Dog mode has a bug

[scottm]

It was reported and Tesla is going to fix it.

I have a dog and sometimes use the mode, which apparently works only if you do / don't do specific things with HVAC controls.

Does anybody have a better description of the problem and what I should make sure I'm doing to use it right, and what to avoid doing that causes it to not work?

Thanks

 

[compu85]

This is the first I've heard of a problem with dog mode.

We use it often in our 3.. no issues.

 

[destructure00]

It was reported and Tesla is going to fix it.

I have a dog and sometimes use the mode, which apparently works only if you do / don't do specific things with HVAC controls.

Does anybody have a better description of the problem and what I should make sure I'm doing to use it right, and what to avoid doing that causes it to not work?

Thanks

My understanding of the tweet was that dog mode only works if A/C is in Auto mode.

 

[FredD]

The most irritating part of dog mode in Europe is, that the language on the display telling that the dog is OK is in your own language, the UI-language. But when in any other country than the Netherlands it should display at least also in the local language and/or English or switch language every 5 seconds. There is more in the world than just USA, Tesla ;-)

 

[Cosmacelf]

There could be other bugs lurking. Check your car’s temperature every five minutes or so if you’ve left your pet in the car.

 

[brianman]

The most irritating part of dog mode in Europe is, that the language on the display telling that the dog is OK is in your own language, the UI-language. But when in any other country than the Netherlands it should display at least also in the local language and/or English or switch language every 5 seconds. There is more in the world than just USA, Tesla ;-)

This is good feedback. I hope you give it to Tesla directly.

 

[DavidB]

There could be other bugs lurking. Check your car’s temperature every five minutes or so if you’ve left your pet in the car.

You are assuming that the car reports the correct temperature. I've encountered a bug with ON mode (in a Model X) where the temperature was very off--far warmer than reported. I turned off the climate control, and seconds later, turned it back on. The temperature reported jumped over 20 degrees (from 70s to 90s).

 

[Cosmacelf]

You are assuming that the car reports the correct temperature. I've encountered a bug with ON mode (in a Model X) where the temperature was very off--far warmer than reported. I turned off the climate control, and seconds later, turned it back on. The temperature reported jumped over 20 degrees (from 70s to 90s).

Oh geez. Ok, backup plan, teach your dog to bark twice if it gets too hot, put in a walkie talkie in your car...

 

[T-Mom]

"Dog mode has a bug" ???? hope it isn't a flea

 

[RiverBrick]

I reported another Dog mode bug months ago, but only got a canned response. They either didn't understand what I was explaining or didn't take me seriously.

When the A/C is broken you get no warning when the inside temperature soars. As long as the A/C is trying, the system is happy. Never mind if it's 140F in the vehicle.

 

[scottm]

So it ignores temperature, so long as its trying, .. great.

I bet dog mode doesnt alert on the app if temp goes above some threshold either... which would be a no brainer.

 

[scottm]

Hey, what happens with dog mode when the state of charge drops below 20% does it just stop !? Like so many other features that cease to work below 20% as a self preservation thing? Wouldn't surprise me if it just quits too, and also did nothing about it (not even an alert to app)

The car has enough smarts to know if cabin temp is higher than outside temp... if dog mode was active and inside temp soared for whatever reason (AC fault, low battery, etc. ) the car should do an emergency maneuver and lower all windows half way if outside temp is cooler than inside... and start honking horn... and flip the display message to "Stuck inside this overheating car please rescue me!"

 

[scottm]

My understanding of the tweet was that dog mode only works if A/C is in Auto mode.

OK so if you select dog mode, then knock the auto AC off... the car will display dog mode screen with temp.. but the AC will not come on so temp rises with screen proudly saying the dog is fine and sky high temps are showing...

Ya, I'd say that's a bug.

Lets see what the fix is. What will Tesla do:

• prevent AC auto from being able to be turned off if you've already selected dog mode,
• Or, not offer dog mode if auto is currently not on,
• Or, setting dog mode also sets AC auto, which can't then be turned off
• Turn off dog mode, if you turn off AC auto, and not show the mode screen

We should take votes.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Dog mode is just like most software these days. Software developers and/or their managers just aren't smart enough to figure out these basic real world consequences of their products. Being a software developer myself, its kinda depressing.

 

[scottm]

Ya, dog mode is a very half-baked solution. Probably only a quarter baked.

They didn't explore many scenarios or exploit nearly what they could have if more time was spent thinking about what would make dog mode great!

 

[DavidB]

Hey, what happens with dog mode when the state of charge drops below 20% does it just stop !? Like so many other features that cease to work below 20% as a self preservation thing? Wouldn't surprise me if it just quits too, and also did nothing about it (not even an alert to app)

The car has enough smarts to know if cabin temp is higher than outside temp... if dog mode was active and inside temp soared for whatever reason (AC fault, low battery, etc. ) the car should do an emergency maneuver and lower all windows half way if outside temp is cooler than inside... and start honking horn... and flip the display message to "Stuck inside this overheating car please rescue me!"

I forget the actual % (I think it is less than 20), but the app warns you that your car is getting low on charge. Later, the app warns you that cabin temperature control will have to shut down soon. I've never experienced it actually shutting down.

 

[newddftr]

Very nice and informative. Keep writing like this. Thank you so much.

Thanks & Regards,
Engineering Toowoomba

 

[scottm]

I forget the actual % (I think it is less than 20), but the app warns you that your car is getting low on charge. Later, the app warns you that cabin temperature control will have to shut down soon. I've never experienced it actually shutting down.

Good to know, thanks

 

[mknox]

The bug is in how v9 handles HVAC itself, as far as I'm concerned. In version 8 and prior, you could select each of Fan, Mode, Recirculate and A/C and individually select which you want in Auto and which you want to control manually. It was brilliant and largely like most other cars. Now it's all messed up. I like to not use A/C if I don't have to, keep the car on outside air (Recirculate Off) but leave Mode and Fan on Auto for the most part. It is now really clunky to do this kind of thing and often after a stop/start of the car it's all messed up. Fine for those who like the set-and-forget Auto system, but useless for any kind of manual control. I am guessing the same thing that messes up the HVAC settings when you try to over-ride is also messing up Dog Mode.

 

[S'toon]

Tesla starts pushing fix to its 'Dog Mode' in incredible turnaround - Electrek