Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Another Bad Computer?

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Tezz got picked up yesterday by a tow truck and sent to the Service Center. The computer is in sleep mode and won't wake up. It arrived 3 weeks ago with a bad computer and I had to wait a week for delivery because it took them that long to get a new computer and replace it. Now the new computer sounds like it's possibly dead too. I don't know what the car was doing the first time. They never told me. Just told me it had a bad computer that needed replacing.

That's the short version.


Here's the long version, if anyone is interested:

Tezz was at the detailers getting SunTek Wrapped completely and window tint. I of course kept checking in on it. Saw that he left doors open, frunk open, etc. and of course making sure he wasn't driving it. ;) Sunday morning I checked in and it said there was an update. I figured I'd have to install it after I picked it up Tuesday. Sunday night I decided to look in on it and see how it did during the day. I was also curious as too how much the battery would drop sitting there especially with me checking in on it, but Sunday night it wouldn't wake up. Now his shop is a dead zone. There's almost no signal in it. My phone had 1 bar of 1x when I was there, so I figured it just wouldn't work and no big deal. Monday I tried to check it and it wouldn't wake up.

Yesterday I got there and he asked me how to make the screen work. I was like, it works by putting your foot on the brake? But it didn't. I thought maybe he had killed the 12V battery, but the doors still opened. The lights still worked when you opened the doors, and blinkers still worked. But no screen and no AC. I held the buttons down to reboot it for a minute or two and nothing. The car still went into drive, reverse, etc., so I back it out and loaded it on my trailer and brought it home. I called Roadside and she of course told me to try resetting the computer. Nope. She transferred me to a Service person who told me to try resetting the computer. Nope. He logged in and tried waking the car up from his end. Nope. Then transferred me to my local Service Center who was kind enough not to make me try resetting the computer again. She said call Roadside back and get them to tow it to their location so that they can look at it. That was last night. Now I'm waiting for them to open and come get me so I can get a loaner.

A few things to note:
  1. Everyone you speak to will ask you to reboot. Before calling, try a reboot by holding both scroll wheels down at the same time and waiting until the Tesla logo shows up on the screen before releasing. It might fix your issue.
  2. Roadside Service took 30 minutes to answer the first time. Then took 45 minutes to call me back the second time. They do have a call back option if you don't want to wait. I recommend that one. Luckily I was at home, but had I been stuck on the side of the road, it would have been over an hour and a half of troubleshooting and trying to get someone on the phone, so FYI. If you're in an unsafe location, make sure you start the conversations with that.
  3. The Tow truck driver quoted 2 hours, but was there in 45 minutes. Kudos to him because I live a hour away from Dallas where he drove in from.
  4. Be patient. It's still very much a beta car and anyone you talk to still doesn't know the car. Case in point, the Service Center lady asked if the instrument cluster was working and could I drive it to them. That's how little experience they have with the model 3. When I reminded her it was a model 3, she quickly realized her mistake and said to call roadside.
  5. Finally, the SunTek wrap and tint makes this car look amazing. I highly recommend it.
 

Attachments

  • left.jpg
    left.jpg
    396.5 KB · Views: 65
  • right.jpg
    right.jpg
    350.1 KB · Views: 48