Tesla has quietly revised the Model YL owner's manual, trimming the vehicle's total height and ground-clearance figures by 3 to 4 millimetres, according to a report from Chinese outlet Kuaikeji carried by D1EV. The change comes as complaints over rear-wheel sag on the Model YL continue to mount, with some owners accusing the company of adjusting the parameters to make warranty claims harder to win.
Comparing the April and latest editions of the manual, total height has been cut from 1,668mm to 1,664mm, loaded ground clearance from 122mm to 118mm, and unloaded ground clearance from 169mm to 166mm. The three figures were reduced by 4mm, 4mm and 3mm respectively. Owners worry the revised numbers could influence how service centres judge whether a rear wheel has sagged and whether a repair is covered.
Springs replaced, then sag returns
Multiple Model YL owners say their cars, some less than a year old, have developed noticeable rear suspension sag after long-distance driving. The gap between the rear wheel arch and tyre shrinks visibly, and owners report reduced driving stability and safety. One owner described the gap dropping from more than four fingers at delivery to less than two fingers after the problem appeared. Some cars have also developed stiffer damping, bottoming out on rough roads, and body sway or pulling to one side. A self-organised owner group for the issue has around 300 members.
Tesla service centres have replaced rear suspension springs free of charge on some vehicles, but several owners say the sag reappears within months. One owner had springs replaced at the end of April, only to see the rear sink again by the end of August. On the second visit, the centre did not replace the spring but instead disassembled it to "release stress", and the work order no longer mentioned a spring replacement. Another owner reported the sag returning just ten days after the spring was swapped.
The original rear spring carries part number 2188477-00-A, while the replacement part is 2188477-00-B. Two chassis engineers who examined the issue believe irreversible plastic deformation of the spring is the main cause of the sag, and that Tesla has likely started an internal design-change validation process, according to Kuaikeji.
Tesla's current service criteria state that a rear wheel arch height between 784mm and 804mm is considered normal, and springs are only replaced if the height falls below 764mm. Owners argue that the manual revision narrows the margin for what counts as acceptable, making it harder for affected vehicles to qualify for repair.
The Model YL is Tesla's locally produced Model Y variant sold in China, a battery-electric (BEV) SUV. Tesla has not publicly commented on the manual change or the suspension complaints.
