipped to the arm. The Plaid front upper arm carries a wiring retainer — note its position so you can transfer it to the new arm.
3. 3

   Disconnect harness retainers from the upper arm
   Release any wheel speed sensor or pad wear sensor harness clips that are routed along the upper control arm. Do not pull on the wires — release the plastic retainer body from the arm.
4. 4

   Remove the cotter pin from the upper ball joint
   At the upper knuckle, straighten and withdraw the cotter pin from the upper ball joint castellated nut. Discard the cotter pin — it is single-use.
   ⚠Never reuse a cotter pin on a ball joint. Loss of preload here can cause separation of the knuckle in service.
5. 5

   Loosen the upper ball joint nut
   Loosen the upper ball joint castellated nut but do NOT fully remove it yet. Back it off until the top of the nut is flush with the top of the threaded stud. This protects the threads when you break the taper.
6. 6

   Break the ball joint taper
   Use a screw-type ball joint separator on the upper ball joint stud to break the taper from the upper knuckle. Avoid pickle-fork-style separators if you intend to reuse the ball joint boot — they will tear it. Once the taper releases, fully remove the nut and lift the knuckle off the stud, supporting the knuckle so it does not hang on the brake hose or wheel speed sensor cable.
   ⚠Do not let the knuckle/strut assembly fall outward — it will stretch the brake hose and ABS wiring. Support it with a bungee or stand.
7. 7

   Remove the inner control arm bolts
   At the chassis end of the upper control arm, remove the two through-bolts securing the arm to the body-side bracket. Note any alignment cam washers and their indexed orientation — mark them with a paint pen before removal so caster/camber can be returned close to the original setting.
   Torque spec

   Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
8. 8

   Remove the upper control arm
   Withdraw the upper control arm from the chassis bracket and out of the wheel well. Compare the new arm to the old arm side-by-side: confirm bushing orientation, ball joint stud direction, and any side-specific (LH/RH) markings match before installing.
9. 9

   Install the new upper control arm at the chassis
   Position the new upper control arm in the chassis bracket. Install the inner through-bolts with any alignment cam washers in their original indexed orientation. Snug the bolts, but DO NOT final-torque yet — bushings must be clamped at ride height.
10. 10

    Reconnect the ball joint to the knuckle
    Lift the knuckle and seat the upper ball joint stud into the tapered bore in the upper knuckle. Install the castellated nut and torque to specification, then continue tightening only as far as needed to align the next castellation slot with the stud's cotter pin hole — never back off to align. Install a NEW cotter pin and bend the legs over.
    ⚠️If the cotter pin hole does not align at the spec torque, tighten further (within reason) to reach the next slot. Loosening below spec is not acceptable.
    Torque spec

    Ball Joint Nut88 Nm (65 lb-ft)
11. 11

    Reattach harness retainers
    Clip the wheel speed sensor and any pad wear sensor harness back onto the new upper arm in the original routing. Verify there is no contact with rotating or moving parts through full steering lock.
12. 12

    Reinstall the wheel
    Mount the wheel and start all lug nuts by hand to avoid cross-threading the aluminum hub. Snug in a star pattern.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts136 Nm (100 lb-ft)
13. 13

    Lower vehicle to ride height and final-torque inner bolts
    Lower the vehicle so full curb weight is on the wheels (or simulate ride height with a jack under the lower control arm spring perch if the vehicle must remain on stands). Now final-torque the upper control arm inner through-bolts. Failure to torque at ride height will cause bushing windup and premature wear.
    ⚠Torque-at-ride-height is not optional on this arm. Do not skip.
    Torque spec

    Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
14. 14

    Final wheel torque
    With the vehicle fully on the ground, torque the lug nuts in a star pattern.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts136 Nm (100 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Reconnect the 12V/16V low-voltage battery negative terminal and reinstall the frunk nose cowl/apron trim.
2. Power up the vehicle. Exit Jack Mode and Service Mode. Allow the air suspension to self-level — confirm the front of the car returns to Standard ride height without faults.
3. Clear any chassis or suspension DTCs that were stored during the service event.

Verification

• No suspension, ABS, or air suspension warnings on the instrument cluster after a key cycle.
• Air suspension cycles through Low/Standard/High without compressor over-run or asymmetric ride height left-to-right (check via Service Mode → Suspension live view).
• Steering returns to center freely, no clunks over bumps, no contact between the upper arm and inner fender at full bump or full steering lock.
• Have a four-wheel alignment performed within the first 25 miles. Camber and caster on the Plaid front are influenced by the upper arm position; tire wear will be rapid (especially on 21"/22" wheels) if alignment is skipped.
• Re-inspect the new cotter pin and ball joint nut after the first 100 miles to confirm nothing has settled or backed off.

More procedures for this vehicle