2023 Model Y vibration around 70mph

[c3nsored]

Hi everyone, apologies for another thread for wheel vibration. I searched and read the past threads about this but couldn’t get a clear idea.

I have a 2023 Y that I purchase last year. It’s now at 16k miles. I started to notice the slight vibration from the steering wheel, seat and pedal at around 70mph about 3500 miles ago. I took it to a local shop twice for road force balance to try to fix it but it didn’t obviously.

So last month I took it to Tesla SC and they suggested to do another round of balance to rule out. I agreed and it didn’t fix it.

They told me to bring it back and I did. They sent a tech to road test with me and he acknowledged the issue. I mentioned about the possibility of foam detachment to the tech. I believe he unmounted my tires to inspect and rebalanced them again. Due to there isn’t any highway near the SC, I believe they didn’t road test it properly and handed me back the car. The result is it’s still not fixed.

I’m planning to bring it back yet again for another diagnostic and see what else they can do. But before that, I looked up the NJ lemon law that after 2 visits of the same issue within the first 2 years or 24k miles. I can send them a certified mail to notify that they have one more chance to fix the problem. If the problem still isn’t fixed I can file a lemon case with the NJ AG.

Any one has any suggestions on what to have them to check on my next visit or any experiences with the lemon law? The car is mostly smooth until around 65mph. Around 67mph to 80+mph I feel like someone is using a jackhammer somewhere around me. The vibration is also making some droning sound in the cabin. It’s not very pleasant to drive once you noticed it. Thanks.

 

[LoudMusic]

Find a car that doesn't vibrate at speed and swap wheels. See if the problem stays or moves with the wheels.

 

[atlchamp]

Find a car that doesn't vibrate at speed and swap wheels. See if the problem stays or moves with the wheels.

You said this like it’s so easy to do that. What a horrible response

 

[c3nsored]

I will suggest that in my next visit and see if they are willing to do that.

 

[rwiegand]

You said this like it’s so easy to do that. What a horrible response

Really? Perhaps an hour's work total and you can rotate the tires at the same time if it's time. You localize the problem so you know it's either tires or not tires, enabling a much higher likelihood of success in fixing it. You do have to have a cooperative friend with the same car. You could also buy a spare tire/wheel and put it on each position successively to see when/if the problem goes away.

Alternately, a competent pro tire/alignment shop in place of the SC can probably sort it out pretty quickly if you're not inclined to DIY solutions.

 

[N1L CO2]

Perhaps there's a slight bend in one (or more) of the wheels. Also, did the TSC check all the bushings/ball joints? The rubber bushing on the lower control arms and thrust arms are notorious for developing cracks.

 

[Brian-MS90D]

Because it's speed based it's most likely the wheels and/or tires.

Do you have a P or LR?

If at all, at what mileage did you rotate the tires?

 

[SilverSp33d3r]

Loose plastic somewhere under drivers seat.

 

[Eto Demerzel]

Have them road force balanced. That usually does it.

 

[c3nsored]

Because it's speed based it's most likely the wheels and/or tires.

Do you have a P or LR?

If at all, at what mileage did you rotate the tires?

I have the LR and usually rotate the tires every 6000 to 6500 miles.

I started to notice the vibration around 13000 after the second rotation.

 

[c3nsored]

Perhaps there's a slight bend in one (or more) of the wheels. Also, did the TSC check all the bushings/ball joints? The rubber bushing on the lower control arms and thrust arms are notorious for developing cracks.

The tech said it shouldn’t be the bushing at this low mileage and I doubt he checked that. After he saw the non oem wheel weights he kind of concluded to do another balance.

how does the SC usually check if the wheels are bend? Is there special equipment for that?

 

[c3nsored]

Have them road force balanced. That usually does it.

I already had it road force balanced 4 times by 2 different shops.

 

[N1L CO2]

The tech said it shouldn’t be the bushing at this low mileage and I doubt he checked that. After he saw the non oem wheel weights he kind of concluded to do another balance.

how does the SC usually check if the wheels are bend? Is there special equipment for that?

16k miles isn't high but it isn't impossible to have those bushings to fail. All depends on the condition in which the vehicle is exposed to. i.e. repeated high/low temperatures.

The bent wheels are easy to spot as you start spinning them at speed. The balancing machine would be able to illustrate that as well.

 

[c3nsored]

16k miles isn't high but it isn't impossible to have those bushings to fail. All depends on the condition in which the vehicle is exposed to. i.e. repeated high/low temperatures.

The bent wheels are easy to spot as you start spinning them at speed. The balancing machine would be able to illustrate that as well.

Thanks I will have them check the bushing and bent wheel. I wish they would just take the car for a few days and check a few more things instead of just spending an hour on the road force balance and try to write me off.

 

[Brian-MS90D]

What do you think of the alignment? If it's out, then the wheels would be "shot" and you'll never get it corrected due to their wear pattern now (until you fix alignment and get new tires).

As a general statement (and there are exceptions), this issue at such low miles on any vehicle are almost always the tires. I had 2 heavier SUV'S that I just could not rotate the tires on. After the first rotation, the vibration at X speed you described would show up because a wear pattern had already been established in the tires. I ended up just never rotating the tires in order to maintain ride quality, which worked (had that vehicle through 165k miles). I'm not suggesting your Y falls into that category, but you could have something that caused uneven wear such as an accidental improper rotation, out of alignment, extremely aggressive driving (cornering), etc.

Definitely let us know if you resolve it.

 

[c3nsored]

Quick update on the issue. Took my car to SC again today and the teh found a bent rim.

 

[spokey]

I had a vibration that would start around 65 and get really bad by the mid-70s. Finally took it in for alignment / balance. Turned out they had to replace the steering rack. At ~19,000 miles

 

[Iron]

Quick update on the issue. Took my car to SC again today and the teh found a bent rim.

So issue is fully fixed? No more vibrations?

I'm surprised. Wheel balancing on a machine should have picked that up and you had that done four times. Heck, if you watch the edge of the rim as it spins, you can see the oscillations.

 

[Vinnigan]

I had a vibration that would start around 65 and get really bad by the mid-70s. Finally took it in for alignment / balance. Turned out they had to replace the steering rack. At ~19,000 miles

Any other symptoms from the defective steering rack together with vibration? Did you encounter drifting at those speeds like there’s cross wind?

 

[BWJ.]

Hi everyone, apologies for another thread for wheel vibration. I searched and read the past threads about this but couldn’t get a clear idea.

I have a 2023 Y that I purchase last year. It’s now at 16k miles. I started to notice the slight vibration from the steering wheel, seat and pedal at around 70mph about 3500 miles ago. I took it to a local shop twice for road force balance to try to fix it but it didn’t obviously.

So last month I took it to Tesla SC and they suggested to do another round of balance to rule out. I agreed and it didn’t fix it.

They told me to bring it back and I did. They sent a tech to road test with me and he acknowledged the issue. I mentioned about the possibility of foam detachment to the tech. I believe he unmounted my tires to inspect and rebalanced them again. Due to there isn’t any highway near the SC, I believe they didn’t road test it properly and handed me back the car. The result is it’s still not fixed.

I’m planning to bring it back yet again for another diagnostic and see what else they can do. But before that, I looked up the NJ lemon law that after 2 visits of the same issue within the first 2 years or 24k miles. I can send them a certified mail to notify that they have one more chance to fix the problem. If the problem still isn’t fixed I can file a lemon case with the NJ AG.

Any one has any suggestions on what to have them to check on my next visit or any experiences with the lemon law? The car is mostly smooth until around 65mph. Around 67mph to 80+mph I feel like someone is using a jackhammer somewhere around me. The vibration is also making some droning sound in the cabin. It’s not very pleasant to drive once you noticed it. Thanks.

I had the same vibrations in my 7/2023, after some road force balances which didn't improve anything, all 4 tires were replaced and the problem went away.