Tesla had an issue with the suspension of the Model Y Long Range: now the official figures are different, and no one has explained why.
20/09/2026 14:00
Updated to
20/09/2026 14:00
Tesla has updated several of the official dimensions listed in the Model Y L documentation in China. The change affects the vehicle’s total height and ground clearance, with these values now showing slightly lower figures than those previously listed in the manual for this six-seater electric SUV.
This revision also coincides with a particularly sensitive period for this model. Over the past few weeks, there have been reports from owners alleging a decrease in rear axle height—a problem that can visibly reduce the space between the wheels and the wheel wells, and which, in some vehicles, has reportedly led to uneven tire wear.
Tesla has changed three figures in the official documentation
The most noticeable difference is in the unloaded ground clearance. While some versions of Tesla China’s documentation still show 169 mm, the manual on Tesla.com now lists it as 166 mm. The total height has also changed to 1,664 mm, and the loaded ground clearance is listed at 118 mm.
Comparing it with previous versions shows that it’s not just one single value that has been changed. The total height has decreased by 4 mm, the distance from the ground with a load by another 4 mm, and the measurement without a load by 3 mm. A copy preserved on the Wayback Machine from June 16 still showed the previous values, indicating that these changes were made after that date.
Tesla China has not explained why these parameters were updated. When contacted by the Chinese media outlet NBD, its customer service stated that certain measurements can be affected by factors such as tire pressure, vehicle load, road condition, or the chassis itself. The company has not confirmed any technical modifications to the vehicle behind this change in the manual.
Issues are concentrated in the rear section
The known complaints primarily relate to the height of the rear suspension. Some owners have reported a significant reduction in wheelbase clearance after long distances or when the vehicle is loaded, with cases reported from approximately 9,000 kilometers to around 30,000 kilometers of use.
In certain models, this loss of height has also been linked to abnormal wear on the inner side of the tires. Tesla has replaced springs under warranty in several vehicles, and the new parts are labeled with reference number 2188477-00-B, compared to the previous suffix of 00-A. Nevertheless, some users claim that the problem has reappeared after the repair.
Tesla still hasn’t explained the cause of the problem
Internal service guidelines cited by Chinese media specify that the normal height of the rear wheel track is 784 ± 20 mm. Spring replacement is authorized when this measurement falls below 764 mm, although Tesla has not disclosed a common technical cause that explains all the recorded cases.
As of now, there is also no official confirmation linking the new figures in the manual directly to suspension issues. What is documented, however, is that Tesla has reduced several official specifications for the Model Y Long Range after June, and concurrently, owner complaints about a decrease in rear axle height continue to arise.