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Consolidated eMMC Thread (MCU repair) (Black Center Screen)

Discussion in 'Model S' started by Wiki, Jan 8, 2020.

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The first post in this thread is a WikiPost, and can be edited by anyone with the appropriate permissions.
  1. Akikiki

    Akikiki A'-Lo-HA ! y'all

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    Just the way I saved the posts. And sometimes a browser doesn't go directly. So adding the specific post # helps those looking for it. An extra step to save explaining where it was when they could not find it. :)
     
  2. M0rpH3x

    M0rpH3x Member

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    The engine bay of ICE cars becomes really, really hot. I expect the frunk in electric cars to run cooler, but this is just an expectation. If someone could put in there a thermocouple (close to the MCU), it would be nice (now I'm thinking of it, I might try this myself).
     
  3. TonyT

    TonyT Member

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    current
    tempmon: tegra=66 board=54


    Highest I noticed,
    tegra=76 board=63

    lowest
    tegra=37 board=34

    The mcu actually logs the temp, part of the reason the chip was written so much. Now this is the processor and board temp. The eMMC is below the processor, and the heat sink does not touch it, I'd imagine the temp would be close to board temp, maybe a little hotter. One of these days I can pull some physical temp reading on the memory chip. I would hope the board designers took in account the temps when selecting a chip.

    Now if a car is left for days in the hot sun, I would imagine the cabin would get toasty hot, since I believe the cabin protection only works for a limited amount of times and needs to be reset with someone getting into the car, I cant remember the exact details.
     
    • Informative x 1
  4. M0rpH3x

    M0rpH3x Member

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    Thanks, that's pretty interesting!
     
  5. Akikiki

    Akikiki A'-Lo-HA ! y'all

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    Hmmm, TonyT. I have seen the daughterboard, I know you see them all the time. And I now remember the eMMC does not have a heatsink. That's an interesting observation. What is your guess why it does not? Do you think it would function better if it had one? Wonder why one's not been added since the eMMC was being replaced anyway?
     
  6. mspohr

    mspohr Well-Known Member

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    eMMCs don't generate much heat and don't need a heat sink.
     
    • Like x 1
  7. mitya001

    mitya001 New Member

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    I purchased a used Model S 100D and 5 minutes before delivery they told me the MCU is malfunctioning, they need 2 more hours before pick up. I said I don't want the car with bad MCU, do a recall before I take delivery. They obliged and 2 days later called me for pick up. Second time around the car doesn't open after delivery and they blame the MCU again that they supposedly fixed. Wait two more hours for them to do a hard reset and pick it up. 2 days later the car does not start and the center screen is frozen... After holding the brake pedal for a while and reseting the MCU, the car powered on but the center screen was all black. Drove it to them and they said all is good... but to fix the issue permanently I would need to pay $1500 for an MCU 2 upgrade. I can't afford to drive a broken car so I agreed... I feel cheated that I was sold a broken car, promised that the recall would fix it, and then still forced to pay for an upgrade. Is this weird or this is normal Tesla experience?
     
    • Like x 2
  8. FlatSix911

    FlatSix911 Porsche 918 Hybrid

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    I would recommend that you speak with the Sales Manager about delivering a car with safety issues and see if the MCU2 upgrade is offered. :cool:
     
    • Like x 1
  9. shwomper

    shwomper Member

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    Quick question: 2014 P85D. We have been offered the remanufactured Daughter board per the recall or the upgrade at out expense (discounted) but were informed we would also have to purchase the Tuner to retain FM radio functions.

    Are most just taking the free daughter board or are you making a stink and fighting for the upgrade? Is everyone paying or is tesla giving to anyone?

    Thanks
     
    • Funny x 1
  10. mitya001

    mitya001 New Member

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    So I tried the recall fix and it did not fix the problems... how much of a discount did they offer?
     
  11. mspohr

    mspohr Well-Known Member

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    Not clear if this is a vehicle purchase from Tesla or an existing vehicle you own.
    If it is a vehicle purchase from Tesla, you may be able to get them to add MCU2. If you already own it, just pay for MCU2. It's a great deal.
     
  12. TonyT

    TonyT Member

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    Was your settings copied over, meaning if you still had your driver profile, homelink, etc?

    If so try doing some factory resets. One each day for a few days.
     
  13. mspohr

    mspohr Well-Known Member

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    My MCU2 install saved everything except home link and cell phone
     
  14. shwomper

    shwomper Member

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    Its a car I own. Still under warranty.

    I just feel silly spending $$$$$ on a car under warranty to fix an issue as I've been told the new daughter board isn't a 100% guarantee to resolve all issues
     
    • Like x 3
  15. mspohr

    mspohr Well-Known Member

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    MCU2 is wonderful and does fix all the issues. Big improvement and a good price.
    Give your six year old car a new brain. Do you use six year old computer or cell phone?
    .
     
    • Like x 1
  16. shwomper

    shwomper Member

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    I get the point, but my phone and computer aren't still under a bumper to bumper warranty, so if the MCU2 is in fact a fix for all the issues then I think the upgrade should be the fix rather that the refurb daughter board which tesla has said may not fix all issues. If it was out of warranty it would be a totally different story and on me.

    The additional cash to retain the FM is also annoying if we upgrade. We love the car. Green P85D's with AP aren't that common so I'd like to hang onto it.
     
  17. Akikiki

    Akikiki A'-Lo-HA ! y'all

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    #1617 Akikiki, Feb 19, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2021
    I am just repeating what others that have decided to upgrade to MCU2 are saying. We have nothing to gain in convincing your to upgrade.
    Forgive me for the bluntness, the rudeness, in this next statement. I don't care if you upgrade to MCU2, because it makes no difference to me. Even having just been rude, I will give my biased opinion of MCU2 upgrade. Maybe this will help you understand the differences.

    Background: Until June of 2020, Tesla was fixing the eMMC/MCU1 problem by putting another-just-like-part in the car. Unfortunately, it was also expensive, because they didn't just replace the eMMC daughterboard, it was installed in MCU1 and those people out of warranty had to pay starting at $4,000 in 2018-ish (for a new one) until eventually the price was down to $1100-$1300 for refurbished in Spring/Summer 2020. Until June 2020, there was no cheap fix with just the daughterboard. (They should have had a standalone daughterboard fix two years earlier, but they did not. Many people paid too much for the repairs having to pay for MCU1 swap vice board swap. But that's a difference story.)

    So until Jun 2020 they were putting another of the same size 8 GB eMMC daughterboard in the cars. Then in May 2020 they started using a larger capacity storage chip (the 64 GB eMMC). But its the same board, the same Tegra 3 processor. Its not better as a processor. It has more storage and many of us believe its a better eMMC chip, better quality. So its expected to last longer. The problem likely won't happen again for 10+ years. Maybe longer.

    In March 2018, Tesla started installing a much better faster MCU called MCU2 in new S's and X's. Many of us learned this and started asking for it. In the fall of 2018, Elon said something to the effect "okay, we are working on it". It was more than two years before it was available to us. Its a superior product.

    Kicking and screaming Tesla is now replacing the 8GB storage chip/board with a 64GB storage chip/board. Its better but its not faster. What can't you do in your MCU1 car that you wish you could or think you should be able to do? Browser? Fast NAV? Kill some time when at a Supercharger? Lots of stuff. Having trouble doing that with your car even after the warranty fix? Those things a what you get with the upgrade. And on some later models (late 2016 until Feb 2018) cars you get more like dashcam and Sentry and stuff.

    It comes down to this. Have you had a computer at home that was great at first? And over time it seemed to slow down? It got updates and those updates fixed somethings and not others. Or something was fine after an update is not? And maybe the video was slow to draw and didn't always look right. So you take it in for repair. They tell you, wellllll, we can replace your video board and we think it will be better. It will be like it was when you bought the computer. And you say, but it won't be faster? Because it sure seems slower now. They say, welllll the software we are all running now does seem to slow it down, but its performing to specifications. We can't under warranty or for free make it better than it was when you got it. We can only make it like it was when you first got it.

    OR, we can do this. We can put a much better, really fast, more powerful video board in it. It will be better, its will "scream". We know lots of people that have done this and they are very pleased. Its like getting a new computer (car) for a lot less. But we can't do it for free, because yours will be working with the "fix" but we can't upgrade you for free. It will cost you this much ( $____ ) What do you want to do?

    "Well, I don't think its fair for me to have to pay for the much better really fast, more powerful video board, even if lots of people that have had it done are very pleased", the customer says. Okay sir, sorry, but that's the way it is. We are obligating ourselves to make your computer's original video board work and work a little better than it was when you got the computer, but we can't upgrade it to superior technology for free. What-ca wanna do?
     
    • Like x 2
    • Informative x 1
  18. shwomper

    shwomper Member

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    Has anyone gotten the MCU2 under warranty?

    The refurb daughter board is in Teslas own admission not a fix 100% of the time. If the car is under warranty then why would you pay for the repair ? If the MCU2 is the true "fix" it should be covered under warranty, regardless if it includes additional benefits above and beyond the MCU1.

    I have no issues paying for new tech, I do have issues with being asked to pay to fix a car under warranty, and then pay more money to retain features the car came with (fm tuner) ......under warranty.


    Is your car under warranty? If it didn't fix it, they should fix it for free, not at a discount.
     
  19. brkaus

    brkaus Well-Known Member

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    We are the ones saying it doesn’t fix all cases. I’m not sure Tesla has made that official statement. I would hope they are pretty focused on addressing the software issues. Otherwise they might need to do mcu2 for everyone.

    Yes, service folks are nudging people on the mcu2 direction for the best experience.
     
    • Like x 2
  20. dark cloud

    dark cloud Active Member

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    It doesn't sound like they replaced the daughter board, it sounds like they tried reflashing it. Maybe they are out of refurb Tegra boards?

    No.
     
    • Like x 1
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