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

[Richbot]

Just reporting that I was one of the first cars (2020 Model X LR) to get the new fix in Columbus, OH. As I had posted earlier, I got the first replacements of the old half shafts at around 11k miles. The old replacements started shuddering after a few thousand miles. I decided to hold out for the new parts and these were replaced on June 2nd with about 22k miles on car.

So far these new parts are very smooth!!! Below is the parts list from invoice:

Correction: Inspect Vehicle, Replace Front Halfshafts (Raven Front Drive Unit)
Parts Replaced or Added
Part Quantity
HALFSHAFT
ASSEMBLY, FRONT,
RIGHT HAND(1420119-
00-B)
1.00
HALFSHAFT
ASSEMBLY, FRONT,
LEFT HAND(1420113-
00-B)
1.00
NUT HF M24x1.5 [8.8]
ZnFl-W(1020297-00-A)
2.00
WASHER SAFETY
M24x39(1020296-00-B)
2.00

Just picked up my car and they used this same parts list on my 11/2020 build LR+ At 8800 miles. We’ll see if this permabanishes the problem I guess!

FWIW, Tesla EPC suggests this is the same part going in all of the Refresh Model S's from Feb 2021 production on.

 

[ohmman]

permabanishes

I am also rooting for permabanishment of this issue.

 

[clayton006]

So to update my progress. It seems that while the grinding noise has went away, I now have some vibration when doing regen at highway speeds that is sometimes accompanied with some small noise. It sometimes sounds like a wheel bearing is starting to fail. Two techs drove the car with me in it and they said they can definitely feel and hear it.
I have another appointment on July 9th to have it looked at. They said they want to do one or two more replacements before working on mine again to see if this behavior is normal. If they tell me this is normal I believe this will be the last straw before I sell it.

 

[Richbot]

So, for whatever it’s worth, and it’s not worth a lot, there is zero vibration after the latest fix on mine. I don’t think that was ever true even when it was new - there was always a thrum off and on - all that really changed was how often and how loud until it got bad enough to report. Not anymore - if it was still there my antics today would have definitely triggered it.

I’m also not going to be tempting fate and will continue my practice of keeping it in very low almost all the time because that’s how I like the car best anyway but - at least the latest “fix” hasn’t made my car worse, vibration is gone, which is sometimes too much to ask from Tesla when they try and fix something so, yay

 

[RealDeal]

Now my car has a shudder/vibration at any speed if you keep the speed very constant. I had the 'permanent shudder during acceleration fix' done 2 weeks ago. It seems to have solved that problem but it introduced a this new problem. It's most noticeable around 50 mph if you just feather the accelerator to maintain the same speed. It's in the shop right now but they said they can't feel it and nothing is wrong. The car also feels/sounds different when turning sharply in parking lots but the new vibration is annoying. Has anyone experienced this and what was the fix? I have regen set to full and the suspension set to low but it's the same when suspension is set to normal.

 

[MP3Mike]

Now my car has a shudder/vibration at any speed if you keep the speed very constant. I had the 'permanent shudder during acceleration fix' done 2 weeks ago. It seems to have solved that problem but it introduced a this new problem. It's most noticeable around 50 mph if you just feather the accelerator to maintain the same speed. It's in the shop right now but they said they can't feel it and nothing is wrong. The car also feels/sounds different when turning sharply in parking lots but the new vibration is annoying. Has anyone experienced this and what was the fix? I have regen set to full and the suspension set to low but it's the same when suspension is set to normal.

I wonder if they just didn't complete the break-in that is necessary. (I'm pretty sure that the TSB says that they are supposed to break it in until it drives smoothly.)

 

[RealDeal]

I wonder if they just didn't complete the break-in that is necessary. (I'm pretty sure that the TSB says that they are supposed to break it in until it drives smoothly.)

Maybe. How long is the break in period? I've put about 700 miles on it since they did the 'permanent' fix and the problem is still the same. It only seems to occur when I'm maintaining the exact same speed. If I'm accelerating or braking I don't seem to notice it. But once you notice it you can notice it at 30 MPH just as easily as at 80 MPH.

 

[MP3Mike]

How long is the break in period?

No specific length, just that they are supposed to do it until good:

 

[RealDeal]

Thanks! Sounds like I could do that myself. I've avoided hard acceleration cause I don't want the problem to come back again.

 

[MP3Mike]

Thanks! Sounds like I could do that myself. I've avoided hard acceleration cause I don't want the problem to come back again.

Do let us know if a few 0-60 launches clear it up.

 

[jace]

I just had my second half shaft replacement done on my 2020 MX LR+
This has to be an expensive fix for Tesla.
also highly annoying customer experience issue

 

[Richbot]

If I can't use the car the way I want to use it because it will break, I sell the car. I'm not going to drive around a problem that shouldn't exist. Some fanboy can deal with that.

FWIW, I have about 2k miles on the latest fix now and still no hint of the old noises. It was a very distinctive noise and it hasn't been back. But, other than the service center "breaking it in" it also hasn't been above Low since I took it back from the service center. So...yeah.

 

[n1h1]

If I can't use the car the way I want to use it because it will break, I sell the car. I'm not going to drive around a problem that shouldn't exist. Some fanboy can deal with that.

FWIW, I have about 2k miles on the latest fix now and still no hint of the old noises. It was a very distinctive noise and it hasn't been back. But, other than the service center "breaking it in" it also hasn't been above Low since I took it back from the service center. So...yeah.

Fingers crossed it's fixed! I am driving in standard, so far no issues, similar mileage as you on the new shafts.

 

[Master Chief]

I had the second replacement of my half shafts last month on my December 2019 2020 Model X (just under 40,000 miles.)

It is MUCH smoother now than it ever has been.

Interesting note, It was recommended to lower the suspension height to minimize the vibration, so I dropped it down to medium low (basically 2 out of 5) and about a month later my wife noticed something funny with my tires. I got down and looked and all four of them had worn through to the belt on the inside edge of the tread! That's right, four tires ruined, one of which had only 10K miles on it. $1250 later and I have a new set and a new alignment when I got the shafts replaced.

Now I am skittish about changing the height of the ride but so far, I cannot see any premature wear. Fingers crossed.

 

[MattMac]

We've had the shudder issue since delivery (Sept. 30th 2020) on our LR X. It was always worse in higher/looser suspension and going up hills and progressively gotten worse over time.

After hearing that it has been fixed by you guys, I scheduled it with the local service center (Superior, CO) and they did the repair in less than a day (along with a couple of other small things.) It was about 10k miles when the fix was made and we've put about another 1k on since then and from what I can tell the issue is permabanished! Hard acceleration on XL, Low, and Standard are all smooth. Hooray!

Now about the suspension not adjusting more than 50% of the time....

 

[n1h1]

Now about the suspension not adjusting more than 50% of the time....

Think of it as an undocumented low ride mode:

 

[Bams]

I have the 2021 Raven X LR and it shuttered accelerating. I took it into Seattle Tesla Center and they replaced the Halfshafts Front Drive. They didn't seem to tell me why this happened. Seems weird that others are being told there is no fix and they replaced mine? What should I ask them?

 

[Drlippercon]

View attachment 524920

Why the **** do you act like this? Its my own company that owns the car and I cant use the car. All I do is telling the truth and you act like an idiot? What the hell is wrong with you???!

I kind of agree with you. The SC in Stockholm is dog *sugar*.

 

[K2500Z71]

I had my 2019 Raven X done last week and noticed that other than the “break in” procedure, this exactly the same fix that I had done last year (the May 2021 TSB has the same part numbers for Raven cars). Unless the break in procedure somehow improves the fix, I’m not optimistic that this is a permanent fix for Raven cars. Fingers crossed.

 

[dmurphy]

I had my 2019 Raven X done last week and noticed that other than the “break in” procedure, this exactly the same fix that I had done last year (the May 2021 TSB has the same part numbers for Raven cars). Unless the break in procedure somehow improves the fix, I’m not optimistic that this is a permanent fix for Raven cars. Fingers crossed.

Are you sure the P/Ns are the same? I saw a different set of P/N's from when I had the half shafts replaced last year (2020 Raven.) The clevis repositioning also makes a difference. Have not heard a reoccurrence since the TSB hit, so that says something.