Did the bar not previously go to 100%? Any chance the software just changed so that 100% is now 40kWh, instead of 60kWh?
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The Model S 40s had the charge bar limited to 68%. (That is how Tesla applied the limit back then.)
@Model S 4229 - is yours still allowing you to charge to 100%?
I just bought a 40kwh model S Nov 16, my first Tesla and first EV! The dealership told me that it was a 40 unlocked to a 60 and quoted the cars range as >180 miles. At the time of purchase this seemed to be true, since it was charged to ~70%-75% when I arrived at the dealership, and for the first couple days after I got it home I could also charge as high as I wanted (highest I did was 80%). Then around day 4 or 5 it was suddenly locked at 40kwh again. A software update was installed and ownership was transferred to me in the Tesla app around day 4 or 5 so I'm assuming one of those was the cause. It made me wonder if it ever had been officially unlocked (by paying Tesla). Does anyone have any idea why my battery charging was suddenly limited to 68%? I called my local SC and the guy looked at the service records and saw nothing indicating the battery was ever unlocked, and told me it would be $3000 to do so. If the battery unlock was never purchased by the previous owner, then how was it unlocked to 60kwh at the dealership?
Your mention of a possible firmware update made me wonder if this car was also suddenly unlocked to a 60 in October. Perhaps my losing the ability to charge all the way is related to the ownership transferring to me.
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It is possible that it was hacked and unlocked by the hacker. Then Tesla noticed that and "fixed" it when transferring ownership.
Does that kind of thing require someone fairly skilled with code? I'm wondering how likely it is that the dealership did it versus someone else. I think they only had the car for a few weeks or less after buying it from an auction before selling it to me.
Akikiki
A'-Lo-HA ! y'all
Congratulations on the Tesla. Good. Might be useful to you to spend some time here on TMC searching for 40 kWh threads. I think you will find some useful info.
When the 40 was new Tesla told owners they could unlock from 40 to 60 for $10,000. This worked/was true for several years. Some time later, I guessing around 2016 or 2017, the quietly started unlocking the batter at no cost. Yes, the could have done them all remotely, but we don't know why they did not. However, we know for a fact that a few people drove to their local SC and asked and the SC unlocked the battery. (I know of two that did this.)
I can't guess why they would now ask any money much less $3,000 for what they did for free. Maybe you want to call around Tesla. I saw that, because maybe that person is using old info, or wrong info. I'd call around.
Separate issue/question: Is Supercharging unlocked? Because in 2013, when those cars were built, they are equipped with SC hardware, just locked. And for the same time they were charging unlocking the battery for $10,000, they were unlocking the Supercharging. At the time, you could pay $2,000 to unlock Supercharging at delivery. And after delivery $2,500
Probably can't find this written anywhere now, but those of us that have been around since the beginning, remember. If you have too much time on your hands, you might go back to 2013 on the Wayback Machine and see if its documented.
Good luck. Keep us posted. And I should have said, in the Wayback Machine, got teslamotors.com not tesla.com
BTW, about 3-4 years ago, we learned during a Supercharging online meeting with the SC Team, that most of the ~400 40's were converted to 60's via owner purchasing the unlock, or trade-ins to Tesla and resold as 60's. There were about 100 left in the wild as 40's.
I'm guess the dealdership you are referring to was a non-Tesla dealership? Tesla has generally reached a point they wholesale older cars vice selling them, themselves to the public.
When the 40 was new Tesla told owners they could unlock from 40 to 60 for $10,000. This worked/was true for several years. Some time later, I guessing around 2016 or 2017, the quietly started unlocking the batter at no cost. Yes, the could have done them all remotely, but we don't know why they did not. However, we know for a fact that a few people drove to their local SC and asked and the SC unlocked the battery. (I know of two that did this.)
I can't guess why they would now ask any money much less $3,000 for what they did for free. Maybe you want to call around Tesla. I saw that, because maybe that person is using old info, or wrong info. I'd call around.
Separate issue/question: Is Supercharging unlocked? Because in 2013, when those cars were built, they are equipped with SC hardware, just locked. And for the same time they were charging unlocking the battery for $10,000, they were unlocking the Supercharging. At the time, you could pay $2,000 to unlock Supercharging at delivery. And after delivery $2,500
Probably can't find this written anywhere now, but those of us that have been around since the beginning, remember. If you have too much time on your hands, you might go back to 2013 on the Wayback Machine and see if its documented.
Good luck. Keep us posted. And I should have said, in the Wayback Machine, got teslamotors.com not tesla.com
BTW, about 3-4 years ago, we learned during a Supercharging online meeting with the SC Team, that most of the ~400 40's were converted to 60's via owner purchasing the unlock, or trade-ins to Tesla and resold as 60's. There were about 100 left in the wild as 40's.
I'm guess the dealdership you are referring to was a non-Tesla dealership? Tesla has generally reached a point they wholesale older cars vice selling them, themselves to the public.
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@Akikiki Thanks for this info. I read earlier posts in this thread about Tesla unlocking the battery for free. I mentioned that to the Tesla SC guy on the phone and he said not to believe everything people claim in the online forums (I believe you, I'm just repeating what he said) and that the only way he could upgrade me was if I paid for it.
Would I possibly have better luck going directly to the SC in person and asking rather than asking over the phone? Also, are there other ways to contact Tesla to ask about this or is contacting a SC the only way to go?
Supercharging is not unlocked. I tried a supercharger both before and after ownership was transferred to me but no luck. It would be nice to have, but I'm more frustrated by the battery charge being limited, given I thought it was fully unlocked when I purchased it.
Would I possibly have better luck going directly to the SC in person and asking rather than asking over the phone? Also, are there other ways to contact Tesla to ask about this or is contacting a SC the only way to go?
Supercharging is not unlocked. I tried a supercharger both before and after ownership was transferred to me but no luck. It would be nice to have, but I'm more frustrated by the battery charge being limited, given I thought it was fully unlocked when I purchased it.
Akikiki
A'-Lo-HA ! y'all
I don't know how best to pursue this. We almost never hear of upper management above the SCs, but I think that's who you need. If you can, I'd visit more than one SC. Maybe you will get a different answer. And might as well as for free Supercharging. I mean, would, they want to sell you juice for a recharge? (I'd cleverly not know that those years came with Free Unlimited SuperCharging, in case you are asked.) Let them tell you. Who knows, what's the harm in asking?
It was a non-Tesla dealership. A really small non-franchise dealership.
Akikiki
A'-Lo-HA ! y'all
New Subject, Look on your screen under Software, and pull up the properties of your car - the MCU. You will breath fresh life into your car with a MCU upgrade to MCU2. I am guessing, but I suspect yours is still MCU1.
If I had your car, and was considering spending $2500-3000 on it, I would spend that on MCU2 upgrade before a battery unlock
https://www.tesla.com/support/infotainment Just my two cents, unasked for.
If I had your car, and was considering spending $2500-3000 on it, I would spend that on MCU2 upgrade before a battery unlock
https://www.tesla.com/support/infotainment Just my two cents, unasked for.
I'm pretty sure it has MCU2. It has the premium connectivity package which has worked well so far. Music and video streaming has been easy and there is no screen lag. At the top of the screen it says LTE. Is this also a sign it's MCU2? I thought I remember reading that MCU1 would say 3g.
Akikiki
A'-Lo-HA ! y'all
Could be. Sounds some what like MCU2. MCU2 says processor is Atom, not Tegra. LTE came out in new cars in April 2015. So, they have had 8 1/2 years to have done that by itself. Especially considering 3G was turned off by at&t almost 4 years ago. (Feb 2020, if I recall correctly).
Yeah, but I remember part of this a little differently than you do.
I remember how it was originally a huge amount--that $10,000 figure you mentioned--and then I remember it being lowered to a much more reasonable price several years later--that $3,000 you said sounds about right. I remember several people saying they got it done for that lower price over the years. A lot of the service personnel didn't even know about it, so people had to ask around enough to get someone knowledgeable to find how to do it and put in that price. But I don't think I had heard of Tesla just doing it for nothing, much less that being actual policy.
Yes, and I'm certain it wasn't people at the dealership.
Yes, they are separate upgrades. I have the original MCU1, and I did pay to have them do the cellular upgrade from 3G to LTE when they had to take my unit out anyway to replace the screen that was leaking adhesive, but I didn't do the full upgrade to the MCU2.
I unlocked my 2013 S40 to 60 for $2500. I also upgraded supercharging for another $2500. I have never heard of Tesla unlocking for free. I did hear a case of Tesla accidentally unlocking it at the time of delivery but later on after software update, they locked it.