How to get an update to Model S navigation system

[Betsy Trotwood]

Took my Model S in for annual service on her 4th birthday this week. Had to leave her overnight, and had a new loaner Model S P100D for the night. I don't think the loaner drives as well as my well-maintained 84,000 miles-on-the-clock machine, BUT I was pleasantly surprised that the navigation in the new loaner-vehicle seemed updated and correct. Examples:

• Where the road has been re-routed in the last couple of years the loaner-vehicle navigation displayed the new route, whereas my old machine displays the old route, and frequently goes "berserk" at such a time. Eg Route 99 just south of Atwater, CA or the new exit from I-80 W onto Route 12 near Fairfield, CA.
• Nearing home, in the hills above the Napa Valley, the loaner-vehicle correctly displayed the route which any local would take to my house. My old machine displays a very winding route where there was a rockfall, and which was closed months ago.

Last year, at annual service, I left the car for several days trying to get this fixed. The technicians would not believe that the navigation software is somehow distinct from the maps, and could not fix the problem.

This year, they seem to agree that the navigation and the maps are different, but would not attempt to fix it, despite having left the car with them for 24 hours. They made me an appointment with "mobile service." Mobile service called as I was driving home, and wanted to start out by downloading the latest firmware despite the fact that the latest firmware had been downloaded within the last 24 hours! Needless to say, it did nothing. I've called again, and am waiting for mobile service to contact me.

Question: What do I need to say, or what should I ask for, to get this problem fixed? If the new Model S has it right, surely it is possible for my old machine to get the latest updates also.

 

[croman]

Is your car on consistent wifi? Maps are a very large update and most likely require WiFi.

 

[Betsy Trotwood]

Thanks. Could have WiFi at home. I would have thought any update would be done by a hardwired connection, using SD cards etc.

 

[mblakele]

Wifi is the preferred way to update.

Downloading maps for navigation updates happens automatically, but is separate from the firmware update. It takes time to download the new navigation software, and more time to install. My 2016 HW1 vehicle started using the new navigation software about six days after getting the 2018.12 update. During that period it had wifi available all night, every night.

 

[Betsy Trotwood]

Thanks. At the heart of my question is the distinction between the Google maps and the navigation software. It is clear that I have had Google maps updates wirelessly a number of times in the past 4 years. However, I clearly do not have the up-to-date navigation software which is overlaid on the Google maps.

 

[.jg.]

However, I clearly do not have the up-to-date navigation software which is overlaid on the Google maps.

I received that navigation update 2 - 3 weeks after receiving the 2018.21.9 75bdbc11 firmware update.

If the service technician wants to start by downloading the firmware update again, it won't do any harm and may be a route to getting the navigation update. (Perhaps the technicians are obliged to follow some set procedure, which involves sending the firmware update first).

Tesla say the best way to get updates is for the car to be normally connected to WiFi with a strong signal and a fast permanent Internet connection.

 

[bob_p]

Tesla should update the car to the latest firmware during service visits. Since the navigation data base is a separate download, that may happen after leaving the service center - and could take longer if not on a good wifi connection (at least overnight).

 

[12Pack]

Thanks. At the heart of my question is the distinction between the Google maps and the navigation software. It is clear that I have had Google maps updates wirelessly a number of times in the past 4 years. However, I clearly do not have the up-to-date navigation software which is overlaid on the Google maps.

Indeed they are separate in the data that they use - if that is your question. The main screen Google map is actually accessing constantly updated Google cloud map data, whereas the original one in the instrument binnacle is a Garmin system which will be updated to a TomTom-based once you get your update - over Wifi as others have said.

 

[AustinP]

Thanks. Could have WiFi at home. I would have thought any update would be done by a hardwired connection, using SD cards etc.

Hi,

As @12Pack says correctly, what you see on the main screen are maps from Google: they are "online" as you use them, so always same as what you see in Google Maps on your PC/Mac/...
BUT the map used for the navigation and that you see on you instrument cluster are "offline" copies from Garmin.
These are updated about once a year, BUT the caveat is that it only happens thru Wifi, never thru 3G or LTE.
So you really should have you car connect to Wifi at home so it can download whenever it is connected thru Wifi.
It also seems like they have "waves" of pushing the new maps, then it stops. But I could be wrong.

Note also: download happens during Wifi connections, but (yes, lot of "buts", sorry) then once all is in the car, it will take time for the car's computer to digest it, so you will have probably a popup some day, when not connected to Wifi, parked somewhere. The popup is a simple notification on the main screen saying that your maps have been updated. If I can retrieve a picture, I'll post it.

On a side note: have you tried calling road assistance? In my experience, they can do marvels that sometimes SeC guys cannot. Not because SeC don't want, but I'd guess remote assistance has other remote tools. I called them yesterday for a recurring charging issue, and they even recognise who is calling and were already connected to my car as they were answering (very fast also, almost no wait).

 

[boaterva]

So, the major recent nav upgrade was originally said to need/require the car to be on wifi to get the large database of new maps. There was some discussion that the Service Centers would have some workaround for people that *never* have wifi available (park underground, don't have wifi elsewhere, etc.) but I don't think we've had a resolution to that.

This is 100% separate from normal firmware updates that preferentially like wifi, but also come down on normal LTE. You should never have to go to a Service Center for them unless something is wrong with the car, and they should fix that problem at the first visit so you get them afterwards automatically. (This would include normal map updates after the 'big one'.)

People have resorted to using their phones or other devices as hotspots to get the car on wifi for several days or a week to see if the new maps come down; not sure what other answer there is yet, as the SC doesn't install them, as you've said.

The SC has a recent policy of triggering the 'current' firmware at each visit, even if your car is already up to date, making people think they are getting something new even if not!

 

[AustinP]

Here is the message once the new maps are installed

 

[boaterva]

Hi,

As @12Pack says correctly, what you see on the main screen are maps from Google: they are "online" as you use them, so always same as what you see in Google Maps on your PC/Mac/...
BUT the map used for the navigation and that you see on you instrument cluster are "offline" copies from Garmin.
These are updated about once a year, BUT the caveat is that it only happens thru Wifi, never thru 3G or LTE.
So you really should have you car connect to Wifi at home so it can download whenever it is connected thru Wifi.
It also seems like they have "waves" of pushing the new maps, then it stops. But I could be wrong.

Note also: download happens during Wifi connections, but (yes, lot of "buts", sorry) then once all is in the car, it will take time for the car's computer to digest it, so you will have probably a popup some day, when not connected to Wifi, parked somewhere. The popup is a simple notification on the main screen saying that your maps have been updated. If I can retrieve a picture, I'll post it.

On a side note: have you tried calling road assistance? In my experience, they can do marvels that sometimes SeC guys cannot. Not because SeC don't want, but I'd guess remote assistance has other remote tools. I called them yesterday for a recurring charging issue, and they even recognise who is calling and were already connected to my car as they were answering (very fast also, almost no wait).

As an add-on to this excellent suggestion: I preferentially call the National Support number (one option on it is Roadside, but you are really wanting the technical support option).

The service center is swamped handling actual broken cars (from a hardware point of view) and the phone support people can get to your car 99% as well and (as was said) know who you are from your phone number and can fix most things like this software issue, if it's is indeed a software issue!

 

[BigNick]

I am on 2018.18.2 301aeee and got the New Navigation (Beta) last week, separate from any firmware update.

This was about a 5 GB WiFi download IIRC. Not at my router to verify that size.

I don’t have the new “vector maps” that I have read about.

I do like the IP nav change where it smoothly transitions between a 3D and top-down view. But I have also heard the new vector maps tax the older MCU.

 

[smartypnz]

Is there any way to tell version of Maps that are installed? Over 5 years we have never seen a notice of map download - unless it was done during a service visit.

 

[SeminoleFSU]

I used to think that having my car on WiFi made no difference and I still think that might be the case for minor releases that are tiny downloads but for the big maps/nav releases it absolutely matters. I finally swapped out my old router for Ubiquiti APs and was able to get my old 2013 MS on the guest network. Literally within a few hours I saw my car start downloading huge amounts and next thing I knew, I had the new nav/maps.. so it absolutely matters. What was interesting is I did not tell it to update when I got the new turn-by-turn maps on the left side of the instrument cluster. I just came out to my car and it was showing release notes like the update had applied itself. Not sure what's up with that, but either way I love seeing the car get better!

 

[.jg.]

What was interesting is I did not tell it to update when I got the new turn-by-turn maps on the left side of the instrument cluster. I just came out to my car and it was showing release notes like the update had applied itself. Not sure what's up with that, but either way I love seeing the car get better!

Yes - I had that too. I think you only get asked about firmware updates, whereas the map updates are just downloaded and applied.

 

[DarkMatter]

Yet another confirmation - my map updates have always followed after big downloads via Wi-Fi.

 

[chispas]

View attachment 313221

Here is the message once the new maps are installed

Not really, that is the message any time the local maps get updated. When they released the new nav they message was in the release notes even tho it wasn’t ost of a firmware update