Service paperwork in China shows Tesla fitting a different rear-spring part number on some Model Y L cars, including at least one built in July, according to work orders reported by National Business Daily.
It comes amid owner reports that the six-seat SUV’s rear end sags under load.
Two chassis engineers told Jiemian the original rear springs take an irreversible set under load and lack design margin for the additional weight and length of the six-seat car.
Tesla’s North American owner’s manual also now publishes a lower overall height and lower ground clearance for the Model Y L than its manuals for China, Korea and Malaysia, a difference of 4 mm in height and 3 to 4 mm in clearance.
X user ‘Tslachan’ set the two tables side by side on Tuesday.
Tesla has not commented on the differing figures or on the suspension complaints, and has neither issued a recall nor written to owners.
What the Manuals Say
Tesla’s current North American manual, tied to software version 2026.26, gives the Model Y L an overall height of 1,664 mm, laden ground clearance of 118 mm and unladen clearance of 166 mm.
Tesla China’s English-language dimensions page gives 1,668 mm, 122 mm and 169 mm as of Tuesday. Regional manuals for Korea and Malaysia carry the same higher figures.
Tslachan’s comparison is presented as an April edition against the current one. Which manual the April table comes from has not been established, and without two dated versions of the same regional manual the difference is disagreement between markets rather than a dated edit.
Two further figures differ and have a documented explanation. The North American table gives overall length as 4,969 mm and front overhang as 889 mm, against 4,976 mm and 896 mm elsewhere.
Tesla’s own tables note that the lower pair exclude a licence plate bracket. In both books, front overhang plus wheelbase plus rear overhang equals the stated length exactly, and the whole 7 mm sits in the front overhang. It is a measurement convention, not a shorter car.
One difference has no published explanation. Front track is 1,656 mm in the Chinese book and 1,636 mm in the North American one, a 20 mm gap and the largest in the comparison.
The lower figure is identical to the track Tesla publishes for the five-seat Model Y Premium. It is not a ride-height measurement.
Tesla notes in all editions that published dimensions are approximate and can vary depending on options.
Rear-Suspension Complaints
Chinese Model Y L owners began reporting rear-suspension sag on platforms including Xiaohongshu and Sina as early as June.
Owners described the gap between the rear tyres and wheel arches shrinking visibly after long trips or when all six seats were occupied. In more severe cases, owners said they could barely fit a finger in the space.
Tesla’s after-sales service in China uses a rear wheel-arch height standard of 784 mm with a tolerance of plus or minus 20 mm, according to multiple owner reports compiled by Car News China. Service centres authorize a free rear coil spring replacement only when the measurement drops below 764 mm.
Owners developed an informal self-diagnosis method. A four-finger gap is considered normal, three fingers represents a warning, and two and a half or fewer generally qualifies for warranty work.
Beyond the visible drop, the sag alters rear-wheel alignment and produces abnormal inner-shoulder tyre wear. Some owners reported wear severe enough to expose steel belts.
One owner in Hebei province reported significant sag after approximately 9,000 km while driving fully loaded, while another in Shanghai noticed the problem after around 30,000 km, Car News China reported. Early production vehicles delivered in approximately September through October 2025 appear disproportionately affected.
No count of affected vehicles exists. Neither Tesla nor any outlet has quantified the complaints.
Tesla’s Response
Tesla China has not released a public statement, and the State Administration for Market Regulation, which administers vehicle recalls in China, has not opened a formal investigation.
Service centres replace the rear coil springs under the vehicle’s standard warranty when the arch height measurement falls below the 764 mm threshold, but owners must cover the cost of prematurely worn tyres themselves.
Spring replacements have not resolved the problem in all cases. At least one owner reported the suspension sagging again just 10 days after receiving new springs, according to Car News China, and was told the service centre had no permanent fix and declined a second replacement.
That model has not been identified as carrying the new part, and early replacements may have used the original specification.
The Model Y L launched in China in August 2025 and has since gone on sale in Japan, Australia and the United States. It has not launched at retail in Europe.
Giga Shanghai produced most Model Y L distributed globally, up until the model started being produced in Texas as well.
The vehicle rides on a 3,040 mm wheelbase, 150 mm longer than the standard Model Y. Tesla’s China manual gives its curb weight as 2,088 kg, against 1,992 kg for the five-seat Model Y Premium with all-wheel drive.
Manual Revision or Spec Correction
Tesla routinely updates its online owner’s manuals and notes in each edition that all published dimensions are approximate. A manual update does not by itself confirm a physical change to the vehicle.
The company could be correcting an original specification error, reflecting a running production change such as revised springs, or adjusting the published figures to more closely match real-world measurements.
The size of the difference argues against reading it as a response to the sag. Tesla’s own service threshold treats a car as faulty only once the rear arch height has dropped at least 20 mm.
The gap between the two manuals is 4 mm, a fifth of that, and owners reporting the worst cases describe drops that nearly eliminate the tyre-to-arch gap.
Tesla’s North American manual also lists a separate disclaimer: all specifications are verified to be accurate at the time of printing, but the company reserves the right to make product modifications at any time.
