POLL: vibration felt when slightly accelerating refresh Mode S Plaid or LR

[WilliamG]

That's the issue for me as well; once you know it's there, you can't unnotice it. Takes away from enjoying the ride to its fullest.

I'm taking a different approach to the problem, that being one of bringing it back to the SC after every failed repair attempt. Only this way (if we report the issue) will/may Telsa address the problem. Additionally, it establishes a running record of failed repair attempts that could be later used to either exercise one's rights under your states "Lemon" law, or to justify a Tesla buy-back request. Time will tell.

I think given the situation with the car, and how it's clear Tesla has no clue how to resolve this, you'd think it would be *simple* to arrange a buy back if you wanted one. I mean, this is a clear distraction and unpleasantness that no car in this price range (or any price range, to be honest) should exhibit. What choice does Tesla have? Either fix it, or refund the buyer!

 

[WilliamG]

Just returned from Service. They mentioned that the vibration that i'm feeling is due to the front tire stock tire size on the Plaid. He says its normal on the Plaid. I've had other cars, some with wider tires up front and I've never experienced this.

Just to be clear, the vibration I feel is only when I turn the yoke to the right or left fully at crawl speeds. The vibration thats being mentioned here in this thread, is not something i'm experiencing.

Yeah, I get that too and I had it on my older model S as well. It feels like the tires scrubbing on the ground when turning at extreme angles. I think it is worse when the suspension is in the very high setting, getting in and out of my garage.

I think the driveshaft vibration mentioned here is different. I have not experienced that on my plaid, manufactured 10/20/21.

At full lock on the PS4S, you'll get some pretty jarring effects. In Seattle where the weather is in the 40s, you get some serious bunny hopping and lurching. It's due to hard tires with little sidewall, and is normal. If you're on a slope while making these full-lock maneuvers, the car slips everywhere. It's pretty crazy. Doesn't affect regular driving of course.

 

[jebinc]

At full lock on the PS4S, you'll get some pretty jarring effects. In Seattle where the weather is in the 40s, you get some serious bunny hopping and lurching. It's due to hard tires with little sidewall, and is normal. If you're on a slope while making these full-lock maneuvers, the car slips everywhere. It's pretty crazy. Doesn't affect regular driving of course.

All season tires will resolve that!

 

[n2mb_racing]

All season tires will resolve that!

Ha. Do you manage to get all the power to the ground with AS tires? My P4S still seem to break loose, even in 70 degree weather.

 

[WilliamG]

Ha. Do you manage to get all the power to the ground with AS tires? My P4S still seem to break loose, even in 70 degree weather.

Yeah the PS4S are on the edge of grip, - it boggles my mind that the AS tires can do it especially with anything less than a perfect road/dead straight.

 

[jebinc]

Ha. Do you manage to get all the power to the ground with AS tires? My P4S still seem to break loose, even in 70 degree weather.

My dragy times with AS in wet and cold conditions is nearly identical to summer tires in summer, believe it or not. For the “Or not” crowd, I posted dragy results and condition pictures several times in the dragy thread that show this to be true.

Loving these AS Continental ProContact RX tires on my Plaid. No noise, jarring, hopping, loss of traction, crappy ride quality, or other insanity by running summer tires in a cold wet Seattle environment. No regrets here.

 

[WilliamG]

My dragy times with AS in wet and cold conditions is nearly identical to summer tires in summer, believe it or not. For the “Or not” crowd, I posted dragy results and condition pictures several times in the dragy thread that show this to be true.

Loving these Continental ProContact RX tires on my Plaid. No noise, jarring, hopping, loss of traction, crappy ride quality, or other insanity by running summer tires in a cold wet Seattle environment. No regrets here.

If there were a reasonably-priced option for attractive wheels, I might switch. That said, I have no traction issues at anything other than full lock (1mph etc) before the tires are warmed up, - typical with high performance tires. The road noise is far more annoying in this cold weather..., but like many things, I may just learn to tune it out. The ride quality is still excellent.

 

[Mandarin]

If there were a reasonably-priced option for attractive wheels, I might switch. That said, I have no traction issues at anything other than full lock (1mph etc) before the tires are warmed up, - typical with high performance tires. The road noise is far more annoying in this cold weather..., but like many things, I may just learn to tune it out. The ride quality is still excellent.

did you get 2021.40 with Active Noice Cancellation? I am still waiting for that update and my car has stuck with 2021.36.8 I hope with ANC noise level will be lower.

 

[WilliamG]

did you get 2021.40 with Active Noice Cancellation? I am still waiting for that update and my car has stuck with 2021.36.8 I hope with ANC noise level will be lower.

I did not, no. Hopefully in the coming days with the FSD update to 10.5. Not many people got the ARNR update, as far as I can tell. Just a tiny handful.

TeslaFi.com Firmware Tracker

 

[jebinc]

Forum Member Input Requested:

#1

 

[jebinc]

Poll: 3x - 4x mph Refreshed Model S (LR and Plaid) Vibration issue build / VIN ranges

We are trying to understand how wide-spread this issue is, and to see if Telsa resolved the issue "in production" cars after a certain VIN range. Please provide as much color as you can, by commenting and voting! - jebinc

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[jebinc]

Driveline vibration saga continued (aka, Update) -

Dropped my Plaid off at 7:45am this morning (Bellevue, WA SC), and was greeted at my car by the Sr. Service manager and shop manager - They came out to the car before I even got out of it (long story)! Good thing I brought two dozen "Top Pot" donuts with me!

1. Shop manager and I took a drive to confirm vibration. He said he has felt this before in earlier Plaids he drove, but I was the first in his shop to bring it in. I shared the TMC history and let him know more were coming to his shop the first week in December. He wasn't surprised, as he was expecting this. He will reach out to Tesla Engineering, so I guess I'm the test case. I shared with him that I'm taking a VIN poll on TMC, to help isolate the VIN range affected with this vibration. Please visit this thread and vote, if you have the issue described below (as I reported to the SC).

Poll: 3x - 4x mph Refreshed Model S (LR and Plaid) Vibration issue build / VIN ranges

We are trying to understand how wide-spread this issue is, and to see if Telsa resolved the issue "in production" cars after a certain VIN range. Please provide as much color as you can, by commenting and voting! - jebinc

teslamotorsclub.com

2. We also talked about HV pack replacements, and he said he has done two Plaid's already. No issue like this with mine, however.

3. The first thing he is going to do is to rule out bent rims; get this, by installing 21s on it! He doesn't think this is the problem, but needs to be able to tell the mothership what he already ruled out!

4. After 30 minutes of chit-chatting and driving, I left in a low mileage Raven, same color as my Plaid - nice touch.

As a reminder, description of the issue:

• Vibration felt in accelerator pedal; passenger’s also feel it on the floor and through the console.
• Occurs: between 38 – 58+ mph
• Conditions: Constant speed (e.g., holding 43-47 mph +/-), or under very slight acceleration in this range, especially after transition from regen (green bar) to slight acceleration (bit of gray bar)
• Frequency: Occurs more than 50% of the time; varies in intensity from drive to drive
• Started: Developed around the 2000 mile odo mark (for me)
• “Feels” more of an electrical issue (DU, inverter, controller of some sort) than mechanical, but Tesla SC “supposedly” replaced half shafts and did a 4-wheel alignment (Did not fix the problem)…
• Not tires as condition existed with delivered summer tires and Tesla Bellevue SC installed all season Continentals
• Not alignment as car tracks fine, although yoke is not centered; now skewed slightly right (after SC visit).

 

[Mandarin]

"Not alignment as car tracks fine, although yoke is not centered; now skewed slightly right (after SC visit)."

Always best part after an alignment. You bring a car that moves left or right with a centered steering wheel (yoke) after taking it back it moves straight but the steering wheel (yoke) is not centered Doing an alignment is my personal pain my entire car life. I go to do it - my steering wheel is not centered anymore

 

[jebinc]

Driveline vibration saga continued (aka, Update) -

Dropped my Plaid off at 7:45am this morning (Bellevue, WA SC), and was greeted at my car by the Sr. Service manager and shop manager - They came out to the car before I even got out of it (long story)! Good thing I brought two dozen "Top Pot" donuts with me!

1. Shop manager and I took a drive to confirm vibration. He said he has felt this before in earlier Plaids he drove, but I was the first in his shop to bring it in. I shared the TMC history and let him know more were coming to his shop the first week in December. He wasn't surprised, as he was expecting this. He will reach out to Tesla Engineering, so I guess I'm the test case. I shared with him that I'm taking a VIN poll on TMC, to help isolate the VIN range affected with this vibration. Please visit this thread and vote, if you have the issue described below (as I reported to the SC).

Poll: 3x - 4x mph Refreshed Model S (LR and Plaid) Vibration issue build / VIN ranges

We are trying to understand how wide-spread this issue is, and to see if Telsa resolved the issue "in production" cars after a certain VIN range. Please provide as much color as you can, by commenting and voting! - jebinc

teslamotorsclub.com

2. We also talked about HV pack replacements, and he said he has done two Plaid's already. No issue like this with mine, however.

3. The first thing he is going to do is to rule out bent rims; get this, by installing 21s on it! He doesn't think this is the problem, but needs to be able to tell the mothership what he already ruled out!

4. After 30 minutes of chit-chatting and driving, I left in a low mileage Raven, same color as my Plaid - nice touch.

As a reminder, description of the issue:

• Vibration felt in accelerator pedal; passenger’s also feel it on the floor and through the console.
• Occurs: between 38 – 58+ mph
• Conditions: Constant speed (e.g., holding 43-47 mph +/-), or under very slight acceleration in this range, especially after transition from regen (green bar) to slight acceleration (bit of gray bar)
• Frequency: Occurs more than 50% of the time; varies in intensity from drive to drive
• Started: Developed around the 2000 mile odo mark (for me)
• “Feels” more of an electrical issue (DU, inverter, controller of some sort) than mechanical, but Tesla SC “supposedly” replaced half shafts and did a 4-wheel alignment (Did not fix the problem)…
• Not tires as condition existed with delivered summer tires and Tesla Bellevue SC installed all season Continentals
• Not alignment as car tracks fine, although yoke is not centered; now skewed slightly right (after SC visit).

 

[Duke846]

I did not, no. Hopefully in the coming days with the FSD update to 10.5. Not many people got the ARNR update, as far as I can tell. Just a tiny handful.

TeslaFi.com Firmware Tracker

I have a question mainly for you MR.G I also all the other Bastardized special edition Plaids, same basic question for anyone who feels free to answer.
Did all of you pay for your cars before you drove them. My first Tesla was a 2019 3performance, I did not give tesla 1 ¢ before test driving the car.
I got a vin yesterday followEd by a email saying please pay in full. (This is different than my first purchase). I have since sent a sms asking if I will be able to test drive my car and look it over before final payment.
No response.

 

[PartagasIV]

Wasn't an option for my Plaid.

 

[jebinc]

I have a question mainly for you MR.G I also all the other Bastardized special edition Plaids, same basic question for anyone who feels free to answer.
Did all of you pay for your cars before you drove them. My first Tesla was a 2019 3performance, I did not give tesla 1 ¢ before test driving the car.
I got a vin yesterday followEd by a email saying please pay in full. (This is different than my first purchase). I have since sent a sms asking if I will be able to test drive my car and look it over before final payment.
No response.

Never pay up front, unless you live in a state like TX that requires it. Cashier's check at delivery is all that's needed. Also, you could just read the payment instructions on the order site for other options as well... Good luck with your bastard and post your VIN when you discover your bastard also has the vibration flu.

 

[n2mb_racing]

I have a question mainly for you MR.G I also all the other Bastardized special edition Plaids, same basic question for anyone who feels free to answer.
Did all of you pay for your cars before you drove them. My first Tesla was a 2019 3performance, I did not give tesla 1 ¢ before test driving the car.
I got a vin yesterday followEd by a email saying please pay in full. (This is different than my first purchase). I have since sent a sms asking if I will be able to test drive my car and look it over before final payment.
No response.

I didn't pay until after spending 2 hours looking over the car for defects. I took photos and documented everything. I didn't drive it. I wasn't concerned about anything mechanical, since they will have to eventually fix that under warranty. I was concerned about cosmetic things that they might refuse to fix later, saying I was the one that caused the damage...

 

[WilliamG]

I have a question mainly for you MR.G I also all the other Bastardized special edition Plaids, same basic question for anyone who feels free to answer.
Did all of you pay for your cars before you drove them. My first Tesla was a 2019 3performance, I did not give tesla 1 ¢ before test driving the car.
I got a vin yesterday followEd by a email saying please pay in full. (This is different than my first purchase). I have since sent a sms asking if I will be able to test drive my car and look it over before final payment.
No response.

I paid for the car before driving it, but they had me look over the car before signing the final paperwork. The 3P I had was a different story. They even let me borrow a loaner 3P overnight before committing!

 

[Duke846]

Never pay up front, unless you live in a state like TX that requires it. Cashier's check at delivery is all that's needed. Also, you could just read the payment instructions on the order site for other options as well... Good luck with your bastard and post your VIN when you discover your bastard also has the vibration flu.

That’s not what asked, did you drive it? B4 payment.