2024 M3P hidden USB storage for Sentry tutorial?

[cloud surfer]

Does anyone have a link or tutorial showing how to remove the glovebox and add a USB hub and SSD drive behind it for Sentry? I’d like to maintain having a functional USB port inside the glovebox for other data like light show and music.
Many thanks in advance!

 

[jjrandorin]

You definitely do not want to put in USB storage such that you would have to remove the glovebox every time you need to take it out. I have read that the glove compartment is smaller on the highland model 3s but you still want any hub in the glove box, not behind it, unless you plan on taking out the glove box a lot.

 

[viddy_well]

If the goal is to have the drive be multipurpose, you can do that with partitioning. I have a Sentry, Boombox, and Lightshow partition setup on my Samsung SSD. Works great to have all in one. I keep a spare thumb drive in the car just in case I ever have to pop out the SSD to update something or would need to provide it in some case.

 

[cloud surfer]

If the goal is to have the drive be multipurpose, you can do that with partitioning. I have a Sentry, Boombox, and Lightshow partition setup on my Samsung SSD. Works great to have all in one. I keep a spare thumb drive in the car just in case I ever have to pop out the SSD to update something or would need to provide it in some case.

Ultimately, the goal would be to have a SSD hidden so if someone who knows Teslas breaks in, they can't just use a plastic pry bar to get into the PIN-protected glove and steal the video evidence. I have a hub coming so I can put other media/files on it and not disturb the Sentry-dedicated SSD.

 

[cloud surfer]

You definitely do not want to put in USB storage such that you would have to remove the glovebox every time you need to take it out. I have read that the glove compartment is smaller on the highland model 3s but you still want any hub in the glove box, not behind it, unless you plan on taking out the glove box a lot.

Maybe I'm missing something, since this is my first Tesla, but why would I need to remove the drive? I'd use a different thumb drive for light shows and music. I guess I don't know why I'd ever want/need to remove the drive?
One solution here would be to make a false wall in the back of the glove box that I could easily remove.

 

[chrstna4]

I had a 2019 Model 3 and there were options for the false back when the usb went in the back/bottom of the console. I assume companies would create some kind of false pocket for the glovebox, but I suppose the usb has gone there for a few years and nothing is on the market yet?

 

[jjrandorin]

Maybe I'm missing something, since this is my first Tesla, but why would I need to remove the drive? I'd use a different thumb drive for light shows and music. I guess I don't know why I'd ever want/need to remove the drive?
One solution here would be to make a false wall in the back of the glove box that I could easily remove.

Because at some point you might want to copy things off of it, for one. For another, I would just search here for the numerous "Sentry mode drive issue" threads.

 

[ewoodrick]

Maybe I'm missing something, since this is my first Tesla, but why would I need to remove the drive? I'd use a different thumb drive for light shows and music. I guess I don't know why I'd ever want/need to remove the drive?

They die.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Maybe I'm missing something, since this is my first Tesla, but why would I need to remove the drive? I'd use a different thumb drive for light shows and music. I guess I don't know why I'd ever want/need to remove the drive?
One solution here would be to make a false wall in the back of the glove box that I could easily remove.

Because there are many, many threads where the drive gets overwritten (FYI Tesla's dashcam loops in a 1 hour loop, NOT continuously) or there are other issues that interfere with recording and the only way to get the footage is plugging the drive into a computer and doing file recovery.

Sometimes the car also have trouble creating the TeslaCam folder necessary for the dashcam (even after using the in-car formatting option) and you need to manually create it by plugging the drive into a computer.

Still others have reported getting errors (red x) and car dashcam doesn't work and the only way to get warranty support is for Tesla to test it using the official Tesla branded drive (otherwise the Tesla would just blame your third party drive).

Also the most reliable way to ensure you have footage after an incident is to safely remove the drive 1 minute or more after the incident (the dashcam records in 59 seconds clips) and take the drive with you. It is for this reason I keep a spare drive to swap in case that is necessary.

The likelihood of those issues happening with your drive is far higher than someone bothering to pry open your glovebox.

I would instead look for hidden panel options or microSD reader options (there are hubs with built in readers, so you can plug in a drive as a decoy and use the reader for the TeslaCam, just delete the TeslaCam folder in the decoy drive and create it in the microSD).