Model X shudder--blown off by Tesla service. Advice?

[texasdoc]

I have recently acquired a 2022 Model X with about 17,000 miles on it. It clearly suffers from the dreaded acceleration shudder. I took it in yesterday for service for this issue, and today received the following on the app: "Verified customer concern with vibration during acceleration. During diagnosis, witnessed that the symptoms dissipate with time. After assessing the vehicle behavior and analyzing the underside of the vehicle and suspension components, it is in conclusion that this concern is currently being reviewed through engineering and currently the behavior does not hinder vehicle functionality or reliability. No part replacement is necessary at this time. Customer will be contacted if vehicle is needed to be serviced in the future for this concern."

So, they are totally blowing me off. What would you guys suggest I do? I have read numerous accounts of others with this problem having the half shafts replaced, sometimes repeatedly, apparently without having to argue or insist. I'm frankly stunned at them trying to get away with refusing to fix this problem caused by a known design flaw. This is the Tesla service center in south Austin, BTW.

(For what it's worth, I also asked to have something done about blotchy/uneven headlight beams, and they just said they're fine even though obviously they aren't.)

 

[zoomer0056]

Seems they are dismissing it. You might have to fix it yourself. Hopefully some TMC member has a fix. Sorry I can't provide any useful input. I'm wondering, did the previous owner pass this on to you without telling you about the shudder?

 

[henderrj]

There's another, very long, thread about vibration with the new refresh X and S. I don't think a complete conclusion has been arrived at, but there are many ideas. There seems to be an agreement that this vibration, at least, is not the half shaft problem. Not that that won't show up later! Anyway, a good read if you'd like some input on it.

 

[gaswalla]

yeah, it's a work in progress. Tesla doesn't have a solution. I don't think Tesla blew you off as much as they acknowledged there is an issue that their engineers are trying to figure out how to fix..
It's just super lame that this issue has been present since 2016 and it is still occurring on the newest X and S's

 

[texasdoc]

It seems the tech assessed my problem as the vibration with the refresh X and S that occurs when the vehicle is cold. But that's not what I'm experiencing. It is a shudder with brisk acceleration, not with light acceleration, occurs at any speed, and is reproducible even if the vehicle has been driving for an hour. I think it's the half shaft problem, not this other vibration issue, and the tech misdiagnosed it.

 

[Watts_Up]

@texasdoc I would the car with the four wheels free to rotate, maybe using the car wash option,
and spin by hand each wheel to see if any of the constant-velocity joint and ball joints
get worn out and need to be replaced.

 

[kankou]

Is there another Service Center in your area you can try taking the car? I have two service centers near me, and one was finding ways to not address/repair a few issues I had (including worn half shafts/cv), while the other one repaired the same issues when I went to them later.

 

[zoomer0056]

Is there another Service Center in your area you can try taking the car? I have two service centers near me, and one was finding ways to not address/repair a few issues I had (including worn half shafts/cv), while the other one repaired the same issues when I went to them later.

That's a good point. Curious, do you have an explanation with these particular SC why one would and the other wouldn't? Seems like another Tesla improvement would be to train all their SC the same. Ah, this is our world.

 

[texasdoc]

Yes, there is another SC in north Austin I can take it to. I wrote a clear explanation of the problem in the service request on the app, and the tech who rode along with my wife when she dropped it off Friday morning immediately commented "oh yeah, there it is" when she floored it and the shudder started. We live about 30 min from that SC, so the motors and battery were obviously warmed up. I wonder if a different tech did the work yesterday and just assumed I was complaining about the other vibration that refresh S and X vehicles exhibit early in a drive. The shudder I'm noticing is different--it is reproducible every time with heavy acceleration, doesn't happen at all with light acceleration, and occurs whether the vehicle is just starting its day or has been driven for an hour. I left some very clear, insistent comments in the app in response to their non-repair of what I think has to be the half shaft issue. If that does no good, I guess I'll schedule an appt at the other SC and take it in myself on a Saturday am so I can get my point across. I had my wife drive with me before she took the vehicle in so I could make sure she understood what the problem is, and she is herself annoyed that they are saying it's no big deal and won't fix it after the tech she talked to and rode with immediately acknowledged the problem.

 

[sorka]

It seems the tech assessed my problem as the vibration with the refresh X and S that occurs when the vehicle is cold. But that's not what I'm experiencing. It is a shudder with brisk acceleration, not with light acceleration, occurs at any speed, and is reproducible even if the vehicle has been driving for an hour. I think it's the half shaft problem, not this other vibration issue, and the tech misdiagnosed it.

Yea, they're confusing the first mile grinding vibration that we all see to have and it's NOT from loose tolerances in the half shafts but some sort of anti lock brake actuator calibration.

The actual shudder that occurs under hard acceleration has only one fix once it starts and that is to replace the half shafts. After the replacement, you need to only accelerate hard on "very low". Best to just lower the car an inch but you''ll need to fix the rear camber too if you do that.

BTW, have them put in writing that its not a safety concern and that your forelinks won't break due to metal fatigue. They won't do it.

 

[EbS-P]

Lower the front. Just the front and get it aligned after you install the lowering links. Drive another 10k miles. Put the standard links back on and take it in for service. If it’s the axles it will be worse. Now you get to decide if you want to drop money on a rear suspension kit to lower the whole car and keep camber in spec.

 

[tnots]

Where can someone go to get the Model X alignment done? Any chain stores do that?

 

[sorka]

Where can someone go to get the Model X alignment done? Any chain stores do that?

They all can do alignment. There's not special about the X alignment itself. What they CAN'T do is the ride height calibration which is done automatically as part of an alignment at Tesla which is integrated with their Toolbox 3 software.

 

[GoVols!]

ALIGNMENT KIT 1 TESLA S/X

Tesla Model S & X Acceleration Shudder and Inner Tire Wear Camber Kit. Save your half-shafts (CV joints) and tires from premature wear!

n2itive.me

 

[BobX]

Both my son and I have installed the N2itive camber and toe arm kits on our X's and then had the cars aligned at a specialty shop that would align the cars to the spec N2itive provides. Their specs are all within Tesla specs but the tolerances are much tighter so the result is much better. Also have the car aligned at the riding height that you would use most frequently--should be Low to minimize the angle issues with the front CV axles. Our cars sit about 1 inch lower. It is frustrating dealing with Tesla on the shudder and tire wear problems. In my opinion, bite the bullet, and install an adjustable arm kit. That solves the tire wear and CV axle problem.

 

[Genie]

Both my son and I have installed the N2itive camber and toe arm kits on our X's and then had the cars aligned at a specialty shop that would align the cars to the spec N2itive provides. Their specs are all within Tesla specs but the tolerances are much tighter so the result is much better. Also have the car aligned at the riding height that you would use most frequently--should be Low to minimize the angle issues with the front CV axles. Our cars sit about 1 inch lower. It is frustrating dealing with Tesla on the shudder and tire wear problems. In my opinion, bite the bullet, and install an adjustable arm kit. That solves the tire wear and CV axle problem.

Would you do it again? When you say the tight tolerances have a much better result, is that something you can sense in the drive?

 

[fishy21]

Considering a new MX, but shocked to see that they haven’t addressed a 7+ year old problem.

So what happens if the half shaft breaks while you are driving the car?

 

[henderrj]

Considering a new MX, but shocked to see that they haven’t addressed a 7+ year old problem.

So what happens if the half shaft breaks while you are driving the car?

I'm unaware of anyone who's actually had a half shaft break. Have I missed something? Also, I understand that the refresh units are different, but still have some of the problems. Yes or no?

 

[BobX]

Would you do it again? When you say the tight tolerances have a much better result, is that something you can sense in the drive?

Yes. Tesla made the spec for rear camber anywhere from -0.5- to -2.5. So when they are doing an alignment, the machine will give a green lignt ie "Pass" . Cars coming off the assembly line will always fall in the range. If the rear camber is close to -0.5 inner tire wear will be less of an issue. If the rear camber is closer to -2.5, then inner tire wear will be an issue. In either case the situation is aggravated by the suspension switching to low at highway speeds (to address the front CV axle issue). In low, the rear camber is made worse. Both my son and I had our alignments checked in standard and low heights before making any changes. My car was not bad, but his car was very close to the -2.5 limit. No surprise, his tire wear was terrible, mine was still an issue but not quite as bad. So not everyone has the problem and that is one of the reasons that Tesla does not address it (in my opinion). Both of us installed the N2itive kits and had our cars alighned according to their specs--with the suspension set to low. Our cars run in Low all the time (to minimize the front CV stress) and with better camber specs inner tire wear is minimized. Problem solved. We spent a lot of money buying these cars. Should we have expected better--probably. But now that it is addressed, we are happy and like our X's.

 

[Zroiron]

I had the n2itive camber kit installed in Jan 2022 after replacing the rear tires twice in 11 months! Just had a 4 wheel alignment done a week ago and my rears are like new! Unbelievable!