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

[WilliamG]

There may be a fix, but it's only been on my car for 6 weeks now. I'll post up again in a few weeks if the fix is holding.

Otherwise, lowering the car is the only sure way to eliminate the vibration.

No it's not, sadly. My car is lowered, and while it reduces it, it's still noticeable. Glad to hear your new shafts are working out. Be nice to have word from Tesla on it, officially, but you know they won't, even if it is true (part revision). I'm still dubious.

 

[PR0FESSOR]

I notice a slight vibration starting around 30 mph and ending around 50. I only feel it in the accelerator pedal, no vibrating mirror or steering wheel, and I initially attributed it to rough road. I have the optional 21 inch rims and Michelin tires. 2023 April 04 build date, 22 April delivery date, 510xxx VIN.

Joe

 

[WilliamG]

I notice a slight vibration starting around 30 mph and ending around 50. I only feel it in the accelerator pedal, no vibrating mirror or steering wheel, and I initially attributed it to rough road. I have the optional 21 inch rims and Michelin tires. 2023 April 04 build date, 22 April delivery date, 510xxx VIN.

Joe

That'll be the vibration discussed here. How many miles do you have on your car now?

 

[PR0FESSOR]

1,377, however, I have noticed this vibration since the first time I drove it.

Joe

That'll be the vibration discussed here. How many miles do you have on your car now?

 

[WilliamG]

1,377, however, I have noticed this vibration since the first time I drove it.

Joe

Sounds about right, just like mine. Welcome to Tesla ownership, and before you ask (or maybe before you don't), no - Tesla doesn't care, and most of its service reps will brush you off by telling you it's just road surface or just the nature of high-powered cars. Ask me how I know.

 

[PR0FESSOR]

Thanks @WilliamG. Thanks to this forum, I knew about this issue before I experienced it, and for now, I am willing to let Tesla know about this issue, but not let them touch my car. All I want to do is log the issue with them so they know I have it, but I do not want them touching my car, mostly because I would rather troubleshoot and fix the issue myself if I can… and if I cannot fix it, I would rather wait until enough owners complain that Tesla actually fixes the problem and I read about the fix here.

Joe

 

[WilliamG]

Thanks @WilliamG. Thanks to this forum, I knew about this issue before I experienced it, and for now, I am willing to let Tesla know about this issue, but not let them touch my car. All I want to do is log the issue with them so they know I have it, but I do not want them touching my car, mostly because I would rather troubleshoot and fix the issue myself if I can… and if I cannot fix it, I would rather wait until enough owners complain that Tesla actually fixes the problem and I read about the fix here.

Joe

Weeeell, we have been waiting about 2 years now…. So it’s unlikely to happen.

 

[PR0FESSOR]

In a past life as an engineer, I was involved with designing and environmental testing on launch vehicles. If I were a betting man, I would guess that the issue we feel is a harmonic resonance somewhere in the front drivetrain. Essentially, every mechanical component has a resonant frequency, which, when stimulated at that frequency, will oscillate (vibrate). Mechanical systems have resonant frequencies (more than one, usually) and complex harmonic frequencies that, when added together, can produce significant oscillations in the system. I suspect that there is an oscillation in the front drive system that is likely to be a factor of the entire system, and not a single component. If this is the case, removing the oscillation will require a redesign of one or more of the system components.

Tesla could, if they wish, perform FEA or other dynamic modeling techniques of the entire system and figure out how to design out the oscillation. But why should they go to all this trouble when only a handful of users are detecting the problem and complaining? Even a rough cost benefit analysis is likely to show that the best path forward for Tesla, is to do nothing… and… here we are.

All of this said, the issue could still be a simple out of balance or tolerance problem with a single component, but I would not bet on it. If this were the case, Tesla would simply redesign the component and make the issue go away.

Joe

 

[TLLMRRJ]

In a past life as an engineer, I was involved with designing and environmental testing on launch vehicles. If I were a betting man, I would guess that the issue we feel is a harmonic resonance somewhere in the front drivetrain. Essentially, every mechanical component has a resonant frequency, which, when stimulated at that frequency, will oscillate (vibrate). Mechanical systems have resonant frequencies (more than one, usually) and complex harmonic frequencies that, when added together, can produce significant oscillations in the system. I suspect that there is an oscillation in the front drive system that is likely to be a factor of the entire system, and not a single component. If this is the case, removing the oscillation will require a redesign of one or more of the system components.

Tesla could, if they wish, perform FEA or other dynamic modeling techniques of the entire system and figure out how to design out the oscillation. But why should they go to all this trouble when only a handful of users are detecting the problem and complaining? Even a rough cost benefit analysis is likely to show that the best path forward for Tesla, is to do nothing… and… here we are.

All of this said, the issue could still be a simple out of balance or tolerance problem with a single component, but I would not bet on it. If this were the case, Tesla would simply redesign the component and make the issue go away.

Joe

Any hope of attaching some type of weight or dampener to the half shafts using a trial and error approach to offset or disrupt the nature of the oscillation?

 

[n2mb_racing]

Any hope of attaching some type of weight or dampener to the half shafts using a trial and error approach to offset the oscillation?

I think I would try stuffing some more grease in the boots before that. That might take up some of the space in the joints that allows for the vibration?

 

[TLLMRRJ]

I think I would try stuffing some more grease in the boots before that. That might take up some of the space in the joints that allows for the vibration?

Is that really where the play is located, or between the splines?

 

[n2mb_racing]

Is that really where the play is located, or between the splines?

Not sure...

 

[WilliamG]

Not sure...

Yep, because nobody knows. 2 years later and Nobody. Bloody. Knows.

 

[PR0FESSOR]

I do not think the issue has anything to do with something being loose… I think that there is some interplay with design tolerances that is causing an out of balance condition, or, much worse in my opinion, a natural frequency oscillation. If it is a natural frequency oscillation, it will eventually cause something to break.

Has anyone tried to replicate this with the vehicle unloaded (all four tires up in the air)?

Joe

 

[lbowroom]

I do not think the issue has anything to do with something being loose… I think that there is some interplay with design tolerances that is causing an out of balance condition, or, much worse in my opinion, a natural frequency oscillation. If it is a natural frequency oscillation, it will eventually cause something to break.

Has anyone tried to replicate this with the vehicle unloaded (all four tires up in the air)?

Joe

In a vacuum with zero-g?

 

[PR0FESSOR]

I seem to recall that Elon sent a roadster into conditions like this… I will ask him to run a test for us!

In a vacuum with zero-g?

 

[TIppy]

1025 miles on my model s plaid, and it just started to vibrate. Also noticed some mild lugging like an ice in too high of a gear. Happens with mild acceleration around 40 mph. I had the issue with my half shafts on my previous model s, but the vibration was different. It was at a lower frequency and not as harsh. I'm thinking this might be something to do with the inverter.

 

[WilliamG]

1025 miles on my model s plaid, and it just started to vibrate. Also noticed some mild lugging like an ice in too high of a gear. Happens with mild acceleration around 40 mph. I had the issue with my half shafts on my previous model s, but the vibration was different. It was at a lower frequency and not as harsh. I'm thinking this might be something to do with the inverter.

That’ll be the vibration. Welcome to the club!

 

[Captiva246]

Any updates on this from anyone? It's been May 23rd since the last post so I thought I'd ask. Personally, I tend to think it's a motor resonance issue and not the half shafts.

When I ask the service center if there is any solution; they tell me they've not heard of the problem. Maybe that's what they're instructed to say.... It does not give me much hope they are trying to fix it though.

 

[theslimshadyist]

So, 1.5 years ago I had the opportunity to speak with Thomas out of the Tampa location. For those of you who may be in the Tampa area, he is an awesome tech. Anyways, at that time he told me that Tesla engineering was aware of the issue and stated that it had to do with a sync issue between the front and rear motors.

I'm just shocked that they have yet to resolve.