11 Improvements to the Model S I want to see

[GCSkinner]

I have owned my 2016 Model S for just over a year now. Below are the changes/improvements I would like to see (or be taught how to do!):

1. Give me the ability to change the charge rate from the App. 95% of the time I charge overnight so I keep the charging rate low. If I need to make a trip, I have to go out to the car to adjust the charging rate.
2. If I make a change to the charge rate while driving, the change is not retained. I have to make the change after I am parked at home.
3. Show the time the battery will be charged in addition to the hours left so I can be sure it will be charged when I need it. Better yet, select a time you want it fully charged and let the car figure out the best charging rate.
4. Provide the ability to vent the windows as well as the sunroof.
5. Enable a schedule or set a time/timer to precondition the car. I never remember to do so before I leave work!
6. Make Ventilated or cooled seats an option.
7. Move the seat warmer buttons. They get inadvertently turned on when adjusting the fan/AC.
8. Provide an option for the seat to move back for an "exit mode". My 2003 Cadillac has this feature and is great when you have 5' tall people who leave the seat so far up the 6' tall people get hurt getting in!
9. Provide a method to enter the password (on the Ap?) without your passengers seeing it. I have teenage boys and I want to lock out the car but they see the password whenever they ride with me so its useless for this purpose.
10.Provide an attachment to lift the cover in the trunk. Its a pain in the butt when your hands are full and is often forgotten in the upright position.
11.Enable the App to provide a notification history.

If you haven't figured it out, I live in a very hot climate and have black interior. I am also very particular about charging my battery. I charge every evening at about 7A and up to 70% and it usually runs down to about 40% with my daily commute.

I hope that some of you have answers to these or someone at Tesla will notice them!

 

[bpjones]

#5 is available today with the Scheduled Departure feature.
#8 is available with the Easy Entry driver profile setting.

 

[Stach]

For #5, TeslaTasks has always worked GREAT for me!

 

[ElectricTravel]

For numbers 1-3, you might consider not worrying about adjusting the charge rate and just stick to charging at full speed. Lowering the AC charge rate doesn't prolong the battery life (it's ~1/10 of the power that enters the battery when Supercharging), and you might eliminate these issues.

2. If I make a change to the charge rate while driving, the change is not retained. I have to make the change after I am parked at home.

"It's not a bug, it's a feature." The car uses GPS to remember the charge rate for specific locations. If one charging location has weak/old wiring and you set it to charge at 30A instead of 40A, it remembers to only charge at 30A at that location for future visits. Other locations will continue to charge at the default rate (lesser of the maximum rate of the car and charge equipment) unless you manually change them.

8. Provide an option for the seat to move back for an "exit mode". My 2003 Cadillac has this feature and is great when you have 5' tall people who leave the seat so far up the 6' tall people get hurt getting in!

This feature was added not too long ago. Check the owner's manual for "Easy Entry".

10.Provide an attachment to lift the cover in the trunk. Its a pain in the butt when your hands are full and is often forgotten in the upright position.

Here's an aftermarket option: Auto-Lift kit for the Tesla Model S Parcel Shelf I haven't tried it or compared it to similar products, but it's one possibility.

 

[GoBlue88]

6. Make Ventilated or cooled seats an option.

Agree with this, but Tesla seems to have given that idea up. Definitely missed the ventilated/cooled seats that were in my 2010(!) Lexus IS 350 and it really seems like a car at this price point should have ventilated seats standard.

9. Provide a method to enter the password (on the Ap?) without your passengers seeing it. I have teenage boys and I want to lock out the car but they see the password whenever they ride with me so its useless for this purpose.

Are you using PIN to drive? If so, I strongly advise you to not do that in an MCU1 car. Reason: eMMC failures cause your MCU1 to stop working and if you are using PIN to drive, you'll have an expensive brick as there will be no way to enter your PIN with a dead MCU. See this thread for more details.

11.Enable the App to provide a notification history.

Isn't that already in your phone's notification history?

 

[OTARon]

Auto-Lift kit for the Tesla Model S Parcel Shelf

this was an item i got before I even picked up my preowned 2016 TMS last year, never give my shelf a thought, I would recommend one or make one out of some fishing items, for it looks like that's what they did! I paid the $22! I agree with the vented seats, just rode in a friends new Escalade that had some on a warm day and what a difference it made! Id love to see that, and how about adjustable shoulder strap, for us short people like in the TM3 and TMY.

 

[cmarshack]

for #1 try using Scheduled Departure instead of adjusting the charge rate. Then you can change the charge level and still have a car ready to go at when you want to leave in the morning.

 

[TSLA Pilot]

Disagree with the other poster's comment about charging at a high rate.

I have noted that even in a somewhat cool garage, charging at low amperage (<10 amps) will normally preclude AC compressor and cooling fan operation. Charging at higher rates can easily generate enough heat to require HV Battery (and HV charger?) cooling. This further heats the garage and wastes electricity. In a hot garage, this is a brutal waste of energy as some of that heat transfers into the home, which causes the home AC to run that much longer.

I too wish we could change the charge amperage via the Tesla app.

And, while we're on this topic, how about:

A. Some real friggin' coat hooks, like the fancy ones found on the entry level Model 3 . . . .

B. A "polite" or "Lady & Gentlemen" mode that will keep the MCU/AC/Heat/Radio/etc. powered up for at least one minute when the front passenger door is opened, a weight (such as a front seat passenger!) is placed on the front passenger's seat, and then the door is closed.

C. BMW and even GM (IIRC) have had "Automatic Gain" on the radio volume since the early 2000's. This feature increases the radio volume, at a gain ratio selectable by the driver, as the vehicle speed increases. Why Tesla hasn't done this, after almost a decade of building cars, is really hard to understand.

D. Will we ever get some decent floor mats? The current generation (the 9th or 10th?) on the MS curls up at the corners and sides after a few months. They scream "cheap."

E. Fluidic washers arrived on Fords in the late 90's or early 2000's, IIRC. They cover the windshield with a uniform spray; very impressive. Tesla's washers are still akin to an early 70's VW Beetle. They're still sort of a joke and I presume this is not funny for those that live in places with a real winter.

Details: Popular Mechanics Complete Car Care Manual

F. While we're here, is it too much to ask to FIX TESLA'S SERVICE disaster? Talking to a friggin' human is just not allowed any longer, so the App HAS TO WORK. It hasn't for us, for months now. Frequent app crashes, especially when trying to submit a photo, tend to really piss of long-term owners. PLEASE FIX THIS; it is Unsat.

 

[Lasttoy]

I just want to close windows from app on cell.

 

[JPoldo]

I want Blind Spot Warning indicators in both side view mirrors. We should hear a warning chime when these lights turn on. Even a $20K Kia offers this feature. When making a turn, we look at our mirrors, not dashboard. Of course, this requires Tesla to use radar detectors instead of cameras.

 

[SilverString]

I want Blind Spot Warning indicators in both side view mirrors. We should hear a warning chime when these lights turn on. Even a $20K Kia offers this feature. When making a turn, we look at our mirrors, not dashboard. Of course, this requires Tesla to use radar detectors instead of cameras.

Yes! Progressive de-rates the MS for this, and raised my rate after the initial 6 month period. One of the reasons was "No Blindspot Warning"

 

[Harropbill]

I have owned my 2016 Model S for just over a year now. Below are the changes/improvements I would like to see (or be taught how to do!):

1. Give me the ability to change the charge rate from the App. 95% of the time I charge overnight so I keep the charging rate low. If I need to make a trip, I have to go out to the car to adjust the charging rate.
2. If I make a change to the charge rate while driving, the change is not retained. I have to make the change after I am parked at home.
3. Show the time the battery will be charged in addition to the hours left so I can be sure it will be charged when I need it. Better yet, select a time you want it fully charged and let the car figure out the best charging rate.
4. Provide the ability to vent the windows as well as the sunroof.
5. Enable a schedule or set a time/timer to precondition the car. I never remember to do so before I leave work!
6. Make Ventilated or cooled seats an option.
7. Move the seat warmer buttons. They get inadvertently turned on when adjusting the fan/AC.
8. Provide an option for the seat to move back for an "exit mode". My 2003 Cadillac has this feature and is great when you have 5' tall people who leave the seat so far up the 6' tall people get hurt getting in!
9. Provide a method to enter the password (on the Ap?) without your passengers seeing it. I have teenage boys and I want to lock out the car but they see the password whenever they ride with me so its useless for this purpose.
10.Provide an attachment to lift the cover in the trunk. Its a pain in the butt when your hands are full and is often forgotten in the upright position.
11.Enable the App to provide a notification history.

If you haven't figured it out, I live in a very hot climate and have black interior. I am also very particular about charging my battery. I charge every evening at about 7A and up to 70% and it usually runs down to about 40% with my daily commute.

I hope that some of you have answers to these or someone at Tesla will notice them!

Re your firstpon

 

[Harropbill]

Re your firstpon

Re your first point: why keep charging rate low for overnight charging? When charging is complete it just stops, doesn’t it?

 

[GCSkinner]

#5 is available today with the Scheduled Departure feature.
#8 is available with the Easy Entry driver profile setting.

I find the scheduled departure feature weak. I have to set a time to start charging whether I have time of day charges or not. I was using it until one day I came home early for an evening event, plugged in the car to get enough charge for the evening and it didn't do anything since it wasn't scheduled to do so. It also needs to be able to enter multiple times and days. Even if I worked Monday to Friday, 9-5 I can only set it up for one of those times, not both. My schedule is not consistent so it would be so much better if I could enter a one time departure time from the app.

The Easy Entry works great! I had to take a backwards approach to it and set up all the other drivers with easy entry so seat would be back after they used it.

 

[GCSkinner]

For numbers 1-3, you might consider not worrying about adjusting the charge rate and just stick to charging at full speed. Lowering the AC charge rate doesn't prolong the battery life (it's ~1/10 of the power that enters the battery when Supercharging), and you might eliminate these issues.



"It's not a bug, it's a feature." The car uses GPS to remember the charge rate for specific locations. If one charging location has weak/old wiring and you set it to charge at 30A instead of 40A, it remembers to only charge at 30A at that location for future visits. Other locations will continue to charge at the default rate (lesser of the maximum rate of the car and charge equipment) unless you manually change them.



This feature was added not too long ago. Check the owner's manual for "Easy Entry".



Here's an aftermarket option: Auto-Lift kit for the Tesla Model S Parcel Shelf I haven't tried it or compared it to similar products, but it's one possibility.

I just installed the Auto Lift kit. A very simple and seems to be exactly what was needed!

 

[SSedan]

Raising volume with speed dates to the mid 90s at least on some GM products.......

I wish we could speed up podcasts. When I listen to some on my phone I listen at 1.3-1.4 times normal, I try and listen to them in the car I either have to mess with my phone or listen to what now sounds painfully slow.
Not a big deal to start a podcast on phone for a short drive, but if one ends mid-trip it sucks.

 

[GCSkinner]

Agree with this, but Tesla seems to have given that idea up. Definitely missed the ventilated/cooled seats that were in my 2010(!) Lexus IS 350 and it really seems like a car at this price point should have ventilated seats standard.



Are you using PIN to drive? If so, I strongly advise you to not do that in an MCU1 car. Reason: eMMC failures cause your MCU1 to stop working and if you are using PIN to drive, you'll have an expensive brick as there will be no way to enter your PIN with a dead MCU. See this thread for more details.

Thanks For the heads up, I don't use it anymore anyway.

Isn't that already in your phone's notification history?

Maybe I need an education on how to use my iPhone but I have googled (and asked my kids) how to see a listing of notifications on a specific app on my phone and cannot find it. I an out of cell phone range occasionally and want to know if the teenage kids took out the car!

 

[GCSkinner]

For numbers 1-3, you might consider not worrying about adjusting the charge rate and just stick to charging at full speed. Lowering the AC charge rate doesn't prolong the battery life (it's ~1/10 of the power that enters the battery when Supercharging), and you might eliminate these issues.



"It's not a bug, it's a feature." The car uses GPS to remember the charge rate for specific locations. If one charging location has weak/old wiring and you set it to charge at 30A instead of 40A, it remembers to only charge at 30A at that location for future visits. Other locations will continue to charge at the default rate (lesser of the maximum rate of the car and charge equipment) unless you manually change them.



This feature was added not too long ago. Check the owner's manual for "Easy Entry".



Here's an aftermarket option: Auto-Lift kit for the Tesla Model S Parcel Shelf I haven't tried it or compared it to similar products, but it's one possibility.

With regard to charging rates, I may be being overprotective of my battery so correct me it if I am wrong. Is charging at 5 amps for 12 hours a day not better than 40 Amps for a shorter period?

 

[GCSkinner]

Disagree with the other poster's comment about charging at a high rate.

I have noted that even in a somewhat cool garage, charging at low amperage (<10 amps) will normally preclude AC compressor and cooling fan operation. Charging at higher rates can easily generate enough heat to require HV Battery (and HV charger?) cooling. This further heats the garage and wastes electricity. In a hot garage, this is a brutal waste of energy as some of that heat transfers into the home, which causes the home AC to run that much longer.

I too wish we could change the charge amperage via the Tesla app.

And, while we're on this topic, how about:

A. Some real friggin' coat hooks, like the fancy ones found on the entry level Model 3 . . . .

B. A "polite" or "Lady & Gentlemen" mode that will keep the MCU/AC/Heat/Radio/etc. powered up for at least one minute when the front passenger door is opened, a weight (such as a front seat passenger!) is placed on the front passenger's seat, and then the door is closed.

C. BMW and even GM (IIRC) have had "Automatic Gain" on the radio volume since the early 2000's. This feature increases the radio volume, at a gain ratio selectable by the driver, as the vehicle speed increases. Why Tesla hasn't done this, after almost a decade of building cars, is really hard to understand.

D. Will we ever get some decent floor mats? The current generation (the 9th or 10th?) on the MS curls up at the corners and sides after a few months. They scream "cheap."

E. Fluidic washers arrived on Fords in the late 90's or early 2000's, IIRC. They cover the windshield with a uniform spray; very impressive. Tesla's washers are still akin to an early 70's VW Beetle. They're still sort of a joke and I presume this is not funny for those that live in places with a real winter.

Details: Popular Mechanics Complete Car Care Manual

F. While we're here, is it too much to ask to FIX TESLA'S SERVICE disaster? Talking to a friggin' human is just not allowed any longer, so the App HAS TO WORK. It hasn't for us, for months now. Frequent app crashes, especially when trying to submit a photo, tend to really piss of long-term owners. PLEASE FIX THIS; it is Unsat.

I agree with all - And how about a cup holder in the back seat!

 

[GCSkinner]

I just want to close windows from app on cell.

Agreed. I missed this on my list! Complete window control is needed so we can vent the car more than just the roof. 100F weather, black unventilated seats, and weak preconditioning feature makes for an uncomfortable ride.