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

[johnking]

So here's what I did for the shudder finally.

1. Fixed an SC appointment and had them replace the front two clevis mounts. They did that without any questions asked.
2. About a month later, I installed the N2itive kit 1. - Alignment Kit 1 - Acceleration Shudder & Inner Tire Wear - Tesla Model X & S 2012 - 2020 .

I am not such a handy person with the inner-workings of a car. The max I can do is change a flat tire and get the spare tire in. So I checked with the N2itive about the shops here in the Seattle area that can do the installation for #2. True Line Alignment at Bellevue carry out the installation and they did a good job. Ask for Brandon, he is the expert.

After the installation, the Shudder is Completely gone. The car handles way better in corners, roundabouts. Attached are some pics of the installation and my before, after alignment results.

 

[summit123]

Hi Everyone, so the shudder problem came back and this time it shuddered immediately upon acceleration with a little warm up in the beginning and then getting aggressive around 40, 50, etc. The X (2019 Raven) has been in the shop for a week and has been escalated through three technicians who have reviewed the suspension, can reproduce it, tried realigning the tires, changing tires, adjusting suspension (it doesn't happen as badly at Low height), and are just about stumped. At this point, the next option (which we have approved) is to replace all of the rotors/brakes as they haven't been maintained (shame on us) since we originally purchased and it's been about 25k miles. After this, they are going to see if this helps.

All being said, I don't think this will ever go away and it's a design flaw...

Appreciate any feedback from others who have gone down this path with brakes/rotors...

 

[summit123]

Are you under warranty, and did your invoice say warranty? When I had the original TSB performed, they listed it as goodwill and said they would only do it once. Now, I'm beyond 50k miles and have ESA. I asked if the new TSB would be covered under ESA and they said it would not, and implied that even the warranty wouldn't, as they brought up that even the first repair was goodwill.

This sounds feasible to me. When I checked on whether or not the ESA would cover the new TSB, they also told me that the new TSB wasn't a permanent fix, either, as if to imply that maybe the warranty and ESA would cover a permanent fix, but not a temporary one.

Did you ever get the problem fixed(again), or is your SC still refusing to honor coverage under your ESA?

 

[mxnym]

Did you ever get the problem fixed(again), or is your SC still refusing to honor coverage under your ESA?

I haven't tried again, but I'm fairly confident the only way I'll get it fixed at a service center is if I go to a different one. I'm probably fortunate that the second-closest one to me is only 3 hours away, but I'm not in a big hurry to drive that far, much less twice (or rent a hotel). I'd also hate to go all that way and find out I couldn't get a loaner, so unless their communication is better than the service center an hour away from me, I may not even try very hard. For clarification's sake, I asked a mobile service tech if the new TSB would be covered under tho ESA since it had never been performed. He called in to check and they told him something to the effect of to "remind me that the first fix was goodwill and any fix that wasn't permanent wouldn't be included under warranty as documented on the invoice from my first fix." This was after I dealt with the shudder a long time without throwing a fit about it before the first TSB even came out. TBH, from what I've seen, the half shaft replacement isn't much more than I'd expect suspension work to be, and I don't get much shudder now, so it's possible I'll be beyond ESA before it truly NEEDS fixed anyway. I want to keep the X for a really long time, so I'm torn between getting the an alignment kit sooner and risking that preventing the shudder from getting worse during ESA or getting an alignment kit immediately after a TSB repair that MAY be covered by ESA. There's also the challenge of finding a place to install the alignment kit for me, but that's a whole other thing.

 

[Etmaniac]

Shafts replaced and CM repositioned in November. Always drivng in the low setting and very low on the highway. The shudder is back already, even on low and very low setting, albeit the temperature is low. As some folks indicated earlier, this is just a design flaw folks, dont think there is a fix.
My wife got the bmw iX, no shudder, no sounds at all when driving, but no falcon wings

 

[n1h1]

So far its not happening for me post replacement with the new plaid parts post summer, other than the feel of stiff tires in the winter. I did slightly change my driving habits. I drive in standard, but if i intend to hard accelerate i drop to low first.

 

[X Fan]

Shafts replaced and CM repositioned in November. Always drivng in the low setting and very low on the highway. The shudder is back already, even on low and very low setting, albeit the temperature is low. As some folks indicated earlier, this is just a design flaw folks, dont think there is a fix.
My wife got the bmw iX, no shudder, no sounds at all when driving, but no falcon wings

pleae keep us posted about the x and whether your wife find some problems down the road with the bmw.

 

[ElectricIAC]

We're on set #6 here at 54K miles.

 

[Dcam]

So far its not happening for me post replacement with the new plaid parts post summer, other than the feel of stiff tires in the winter. I did slightly change my driving habits. I drive in standard, but if i intend to hard accelerate i drop to low first.

I tried that and it doesn't work nor does it improve the ride on Standard.

 

[Camelroel]

Thursday I will get my next set half shafts. I am a little disappointed as they lasted less then 12500 Miles before making noise again. I am not a grand dad yet but also not a boy racer so they should last longer in my eyes. I can't complain to much as I don't have to pay the parts but only the labor.
Now they will be replaced with a different part numbers so this should be the newer version.

 

[MXLRplus]

At 33,000 miles, we are ready for another set. So I'm getting 11,000 miles per set.

 

[ElectricIAC]

At 33,000 miles, we are ready for another set. So I'm getting 11,000 miles per set.

That seems to be about the going rate for those of us who are in tune.

 

[Aaron14902]

Since this week's update (version 2021.44.30.8), Automatic Lowering Speed set to NEVER will lower itself to Low from Standard when accelerating onto the freeway. It'll remain that way until I exit which at that point it'll raise itself back to Standard. I'm only noticing it now since I felt it lower on the freeway the other day. Now I'm second guessing myself wondering if it has always been like that. This could explain why I haven't experienced shudder and the inner tire wear continuing to wear at a faster rate. 2016 X P90D at 73.3K miles, 9.1K miles on the May 2021 bulletin shafts.

 

[BM3B]

Driving in Low since I have the shudder. I just replaced my front tires at 24,000. Very uneven wear run down on inside.

 

[Dcam]

Since this week's update (version 2021.44.30.8), Automatic Lowering Speed set to NEVER will lower itself to Low from Standard when accelerating onto the freeway. It'll remain that way until I exit which at that point it'll raise itself back to Standard. I'm only noticing it now since I felt it lower on the freeway the other day. Now I'm second guessing myself wondering if it has always been like that. This could explain why I haven't experienced shudder and the inner tire wear continuing to wear at a faster rate. 2016 X P90D at 73.3K miles, 9.1K miles on the May 2021 bulletin shafts.

I had the same rear tire wear, I was able to get Tesla to do a four wheel alignment after switching to Perrelli Scorpion tires. Now the rear wears even and I got 46k miles out of my second set of tires and on my third set with 89k on the car. The car still slightly vibrates when cruising between 85-95 even after having the new tires balanced and shaved. Theres a balance issue somewhere, but the Las Vegas service center was to lazy to investigate or maybe its a known issue like all the others and they want to avoid the fix.

 

[Dcam]

89k on a 2018 X and never have had brake issues.

 

[Aaron14902]

So here's what I did for the shudder finally.

1. Fixed an SC appointment and had them replace the front two clevis mounts. They did that without any questions asked.
2. About a month later, I installed the N2itive kit 1. - Alignment Kit 1 - Acceleration Shudder & Inner Tire Wear - Tesla Model X & S 2012 - 2020 .

I am not such a handy person with the inner-workings of a car. The max I can do is change a flat tire and get the spare tire in. So I checked with the N2itive about the shops here in the Seattle area that can do the installation for #2. True Line Alignment at Bellevue carry out the installation and they did a good job. Ask for Brandon, he is the expert.

After the installation, the Shudder is Completely gone. The car handles way better in corners, roundabouts. Attached are some pics of the installation and my before, after alignment results.

Thanks for sharing! Any reason you chose them over Unplugged Performance? I'm guessing because they have an entire kit, but just curious: Unplugged Performance Adjustable Rear Camber Arms - Tesla Model S & X

 

[ElectricIAC]

Tesla should buy the patent from this company and start replacing the links as a warranty/recall campaign.

Surely this would be cheaper than continuing to replace half shafts as they have ours 5+ times, which is kind of pathetic regarding longevity since we don’t even have a performance!

 

[johnking]

Thanks for sharing! Any reason you chose them over Unplugged Performance? I'm guessing because they have an entire kit, but just curious: Unplugged Performance Adjustable Rear Camber Arms - Tesla Model S & X

You are right @Aaron14902 - just the comfort level of getting the entire kit that addresses the shudder. Also, Dan from N2itive is available for answering questions, providing guidance.

 

[Aaron14902]

Update version 2021.44.30.8 from a few weeks ago gave me a bug where Automatic Lowering was set to Never, but was lowering itself from Standard to Low by location (freeway). I did this for a few hundred miles and reported the bug a few times. Last week's update (version 2022.4.5) has fixed the bug. I'm about 10K miles since the May 2021 bulletin shafts (and clevis) and no shudder.