Model X Shudder - Shutter. Legal standing

[DaveTilly]

Hi Everyone,

Has anyone heard of anyone doing anything about this issue? I have had literally nothing but issues with my first model x which was replaced after a year due to so many problems, and the new 2018 model they gave me has the same shudder/drive shaft issues. They have replace the shafts 5 times already, and at some point I have to decide if enough is enough and take some legal advice as to how to deal with this, being as Tesla have not delivered me a car that works properly and surely I cannot be expected to keep soaking up the costs taking it back to the garage for a fix that's just doesn't fix the problem.

As people describe it, I am aware there is a 'shudder' and then later, a 'shutter' issue and these issues are different. I have both after the most recent fix. Warranty expires next year so wondering if anyone has taken any action with any success before I start racking up solicitors costs to see what we can do.

I am certainly not laying down and accepting 112k car that they claim 'that noise is normal'. The noise by definition is causing damage so if they cant fix it, I want either a new car that's fixed it or my money back, and as I know they will be legally able to argue that 'some value' has been delivered, I now this is not going to end well for anyone, specially not me!

 

[Mark J]

I posted this in another forum but it also applies here and gives folks out of warranty another option to consider. The only modification that I have done to my car was during last July, I had the N2itive’s Alignment Kit 1 installed which got rid of the shudder, and also lowers the car about 1” in standard without wearing the inside of the tires. The shudder issue is caused by the drive shafts being at too large of an angle from the wheel to the gear box, which destroys the CV joints. No different than when as a kid I put a lift kit in my pickup, but ended up destroying the universal joints in a short time. So to avoid this happening, you can lower the car to reduce this angle, but then the car will wear out the inside of the tires very quickly but the outside tread looks like no wear. So this kit replaces the linkage in both rear wheels so the camber can be adjusted and the lowering links are installed at all 4 wheels. I had to drive 400 miles to the coast to a shop to do this install and align the car and the first thing I noticed after installing the kit and aligning the car is my WH-Mile improved quite a bit, any where from 280 - 325 WH-Mile . I attached the alignment sheet showing the alignment before the kit was installed and not able to adjust the camber. (A side note, I had the Tesla shop align the car right before I drove to the coast in the hopes this would reduce the wear on my tires) and the bottom of the page shows after the kit was installed and the final alignment. Hope the link works. Please let me know if it doesn't.

 

[ScottFLA]

I've had the shuddering problem for over a year and finally reported it (2020 MX w/ 22' tires). It only shuddered upon accelerated and was an annoyance but since the closest service center is an hour away I was putting it off. Recently, I had several other issues going on at once, including a bad seal on driver's side taillight causing trapped moisture, a broken charger port that could only be opened manually or via app, and then the MCU went pitch black. So, I reported the shudder along with the other issues and repairs were just completed this past Saturday. I've driven it a couple of days since and it's driving better than ever.

This is what is stated on the invoice for the shudder repair:

Concern: Customer states: Car shudders and rattles upon even mild to moderate acceleration.

Confirmed reported concern. Found rattle/vibration emanating from front halfshafts. Removed and replaced left and right front halfshaft assemblies and road tested vehicle. Verified vehicle is driving as expected and rattle/vibration is no longer present.

 

[hbv2020]

I've had the shuddering problem for over a year and finally reported it (2020 MX w/ 22' tires). It only shuddered upon accelerated and was an annoyance but since the closest service center is an hour away I was putting it off. Recently, I had several other issues going on at once, including a bad seal on driver's side taillight causing trapped moisture, a broken charger port that could only be opened manually or via app, and then the MCU went pitch black. So, I reported the shudder along with the other issues and repairs were just completed this past Saturday. I've driven it a couple of days since and it's driving better than ever.

This is what is stated on the invoice for the shudder repair:

Concern: Customer states: Car shudders and rattles upon even mild to moderate acceleration.

Confirmed reported concern. Found rattle/vibration emanating from front halfshafts. Removed and replaced left and right front halfshaft assemblies and road tested vehicle. Verified vehicle is driving as expected and rattle/vibration is no longer present.

After replacing our half-shafts for the second time the verbiage on the invoice was "Verified vibration was significantly diminished."

 

[ScottFLA]

After replacing our half-shafts for the second time the verbiage on the invoice was "Verified vibration was significantly diminished."

The shuddering has completely stopped for me, at least for now. It has only been a few days so we'll see.

 

[jerseygirl18]

My MX 2019 RAVEN in SC last week to address the acceleration shudder. I never experienced any resistance to repairing this problem in anyway and in fact when I expressed concerns over the safety of driving the car in that condition they said WE will get you in the next day which they did they had the parts and so far the noise back/shudder is not reappeared
I found the SC people at the West Palm Beach SC to be most attentive responsive polite and extremely helpful

The car was in SC once b4 For same issue noise typically was NOT present. repair peep suggested not doing the service but it was up to me and I chose to wait. within a few days it came back and I called they seem to be very cognizant of this issue and as I stated before I had no problems getting the repair done in a timely fashion. The repair they felt was to replace some parts related to the axel in the front. hope this is helpful!

 

[Loui]

I have a 2019 model X raven with 65k mile on it (bought new June 2019).After 6k mile I began to feel the shutter. I brought it to the sc and was told that the RAVEN did not have the shutter problem. The shutter got worse ,SC Acknowledged the problem and changed the half shafts But the problem came back .SC promised to figure it out. They replace half shafts again with Teslas new parts, but this time ,testing the fix , they damage front motor and it had to be replaced. I got the car back and shutter problems seems to gone away ;But on my first long trip after fix the HV battery failed. So now it’s in the shop again for a battery replacement it’s been five weeks and will be at least another two or three before battery is replaced. SC has been up front with me. I sure hope the shutter problem is gone!

 

[Dcam]

Hi Everyone,

Has anyone heard of anyone doing anything about this issue? I have had literally nothing but issues with my first model x which was replaced after a year due to so many problems, and the new 2018 model they gave me has the same shudder/drive shaft issues. They have replace the shafts 5 times already, and at some point I have to decide if enough is enough and take some legal advice as to how to deal with this, being as Tesla have not delivered me a car that works properly and surely I cannot be expected to keep soaking up the costs taking it back to the garage for a fix that's just doesn't fix the problem.

As people describe it, I am aware there is a 'shudder' and then later, a 'shutter' issue and these issues are different. I have both after the most recent fix. Warranty expires next year so wondering if anyone has taken any action with any success before I start racking up solicitors costs to see what we can do.

I am certainly not laying down and accepting 112k car that they claim 'that noise is normal'. The noise by definition is causing damage so if they cant fix it, I want either a new car that's fixed it or my money back, and as I know they will be legally able to argue that 'some value' has been delivered, I now this is not going to end well for anyone, specially not me!

I have considered hiring an attorney to mediate the lemon law. But, if it is still an issue, and I am positive it still is in the newer models, then what? I have unlimited supercharging I really don’t want to part with. Between a rock and a hard spot. They have replaced the defective hardware three times now, the third time has lasted a lot longer, the last tech stated some of the shafts are better balanced than others.

 

[Gantech]

The shuddering has completely stopped for me, at least for now. It has only been a few days so we'll see.

What level are you running the car in? Standard or low?

 

[Loui]

After changing half shaft in fall , with little driving under 1k miles I have not felt the problem. When replacing half shafts SC damaged front drive unit, replace with new motor and new half shafts. I ran car normal but low on highway. In sc now hv battery being replaced

 

[ScottFLA]

Standard. Still no shuttering since repairs.

 

[Dcam]

After changing half shaft in fall , with little driving under 1k miles I have not felt the problem. When replacing half shafts SC damaged front drive unit, replace with new motor and new half shafts. I ran car normal but low on highway. In sc now hv battery being replaced

Each of the three times my shafts have been changed, the tech recommends leaving in Low, the only time I use higher settings is to navigate over large bumps or pot-holed roadways at very low speeds, never accelerate while turning, it really screws them up fast. Drive like an old
man until accelerating in low and steering is straight, weird I know, its a quirky drivetrain.

 

[royceter]

There is no permanent fix. it will come back. if you baby it and drive in low it will take longer to come back. lame, 4 years and almost 100k miles of shudder. worst thing about the model x.

 

[DCGOO]

There is no permanent fix. it will come back. if you baby it and drive in low it will take longer to come back. lame, 4 years and almost 100k miles of shudder. worst thing about the model x.

Mine have been replaced twice. The second time actually fixed it. Shudder free after a year and a half.

 

[royceter]

Mine were replaced twice as well. I don't like to baby my car and I pull a trailer occasionall and only drive in low. How many miles do you have on the latest? I know there isn't a permanent fix yet..... Hoping someday there will be.

 

[DCGOO]

Mine were replaced twice as well. I don't like to baby my car and I pull a trailer occasionall and only drive in low. How many miles do you have on the latest? I know there isn't a permanent fix yet..... Hoping someday there will be.

Similar use and experience, occasional trailer, always in Low. I probably have between 15 and 18 thousand miles since the second fix. They had my car for over a week working on it, looping in folks from engineering. They actually mounted a GoPro camera under the car, and sent videos back to engineering, while they came up with the correct combination of adjustments. I asked if I could see the videos, but that never happened. The car was driven over 100 miles while in service. Kudos to the Indianapolis team for their persistence and good work.

 

[Wratran]

Tesla will charge...for this fix once it's out warranty...even though it's a design flaw issue.

we need to file complaints with NTHSA...hopefully they will make Tesla do a recall....just like when Tesla refuse to fix the EMMC out of warranty

 

[Dcam]

Tesla will charge...for this fix once it's out warranty...even though it's a design flaw issue.

we need to file complaints with NTHSA...hopefully they will make Tesla do a recall....just like when Tesla refuse to fix the EMMC out of warranty

Another defect is with the AP’s fsd beta (Tesla Vision), after all the false forward collisions and fantom braking, the brakes are a pulsating pile of trash. I don’t dare take it to the West Las Vegas service center, when I have, I get my car back with additional damage and nothing resolved. Becoming seriously disappointed in Tesla as a car company.

 

[SeminoleFSU]

Is this also a problem on the MS? I'm getting a bad shutter when I accelerate medium to heavy-ish coming from the front of my car

 

[Dash21]

I have considered hiring an attorney to mediate the lemon law. But, if it is still an issue, and I am positive it still is in the newer models, then what? I have unlimited supercharging I really don’t want to part with. Between a rock and a hard spot. They have replaced the defective hardware three times now, the third time has lasted a lot longer, the last tech stated some of the shafts are better balanced than others.

What does it take to file a class action lawsuit? We have a 2020 out of warranty and would be in. It was $1100 to fix