Drop-In Center Console now in the Tesla Model S online store

[tomp]

Another issue with the console is that, at least with an iphone, the phone does not rest flat against the back plate (which is the hinged cover after swinging it up). Rather, it sticks up in midair, and the back of the phone is ~1/2 inch away from the back. I am planning to try to adjust the 'stop point' of the hinged cover so that the phone rests against it.

I'm going to try to take some pictures to show this. But since I usually use my phone to take pictures, I have to find another way to show this!

 

[bob_p]

I have a Galaxy S5 in a case, and was able to adapt the console so that it will dock and charge.

The fix took only a few minutes, and required shaving a small amount of plastic from inside where the microUSB cable mounts inside the console, to allow the adapter to protrude enough so that it will charge the phone inside a case. To keep the adapter from slipping back into the console, I used a small amount of electrical tape as padding underneath the microUSB connector inside the console.

Plus, I was able to move the USB connector from one of the car's USB ports to a USB fast charging adapter I have plugged into the power port, so the phone not only charges - but charges at the higher speed rate.

At least with the case that I have, the phone fits flat on the console - and charges when connected.

 

[chickensevil]

I have a Galaxy S5 in a case, and was able to adapt the console so that it will dock and charge.

The fix took only a few minutes, and required shaving a small amount of plastic from inside where the microUSB cable mounts inside the console, to allow the adapter to protrude enough so that it will charge the phone inside a case. To keep the adapter from slipping back into the console, I used a small amount of electrical tape as padding underneath the microUSB connector inside the console.

Plus, I was able to move the USB connector from one of the car's USB ports to a USB fast charging adapter I have plugged into the power port, so the phone not only charges - but charges at the higher speed rate.

At least with the case that I have, the phone fits flat on the console - and charges when connected.

Can you expand on this? Like pictures or a bit more detail to what exactly you changed and how to safely get at these parts of the console without damaging anything? I would hate to start poking around in there and break some of the plastic.

I am personally fine with the slower rate of charge but if you could expand on how you modded this as well it would be helpful. I don't think we need pictures of the phone in the dock (in case you don't have a second camera to take pictures of the phone) but pictures of other parts of this would be amazingly appreciated!

 

[bob_p]

The fix is pretty easy.

As I recall, these are the steps:

Unplug everything from the USB and power port (to create clearance).

You should now be able to slide out the "floor" of the console between the charging dock and the USB ports, which will expose the supplied USB cable.

There should be screws holding the dock connector in the console - unscrew those - and screws holding the dock connector together.

Visual inspection of the inside should show one of the screw posts inside the dock connector is preventing the connector from sliding upward (when assembled). Remove the USB cable and carefully shave a little of the plastic off of that post. Reinsert the USB cable - and verify you now make a connection by plugging the USB cable into the car or another power source.

Since the plastic part was designed for a snug fit, keeping the USB connector in place - and when you shave off plastic to expose more of the connector, there will now be a small gap at the bottom of the USB connector and the dock plastic piece. I used a small amount of electrical tape wedged into that gap to prevent the USB connector from getting pushed back into the console.

Once this has been done - then reassemble everything.

If you want to use high-speed charging, make sure that when you route the USB cable inside the console that you have enough slack to reach the circular power port. Purchase a high-speed USB charger (these are typically labelled something like "2.0 A"), I purchased one that had two USB ports. Instead of plugging the console USB plug into one of the car's USB ports, plug it into the USB charger. That should provide higher speed charging than the Tesla ports.

Hope this helps...

[Now that I have all of this working, hesitant to take the console apart again to take pictures...]

 

[chickensevil]

thanks for the description, truly!

Can you at least take a close up of the finished product? I would love to see how much more it sticks out. If not then I still appreciate the step by step instructions. When I get motivated to try this I will try to take pictures of it as I go for others who wish to modify the connector.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

Can someone please send this feedback to Tesla so those of us who have to wait until next year can get a version where the charge plug is not an issue?

 

[bob_p]

At least with the case I'm using, the amount of change required to get the microUSB connector to make solid contact is very, very small - and probably not going to be noticeable in a photo.

I only had to shave a very small mount of the post to move the microUSB out far enough to make solid contact.

You don't want to shave too much - because if you do that, the connector will stick out too far - and the phone will end up resting only on the connector - which could put strain on the port inside the phone.

My advice is to shave only a small amount of the post at a time, until you can get a reliable connection - and then stop. And if you notice the connector is sticking out too far, put something on the bottom of the dock to provide a little padding on which the phone can rest, and relieve pressure from the microUSB port. [The same should work for an iPhone.]

This part is a pretty simple piece - and it probably wouldn't be too difficult for Tesla to provide several versions of this one plastic piece, to allow adjustment of how far the connector protrudes from the console.

 

[iffatall]

Not sure if we got to a clear answer on this. When the phone is plugged in, and we accelerate, does the entire stress of the weight of the phone trying to fly back fall on the lightning connector/micro USB prong?

Oh, I so want to have the console, but don't want to spend money on it! Can someone please buy one for me? :biggrin:

 

[JakeP]

I have to say, I am extremely happy with my well-designed and speedily-executed Custom CCI. Maybe Tesla will have a center console ready by the time I buy my second Tesla (but I wouldn't bet on it).

 

[bob_p]

In the console with the phone docked, I haven't noticed any issues with the phone trying to fly back during acceleration. It could be the combination of the phone being plugged into the dock coupled with the angle the phone is sitting in the dock - keeps it from flying back when the car accelerates.

I've had my Tesla console for several weeks now - and like having the extra storage (vs. the soft bag I had sitting the "tray"), the larger cupholder (I only have one of the two cupholders configured) and the dock for my phone.

My only major regret is that I put on almost 40K miles on the car before getting the console...

 

[chickensevil]

My only major regret is that I put on almost 40K miles on the car before getting the console...

Not like you could have gotten it any sooner... but yeah, I am liking the console as well it has already come in handy.

 

[zzzzdoc]

Anyone try the combo of an Apple 6 or 6 plus with the center console yet?

 

[rbergquist]

I've been on the waiting list for the Console forever and there is no scheduled date for the Carbon Fiber model so I took a look at an installed unit to see if this still meets my needs. I found the following:

1. I like the cup holders being low, bigger, and not in the way of the arm rests. However, a couple of negatives when I tried it out -- the adjustable holder units/slots didn't seem super secure and should have locked in tighter. The unit was also not deep enough for my needs - I have a tall cup for my drinks and regularly use standard 500ml water bottles. Problem is the cover will not close over my cup or the water bottles. I can see how the unit height in front was set up to match the cubby height, but it should have been taller in the back to fit standard water bottles.

2. The phone compartment is too far back to be useful for seeing anything on the phone. I regularly use Waze and it is unusable in the center Console. (We'll see when phones get interfaced with the Center Console). The cover for the phone area also had problems closing if you wanted to put your phone in there. So I've switched to using a Tetrax 72004 EGO adapter to hold my phone right beside the screen and it plugs in nicely there.

3. The stitching was white and didn't match the black thread used for my upholstery. This was minor and I could live with it if #1 was fixed.

I like the looks of the Console and it is inline with what I want, but I am disappointed that they didn't get the details right. Based on this, I'm getting my payment back from Tesla, but staying on the waiting list for when they have carbon fiber available. We'll see if they have v3 improvements.

 

[Zythryn]

I would hate for the console to be tall enough so it could be closed with an upright tall bottle in place. It would appear large and bulky and not fit with the styling of the rest of the car.
When I want to close the console and have a large water bottle, I simply close it, and lay it down inside the console. There is a ton of room.

I sort of agree with you on how well the holders appear secured.
After driving with them for a couple of weeks I have found they are very well secured. They don't move around, are easy to adjust and I have never had one slip.

I don't believe the dock was meant to make the phone easily viewable, nor, in my mind, should it.
It gives me a place to secure the phone and power it. That is all I am looking for.

So I guess it comes down to what your own personal needs are. Sorry it didn't match yours, however I am glad they didn't compromise a very functional, elegant solution.

 

[DR TSLA]

Yes, I just had mine installed, and it fits fine (iPhone 6). The stand is big enough that the 6 plus should fit as well. I did notice a glitch though. If you plug in the phone before starting the car, it disconnects the bluetooth (at least it did the first time I tried) but if you connect it after you put your foot on the brake the bluetooth works fine (strange, I know). Also, when plugged into the dock, you can use the new "Hey Siri" command and ask Siri to play whatever you want, thus eliminating the need to use the phone to get to the music you want. BTW, you do have to take your case off in order for the phone to connect properly.

 

[matbl]

Yes, I just had mine installed, and it fits fine (iPhone 6). The stand is big enough that the 6 plus should fit as well. I did notice a glitch though. If you plug in the phone before starting the car, it disconnects the bluetooth (at least it did the first time I tried) but if you connect it after you put your foot on the brake the bluetooth works fine (strange, I know). Also, when plugged into the dock, you can use the new "Hey Siri" command and ask Siri to play whatever you want, thus eliminating the need to use the phone to get to the music you want. BTW, you do have to take your case off in order for the phone to connect properly.

Why is BT still needed if it's connected by cable?

 

[jerry33]

Why is BT still needed if it's connected by cable?

The USB port supplies power only. there is no intelligence in it.

 

[matbl]

The USB port supplies power only. there is no intelligence in it.

So if the phone presents itself as a mass storage device, audio files can still not be played from it?
If so, that's just stupid product design by Tesla.

 

[chickensevil]

So if the phone presents itself as a mass storage device, audio files can still not be played from it?
If so, that's just stupid product design by Tesla.

I think that is how it has always been, you have to get the audio through BT and it has never worked through the USB. Probably because of the way that it is detecting the phone. Keep in mind you are basically running a heavily modified version of Ubuntu (if I am not mistaken, it was def some flavor of Linux) and they had to really lock down what your USB port is actually able to read as far as hardware goes. It used to be that you could plug in a keyboard and that would work, until they locked that down. So it really depends on how the software is able to read the device in order to get it to work.

That all being said, your best hope of getting it to work would be from an Android phone. You will have to toy around with the folder structure on the device though in order to find something that might work. Apple doesn't let you navigate the device in the same way, so I think that might be totally out of the question.

 

[jerry33]

So if the phone presents itself as a mass storage device, audio files can still not be played from it?
If so, that's just stupid product design by Tesla.

If you can find an App that makes it look exactly like a mass storage device, then it should work as you can use a thumb drive in the port, but it won't work the normal iTunes way, and you won't have playlists or any of the player features. I've never tried as it's a pain to plug and unplug the phone. A thumb drive is far easier to deal with.