cool, thanks! you seem to have great info on this (called the MCU upgrade in testing prior to release), so I’ll defer to you!
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Wiki FAQ: MCU2 Upgrades
- Thread starter Trebek1762
- Start date
-
- Tags
- fsd infotainment mcu mcu2 upgrade
cool, thanks! you seem to have great info on this (called the MCU upgrade in testing prior to release), so I’ll defer to you!
studioloft
Gavin
I recall reading in another post in previous months someone needed to replace their MCU1 computer. On the bill they credited him a few hundred dollars on the repair for Tesla to keep the MCU1 hardware. I would wonder if this $2500 upgrade gets discounted if we allow Tesla to keep the working MCU1 computer. If not you better believe I am taking it home 
Why give them a free computer for them to use on future repairs?
Why give them a free computer for them to use on future repairs?
milleron
Member
I resent very little that Tesla does, but MCU1 matters are an exception. The inevitably failing eMMC part clearly demands an extended warranty on a part that was flagrantly under-engineered. In fact, I can't believe that some alert attorney hasn't filed a class-action suit to get reimbursement for owners who have been charged for replacing MCU1 units out of warranty. It's an outrage.I recall reading in another post in previous months someone needed to replace their MCU1 computer. On the bill they credited him a few hundred dollars on the repair for Tesla to keep the MCU1 hardware. I would wonder if this $2500 upgrade gets discounted if we allow Tesla to keep the working MCU1 computer. If not you better believe I am taking it home
More to the point of this post, it's just absurd to provide free HW3 FSD computers to those who previously paid for FSD while making pre-paid MCU1 owners pay for an MCU upgrade to get HW3 installed. IF they can make HW3 work with MCU1, as they now claim, why haven't they done it one single time? Not doing it violates their policy of performing FSD-computer upgrade for older S and X cars first. I smell a big rotten rat here, so I, also, would be reluctant to allow Tesla to retain a functional MCU1 unit without giving me a discount equal to the price they're going to charge another customer to install it on their car.
zanary
Active Member
To play devil's advocate.
(1) Look at the eMMC part as a part that has an approximate life based on number of writes. Similar to how a clutch has a certain life and one can't expect it to last as long as the vehicle as a whole itself.
(2) I'm sure there are attorney who own original generation Model S, so the fact that there isn't already some sort of action from them, could potentially indicate that the eMMC is a consumable parts... Similar to that of a USB memory stick that exceeds the number of writes in it's life time.
(3) Right now, HW3 is compatible (at the software layer) with AP2, so if an owner choose to pay the $2500 for the MCU2, and they quality for their HW3 upgrade (because they've pre-purchased the FSD Software), they both will be done at the same time. Those who don't want to upgrade to MCU2, can wait for their HW3 upgrade. While the functionality of HW3 will be available, it appears the visuals (which is just that visuals) for HW3 may not be available.
(4) From what I understand, the $2500 is the price for MCU2 with them taking the MUC1. We'll find out in the coming weeks from owners who which to retain the MCU1, what the core charge is to do that. Look at it this way. MCU/2 is $3000 and you get to keep your MCU, but pay $2500 and you must return it.
(5) Then choosing not to do the HW3 right now is NOT a violations of their policy. They will do it, it's just a matter of when, and when is not explicitly spelled out in the T&C when you purchase your FSD Software. We can only presumed that the software to make HW3 work with MCU1 is still in the works. We have to assume that.
I'm just giving a glimpse of the other side. There is a lot of emotion in this long thread and rightfully so, owners feel like they should have HW3 right now because the Model 3 owners and MCU2 owners are already getting them. This is a valid feeling...
Just presenting a potential opposite view point.
Here is an example of a class action: Does The Toyota Prius Gas Tank Have a 'Shrinkage' Problem?
I would think this is similar in that the lifetime of the eMMC was a design choice and not a defect. (The eMMC wasn't defective.) You could argue that the "excessive" logging was a software defect, but at that time an engineer made a design decision that it was needed. And now they have revised that decision to curtail some of the logging. (Maybe after years of data they now have a better idea of what data is useful.)
Tesla has been a serious if small car company for a decade, not the century that most others have had to understand their craft. In that that time Tesla have made 3 mistakes that have stuck out to me.
(i) There was the door handle design where instead of mounting the micro-switches on the stationary part and operating them with the moving part (which would have put zero flex on the wiring) they chose to mount them on the moving part, operating them with the stationary part. Even I would not have been that dumb. There were also other slightly less obvious design flaws on those door handle mechanisms.
(ii) Something I would not have seen coming was how the traction motor(s) rotor generated some small parasitic voltage of its own (conductive, rotating in a strong magnetic field, of course it did) which went to frame ground via the steel balls of the rotor shaft bearings, over time that current electrically etched the steel balls away until the situation had deteriorated to the point the first and second gear in the drive train were so poorly meshed there was a lot of damage and noise resulting in new motors having to be swapped in, sometimes multiple motors before Tesla worked out what the real cause was. I was impressed that Tesla worked it out in what I thought was a new and unique problem. But I was wrong, it was not new or unique, turns out this had happened and been solved decades earlier for lift (elevator) motors.
(iii) Now we have the inadequate, underspeced eMMC problem.
Tesla were to be a new bold company that would make mistakes and despite the high cost of entry I was fine with that, just so long as they looked after their customers, resolved problems and implemented solutions to the inevitable problems that even century old companies will sometimes make. I'm not an insider but I get the strong impression that service has now been run down to the point where looking after the customer to the extent they should for there ever expanding fleet is no longer an option. I'm often wrong, I hope I'm wrong about that.
(i) There was the door handle design where instead of mounting the micro-switches on the stationary part and operating them with the moving part (which would have put zero flex on the wiring) they chose to mount them on the moving part, operating them with the stationary part. Even I would not have been that dumb. There were also other slightly less obvious design flaws on those door handle mechanisms.
(ii) Something I would not have seen coming was how the traction motor(s) rotor generated some small parasitic voltage of its own (conductive, rotating in a strong magnetic field, of course it did) which went to frame ground via the steel balls of the rotor shaft bearings, over time that current electrically etched the steel balls away until the situation had deteriorated to the point the first and second gear in the drive train were so poorly meshed there was a lot of damage and noise resulting in new motors having to be swapped in, sometimes multiple motors before Tesla worked out what the real cause was. I was impressed that Tesla worked it out in what I thought was a new and unique problem. But I was wrong, it was not new or unique, turns out this had happened and been solved decades earlier for lift (elevator) motors.
(iii) Now we have the inadequate, underspeced eMMC problem.
Tesla were to be a new bold company that would make mistakes and despite the high cost of entry I was fine with that, just so long as they looked after their customers, resolved problems and implemented solutions to the inevitable problems that even century old companies will sometimes make. I'm not an insider but I get the strong impression that service has now been run down to the point where looking after the customer to the extent they should for there ever expanding fleet is no longer an option. I'm often wrong, I hope I'm wrong about that.
FMinMI
Member
Yesterday a mobile ranger came to fix a door handle issue (newest version/needed to be reprogrammed for opening force). We talked about the upgrade. He said they just did their first MCU1 --> MCU2 and HW2.5--> 3.0 MS yesterday (the owner had purchased FSD when the car was new). You do get a new 'center' display screen as well as a new 'behind-the-wheel' display. You do not get new cameras. You do not get to keep the old parts unless you pay core charges (but he didn't know how much it was). He said it took them 5 hours to do but this was the first one they ever did. A bunch of the time was downloading all the personal data (favorites, fob-specific profile stuff, wifi, bluetooth, etc...) then putting it back once the new MCU was installed. He gave me the impression it took over 2 hours just for that (he said if you were OK without that being done, it would be only a couple hours and could wait for it - for me that was important as the service center is not close). He also said it did need to be done at the SC due to the complexity (although that may change as more rangers get trained and weather here in MI improves). He had no information on the warranty. He did not know about being able to readd FM radio (the one they did had it as well as AM removed). The cost to the owner was $2500 plus 6% MI sales tax on the total amount.
Last edited:
zanary
Active Member
I published all of the details here after I had mine done 5 days ago.
Well worth it.
Tesla confirms infotainment system upgradeability from MCU1 to MCU2 for $2500
Well worth it.
Tesla confirms infotainment system upgradeability from MCU1 to MCU2 for $2500
ByeOil
Member
I am having the same problem as well with my 2015 Model S 70D. My warranty is still in until late December. I’m going to hold off and see what happens in the next 6 months.
Jaymc5
Member
I have a 2103 P85+ with a CPO warranty good 'til October. Will wait 'til then to upgrade. The AM talk radio shows I like are available on the TuneIn app, so I'm cool with no AM/FM/XM receiver.
milleron
Member
I don't listen to the radio all the time in the car, but I've learned that every single local station I ever play is available on TuneIn. Moreover, I never drive out of range of those stations when listening to them that way. Like several other posters here, I will never miss the FM runner after the upgrade . . . if I ever get it. I don't quite understand why losing the tuner is such a deal breaker to some owners
I wanted to add that many of my local stations are on TuneIn, great...right? So recently I tried to test just using TuneIn and it's one of the worst experiences I've ever had. I'm in the greater Seattle area, so not in the sticks, but I get multiple drops in audio. Some stations the spinning arrow just circles around and around and around. Other times is playing then all of a sudden the arrow circles again and no longer plays, crazy! Got the channels I want but what good is it if you can't use it reliably? FM, I just press the channel and I'm good almost everywhere... No fuss no muss.
I know cellular and internet is amazing but sometimes technology takes a back seat to simplicity and easy of use. To each there own I guess...
. I'm in the greater Seattle area, so not in the sticks, but I get multiple drops in audio. Some stations the spinning arrow just circles around and around and around. Other times is playing then all of a sudden the arrow circles again and no longer plays, crazy! Got the channels I want but what good is it if you can't use it reliably? FM, I just press the channel and I'm good almost everywhere... No fuss no muss.I know cellular and internet is amazing but sometimes technology takes a back seat to simplicity and easy of use. To each there own I guess...
milleron
Member
I know cellular and internet is amazing but sometimes technology takes a back seat to simplicity and easy of use. To each there own I guess...
There are iOS options that might serve better if cellular coverage is better than TuneIn. I find TuneIn perfectly reliable, but myTuner Radio on my iPhone is just as reliable. It may be a great remedy for owners who experience difficulty with TuneIn. There are a few iOS and Android alternatives to myTuner, but I have no experience with any of them.
While waiting on my MCU upgrade, I've actually started using TuneIn instead of the radio because it gives me artist and song information that many of the radio stations do not include in their OTA broadcasts.
and @MorrisonHiker
My MCU died and the SC was adamant that MCU2 replacement was not an option for my 2015 model. They claim to install a refurb MCU1 with the eMMC of the MCU2, but I have been searching for confirmed experiences for people with 2015's needing replacement
With my previous tesla experience and lots of post across threads...it seems impossible to find a consistent answer. A few posts mentioned they got MCU2 replacements whereas most of what I've come across is that with my and their cars, it would be incompatible. Even different SC workers and reps tend to have different information regarding most aspects of service, which is frusrating. Is there a way to check when I pick up the car tomorrow that I was not lied to? It is more than possible that I was just told that because I wanted to ensure after a 2k repair from faulty/common component failures on their part, that it would not happen again.
You can have a quick check on maps (although I do not have new MCU2 unit) and how does the rendering take place. Specially checking out random business or POI www address on the browser and also pan/zoom your current position. It should be a lightning fast compared to your previous examples. Also remember that each item that Tesla is fixing/replacing has their four years/unlimited warranty with it.
Just dropped her off at Watertown for a HW3.0 / MCU2 upgrade!
So excited...
I did not get a invitation, rather just kept rescheduling an "Other: HW3.0 / MCU2 upgrade" service appointment in the app, once a month. After two "sorry we can't do that yets" they scheduled it, postponed that for two weeks to wait for parts, and then I got in.
Regarding the tuner, which I wanted to keep, I asked if the digital tuner could be installed In the process and they said no.
Apparently its more than two part numbers, there are many and each has to be paired with many versions of MCU2.
So excited...
I did not get a invitation, rather just kept rescheduling an "Other: HW3.0 / MCU2 upgrade" service appointment in the app, once a month. After two "sorry we can't do that yets" they scheduled it, postponed that for two weeks to wait for parts, and then I got in.
Regarding the tuner, which I wanted to keep, I asked if the digital tuner could be installed In the process and they said no.
Apparently its more than two part numbers, there are many and each has to be paired with many versions of MCU2.
Last edited:
According to Tesla, my trusty sales guy, If you trade it in to Tesla, they will give you credit for features you have purchased. We know they then "remove" the software features like FSD, and resell the car to someone who may not want them, at a reduced price.
