Acceleration Shudder

[talisker]

For those who are experiencing 'shuddering', are there really two different variants of the symptom being conflated in the discussion thread? One symptom sounds like 'steering wheel vibration at high speeds', which could be a wheel alignment issue, and the other symptom is 'entire front end of the vehicle shakes', which could be a power imbalance at higher suspension.

@wallstguy in particular did your SC mention anything about wheel alignment? interesting to hear that they replaced your front tires too

 

[Phil Seastrand]

My service center told me they mounted a camera pointing to the suspension in the front of the car and caused the acceleration shudder to happen. They said the parts just started to vibrate and it was easily visible in the recording. My guess is there is some harmonic that's happening that is induced or enabled by the wear that people are reporting. Improper balanced tires might also be enough to cause the harmonic to appear. If this is true, Tesla will have to figure out a way to prevent the harmonic from happening, either by re-designing the suspension or introducing something to cancel it out.

 

[K-MTG]

I only hear the shudder after it rains. Use to hear it in the winter but not anymore

 

[OnlyDataNoBS]

Which service center did this? Would you happen to have their observation documented somewhere in a service invoice you can share with us?

Thanks

My service center told me they mounted a camera pointing to the suspension in the front of the car and caused the acceleration shudder to happen. They said the parts just started to vibrate and it was easily visible in the recording. My guess is there is some harmonic that's happening that is induced or enabled by the wear that people are reporting. Improper balanced tires might also be enough to cause the harmonic to appear. If this is true, Tesla will have to figure out a way to prevent the harmonic from happening, either by re-designing the suspension or introducing something to cancel it out.

 

[EV-lutioin]

My MX (VIN 29XX) has developed a pronounced shutter under medium-rapid acceleration. It definitely takes some of the acceleration thrill out of my drive; I miss smoothness my car had when I bought it. From what I can glean from this thread, new half-shafts will solve the problem... at least temporarily. Is that correct?

 

[Phil Seastrand]

Which service center did this? Would you happen to have their observation documented somewhere in a service invoice you can share with us?

I'd rather not say in case there is any controversy with this, and no, I don't have it in writing.

 

[OnlyDataNoBS]

While it's your right to say - or not say - whatever you wish, it would certainly help expedite a fuller understanding and hopefully permanent solution to this issue if we all shared all of our information.

I highly doubt there is someone tasked at Tesla with figuring this issue out and collecting all available data from across all the global service centers. I'm willing to bet we, the owners, are it.

Would love for someone to tell me I'm wrong and that someone at Tesla is managing a fix for this issue.

I'm at over a year of ownership now and in another year or two I won't care anymore because I'll be looking to upgrade. Maybe it's one of those issues they're looking to just wait us out on.

I'd rather not say in case there is any controversy with this, and no, I don't have it in writing.

 

[wallstguy]

For those who are experiencing 'shuddering', are there really two different variants of the symptom being conflated in the discussion thread? One symptom sounds like 'steering wheel vibration at high speeds', which could be a wheel alignment issue, and the other symptom is 'entire front end of the vehicle shakes', which could be a power imbalance at higher suspension.

@wallstguy in particular did your SC mention anything about wheel alignment? interesting to hear that they replaced your front tires too

Yeah they did an alignment, its the last line in the post I had. They said the alignment was fine for the most part, it was just a minor correction which is natural overtime. They replaced the tires to see if that helped, they said it did a little but it wasn't it so they continued to the shaft replacements which did the trick.

However, I'm noticing that the issue is back.

 

[EV-lutioin]

I hope the acceleration shudder is not something we have to learn to live with..... like ghosting windshields.

 

[wallstguy]

I hope the acceleration shudder is not something we have to learn to live with..... like ghosting windshields.

Apparently theres finally a fix to the ghosting windshields! Going to talk to my SC in the AM.

 

[EV-lutioin]

Apparently theres finally a fix to the ghosting windshields! Going to talk to my SC in the AM.

Sweet, can you report back to me when you find out so I can poke my service center into action? If you get anything in writing from your SC about a solution that would be golden!

 

[neverdone]

This is the response from my service appointment.
Concern: Customer states:" rumble, shimmy only when accelerating at about at slow
speeds 10mph -40mph. Verified on test drive with Glenn. W.
Pay Type: Warranty
Corrections: Front Halfshaft Assembly - Front - RH
Removed and replaced right front halfshaft. Test drove vehicle and found vibration is no
longer present.

I had halfshafts replaced again. P90D MX. 28K miles.
acceleration is now smooth again; very nice.

Concern: Customer: Halfshaft assembly in need of updated revision.
Pay Type: Warranty
Corrections: Front Halfshaft Assembly - Front - LH Replaced left and right half shafts.
Part Quantity
HALF SHAFT - FRONT LEFT (1027111-00-B)
1 HALF SHAFT - FRONT RIGHT (1027115-00- B)
1 JACKSHAFT ASSY, FR (1030632-00-A)
1 WASHER SAFETY M24x39 (1020296-00-B)
2 NUT HF M24x1.5 [8.8] ZnFl-W (1020297-00- A)

 

[TaoJones]

Half shafts replaced today at 19,000 miles 5 months in (2 half shafts, 2 nuts, 2 washers). Evidently the replacement shafts are from a different manufacturer. Took less than a day including a post-installation alignment.

Yes, two types of shudders - one during acceleration (half shafts), and one at 65mph related to louvers/insulation.

 

[ohmman]

Half shafts replaced today at 19,000 miles 5 months in (2 half shafts, 2 nuts, 2 washers). Evidently the replacement shafts are from a different manufacturer. Took less than a day including a post-installation alignment.

Yes, two types of shudders - one during acceleration (half shafts), and one at 65mph related to louvers/insulation.

Do you have a Model X (sorry, looking at your signature, it shows S90D)? This is the Model X subforum.

 

[Gwgan]

No more shudder (for now). Back to driving in Standard height.

Parts Replaced or Added
Part Quantity
HALF SHAFT - FRONT LEFT (1027111-00-B) 1
WASHER SAFETY M24x39 (1020296-00-B) 1
NUT HF M24x1.5 [8.8] ZnFl-W (1020297-00- 1 A)
Corrections: Front Halfshaft Assembly - Front - RH Remove and replace right front axle shaft.
Parts Replaced or Added
Part Quantity
HALF SHAFT - FRONT RIGHT (1027115-00- 1 B)
JACKSHAFT ASSY, FR (1030632-00-A) 1
WASHER SAFETY M24x39 (1020296-00-B) 1
NUT HF M24x1.5 [8.8] ZnFl-W (1020297-00- 1 A)

 

[DriverOne]

Mine's pretty bad right going through 38mph or so. I'm reluctant to go Low due to the rear wheel camber & wearing.

 

[FlyF4]

I highly doubt there is someone tasked at Tesla with figuring this issue out and collecting all available data from across all the global service centers. I'm willing to bet we, the owners, are it.

Nope, Tesla is WELL aware of this issue and the number is issues about it.

 

[Kutu]

No more shudder (for now). Back to driving in Standard height.

Parts Replaced or Added
Part Quantity
HALF SHAFT - FRONT LEFT (1027111-00-B) 1
WASHER SAFETY M24x39 (1020296-00-B) 1
NUT HF M24x1.5 [8.8] ZnFl-W (1020297-00- 1 A)
Corrections: Front Halfshaft Assembly - Front - RH Remove and replace right front axle shaft.
Parts Replaced or Added
Part Quantity
HALF SHAFT - FRONT RIGHT (1027115-00- 1 B)
JACKSHAFT ASSY, FR (1030632-00-A) 1
WASHER SAFETY M24x39 (1020296-00-B) 1
NUT HF M24x1.5 [8.8] ZnFl-W (1020297-00- 1 A)

Just got my X back the same [arts were replaced. It seems OK for now!

 

[FlyF4]

Just as a side note for you folks, make sure your tire pressure is at the right value. That recommended number has changed over the last could years. At one time it was 50 PSI, then shortly at 45, 42, etc. I keep mine at 45. The rating for most of these tires is 52 max.

The only reason I am saying this is because you will notice more shudder at lower tire pressures as it gets closer to 38 PSI which is the display warning threshold in most firmware versions.

Before you jump to conclusions and think this is a nutty way to stop shutter, I will say it is NOT a solution to the problem, and many may disagree that a difference will be noticed, yet confirmed from testing. You will still notice a shutter at the correct pressure. I am simply saying it is not quite as noticeable. You still need to have the source of the problem corrected.

That doesn't mean you should pressure up the tires to max either. For a lot of other good reasons, keep those pressures where they should be for best traction. tire wear, and mileage.

 

[Kutu]

Just got my X back the same [arts were replaced. It seems OK for now!

The studder is as bad as ever! I tried out a hard acceleration with low suspension setting and things seem as bad or maybe worst than before.