The shudder problem: Current status (end of February 2020)

[ElectricSteve]

I don't understand why you think a new manufacturer wold fiks this problem?

Apparently, Tesla could not develop a good product with the "old" manufacturer so they went to somebody else. The same happened with the FWD mechanism during the development phase. Supplier A did a bad job so Tesla started doing business with supplier B so to speak. Happens all the time in the car industry. The Model S wiper-arm mechanism of pre mid-2014 S'es was crap. So they found another company. The early Model S wiper blades where crap so they switched suppliers and went to Bosch.
I can tell you boat loads of stories about Audi and their suppliers. Same for Mercedes.

It's a design problem.

Yes... it is.
So a re-design was in order.

They need to move the drive unit.

Really. What qualifies YOU to make such a statement? The new shafts do a great job so far. It is a modified design from another company (fresh ideas) and apparently works. So I guess moving the DU is not required...

Shudder will be back. But if they lowered your car, it will be fine for a long time

Affected raven X's would often shudder even in low mode. It merely shuddered a lot less in low mode. My car got worse over time and was in low mode all the time.
The old shafts where just crap. Bad design. The new design is holding up perfectly so far (drove 5000km since they where replaced). Car is smooth as butter in Normal mode.
Time will tell if the problem comes back. I'll give Tesla the benefit of the doubt for now. I see no reason to be sceptical, knowing what I know.

 

[ElectricSteve]

Do you have a new part number to share?

Sorry no. I normally received the bill after a repair (even if under warranty) via Email but not this time. Asked for it but received nothing so far. I also did not receive the usual post-service-customer-satisfaction survey Email (and I'm really satisfied about this repair ;-)

 

[DCGOO]

Sorry no. I normally received the bill after a repair (even if under warranty) via Email but not this time. Asked for it but received nothing so far. I also did not receive the usual post-service-customer-satisfaction survey Email (and I'm really satisfied about this repair ;-)

Check your service history in the Tesla app. They stopped sending email copies some time ago. You can download/send copies from the app.

 

[ElectricSteve]

Ok I got the bill. Here is what it says (relevant part, translated from German):

___________________________________________________________
Kilometer: 24179 (that's 15112 miles)

Symptom:
Vibrations during acceleration

Work Description:
General Diagnosis

Work Description:
Halfshaft - Front Drive Unit - LH (2nd Generation), (Remove and Replace)
Part: FRONT HALFSHAFT, MODEL X, LH, PM(1027113-00-B)
Amount: 1.0

Work Description:
Halfshaft - Front Drive Unit - RH (2nd Generation), (Remove and Replace)
Part: FRONT HALFSHAFT, MODEL X, LH, PM(1027119-00-B)
Amount: 1.0

Work Description:
Perform validation test drive

Payment:
Basic vehicle limited warranty, CHF 0,00
___________________________________________________________


Mind the "2nd Generation" in the part's description. The car had the "1. generation" half-shafts before (Raven, not to be confused with pre-Raven).

Drove 6300km since they where replaced. Car is still smooth as butter in Normal mode. Not driving like Grandma.

 

[K2500Z71]

Ok I got the bill. Here is what it says (relevant part, translated from German):

___________________________________________________________
Kilometer: 24179 (that's 15112 miles)

Symptom:
Vibrations during acceleration

Work Description:
General Diagnosis

Work Description:
Halfshaft - Front Drive Unit - LH (2nd Generation), (Remove and Replace)
Part: FRONT HALFSHAFT, MODEL X, LH, PM(1027113-00-B)
Amount: 1.0

Work Description:
Halfshaft - Front Drive Unit - RH (2nd Generation), (Remove and Replace)
Part: FRONT HALFSHAFT, MODEL X, LH, PM(1027119-00-B)
Amount: 1.0

Work Description:
Perform validation test drive

Payment:
Basic vehicle limited warranty, CHF 0,00
___________________________________________________________


Mind the "2nd Generation" in the part's description. The car had the "1. generation" half-shafts before (Raven, not to be confused with pre-Raven).

Drove 6300km since they where replaced. Car is still smooth as butter in Normal mode. Not driving like Grandma.

I had the same parts installed in mine last month. Seems ok so far.

 

[Rolaids]

I just had mine replaced on Wednesday the 7th. I went to the Columbus, OH service and again they really did an excellent job! Very kind and helpful.

Shudder was getting noticeable around 11k miles. By the time they were replaced at 14.5k it was getting so bad that even gentle acceleration from auto pilot in the 20-50 mph range would get some shudder / vibrations. Now it is smooth!!!

I will update if anything changes.

 

[kskog]

Is this fix ready for Model S too?

 

[K2500Z71]

Ok I got the bill. Here is what it says (relevant part, translated from German):

___________________________________________________________
Kilometer: 24179 (that's 15112 miles)

Symptom:
Vibrations during acceleration

Work Description:
General Diagnosis

Work Description:
Halfshaft - Front Drive Unit - LH (2nd Generation), (Remove and Replace)
Part: FRONT HALFSHAFT, MODEL X, LH, PM(1027113-00-B)
Amount: 1.0

Work Description:
Halfshaft - Front Drive Unit - RH (2nd Generation), (Remove and Replace)
Part: FRONT HALFSHAFT, MODEL X, LH, PM(1027119-00-B)
Amount: 1.0

Work Description:
Perform validation test drive

Payment:
Basic vehicle limited warranty, CHF 0,00
___________________________________________________________


Mind the "2nd Generation" in the part's description. The car had the "1. generation" half-shafts before (Raven, not to be confused with pre-Raven).

Drove 6300km since they where replaced. Car is still smooth as butter in Normal mode. Not driving like Grandma.

FWIW, these are the same part numbers that others on this forum had installed earlier this year (June/July timeframe) and the problem came back (scroll back a few pages in this thread). So this isn’t “the fix”. I’m keeping mine on low and accelerating gently to prolong the life of this set of shafts.

 

[Kristoffer Helle]

Yes... it is.
So a re-design was in order.


Really. What qualifies YOU to make such a statement? The new shafts do a great job so far. It is a modified design from another company (fresh ideas) and apparently works. So I guess moving the DU is not required...

It's actually a first prinsipp when designing a driveline.
Why do you think they lowered the speed limit and distance in "high"?
Because tesla finely found a manufacturer that could make a driveshaft?
It doesn't sound right
You don't need to believe me.
Just Google drive shafts angels etc on Google.
Model Y (not sure if model 3 have this) also have this design problem. But we won't see problem before they get air suspension.
I'll try to find a Good YouTube video for explaining this later.
I think tesla did this design because of some safety stuff.
Bmw and vag wold love to do this. Would allow to move the weight of engine and transmission closer to the center of the car.
But they don't.. Because of stuff like this.

 

[Etmaniac]

Hi,

Although I understand your point, it seems to be contradicted by the fix they did for pre-Raven? That appeared to fix the issue on the older models.

It's actually a first prinsipp when designing a driveline.
Why do you think they lowered the speed limit and distance in "high"?
Because tesla finely found a manufacturer that could make a driveshaft?
It doesn't sound right
You don't need to believe me.
Just Google drive shafts angels etc on Google.
Model Y (not sure if model 3 have this) also have this design problem. But we won't see problem before they get air suspension.
I'll try to find a Good YouTube video for explaining this later.
I think tesla did this design because of some safety stuff.
Bmw and vag wold love to do this. Would allow to move the weight of engine and transmission closer to the center of the car.
But they don't.. Because of stuff like this.

 

[ElectricSteve]

Although I understand your point, it seems to be contradicted by the fix they did for pre-Raven? That appeared to fix the issue on the older models.

Pre-Raven has a different front-motor. The shudder was, contrary to Raven, not caused by the half-shafts (they merely got damaged) but by the clevis-mounts. Tesla re-designed the mounts and since then, pre-ravens don't demolish half-shafts anymore.
Raven already has the new clevis-mounts but had a design-flaw in the shafts themselves (which they now redesigned too).

As I wrote in my opening post: stop throwing pre-raven and raven onto the same pile. Apples and oranges. The shudder is caused by different issues and requires a different fix.

 

[ScottFLA]

I've got a 2020 MX LR w/ 22" wheels that has developed a case of the shudders on acceleration. I was going to post on here about it and found this long thread going so I see it's not unique to me. And we are not talking fast acceleration, just moderate to pull into traffic. Time to make a service appointment.

 

[DriverOne]

So... I'm hesitant to say this but... it's fixed? A new car won't get the shudders?

 

[igroza423]

Any advice on how to get Tesla to address my front axle vibration problem? I feel an occasional shudder on acceleration, but this is not my main issue. From day 1 my 2020 MX had a slight imbalance in front tires which I attributed to a imbalanced tire. I didn't balance the tires until about 15k miles, which didn't take care of the imbalance, which pointed to a axle problem, so they said at the Fort Worth, TX Service Center. Since it wasn't that bad, Tesla declined to replace them. Now it looks like at 25k miles the front axles or one of them had deteriorated the left adaptive air spring module, which will be replaced. I am also increasingly hearing a grinding noise at the front left side during slight-to-medium acceleration, which is likely to be a ball bearing. I shifted to the Dallas Service Center and they have wasted a lot of my time and drives to their center, also. The constant slight vibration in the left front axle, especially at 75-95 mph is deteriorating other parts and these guys are either clueless or just plain slow to understand. It seems like Tesla has a culture of arrogance, and especially some of the service advisors in the customer service (you are dealing with a Tesla here and you don't get it). The technicians are not motivated to find problems and fix them, either, unless the tires fall off. I am stuck. I regret buying this car. Any advice or info I could use to get these axles replaced so I could just drive this car and enjoy it? Many thanks.

 

[ElectricIAC]

Any advice on how to get Tesla to address my front axle vibration problem? I feel an occasional shudder on acceleration, but this is not my main issue. From day 1 my 2020 MX had a slight imbalance in front tires which I attributed to a imbalanced tire. I didn't balance the tires until about 15k miles, which didn't take care of the imbalance, which pointed to a axle problem, so they said at the Fort Worth, TX Service Center. Since it wasn't that bad, Tesla declined to replace them. Now it looks like at 25k miles the front axles or one of them had deteriorated the left adaptive air spring module, which will be replaced. I am also increasingly hearing a grinding noise at the front left side during slight-to-medium acceleration, which is likely to be a ball bearing. I shifted to the Dallas Service Center and they have wasted a lot of my time and drives to their center, also. The constant slight vibration in the left front axle, especially at 75-95 mph is deteriorating other parts and these guys are either clueless or just plain slow to understand. It seems like Tesla has a culture of arrogance, and especially some of the service advisors in the customer service (you are dealing with a Tesla here and you don't get it). The technicians are not motivated to find problems and fix them, either, unless the tires fall off. I am stuck. I regret buying this car. Any advice or info I could use to get these axles replaced so I could just drive this car and enjoy it? Many thanks.

Go to Plano.

 

[ElectricSteve]

So... I'm hesitant to say this but... it's fixed? A new car won't get the shudders?

Yes it's fixed. Nobody can tell what these new axles will do in the long run but i'm on 7200km with these new babies and they are doing great.
Newly produced car's will have the new generation of front axles. If cars that are currently on stock already have them? Maybe, maybe not so ask the sales rep.

A buddy of mine got a stock car that did not have them yet. He made an appointment on the first day to have them swapped. He had to persist but he got them swapped at his nearest Service Center on the very first day after picking up the car from the delivery-center. Drove straight to his service-center who had ordered the parts at about the same time he signed the contract. Smart move.

 

[Kristoffer Helle]

Not fixed. A lot of owners in Norway have problems. Lowering the car helped a bit. Not long for people with a heavy foot.

 

[pereiks]

Not fixed. A lot of owners in Norway have problems. Lowering the car helped a bit. Not long for people with a heavy foot.

Is it with the B revision of half-shafts? I've got mine replaced today for MX LR versions - will let you know in a month or so...

 

[apfleisc]

I received my off-market N2itive camber arms and am waiting on the lowering links (which should be in next week). I am having Tesla replace my half shafts on the week of Nov 9th and then installing the new camber arms and lowering links immediately after. This will give me new half shafts and fix my negative camber and acceleration shuddering. I plan to take before and after picture and post onto this sub for all to see. The quality of the N2itive camber arms are amazing. The arms I got are made out of 7075-T6 heat treated aerospace grade aluminum.

 

[ohmman]

I had a 2016 Pre-Raven X with this problem, front half shafts were replaced and things stayed in good shape for the duration of ownership (4.5 years). I replaced with a 2020 LR+ X in September and took it on a 3700 mile road trip towing our trailer. I tow on Standard height, and always have with my 2016 X as well. About two-thirds of the way through the trip, front end shudder while towing got so bad under even mild acceleration that I felt the front end was skipping on the pavement. It showed up in two speed ranges under acceleration - 34-39mph and 53-58mph. It was worse at the lower range. Note that I could coast at those speeds without any vibration, it was only under even the tiniest of acceleration that it would surface.

It was at the Service Center for some delivery issues and I was told they would have to forward this to engineering, and that there is no solution. I really appreciate the extra range while towing, but if I'd realized this was going to be so much worse than with my 90D, I wouldn't have replaced it.