autopilot camera housing (removal)

[bktiger86]

Hi everyone. Hope everyone is safe and healthy.

Got quick question...anybody have instructions or knows if its possible to remove that housing to get to the glass (AKA windshield) underneath?

I noticed mine is a little "foggy" underneath so I want to wipe it clean. Thanks!

 

[zimeon]

Would be nice to know this, got a dead bug inside mine

 

[ShawnA]

Hi bktiger86,

I was distressed to see much water on the glass
in front of the cameras when I brought
my car home after a windshield tinting...

I used some 8 1/2 x 11" sheets of computer paper.
I held the paper on both ends and pulled it back and forth
similar to a shoe shine...
It took a few sheets of paper to get the water out of there.
But it was fairly dry and clean when I finished.

A "thinner" microfiber cloth might work, similar to an eyeglass
cleaning cloth...

Shawn

 

[bktiger86]

Would be nice to know this, got a dead bug inside mine

I found this video. They teach you on how to take apart the whole thing, but not to the point where it touches the glass yet.

Hi bktiger86,

I was distressed to see much water on the glass
in front of the cameras when I brought
my car home after a windshield tinting...

I used some 8 1/2 x 11" sheets of computer paper.
I held the paper on both ends and pulled it back and forth
similar to a shoe shine...
It took a few sheets of paper to get the water out of there.
But it was fairly dry and clean when I finished.

A "thinner" microfiber cloth might work, similar to an eyeglass
cleaning cloth...

Shawn

Thanks for the suggestion. I might try with a microfiber to see if I can reach in there just in case I can't take it apart.

 

[captjoemcd]

Just a word of caution- removing the front triple camera housing may require realignment by a Tesla SC, which is roughly an hour of labor and the hassle of an appointment.

 

[bktiger86]

So I went gun-ho and was like lets rip this thing apart. Was able to reach to the glass! It was a fairly simple. Couple screws inside and the whole panel came off. Be careful, the camera did come out of the sockets. I had to use tape to hold it up while I was cleaning the glass.

Just a word of caution- removing the front triple camera housing may require realignment by a Tesla SC, which is roughly an hour of labor and the hassle of an appointment.

He is correct, I did hear about the realignment maybe required. Luckily I measured everything and made sure to put everything back exactly how it was. Please do this with caution.

After completion, I see the video quality is a lot better for dash cam + I think it is reading the lines better and detecting vehicles!

 

[ucmndd]

So I went gun-ho and was like lets rip this thing apart. Was able to reach to the glass! It was a fairly simple. Couple screws inside and the whole panel came off. Be careful, the camera did come out of the sockets. I had to use tape to hold it up while I was cleaning the glass.



He is correct, I did hear about the realignment maybe required. Luckily I measured everything and made sure to put everything back exactly how it was. Please do this with caution.

After completion, I see the video quality is a lot better for dash cam + I think it is reading the lines better and detecting vehicles!

Hey @bktiger86 , thanks for this. Are these the screws you had to remove? Any others?

 

[Shateam]

Hey @bktiger86 , thanks for this. Are these the screws you had to remove? Any others?

View attachment 575949

saw your post in the MCU2 thread. Is it the screws you highlighted above? Also, did you have to move the cameras to clean the windshield?

 

[ucmndd]

saw your post in the MCU2 thread. Is it the screws you highlighted above? Also, did you have to move the cameras to clean the windshield?

I removed the two screws in the picture above. That did not completely remove the camera housing, but loosened it to the point that I could get a microfiber cloth under it at the bottom edge using a long putty knife to clean the window. Took a little messing around with it to get the right angle, but the results were good.

 

[sharkcom]

I saw this post as it caught my eye as I have been wondering if this foggy issue with the front camera may be the cause of my AP2.0 seemingly has issue stayed centered in the lane - it is frequently moving the steering wheel left/right to try to stay centered in the lane. Anyone know if this is normal AP 2.0 behavior on a highway where it makes my passengers sick with the side to side motion? I have a Model S 75 AP2.0 - built in July 2017.

 

[bktiger86]

Hey @bktiger86 , thanks for this. Are these the screws you had to remove? Any others?

Yes I had to remove those plus the other ones. I highlighted them in yellow. But once you remove the yellow screws the aluminum heat sink will fall first so make sure you catch that. It is quite hefty. Once the heat sink is removed, literally the whole housing would come off. I used some painters tape to hold up the 3 cameras while I did a deep clean on the glass. Good luck!

 

[bktiger86]

saw your post in the MCU2 thread. Is it the screws you highlighted above? Also, did you have to move the cameras to clean the windshield?

I didn't unplug the cameras to clean the glass. I did tape it to the position to prevent it from falling. I wanted to move the cameras as little as possible knowing that some people said it might require re-calibration.

 

[bktiger86]

I saw this post as it caught my eye as I have been wondering if this foggy issue with the front camera may be the cause of my AP2.0 seemingly has issue stayed centered in the lane - it is frequently moving the steering wheel left/right to try to stay centered in the lane. Anyone know if this is normal AP 2.0 behavior on a highway where it makes my passengers sick with the side to side motion? I have a Model S 75 AP2.0 - built in July 2017.

Good question...I have a S75 Jan 2017 Ap2.0 MCU1. I really didn't have too much problem even with a foggy/greasy screen. However, I did noticed that sometimes when the sun is directly hitting the windshield, I would get Autopilot cameras are blinded warning. After the cleaning, I am good.

 

[acarney]

Does anyone know if this would be the same with Model Y?

Also... would the recalibration be the standard “new delivery” calibration where the car does it from driving 10 to 20 miles? (I believe that can now be triggered in the settings) Or is this a more in-depth service menu thing that Tesla must do?

If Tesla has to do it, can it be done with a mobile visit? I assume ~$250 or something?

I’ve got a huge amount of fogging/haze under mine. I don’t think it was just water but some additives (soap maybe?) that the tint shop used so I think the glass will need physical cleaning and not just wicking away droplets or anything...

 

[everydaychris]

Yikes.... wondering if I should try this.

 

[fuddy]

Yikes.... wondering if I should try this. View attachment 775081

I would. It's not hard. I did it on my 3.

 

[Lysperis]

Could anyone tell me what sizes are these screws are? I unfortunately have no screws to assemble my front cameras. (Purchased the car like this)