Took the recently delivered model y LR for a first spin on the motorway (highway if you are in America) and felt a noticable vibration on the steering wheel at around 65 mph. It is a subtle vibration but it does create fatigue/discomfort around the wrists over time. Have read a few owners posting similar issues across different models. Based on the discussions on this forum I have the following plan to try and remidy the vibrations: I plan to first have the service centre look into it (it is unclear at this point if they will do a Road Force balancing). Assuming that they decide to shrug their shoulders, I will have to take the car to an independent Road Force balancer. I perforned a visual inspection of the wheels and noticed that the "low point" (indicated by the red dot) on each tyre is approximately aligned with the high point indicated on the 19" rim (indicated by a sticker on the rim). This in theory eliminates some of the vibrations so it is unclear where this is coming from. I own a second car (Nissan hatchback) and it has zero vibration at that speed on the same road. Any thoughts/suggestions are welcome. Have I missed anything or should I do something other than the plan above? Thank you in advance.
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2023 Model y LR - steering vibration at 65mph
- Thread starter Atomicpulse
- Start date
exxxviii
Member
This is almost always a wheel balancing problem on every car. Sometimes it is a worn bushing, like a thrust arm bushing. Sometimes it is a bad tire. Since yours is new, probably a balance issue. One way to debug is swap wheels front to back to see if it goes away. If so, you know it is one of the now rear wheels.
yes, vibration above 60 usually always balance related but not 100%. You need to rule out balancing though. Tires also have foam inside for sound insulation. There are posts about the foam coming loose, wadding up in a ball, and then causing vibrations. The road force balancer will tell you if there is a problem and they can also "match mount" to further reduce the road forces but that requires moving the tire around on the rim. If you just took delivery make sure you put in a service request immediately. I believe you have to report it within the first few days or 100 miles for it to be covered.
I believe they do. They should have hunter machines for both road force balancing and for alignments. Certainly check with the service center first to confirm. Also, they probably will not cover a road force balance and it may be more expensive to have them do it. I had mine done at a local Tire Pros shop.
Also note that Tesla is notorious for sending vehicles out of the factory with out of spec alignment. That usually doesn't cause vibration though just uneven/excessive tire wear and sometimes poor handling.
Thanks - good point about the foam and something I will have to get looked at as well. Some posts indicate that the SC will only conduct a “tapping” test and not a full visual of the insides of each tyre so I may have to get this done independently as well.
I have a SC appointment booked as goodwill (no charge) but I doubt that will include a comprehensive examination that covers road force balancing and a foam inspections (but I will surely try to get those). The car now has 400 miles on it and this is because we went off on a first trip in the car to the countryside during which we picked up on this issue. The U.K. is tiny and so if you live in a big city like London you don’t really get on the motorway or at those speeds unless you are getting away.
Cheers
I had the same problem with my new MYLR, vibrations through the steering and chassis at motorway speeds, also booked it in at the service centre and took the opportunity to have a test drive in a Y performance whilst there, the performance had no steering vibration but had the chassis vibration but to a lesser extent. The service guy said he could not fault my car and that is how they are. Noticed the tyres were at 46psi when I got it back not the 42psi I has set it at. Anyway did a few hundred motorway miles since and the steering vib has gone and the chassis vib has definitely reduced although still more than the performance version had on 21's. I have put the tyre pressures back to 42psi and wonder if it was just down to a slight flat spot that had developed during storage and transit (23 model year 547 vin, so an early 23 build delivered at the beginning of December), I was considering getting them re-balanced but think i will wait another month to see if it continues to improve.
If your steering wheel is vibrating pretty good it's likely one or both front wheels. Rear wheels out of balance will present more as a chassis vibration that isn't so much felt in the steering wheel. Service center is a good first attempt.
They usually won't cover the alignment. They may road force it but you might have to take it back two or three times before they do that if they even agree to do it at all.
Expect road force elite balancing to cost between $150-$180 for all four at an independent shop.
They usually won't cover the alignment. They may road force it but you might have to take it back two or three times before they do that if they even agree to do it at all.
Expect road force elite balancing to cost between $150-$180 for all four at an independent shop.
So I had my visit to the SC yesterday and they conducted a wheel balancing on the front two tyres and found a very minor balance issue on both tyres (added 20 grams on each). Took the car out to the motorway today and I felt a marginal improvement in the vibration.
I am now leaning towards the model y being built that way and I also noticed that the high acceleration (from 60 mph+) on slightly uneven tarmac tranfers more virbation on to the steeting than perhaps a lesser car. So while the car is great in everyway and gives the acceleration and thrill, if the road is a little uneven it transfers through to the steeting wheel. I think I can live with that
I did balancing, had alignment done, today bought new tires and still have the vibration in the steering wheel. I owned a 2018 Model 3 LR and never had this problem or on any of my other ICE cars in the past. Im pretty upset for 2023 MY LR should not have this issue. SC told me this is normal, I laughed at the tech and called out his BS.
I think there is Clear production issue. My mothers MY is not having this problem also a 2023 MY LR but from Austin.
So either its suspension issue.... or the actual Rims are bad.
My neighbor has a 2021 MY might drive his and see if the vibration is there. If Not... then def we have defected cars and need to force Tesla to address the issues. Weather its Suspension or Rims.
I think there is Clear production issue. My mothers MY is not having this problem also a 2023 MY LR but from Austin.
So either its suspension issue.... or the actual Rims are bad.
My neighbor has a 2021 MY might drive his and see if the vibration is there. If Not... then def we have defected cars and need to force Tesla to address the issues. Weather its Suspension or Rims.
Try a road force balance. May be something wrong with the tire. The vibration above 60 mph is a telltale sign of wheel out of balance. The axle could be a problem too. Road force balance will tell you if there are any issues at all with the wheel/tire. They can also match mount the tires. I think you want less than 12 lbs of road forces but I am not an expert on operating it. Nice thing about the road force elite balancer is that will tell you about tire out of round, wheel issues, uneven tire wear, etc. They should even be able to give you a print out.
You will need to rule out wheel/tire first. Then if you have a road force print out showing them everything is good they have to look somewhere else. You may also have to talk to an expert if the SC is unwilling to help you resolve it.
Went back this morning to the Tire shop. Road Force came back all green. Took a test drive the manager at the Tire shop. He also stated, yeah this isnt normal. Back to the SC I go
Gonna need to test drive one of their MYs and if it has same issue, then there is a larger problem with Production. My Model Y is from Fremont. Wonder if Austin builds have the same problem or not.
Gonna need to test drive one of their MYs and if it has same issue, then there is a larger problem with Production. My Model Y is from Fremont. Wonder if Austin builds have the same problem or not.
That's a good plan. I had a knock/rattle over bumps from the front end of my 22 MYP. I took it in six times and Tesla had it for 25 days diagnosing before they test drive an employee MYP and said it's "characteristic of the car". I rented another 22 MYP on Turo and sure enough it did the same thing.Went back this morning to the Tire shop. Road Force came back all green. Took a test drive the manager at the Tire shop. He also stated, yeah this isnt normal. Back to the SC I go
Gonna need to test drive one of their MYs and if it has same issue, then there is a larger problem with Production. My Model Y is from Fremont. Wonder if Austin builds have the same problem or not.
You should not have vibrations above 60 MPH especially on a LR. The LR is much smoother than the P.
Test drove both MYLR with 19 and 20 inch wheels. I felt the same vibration. Then manager from SC rode with me in my car. And sure enough, they said this "Normal" I told them, I think you actually have a production issue with suspension. But he was like not much else to do/ it-is-what-it-is.
If I new MY ride was like that.... I would have bought a different EV or just waited for Rivian/Cybertruck. It's just upsetting for so much money you get vibration when you shouldn't. Poor Quality. If you want comfort for and a EV by a Mach-E super smooth as my Brother-in-law has one.
I have an intermittent vibration issue at 70 and above as well. It was silky smooth in Model 3 RWD and is very annoying in MY. Took it to SC in Fort Lauderdale - they say they don’t do highway testing and therefore won’t be able to verify the issue with me being present in the car. What they can do is to give my car to a tech to drive home alone and see if a tech can confirm the issue. I’m contemplating between doing that or just taking a car straight to an independent tyre shop for road force balancing.
Honestly.... after my experience. It's just bad quality on Tesla. Model Ys just are not smooth like they should be for the price. Their new comfort suspension is causing the vibration for me. I did everything I could, new tires, balancing, roadforce, etc... Only option is deal with it or spend money to buy different suspension.
My 2021 Long Range was smooth. Even at 100+ mph smooth operator...I only tried that on a closed course. One of the techs told me they have problems with axles...but I suspect they may have changed something in the software. Mine is smooth on the highway...but around town you can feel every imperfection in the road. Wife has a Rivian R1S on order since early last year. I love the car but the suspension noise makes it sound like a 1990s ricer with chopped springs. I do think its the springs and heavy use of bump stops. Just not a good design IMO.
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