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

[HenryT]

Welcome.

I think you are correct, no music sound should not affect homelink etc sounds. Do you still have a cell or wifi connection? Asking because if no connection to "outside" can certain prevent radio/streaming to function.

Hmmm, so you are on radio/DAB side, not using Internet for your music selection? I recommend setting on streaming service before you get home, so when you are ready to leave - next time - you can confirm is sound issue is during/only DAB or its it even/also streaming.

Volume controls show value going up and down. Got ya, I understand. Gotta think about that a little. As I recall, I think there's a buzzer in the IC that makes the sound that warning sensors produce. Your situation is getting more complicated and - to me - is beginning to sound eMMC related.

You say, 3 days ago. Did you get an OTA update more than 3 days ago? Maybe this started after an update?

Last update was about 3 or 4 weeks ago. Currently on 2020.48.37.1. No problem with it, bar this behaviour but only since the last 3 days.

The car's 3G connection seems stable throughout. My own phone connects too, though I rarely use it for streaming in the car.

I can believe it may be eMMC related and suspected as much, but as I mentioned, I don't recall hearing of others being afflicted in quite this way, hence the original enquiry. As I mentioned, there was an occurrence of a similar problem mentioned on the M3 forum, here but it seems that was software related.

 

[Akikiki]

Last update was about 3 or 4 weeks ago. Currently on 2020.48.37.1. No problem with it, bar this behaviour but only since the last 3 days.

The car's 3G connection seems stable throughout. My own phone connects too, though I rarely use it for streaming in the car.

I can believe it may be eMMC related and suspected as much, but as I mentioned, I don't recall hearing of others being afflicted in quite this way, hence the original enquiry. As I mentioned, there was an occurrence of a similar problem mentioned on the M3 forum, here but it seems that was software related.

It could be the beginning of eMMC problems for your car. That's why you need to watch from the list for anything else. You might not see any new or a different problem until your second update from now. Its going to take some reading to understand. But I will try to give you a short version. I did eMMC failure tracking for S/Xs reported on TM and TMC for 15-16 months. Gathers some interesting info. Most common failure was 2015 cars.

The eMMC is storage. The firmware is stored on two firmware partitions on the eMMC. One is active where your car reads the code from to start each time or each time its rebooted. The other partition is inactive and currently holds the last firmware update - something you had before 2020.48.37.1. The active partition flips/flops between the to active and inactive partitions as one becomes the current with the latest firmware.

Your current .48.37.1 could be sitting on eMMC bad spots where the code (sound stuff) can't be completetly read from. Its likely to stay that way until you get another OTA let's call this one .38.0 . When it downloads and installs, is going to make that inactive partition active and reboot the car. When it does the firmware will not be in exactly the same place on the (inactive now) soon to be active partition. So, sound stuff could be (likely be) a different location and the car can read the code okay, and it works. But code could deliver to some other bad spot and something else might not work. So an OTA (38.0) could fix your problem. But that also means, the next OTA let's call this one 39.0, could break something else. Because now you have circled back to the same partition with this 39.0 install that you had the sound problem. Unlikely that sound stuff would deliver to the same place that it was way back with 37.1. So same bad spot are there, but some other code is in that spot and something different doesn't work.

Not the best explanation, but I am running out of time before I have to be somewhere. Sorry. Hope you get a basic idea. A different problem could occur after your next update. And if the problem is your eMMC, this problem is not going to get better with time. In fact, it will get worse with time.

 

[Droschke]

It could be the beginning of eMMC problems for your car. That's why you need to watch from the list for anything else. You might not see any new or a different problem until your second update from now. Its going to take some reading to understand. But I will try to give you a short version. I did eMMC failure tracking for S/Xs reported on TM and TMC for 15-16 months. Gathers some interesting info. Most common failure was 2015 cars.

The eMMC is storage. The firmware is stored on two firmware partitions on the eMMC. One is active where your car reads the code from to start each time or each time its rebooted. The other partition is inactive and currently holds the last firmware update - something you had before 2020.48.37.1. The active partition flips/flops between the to active and inactive partitions as one becomes the current with the latest firmware.

Your current .48.37.1 could be sitting on eMMC bad spots where the code (sound stuff) can't be completetly read from. Its likely to stay that way until you get another OTA let's call this one .38.0 . When it downloads and installs, is going to make that inactive partition active and reboot the car. When it does the firmware will not be in exactly the same place on the (inactive now) soon to be active partition. So, sound stuff could be (likely be) a different location and the car can read the code okay, and it works. But code could deliver to some other bad spot and something else might not work. So an OTA (38.0) could fix your problem. But that also means, the next OTA let's call this one 39.0, could break something else. Because now you have circled back to the same partition with this 39.0 install that you had the sound problem. Unlikely that sound stuff would deliver to the same place that it was way back with 37.1. So same bad spot are there, but some other code is in that spot and something different doesn't work.

Not the best explanation, but I am running out of time before I have to be somewhere. Sorry. Hope you get a basic idea. A different problem could occur after your next update. And if the problem is your eMMC, this problem is not going to get better with time. In fact, it will get worse with time.

So, all along we have been blaming Tesla for writing all these bad updates

 

[HenryT]

So, all along we have been blaming Tesla for writing all these bad updates

.. or writing these updates to bad places!

@Akikiki - thanks v much for your assistance. I do follow your thinking (I think,) and agree it looks like the beginning of the end. (2015 MS by the way - another bad omen!)

I'll keep an eye on the other 'markers' and start pondering the inevitable MCU2 or not question.

 

[bigdaddie]

Just so everyone knows, if your car was under warranty when your emmc died you will get no reimbursement. Mine was dead and I opted to pay for the MCU 2 upgrade. Apparently if I would have waited 2 more months for the warranty to expire, I would have received some reimbursement. But as usual, I got the Tesla shaft.

 

[flygy]

@dark cloud, your memory serves you well. Yes, there's been more than one report of problems after eMMC daughterboard replacements. I recall at least one that the SC went further according to the owner was replacing the MCU1.

I remember at least three, could be there was more. But with these problems, I don't remember seeing a return posts by the owners that their's was fixed. So, I think yes, there could be some that don't easily fix with daughterboard. And I don't recall how they were fixed. But its not many - that's good news.

My car is in service now and they replaced the emmc daughter board and they are now telling me its the FPGA that is bad and I will need to pay $1100 to fix it. First they told me it was covered under the warranty recall and now its not. Anyone else seeing this type of behavior?

 

[flygy]

@dark cloud, your memory serves you well. Yes, there's been more than one report of problems after eMMC daughterboard replacements. I recall at least one that the SC went further according to the owner was replacing the MCU1.

I remember at least three, could be there was more. But with these problems, I don't remember seeing a return posts by the owners that their's was fixed. So, I think yes, there could be some that don't easily fix with daughterboard. And I don't recall how they were fixed. But its not many - that's good news.

My car is in service now and they replaced the emmc daughter board and they are now telling me its the FPGA that is bad and I will need to pay $1100 to fix it. First they told me it was covered under the warranty recall and now its not. Anyone else seeing this type of behavior?

 

[Akikiki]

We have heard of FPGA issues. Was withing the last 6-8 months on here. In this thread or the "Preventative" (first word in title) thread. I am sorry, but I don't remember more details.

Quick search here found these.

Problem with FPGA

Hi All. I have an MCU that keeps rebooting and i get these entries in the syslog: 2020-06-06T07:47:40.569211-07:00 cid QtCar[889]: [I2CDevice] ERROR FPGA read error: reg = 4 result = -1 2020-06-06T07:47:40.569637-07:00 cid QtCar[889]: [] ERROR FPGA reports display error: ff...

teslamotorsclub.com

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

I am getting a scrambled partial screen about once a week on my 10/2015 Model S. Tesla service states this is unrelated to the eMMC issue and not covered as part of warranty. What do you think? That is exactly the type of behaviour I have had from my screen, each time following a software...

teslamotorsclub.com

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

Thanks Tony. Not sure I found the fine print, but one upgrade (2020.40.9.2 to 2020.48.12.1) and 6 factory resets later, we'll see what happens. I won't be doing an extended drive for another week or so. I did notice that after each of the first 3 factory resets, my LTE would continuously reset...

teslamotorsclub.com

Preventive eMMC replacement on MCU1

All reset. The odometer seemed to be close to what I recall, so I am not sure if they reprogram that in after the upgrade. But all my previous info and data were gone. So if that information is important, then a good idea to write it down before the upgrade. I have been keeping a spreadsheet...

teslamotorsclub.com

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

I am getting a scrambled partial screen about once a week on my 10/2015 Model S. Tesla service states this is unrelated to the eMMC issue and not covered as part of warranty. What do you think? That is exactly the type of behaviour I have had from my screen, each time following a software...

teslamotorsclub.com

Preventive eMMC replacement on MCU1

I'll add my tale of woe..... Purchased a 2015 S90D several months ago. First inkling of issues was driving home from work (180 mile). Being a new car (to me) started to examine all the streaming audio options. Noticed after 20 minutes responsiveness of the MCU became worse and worse. Also...

teslamotorsclub.com

Warranty Adjustment Program – Touchscreen Component email - Wow - watch for it

So I'm being told that my emmc is not bad, but my FPGA chip needs reflashed. Anyone else getting this response?

teslamotorsclub.com

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

I am getting a scrambled partial screen about once a week on my 10/2015 Model S. Tesla service states this is unrelated to the eMMC issue and not covered as part of warranty. What do you think? That is exactly the type of behaviour I have had from my screen, each time following a software...

teslamotorsclub.com

Warranty Adjustment Program – Touchscreen Component email - Wow - watch for it

So I'm being told that my emmc is not bad, but my FPGA chip needs reflashed. Anyone else getting this response?

teslamotorsclub.com

And there was more.

 

[Akikiki]

So, all along we have been blaming Tesla for writing all these bad updates

In 2013 when I got my first S, and we got an update to firmware ver 3.0 to 3.1, someone checked its size. It was about 300 mb. Most recent that I have heard 3rd party fixers report its around 1.2 or 1.3 GB, and that's a version that does not contain FSD Beta. 1.3 is a lot of code. And yeah it seems to some of us, I guess, that every significant update is shortly followed by a maintenance bump up to fix something that the bigger one broke. So, yeah, clean OTA updates can add features and temporary undo/break something else. Not uncommon in OSes.

And then separate from this, we've heard owners report taking their cars in and the SC telling them, they downloaded the same or recent update, because the one on the car had corrupt files. So, yes, OTA downloads get corrupted also. And after the new download/install the car is "fixed". But sometimes it is okay, under the next firmware update, and the bad spots/sectors get used again, and again the car can't read the code in and suddenly the problem they had begins again. This time, it might not be a blank screen, because the code that can't be read in is not the same service that it was before. Could be music this time.

But what we have seen over the last two years. What I have read threads and collected eMMC failures data on is the hardware failing; which sounds like bad spots on media; with some smart people saying that the eMMC controller is flaky and sometimes doesn't read good code from good sectors; and doesn't flag/misses bad sectors which can allow good code files get installed. So code gets written to spots that were supposed to be good, but the OS/CPU can't read if from those spots every time. What we see is, services such as 3G, headlights, scheduled charging, Music, turn signals and a biggie, the display service can't bring up the image on the screen. Somethings everything seems to still work, but we see nothing on the screen.

There's a two really smart fixer type guys here on TMC that have dug into the eMMC controller. As I recall their words, they think the bigger problem of the eMMC is not the media side with bad sectors, but its the eMMC controller that intermittently fails to properly control and register where bad spots are. Now, having said, what I said, for 99.9% of us, we don't care what the problem is, we just want it fixed. And fixing just means get us off/away from the bad eMMC regardless of what its problems are, and give up the hardware that works. Right? I think it took a while (maybe a lot longer than it should) for Tesla to acknowledge to us that there's a problem and fix it.

 

[Krash]

My car is in service now and they replaced the emmc daughter board and they are now telling me its the FPGA that is bad and I will need to pay $1100 to fix it. First they told me it was covered under the warranty recall and now its not. Anyone else seeing this type of behavior?

I would try another service center and get a second opinion if you can. I was told that I had a corrupted FPGA that needed to be reflashed and cost several hundred dollars. While it did lessen the MCU failure issues they did not go away and like your FPGA replacement cost, you are not likely to have Tesla reimburse that expense. For $1100 I would definitely have an MCU1 upgraded to MCU2 instead for $400 plus tuner. What year is your car?

 

[gmo43]

Thanks for the follow up Akikiki, I do appreciate it.

No, I don't routinely mute the sound - I can try that and will, but I don't think that affect the sound from the indicators, homelink etc, would it? They are silenced as well the audio sources. Mine isn't intermittent, its just dead silence until a re-boot.

The car is usually connected to wifi at home but I usually use DAB for audio, not spotify or other web based service, so not sure that would have any affect? In mine, the radio shows it is connected to the station selected and will change stations/audio sources on demand, also the volume control display comes up on the IC display and changes value up/down as I roll the left control wheel, but no sound still. Likewise the warning sensors are silent as I reverse out the driveway, the gate closes with the homelink but again, no beep. This started for me 3 days ago and seems a habit now.

Maybe try a hard reset. Under the settings. Restore car as new.

 

[Droschke]

I think it took a while (maybe a lot longer than it should) for Tesla to acknowledge to us that there's a problem and fix it.

The acronym "NHTSA" deserves to be inserted somewhere in there.

 

[gmo43]

The acronym "NHTSA" deserves to be inserted somewhere in there.

Along with many people that took time to report the failures to them! Like me. You are welcome. Haha

 

[sdoorex]

I also paid $200 under the ESA and the site said not eligible for reimbursement. I selected the non Tesla option, attached the invoice and added a note. We’ll see what happens.

Tesla will not reimburse my ESA deductible because the technician at the time recorded the issue as a general internal MCU fault not specifically referring to it eMMC failure in their service notes and did not specify eMMC failure either on the invoice notes. Here's the technician notes from my invoice:

MCU non responsive, vehicle towed in . 12v reset does not restore functionality, Cannont connect to vehicle online or
through garage. Replaced MCU and updated frimware. Operation restored.

 

[gmo43]

Tesla will not reimburse my ESA deductible because the technician at the time recorded the issue as a general internal MCU fault not specifically referring to it eMMC failure in their service notes and did not specify eMMC failure either on the invoice notes. Here's the technician notes from my invoice:

Petty BS of company! After the amount of money we have paid and out into these cars. They cant even refund the deductible. WOW

 

[ElectricTundra]

Tesla will not reimburse my ESA deductible because the technician at the time recorded the issue as a general internal MCU fault not specifically referring to it eMMC failure in their service notes and did not specify eMMC failure either on the invoice notes. Here's the technician notes from my invoice:

I may be facing something similar. On the online reimbursement form they say "No record of potentially reimbursable repairs performed by Tesla"

Yet when I first took it in they said it was eMMC failure and that if I wanted the MCU2 upgrade I'd need to wait. I waited a few weeks but then w/ Covid my son & DIL needed to move in with us and needed a car so went ahead w/ MCU1. Invoice is:

 

[sdoorex]

I may be facing something similar. On the online reimbursement form they say "No record of potentially reimbursable repairs performed by Tesla"

Yet when I first took it in they said it was eMMC failure and that if I wanted the MCU2 upgrade I'd need to wait. I waited a few weeks but then w/ Covid my son & DIL needed to move in with us and needed a car so went ahead w/ MCU1. Invoice is:

View attachment 644342

They replaced the exact same components on mine. The most recent service person I talked to claimed that because they didn’t replace only the daughterboard, which wasn’t an option at the time of my service, that it shows there was more issues. My opinion is that those components had to be retrofit because I has an original 2013 MCU with 3G and the replacement MCU has different connectors. I’m not sure what my next recourse is and I don’t believe it would be worth it to take Tesla to court over my $200 ESA deductible. It has however cemented my plan to replace this car with a non-Tesla because I’m so tired of the constant service run around with them having zero internal consistency except to screw over owners to cut costs.

 

[EV-Fixme]

They replaced the exact same components on mine. The most recent service person I talked to claimed that because they didn’t replace only the daughterboard, which wasn’t an option at the time of my service, that it shows there was more issues. My opinion is that those components had to be retrofit because I has an original 2013 MCU with 3G and the replacement MCU has different connectors. I’m not sure what my next recourse is and I don’t believe it would be worth it to take Tesla to court over my $200 ESA deductible. It has however cemented my plan to replace this car with a non-Tesla because I’m so tired of the constant service run around with them having zero internal consistency except to screw over owners to cut costs.View attachment 644382

The slightly newer MCU does need wireing changes to be installed into the old cars, the same wiring will allow MCU2 to connect. Sorry your having challenges due to the timing of your repair. Hopefully they realize soon and credit you back.

 

[ParagPA]

I paid for an MCU replacement on my 2015 MS because of eMMC failure in 2019. Service center confirms that I should get a reimbursement for this, but tesla site shows that I don't have any qualifying repairs. Tesla SC has no advice on how to get a hold of anyone to update whatever needs to be updated so that my repair "counts".

Does anyone have any advice? Thanks much.

 

[DMC-Orangeville]

I paid for an MCU replacement on my 2015 MS because of eMMC failure in 2019. Service center confirms that I should get a reimbursement for this, but tesla site shows that I don't have any qualifying repairs. Tesla SC has no advice on how to get a hold of anyone to update whatever needs to be updated so that my repair "counts".

Does anyone have any advice? Thanks much.

I went to the on-line "chat" at Tesla service. I gave them my VIN, explained the inability to file a claim. She took my details, and filed it for me. You'll need a copy of the service invoice.

She did say she filed it, but it's up to Tesla if they pay it
Try that