Don't upgrade software when Tesla support is closed.

[RayK]

My car had a couple of failed updates after successfully getting its first. Tried the usual solutions: installed WiFi extender in garage, parked the car with the front end closest to the WiFi signal, disabled wireless security, requested service to push the update to me, etc. None of the failed updates caused problems with driveability. Got to the point where I scheduled a service visit so they could look at the problem a bit closer. Night before my appointment I get an email saying that they remotely reformatted the "SD card" and that appears to have fixed the problem as I've been receiving all of the updates since.

 

[boaterva]

Normally this is not a problem at all as we’ve seen. It doesn’t update, no problem, carry on. I updated our 3 one morning and it didn’t reboot. Boot loader failed or something was the story later. So it was actually dead.

After hours of waiting for it to come back (which was BS, they were just stalling) got someone to access the car and reset it. Then they couldn’t even start it. Were going to have to flatbed it to service center until I thought of turning it off and on with the app locally and that started in.

Always shocked how little tech support knows sometimes.

But, yeah, sometimes an update can crash it. Just like your PC.

 

[fseir]

I just received a notice to update software.

I chose to update it

The update failed and now I have a message on the screen that "Software update is needed".


Oh well.....never again.


Last 4 updates....3 failed.

I got an update notice around the same time today, but the Tesla app wouldn’t connect to the server, so I couldn’t install. Later, I decided to restart my phone, and the update notice was gone. Wonder if they pulled it, due to a problem? I’m still on 28.3.1.

Car downloaded 552 MB today.

 

[focher]

We had updates fail on our X and then stopped getting them. At that time, multiple repeat update failures would result in the system blacklisting the car. Service reformatted the SD card and no problems since - about 1 1/2 years ago.

No problem with our 3. Unless the car indicates a specific problem, a failed update is not a cause for concern about its drivability.

 

[Mojito]

Maybe it has something to do with which Hardware you have I have 2.5 and never had a fail.

 

[M109Rider]

I have no idea. Tesla won't tell me why they are failing.

I don't know if I should drive to work tomorrow.

If the car runs, you’ll be fine to drive it.
It sounds like they aren’t sure yet why it’s failing, rather then not telling you.

What were the screen messages on the other two that failed ?

 

[TeeEmCee]

What situation? Nothing is wrong. The car fine, no operation is lost as far as I'm aware. Needing an update pushed again is hardly a critical situation to be in, no?

You actually don’t know that. A failed update is just that, failed, with no real indication as to what part of it has failed and with what outcome/consequences.

You presume it to be inconsequential, perhaps thinking that updates are either not applied at all or are fully rolled back. There’s no guarantee/indication that a full rollback is performed after an update failure was detected.

Being concerned with driving a vehicle controlled by invalid software is perfectly reasonable and prudent.

 

[disapr]

The car does not partially update. If it fails, it will roll back.

Disable Sentry mode, remove the USB drive and start the update again.

 

[Garlan Garner]

The car does not partially update. If it fails, it will roll back.

Disable Sentry mode, remove the USB drive and start the update again.

My update went through. I didn't finish is what I was told this morning.

Last night I noticed that I was on a different release after the failed attempt.

I'm supposed to call them back at 9AM CST because that's when Tier 2 starts their day.

Calling in 10 min.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Well,

There you have it.

I called Tesla Customer Support 5 times today and got 5 different explanations as to why my software update failed.

Really?

I didn't call and ask anyones opinion as to why the update failed. I'm asking a scientific/factual question. How in the world am I getting so many different explanations.

1. My WIFI signal is insufficient.
2. This Tesla update is plagued with issues.
3. The software update got stuck.
4. The software update finished, but the car couldn't update my account.
5. Call the Service Center and make an appointment because you need a new CPU.

Really?

Now it is possible for a few of these things to happen at the same time, but geesh.

 

[fseir]

I got the update notice again this morning. Updated, and now on 32.1.

 

[Knightshade]

Well,

There you have it.

I called Tesla Customer Support 5 times today and got 5 different explanations as to why my software update failed.

Really?

Man- if only someone had told you yesterday you were completely wasting your time calling!

Oh...wait...we did.

 

[PoitNarf]

Well,

There you have it.

I called Tesla Customer Support 5 times today and got 5 different explanations as to why my software update failed.

Really?

I didn't call and ask anyones opinion as to why the update failed. I'm asking a scientific/factual question. How in the world am I getting so many different explanations.

1. My WIFI signal is insufficient.
2. This Tesla update is plagued with issues.
3. The software update got stuck.
4. The software update finished, but the car couldn't update my account.
5. Call the Service Center and make an appointment because you need a new CPU.

Really?

Now it is possible for a few of these things to happen at the same time, but geesh.

And I’m guessing none of these 5 supposed explanations is in fact accurate. My money is on your SD card needing to be formatted or replaced.

 

[RayK]

2019.32.1 just installed. This is probably the 10th update I've installed without any issues after having my SD card reformatted.

 

[jasdelta]

2019.32.1 just installed. This is probably the 10th update I've installed without any issues after having my SD card reformatted.

Just curious, where is this sd card you mention that has been reformatted? How was that done?

 

[RayK]

Just curious, where is this sd card you mention that has been reformatted? How was that done?

The card is internal somewhere. I'm not sure if it is (easily) accessible by the owner. Just before a service appointment I received an email telling me that they had reformatted the card via an over-the-air command and since then there has been no issues with receiving or installing the new updates.

 

[Knightshade]

The car has internal flash storage- it's where SW updates are stored. It's not massive- which is why they're limited in how many games they can put on the car and soon you'll need to delete some to add others.

It'll become a huge limitation if they ever decide to go ahead with an app store type system unless they figure a way to enable adding more storage.

 

[evannole]

In Garlan’s case, no, this does not appear to be a critical situation. His car is able to be driven. In one of my failed updates I did lose all autopilot functions. It was annoying, but not necessarily critical. Regardless, this should be one of the functions that the tier 1 support people can perform, at least that’s what I think.

Agree. I had an update fail last week, rendering the car inoperable. I called support but it was in the evening; after a long wait, I finally reached someone but the folks who can re-push software updates had already gone home for the night. So the rep who helped me and who was very nice put it on their queue for the next morning.

Unfortunately, the next morning, the car was completely dead - I later learned that something about the failure of the software update ran down and ultimately killed the 12V battery. So, I took a Lyft to the doctor's appointment that I had at 9 AM, and from there took another straight to my local service center, which, fortunately, is less than 2 miles from my house, as I was unable to reach them by phone. They sent a tow truck, had it towed over, and got me a loaner Model S by the end of the day. They figured out the next day that it was indeed the 12V battery, and had my car back to me by the end of the day. So, the issue was resolved but I had to jump through more hoops than I would have liked, and I ended up having to work from home as between waiting on the towing and the delay in getting a loaner, there was no time to drive to my office.

When the service center started communicating with me via text message while this was going on, it occurred to me that I did in fact have their texting number, and that seemed to be a much more efficient way to talking to them. The next time I need service or have a software update failure, I will probably go that route, or submit something through the app.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Interesting how many Tesla issues are caused by the one main legacy item they still are forced to use in their cars.
The "Old as Edison" battery is a common failure point.
I am sure that Tesla is frustrated by the shortcomings of this olde technology, but that it is still necessary to produce a modern car.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Agree. I had an update fail last week, rendering the car inoperable. I called support but it was in the evening; after a long wait, I finally reached someone but the folks who can re-push software updates had already gone home for the night. So the rep who helped me and who was very nice put it on their queue for the next morning.

Unfortunately, the next morning, the car was completely dead - I later learned that something about the failure of the software update ran down and ultimately killed the 12V battery. So, I took a Lyft to the doctor's appointment that I had at 9 AM, and from there took another straight to my local service center, which, fortunately, is less than 2 miles from my house, as I was unable to reach them by phone. They sent a tow truck, had it towed over, and got me a loaner Model S by the end of the day. They figured out the next day that it was indeed the 12V battery, and had my car back to me by the end of the day. So, the issue was resolved but I had to jump through more hoops than I would have liked, and I ended up having to work from home as between waiting on the towing and the delay in getting a loaner, there was no time to drive to my office.

When the service center started communicating with me via text message while this was going on, it occurred to me that I did in fact have their texting number, and that seemed to be a much more efficient way to talking to them. The next time I need service or have a software update failure, I will probably go that route, or submit something through the app.

I'm glad you can smile about this. I would be furious - as I am now.

These cars cost WAAAYYYY too much

AND

Tesla has been in business WAAAAYYYY too long

for us to have problems like this and for 1st level technical support to not know what is going on.