Do you have shudder on hard acceleration? AKA death rattle?

[vapor trail]

Crazy this problem is ongoing. My 2019 Raven performance has the same issue. Also seems temperature related. Happens on low suspension settings. Have failed to reproduce at service center on two attempts. I did record a video and showed SC. They didn't care since car wasn't currently making the sound.

I hope engineers get this fixed. Unacceptable for a new car, regardless of price.

 

[emir-t]

I have a 2020 LR model with the clattering sound on full-throttle acceleration. I happens nearly every time, so easy to replicate. I did a video of it and sent it to my SA. Their answer was basically that my car has the latest Version D Half-Shafts and Cleavis mounts, so there's really not much they can do about it right now. They did tell me that Tesla engineers were "working on it" and that they thought there would be a fix at some point. I don't normally accelerate fast enough to elicit the slight clatter, so it's not too big of a deal, but when I give people a test ride and want to show off the 3.7 0-60 time it's kind of embarrassing to hear the clatter in a brand new car... Oh well!

There is that problem for sure. However please check next time whether your suspension setting is on something other than standart while accelerating. I was complaining about the same issue and getting the same answers. Then realized I had too many geo-fences for auto raise suspension and when you accelerate hard under high or very high settings the angle difference of the motor to links (I think?) makes the shudder. Solved 90% of the issues for me.

 

[RiknChar]

There is that problem for sure. However please check next time whether your suspension setting is on something other than standart while accelerating. I was complaining about the same issue and getting the same answers. Then realized I had too many geo-fences for auto raise suspension and when you accelerate hard under high or very high settings the angle difference of the motor to links (I think?) makes the shudder. Solved 90% of the issues for me.

I actually haven't really set any Geo-Fences to raise my suspension, and always have it set on "normal" height (not high or low). I know it lowers automatically at highway speeds. My slight clicking sound isn't too obnoxious, but is pretty consistent if I go heavy on the throttle, and takes away from an otherwise wonderful car.

 

[emir-t]

I actually haven't really set any Geo-Fences to raise my suspension, and always have it set on "normal" height (not high or low). I know it lowers automatically at highway speeds. My slight clicking sound isn't too obnoxious, but is pretty consistent if I go heavy on the throttle, and takes away from an otherwise wonderful car.

The way geofencing works is, once you change a suspension setting for 'high' or 'very high' at any point, car automatically "geofences" that location. If only you press the X that appears when you tap high or very high, only then it doesn't geofence. So it is sort of like an opt-out system for geofencing. Worth checking out.

ps. Basically this is the reason I want Tesla to add an illustration on the instrument cluster telling us which setting the car's suspension is on. They won't do it though because there's no longer an instrument cluster for the "flagships" i.e. Y & 3.

 

[Huachipato]

Would the SB mean Tesla would repair it for free if vehicle is out of warranty?

 

[dk10438]

i think if you documented that it was present before the warranty expired, Tesla would be obligated to repair it.

 

[Propwash]

I had my half shafts changed out under warrantee last month the shuddering stopped but I started getting a slight rattling sound on semi hard launching ( not drag racing) just taking off from a stop light first. Its sounds like something rubbing or bumping against something.

 

[RiknChar]

I had my half shafts changed out under warrantee last month the shuddering stopped but I started getting a slight rattling sound on semi hard launching ( not drag racing) just taking off from a stop light first. Its sounds like something rubbing or bumping against something.

That sounds more like what I'm getting. There really is no shuddering of the car itself, just a rapid clicking sound as I accelerate past about 45 mph with quick acceleration. Perhaps a different problem than the one others have been experiencing?

 

[DavidO]

I have a 2020 LR model with the clattering sound on full-throttle acceleration. I happens nearly every time, so easy to replicate. I did a video of it and sent it to my SA. Their answer was basically that my car has the latest Version D Half-Shafts and Cleavis mounts, so there's really not much they can do about it right now. They did tell me that Tesla engineers were "working on it" and that they thought there would be a fix at some point. I don't normally accelerate fast enough to elicit the slight clatter, so it's not too big of a deal, but when I give people a test ride and want to show off the 3.7 0-60 time it's kind of embarrassing to hear the clatter in a brand new car... Oh well!

Yes, it's definitely embarrassing and a little worrying that after several years of owners reporting this, they still don't have a fix. Hopefully the warmer weather will take care of it temporarily for you eventually.

 

[boonedocks]

This shouldn't be a requirement but each time I've had this problem (I'm on my fourth model S with this issue) I've had to jump through hoops to demonstrate the problem, even though it is clearly very well known. I eventually identified that the problem only happens when the car has been sitting for a while. I assume this relates to cold but I've found that after driving for a while (not sure how long) the problem goes away even if its still very cold outside.
Anyway, I had the recall work done on my current car (series D 1/2 shafts and Clevis mounts) and it appears that I still have the problem. Has anyone else had this work done and found it didn't work?

Which is why I have been continually been denied service related to this issue....

 

[AWDtsla]

Crazy this problem is ongoing. My 2019 Raven performance has the same issue. Also seems temperature related. Happens on low suspension settings. Have failed to reproduce at service center on two attempts. I did record a video and showed SC. They didn't care since car wasn't currently making the sound.

I hope engineers get this fixed. Unacceptable for a new car, regardless of price.

Yes, my Raven had this problem from 5 miles, and I've been super careful to not accelerate hard at large steering angles or without the car in low. They replaced the half shafts once already. Tried Cheetah mode last week, and it's doing it again. I've also lowered 10mm to try and fix the half shaft angles after the last replacement - it hasn't helped.

Sounds like a design problem Model S has always had - I can't believe they haven't figured out a fix yet, just replacing thousands of half shafts.

The Electrified Garage mechanic (ex-Tesla tech) said it's because of the motor mounts, replacing the half shaft only seems to work until the joints break-in and loosen up.

 

[SkyCrane]

Noticed this rattle in my Model S Long Range Raven today at 3000 miles. I hadn't done a hard acceleration for a while so it may have been there sooner than 3000. And I've always had suspension set to standard and no auto change since new. From what I can make out, setting it too low rips our rubber more, and setting it higher rips our half shafts more. Can't win.

Reading this thread is a bit depressing. Seems like it is a built in design flaw we need to live with and can only hope for some type of permanent fix. Though I'm not sure that is easily done.

 

[PPower19]

I have had this problem with my Performance S since November last year. Very frustrating to hear the death rattle and not the best advertisement to potentially new Tesla buyers. I find it very odd that Tesla still haven’t found a permanent fix to this. I suspect they are aware of the problem but now 6 months later they still haven’t found a solution...

 

[AWDtsla]

I have had this problem with my Performance S since November last year. Very frustrating to hear the death rattle and not the best advertisement to potentially new Tesla buyers. I find it very odd that Tesla still haven’t found a permanent fix to this. I suspect they are aware of the problem but now 6 months later they still haven’t found a solution...

6 months? maybe 6 years.

 

[Max Headroom]

I'm had my half-shafts replaced twice within 10,000 kms of each other. Same part numbers but just the half shafts and not the clevis mount.
FRONT RIGHT HALFSHAFT - DUAL MOTOR 1 (1030616-00-B)

FRONT LEFT HALFSHAFT - DUAL MOTOR 1 (1030615-00-B)

These shafts are not the latest "beefier ones" as the ranger checked last time I had the car in for service. 2016 P90D so not Raven.

I've driven another 10,000 kms with no issues, but I don't change the ride height much anymore since I moved to the West Coast and no longer deal with much snow. Perhaps I'll test again soon ...

 

[hbulle13]

Just took my 2020 Performance Model X in for a shudder issue at heights above VERY LOW (then came home and found this thread). Technician said he did notice the problem (even though they are not currently doing test drives for some reason). He said it was a known issue and was the Raven Drive unit. There is no fix yet and assured me it posed no safety issue. Soooo. no fix for Raven yet.....It kinda takes the fun out of the car. I took delivery the day after Christmas and did not notice the issue until mid April, and then only on Very High (When I pull out of my neighborhood and accelerate on the main road, it was still on high for the speed bumps). I wasn't overly concerned, since it didn't happen on lower settings. Since then it has started to work its way down the suspension heights. Now it is pretty pronounced on Standard height and is detectable on low. When you pay an extra $20,000 for the Ludicrous, you really want to accelerate hard every now and then. Now, I make sure it is always on low when going over 25 mph, but I feel like I am going to break something if I punch it. They really need to fix this fast.

 

[shellderp]

coming back to this thread after a while.
since the warm weather came, I have zero shudders. Done dozens of launches. Maybe there are multiple similar issues?

 

[holmgang]

My 2018 Model S 75D, does this when I floor the accelerator but only when the weather is cold or the first few miles of a trip during warmer weather so far.

I was driving a 75D loaner today with 30,000km and air suspension. Did a hard rolling pull today and I felt a very subtle shudder. Never heard about this issue, so I thought it was just the car on the edge of breaking traction, sort of like a mild wheelhop, rather than a mechanical issue.

Compared to my 3 that just zooms down the road

 

[llirk]

coming back to this thread after a while.
since the warm weather came, I have zero shudders. Done dozens of launches. Maybe there are multiple similar issues?

I've experienced the same thing. As the weather has gotten warmer, the shudder has gone away. Even my headliner has stopped creaking. I guess I need to move to a warmer climate!

 

[HarryPippic]

Could the vibration or shudder be the antilock or traction control being activated on the wheel that is getting all that torque and losing it's grip ?. Just asking....