Disgruntled 2018 Tesla Model S Owner Finds Out That Fixing Uneven Tire Wear Is Costly

Let's set the record straight from the beginning – buying a Tesla can be quite a rewarding experience. Prices are fair at the time of writing, there's no middleman involved, the entire process is smooth, and qualifying Americans can even take advantage of federal and local incentives that may lower the acquisition cost even further. Moreover, not having to burn gas or diesel to commute is great for protecting your local area from increased levels of air pollutants.

But the positives continue for those who like minimalism, quickness, and being connected while on the go. A Model 3 or Model Y is great in this respect and can do most (or even more!) of what other, more expensive competitors are capable of. Just the guaranteed Supercharger access is enough to convince someone wanting an EV to buy a Tesla. Reliable DC fast charging is what people traveling long distances more often than not need, and Electrify America has yet to be ready to offer it.

However, some problems may occasionally appear with a couple of Tesla units. And they can become frustrating quickly. For example, more Model S and Model X owners have reported that their all-electric vehicles suffer from acceleration shudder and have noticed accelerated inner tire wear. That happens because of the non-adjustable control arms and suspension parts installed at the factory, which may require a pricy alignment kit to function right.

Others have said that they felt vibrations coming from the front of the vehicle unrelated to the lane departure warning system, and Tesla's technicians could not locate the problem and solve it. If you have a Model S or Model X and have heard clunking sounds when accelerating through a turn, it might be due to compromised half-shafts.

The front motor sits a bit too high on the axle, and the half-shafts are forced to transfer power at an abrupt angle to the wheels. Since the car is heavy and the motor is capable of impressive torque values, some half-shaft components may wear faster than average, leading to imperfections.

This unlucky 2018 Tesla Model S owner, who also has a 2021 Model X in their garage, said on an online forum that the sedan has been pretty costly because they had to keep replacing the tires.

They've reached a little above 54,000 miles and gone through three sets of tires up until this point. Now, even for a heavy battery-electric vehicle, that's weird. Especially when the unhappy owner says the Model X never had such issues.

After researching the problem, they discovered a possible fix: a "tire wear elimination kit," which costs between $1,415 and $2,113. But they were told that adding an aftermarket part might void the warranty, of which two years remain.

Fellow Tesla owners recommended this person to ensure they aren't driving in the lowest suspension setting possible because it adds camber. The system may automatically drop the suspension when the EV is traveling above a certain speed, which may lead to uneven tire wear.

Others, however, agreed with the aftermarket solution and confirmed they chose the same product and performed the service operation, which did not void the warranty. If you intend to do the same, be mindful of letting Tesla know. It could void the warranty unless clearly specified otherwise.

But in this case, only one tire had this massive and unexpected wear issue - it got damaged after under 10,000 miles of use! This led others to suspect that an alignment might be needed or that the roads on which the Model S owner travels often are too coarse. However, the person confirmed they are getting an alignment every 6,000 miles per the manual.

Finally, nobody came up with a proper fix, not even Tesla. As such, the Model S buyer must install the aftermarket solution and pay for new tires, which probably already happened.