WOW such similar experience EXCEPT I only made it to 6k miles!!! Great job on getting 13k out of rear 21" tires- I've never gotten more than 6k as my 2013 P+ was the same issue. I was hoping 10 years of engineering would have fixed it. I would not be complaining personally if I got anything above 10k miles!!
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Plaid 21” rear tire woes - factory defect?
- Thread starter KOL2000
- Start date
lbowroom
Plaid, white on black, CF, 8/27/21, Track Pack
It’s puzzling. I’m lowered an inch. 2.2° of negative camber in the rear. I’m on the throttle hard several times a day. Rounding 12,000mi and my tires look like this
So do mine. The wear is ON THE INNER SIDEWALL (See pics I previously posted). That is what is so maddening. IT is different than the wear of my past 2013 P+ which you could see on the inner tread. This wear is micro fractures on the side wall not touching tread.
lbowroom
Plaid, white on black, CF, 8/27/21, Track Pack
Which isn’t wear then. It’s fatigue failure or internal friction from sidewall flex. This would be influenced by low tire pressure.
This! Mine look great all across the tread, the problem is on the very inside edge on the ‘corner’ of the tire. I’m familiar with camber wear from years of BMWs and this does not seem the same. If I knew how to post pics you’d see something similar (albeit a bit worse) than KOL2000. In fact, I only realized the problem at 13k miles…the danger happened well before.
Seems as if posting from a mobile is more simple than a desktop…please excuse me, I’ve been a lurker for a long time.
Here is my passenger side rear:
And drivers side rear:
Here is my passenger side rear:
And drivers side rear:
Truly excellent photographs.
Given this peculiar failure mode, I suspect it's actually a tire defect with the Michelin tires perhaps.
The Plaid can produce more torque/acceleration than any other production automobile. Perhaps we are literally peeling the tread away from the tire's inner structure due to the power and weight?
Has anyone had success in getting replacements at no cost/warranty from Michelin yet?
John, I’m also in GA. Did you actually succeed in getting a lemon law claim on the tires? Was this against Tesla or Michelin? I’ve already bought two new rears (through Tesla with no warranty), but would surely like either Michelin or Tesla to step up here. Clearly this is some type of defect. Any tips for filing a claim would be great.
I never ran lower than 42 psi. None of this is normal folks.
It would be quite obvious if this was the origin as there would be some bare, shiny metal or something along the tire radius that would indicate it was being "lathed" by the tire.
I am really leaning towards internal tire degradation from the relentless torque, and this would be also indicated by the anecdotal posts here that this issue seems to impact Plaids almost exclusively?
Look at this picture, The area marked it too clean, It looks like the tire has been lathed which gives as indication that something is rubbing. Torque has a more shearing force
Attachments
It does look that way from the photo, BUT there would have to be some correspondingly “polished” markings on some suspension or wheel well component.
No one has yet found one AFAIK.
This is perplexing and both Michelin and Tesla should be investigating these tire failures stat.
Now of much greater concern is why our Plaid’s right rear tire has been losing a few psi every few weeks—perhaps the TMC Forum has saved a life with this thread?
Will examine the tires upon my return to the US….
lbowroom
Plaid, white on black, CF, 8/27/21, Track Pack
There is absolutely nothing that can rub the tire that way no matter how close you look. That happens after the tire ruptures and loses pressure. Because of the camber it happens on the inside edge.
lbowroom
Plaid, white on black, CF, 8/27/21, Track Pack
Hayseed_MS
Spreader of "Endless Non Sequitur"
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