Seat Vibration/Tremor

[novajoe83]

Currently working with Tesla on trying to understand the root cause of what I consider to be excess vibration (tremors) in the seats (all) of my 2024 LR Model X. Disclosure, I had come from a model 3 and still have another model 3. I have no issue with the handling of the Model X. No issue with sound. FWD was already fixed. So this is the last issue. But it's taken numerous service trips with no luck. Attempted remedies have including balancing, alignment, replacing rear links, and swapping out rear tires (twice!) due to road force test results.

I think seat vibration/tremor is tough b/c every person has different sensitivity. Some techs and passengers have denied there is any vibration/tremor, others have felt it. So...to answer my poll, I ask you to considering doing the following: take your hand, while driving (really any speed between 15 and 80mph), and place it on where the passenger's back would rest on the seatback.

Appreciate your feedback! For the record, I'm not a crazy nitpicky person in general but this issue is really preventing me from enjoying what was supposed to be my "dream car" - so I'm really trying to persist until I get a resolution. I have essentially been told that the stock tires are very stiff and that I should switch to more comfortable tires. I am hesitant to drop 1.5k on new tires b/c it doesn't seem like many people complain about seat vibration/tremor.

 

[Milan Djabirov]

My MXP has very obvious vibration in the passenger seat that I can feel by placing my palm just behind the headrest. I have changed the stock continentals almost right after delivery so this is with the pirelli weatheractive non stock tires.

There are two reasons behind this. One is the seat design. The way these seats are mounted somehow has a tendency to transmit the vibrations in very noticeable way even though the vehicle may seem relatively smooth if you don’t pay attention to the seat tremor.

The 2nd thing has to do with the 2022-2024 model X propensity to vibrate when tires are cold probably applicable to many tires not just stock. Two different techs explained to me this is the reason behind the “cold vibration” many owners experience. It’s worst in the first few minutes of a drive at 32-48mph and light to medium acceleration. It’s some form of subtle resonance that probably has a variance over vehicles but it’s there on most, if not all.

Lastly, I had a high road force front passenger tire which failed to balance better than 37 and I just replaced under warranty from tirerack. TBD if it helps as car is now in service for unrelated issue but my one drive assessment is that it’s felt less. Road force balance yours. Don’t settle on more than 20, ideally under 16. I’m now at 10,8 fronts and 17,20 rears. Can probably improve rears but tire shop used the piece weights which are less precise. Good enough for now.

 

[Milan Djabirov]

Ah and let’s not forget the half shafts. The tire shop also noticed my right half shaft was leaking grease and had a torn boot. Only 3.15k miles. Being examined now at the SC among a few other things.

 

[novajoe83]

My MXP has very obvious vibration in the passenger seat that I can feel by placing my palm just behind the headrest. I have changed the stock continentals almost right after delivery so this is with the pirelli weatheractive non stock tires.

There are two reasons behind this. One is the seat design. The way these seats are mounted somehow has a tendency to transmit the vibrations in very noticeable way even though the vehicle may seem relatively smooth if you don’t pay attention to the seat tremor.

The 2nd thing has to do with the 2022-2024 model X propensity to vibrate when tires are cold probably applicable to many tires not just stock. Two different techs explained to me this is the reason behind the “cold vibration” many owners experience. It’s worst in the first few minutes of a drive at 32-48mph and light to medium acceleration. It’s some form of subtle resonance that probably has a variance over vehicles but it’s there on most, if not all.

Lastly, I had a high road force front passenger tire which failed to balance better than 37 and I just replaced under warranty from tirerack. TBD if it helps as car is now in service for unrelated issue but my one drive assessment is that it’s felt less. Road force balance yours. Don’t settle on more than 20, ideally under 16. I’m now at 10,8 fronts and 17,20 rears. Can probably improve rears but tire shop used the piece weights which are less precise. Good enough for now.

So basically even if I ended up getting the best tires money can by…the vibration ain’t going away?

 

[Milan Djabirov]

I’ll let you know how it drives next week - car in Paramus (again) with ETA pickup 22nd. Hopefully they would have resolved the leaky half shaft and can now test with the newly balanced tires. The stock tires with a properly aligned and road force balanced car should not fare any worse or better than other tires, so beyond balancing and checking alignment I wouldn’t waste $ on new tires

 

[Leek4u]

I’ll let you know how it drives next week - car in Paramus (again) with ETA pickup 22nd. Hopefully they would have resolved the leaky half shaft and can now test with the newly balanced tires. The stock tires with a properly aligned and road force balanced car should not fare any worse or better than other tires, so beyond balancing and checking alignment I wouldn’t waste $ on new tires

I hope you have better luck. I have tried 2 different brands of tires from the originals, as soon as I bought the 2023 MXP, and even though the current ones have made some difference (Michelin Pilot Sport AS4) the vibrations certainly have not been eliminated. And I have had several balancing sessions including with "smart weights" for accuracy. Let us know how it goes!

 

[Milan Djabirov]

I don’t have persistent vibrations only cold ones but I was just notified my half shafts were deemed needing replacement only after 3200 miles since delivery and I barely ever launch this vehicle for what its horsepower and torque should allow me to. Maybe I need to lower it like so many here.

 

[skytom88]

Better way to test the vibrations (i have the same issue with vibrations coming to the seats), put a water bottle (or a bowl of water) with water filled half way on the seat and drive. You'll see water resonate when the seat vibrates. Similar to the scene in the first Jurassic Park movie when T-Rex comes and the children see their glass of water tremble.


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[skytom88]

With every SW update, the vibrations sometimes are weaker (more subtle and shorter) and sometimes they revert back to stronger vibrations after an update. Not sure what Tesla is doing. The current version (2024.14.5 or FSD (Supervised) v12.3.6) seem to have more subtle vibrations than the version before.

 

[Milan Djabirov]

So my passenger side half shaft lasted a grand total of at most 3.2k miles and could have degraded much earlier. After replacing and tire rebalancing ride is a bit better but the top of the seats still transmit some vibrations especially felt if leaning head against headrest.

This half shaft thing - what’s the cheapest way to lower car a bit? I have the camber shims (not installed yet) but I think i am forced to do something about lowering and correcting camber now. Don’t feel like spending 500 on links - is there a good option for around 200-300 max? 2023 MXP btw.

 

[Milan Djabirov]

So the seat vibration felt in the headrest is still there after my passenger side half shaft change and wheel balancing. I was curious to check the live suspension data and noticed my front right was consistently a bit higher than left front on multiple surfaces whereas I would expect the pattern to fluctuate if the on perfect flat surface it was truly even. Now of course on most roads due to the incline for drainage the closer you are to the shoulder the lower it is, but when parked in my garage which is relatively flat I still see this bias. I know it’s flat since there is no drain hole and water pools up. Rears are always very close or equal but also less sensitive in shock response. This is in very low setting to illustrate the values better. Anyone seen this?

 

[Milan Djabirov]

Did a highway test drive - after right front half shaft and right front tire change under warranty (which could not balance on the hunter road force balancer well) car is much smoother than before. Cold vibration still there but I won’t even bother wit that. All I need now is to figure why the front suspension isn’t level per sensors and I’d be mostly satisfied. The seats still vibrate a bit at the headrest but I can only tell if I touch it or lean my head against - so my stance on this is perfect is the enemy of good.

Car is now at Mountain View Autobody to finally align my doors properly as Tesla made them worse in several tries.

Fingers crossed after 11 service visits I can finally live this car.

 

[skytom88]

I think the last SW update improved some of this vibrations. Mine is sometimes non-existent and sometimes very, very, very subtle and duration is ~1 second and goes away.

 

[Peaches55]

You can test vibrations with a water bottle on the seat and fixing tire balance or half shaft issues may help with seat tremors.