Glare from side repeaters in blind spot camera?

[M3 2018]

Tesla will need to be required to provide #1 (1. Free replacement with newer style repeater cameras). It's broken and proven defective.

What is Tesla thinking? That people will not take the time via the Tesla App to book and then insisting: "No this is defective/broken/safety issue". Taking local phone calls would hold them more accountable, they want to avoid service. They count on people not having time, not caring enough, not reporting or accepting the repeated No. The camera has been defective the entire time at night, it is wrong to claim otherwise.

I'm not happy Tesla makes early adopters fight them on Safety items that are obviously defective. Especially if you paid for FSD, folks have been waiting on Blind spots videos for years with the expectations that it was coming and would work at night.

Note:
Reminds me of the Wiper Issue the entire 3/Y fleet drives around with everyday. No intermittent speeds on the slowest wiper speed and now wiper controls are buried in a sub menu. Another safety issue that needs to be fixed. To think they have been trying to fix the auto wipers for years, its a shame.

 

[everydaychris]

the crazy part is I have zero glare on the right camera and the same glare you guys are all talking about on the left

If it matters, my right camera went out after delivery so they replaced it with another one. He told me they go out easily so they usually have a ton to replace. Maybe it was the way he installed it?? Upon inspection however with the lights on they look the exact same from the exterior.

 

[Seminole]

the crazy part is I have zero glare on the right camera and the same glare you guys are all talking about on the left

If it matters, my right camera went out after delivery so they replaced it with another one. He told me they go out easily so they usually have a ton to replace. Maybe it was the way he installed it?? Upon inspection however with the lights on they look the exact same from the exterior.

You probably have a better shot of getting the left replaced since you can show that the right isn’t doing it. It’s the people with both that are in a bind.

 

[Tevo Solutions]

I have an open mobile service appointment for condensation in a rear taillight (this'll be the second time I've had one of them replaced) for early next week. I've added this to the request and also included the explicit part codes. I have no idea if 1495864-20-D and 1495865-20-D parts are even available in the UK, I hope so.

I'm expecting to get a call or email towards the end of the week to repeat the boilerplate memo text about it being "a characteristic of the light that was fitted at the time", or something like that, but we'll see. I did pay for FSD outright, if that will count for anything (I doubt it).

I've had confirmation now that the -D repeaters aren't available in the UK and they don't know when they will be.

 

[Durzel]

I've had confirmation now that the -D repeaters aren't available in the UK and they don't know when they will be.

Ugh.. that's not good. Will have to see what they say about my appointment next week I guess.

 

[msc777]

After a bit of back and forth and many photos sent, my cost estimate was updated to $0. I think the fact that it was only happening on one side couldn’t be argued as working as designed.

 

[Tronguy]

So, more information. The service tech showed up today (early!) and replaced the side cameras/turn signal assemblies.

1. Took him about 15-20 minutes, including time sitting in the car with his laptop.
2. The assemblies were removed with what looked like a plastic pry bar, about 6" long. Carefully stuck it in there, wiggled a bit top and bottom, and out it popped, no paint chipped. Two electrical connectors on each assembly.
3. He had more trouble with the plastic electrical connectors, in large part because it's cold out there, at the moment . He kept on trying to warm his fingers up before he could pop the connectors off.
4. The new light assemblies Have No Chrome; they're black. I believe new M3's are "blacked", no chrome, so it looks fine with them, not so much on my 2018 M3 with all the chrome. But it's not that big a deal.
5. At his instruction, had to drive ~10 miles for the calibration of the cameras to finish. The icon for FSD/Lanekeeping acquired a bit of blue that slowly made a circle, finished up, put up a chime and a notification that, "Calibration is complete", and that was that.
6. He.. did try for some kind of software update. The car's on 2022.4; he appeared to be installing the same one, I think. There was some kind of red window with a two-minute count-down timer and something about taking the Red Pill, presumably a reference to the Matrix. In any case, I still have the same release.
7. Found out that putting a dinky space heater in a two car garage doesn't do much for warming the place up.

And that's that.

 

[dolfs]

Had a mobile service appointment for today. Originally I was told "as designed". After protest they offered that I could do it myself for about $400+ for the part. I uploaded pictures showing the right camera useless at night due to this (problem was quite severe). After more protest they offered to replace it for free "as a courtesy". So, that's what happened today (California).

Also replaced the lift gate power strut as my lift gate was intermittently not opening. Free as well, and a lot more work than the camera replacement. Needed to rip out/detach half the side panel on the left side, all the way from the left side "bucket" to the left side passenger door, as well as a portion of the roof liner. All this to be able to access the electrical cabling for the strut. All is back in place: just a larger job.

Talked with very friendly tech who seemed to think this camera replacement should be free anyway. He did lookup the part cost, at my request: $139. So the quoted $400+ was either nonsense, or they reduced the price. I did inspect the box for the replacement part. It was a D model.

We will see tonight if this fixed the problem.

Since they are doing this I suggest not accepting "no" and not accepting high parts prices, nor a DYI approach. Insist on a replacement. I suspect that, in the long run, they are going to have to give in to this as a manufacturing defect...

 

[Peter_M]

I fixed my cameras and the glare is completely gone.

My cameras are 1125106-50-G (left) and 1125107-50-G (right) and they had extreme glare on both sides. Tesla wouldn't replace them under warranty but offered to replace them at half price - I declined.

I had to remove the plastic between the two holes with a Dremel to see what I was doing. I applied Liquid Tape over the 3 holes in the PCB and all around the two visible edges of the PCB where the camera is mounted. To close up the hole, I used a piece of tape embedded in JB-Weld epoxy, and then covered the hardened epoxy with Liquid Tape.

The only hitch was that I broke one of the tabs on the bottom of the first camera, but that was because I didn't follow the instructions. I tried using a thin plastic body tool to release the bottom tabs from the outside - not a good idea. For the second one, I reached up from the wheel well and that worked.

Thanks for the excellent video, Tevo / Tesla Gurus!

 

[dolfs]

Had a mobile service appointment for today. Originally I was told "as designed". After protest they offered that I could do it myself for about $400+ for the part. I uploaded pictures showing the right camera useless at night due to this (problem was quite severe). After more protest they offered to replace it for free "as a courtesy". So, that's what happened today (California).

Also replaced the lift gate power strut as my lift gate was intermittently not opening. Free as well, and a lot more work than the camera replacement. Needed to rip out/detach half the side panel on the left side, all the way from the left side "bucket" to the left side passenger door, as well as a portion of the roof liner. All this to be able to access the electrical cabling for the strut. All is back in place: just a larger job.

Talked with very friendly tech who seemed to think this camera replacement should be free anyway. He did lookup the part cost, at my request: $139. So the quoted $400+ was either nonsense, or they reduced the price. I did inspect the box for the replacement part. It was a D model.

We will see tonight if this fixed the problem.

Since they are doing this I suggest not accepting "no" and not accepting high parts prices, nor a DYI approach. Insist on a replacement. I suspect that, in the long run, they are going to have to give in to this as a manufacturing defect...

And yes: confirmed tonight the D model indeed fixes things.

 

[android04]

Here is how I fixed mine (both fixed the glare and the physical breakage that happened from taking them off ) on my Model 3 Repeater camera feeds are mostly useless when turn signal is on at night

 

[Tevo Solutions]

Thanks. I didn’t get an answer.

What I am curious about, and haven’t yet seen an answer, is whether the camera assembly (1495865-20-C/D) comes with the black cap already fitted, because that’s what it’s designed to replace, or whether it’s naked and you’re supposed to buy the “carbon black” cap that’s also in the EPC alongside the chrome one.

The basic camera assembly appears to be black anyway (going by @Tevo Solutions video) but it’s unclear if you’re supposed to add the black cap to it, or whether it’s already fitted. If it’s already fitted what purpose does the carbon black cap in the EPC serve?

Got one of the 'carbon black trims' now. It's just a black stick on cap so that if you had the earlier style chrome cameras which didn't have the 'lip' molded into the housing, this trim will give you that once you remove the chrome trim. I don't know whether that lip is functional or just styling. If you make a mess of pulling off the chrome trim piece and damage the plastic underneath, this part will at least cover up the mess!
It'll make more sense probably once I post my follow up video.

 

[Durzel]

I guess in theory the lip might direct water off of the lens, but not sure how effective it would be.

Does the stock part (1495864-20-X) therefore come with the trim (and lip) already in place? Or is that lip you've bought intended to be used on older cameras?

 

[Tevo Solutions]

The trim part in chrome or black will only fit the early cameras.

 

[Durzel]

FWIW I had one of my rear lights replaced today, and had the indicators on the job sheet as well. Since I hadn't heard anything I was really hoping that it had slipped through the net, but when the mobile service guy arrived I asked him about it and he pretty much recited the official memo to me, basically that "it does not impair functionality and isn't considered a warranty repair, but you can get them upgraded if you would like to pay for the parts", etc.

 

[beyondoil]

Filed service request for nighttime blind spot issue on June 2021 Model 3. Was informed it is not a warranty repair. 1st quote had price to replace 3 cameras. When I questioned it estimate was changed to 2 version D cameras. Estimate now is $365. I'll report back after repair completed next week. I'll ask for a refund if NHTSA requires Tesla to cover it under warranty.

 

[Durzel]

The trim part in chrome or black will only fit the early cameras.

Apropos of nothing but I got a service estimate today to fit the newer cameras to my car:

Interestingly I'm being quoted for the trim pieces (in chrome), for the newer cameras? Based on what you've said above you don't think these trims fit the newer cameras with the lip?

Also it seems -D is not available in the UK yet, so not going to accept this service request.

Not entirely happy about getting batted back about it being covered under warranty, but it seems that Tesla has adopted a strict policy - quoting word for word the memo that has obviously gone around about how it "is not a defect of materials or workmanship", etc.

If I'm going to have to pay for replacement cameras I'm inclined to at least have a go at fixing my ones.. although I could just try and sell them on as is to recoup some of the costs...

 

[tinkererguy]

This does explain why my car is more reluctant to lane change at night than it is during the day. Had 4 failed lane changes tonight and there was no other reason for them to fail. During the. Day it worked fine. This is clearly a Warranty issue and Tesla need to Own it. Ive set up a service appt and if its refused under warranty its going to be made very public until Tesla sort it. You shouldn't have to drill holes and repair it yourself when the car is under warranty. The crappy tape fix is an admission of the fault on Tesla's part already. All having the view of the cameras has done is bring this to the attention of owners and rightly so, we should know if the cameras on our cars are blinded when indicating.

I've seen the same behavior more often than I've had in over a year in these past 2 months. Last weekend for example, I had 220 miles of family road trip driving mostly on highway, and 3 times while Autosteer/TACC was engaged, I manually initiated a lane change with my blinker stalk, then a few seconds later my Model 3 would abruptly aborted the lane change, returning to the original lane, even though the wheels were already straddling the white dashed lane markings. I think one of these 3 was during the day, and the other 2 at night. There were no other cars nearby. Not really a big safety thing in the light traffic circumstances, but certainly would have cars behind me wondering what is wrong with my brain, or my car's brain.

Whether this newly elevated rate of aborted lane change behavior has anything to do with my participation in #FSDBeta since late October, or with the glare from my 2018 repeater cameras, well, hard to prove, but interesting to follow nonetheless.

Given prior experiences with my (kinda) local Tesla Service Center, I'm doubtful they'd do a swap at no charge, but it sure seems it would have been a good technical choice for Tesla to proactively swap those repeaters out for folks like me, back when I had my HW2.5 upgraded to HW3 back in early 2020.

With Tesla in NHTSA's cross-hairs lately (the the backup camera wiring issue, and V11 backup camera blank bugginess, the strange seatbelt warning thing, and the rolling stop thing, wiper speed now buried even further), you'd hope this would be a good time for Tesla try to get on top of this issue sooner than later. Sadly, most people probably won't complain about this, but it does seem #FSDBeta and Navigate on AutoPilot owners would likely care about this glare flaw more than most.

 

[dolfs]

Mar 2021 MYLR with repeater flare in right side camera. Black version replaced for free, but refuse to call it a "warranty" defect.

 

[Tevo Solutions]

Apropos of nothing but I got a service estimate today to fit the newer cameras to my car:

View attachment 766383

Interestingly I'm being quoted for the trim pieces (in chrome), for the newer cameras? Based on what you've said above you don't think these trims fit the newer cameras with the lip?

Also it seems -D is not available in the UK yet, so not going to accept this service request.

Not entirely happy about getting batted back about it being covered under warranty, but it seems that Tesla has adopted a strict policy - quoting word for word the memo that has obviously gone around about how it "is not a defect of materials or workmanship", etc.

If I'm going to have to pay for replacement cameras I'm inclined to at least have a go at fixing my ones.. although I could just try and sell them on as is to recoup some of the costs...

The chrome trims do fit but you have a sort of double lip. Looks OK though if you want a chrome finish. Honestly, the repair isn't that difficult if you take your time and as long as you have a way to make a hole in the housing which won't destroy the innards!