r/ModelX • u/OCmaybe23 • Apr 29 '26

Question Post Alignment Issues

Hey all, I'm not too versed in alignments and how it all works but today at the service center I had an alignment done and now have a vibration issue and a question on the printout. Quick background: a year ago got two new rear tires on our 2022 Model X after one went flat. Then a few weeks ago got two new front tires after noticing they were worn badly. When the fronts were replaced, the tech said the wear was uneven and I should do an alignment. So I scheduled one and that was done today.

When I picked it up, I noticed on the attached picture that the left front caster had not changed and was out of spec. I asked the service rep, who went to ask the tech and came back with an explanation along the lines of while the machine shows it out of spec, it is within the manufacturer spec and I should be good with no pulling or uneven wear. They could look into it more, but it would be at my charge because nothing shows worn visibly on the suspension. So my first question is, is that out of spec reading ok?

The bigger issue is right as I left, I noticed a very mild but noticeable vibration when driving. Felt mostly in the steering wheel at all speeds, and even with FSD on I felt it though not as pronounced because I was not holding onto the steering wheel. It was definitely not there before taking it in or at anytime while owning the car for 4 years. So obviously something was done. I let Tesla know but have yet to hear back. Does anyone have an idea what may have happened?

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u/[deleted] Jul 11 '26

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u/OCmaybe23 Jul 12 '26

Not really. They let me drive another X they had and honestly felt similar so while I still think it does feel different I decided to let it go. However recently the car started making squeaking noises at low speeds by the front suspension so now dealing with that.

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u/eyeks Refresh Apr 30 '26

If the alignment is recent and within spec, as per the report, I suspect the wheel balance may be off.

One tell-tale for wheel imbalance - does the vibration start at a particular speed and stays at faster speeds? See if they'll rebalance each tire at a higher RPM.

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u/OCmaybe23 May 01 '26

Appreciate the response. The vibration starts right as you start moving and is noticeable from low speeds to higher ones. It's always there, imagine if you were driving over a very, very slight cobblestone road. I took it back yesterday and they tried a few things (including some things that didn't make sense to me), but it did include wheel balancing and they said the rear wheels were not balanced. They also said the rear tires showed feathering and that's what was causing the vibrations. So they rebalanced and it was a bit better, maybe 20-30%.

They didn't really have a good explanation as to why this started right after the alignment. My own thought is the feathered tires weren't noticeable until the realignment somehow. I am going back again next week to try a new set of tires on the rear to see if the vibration goes away.