Left Door Pillar Cam Fog Results In "Blocked Camera" Warning Message On Screen

[ArtK]

After several days of mist and rain, today was sunny and warm. While driving this morning, a "Left Door Pillar Blocked View" warning message kept appearing on my screen, and when I got out of my MY LR non-Perf, I saw this foggy circle of droplets under the plastic overlying the lens. Clearly, there is a defective seal against moisture here, which is not so good.

Anyone else out there experiencing this?

 

[doug]

Did Tesla service have any suggestions?

 

[Mike_TV]

The cameras are heated, right? I would leave the car plugged in and crank up the heat with the defrosters on to see if you can clear it up until Tesla service can replace it.

 

[NickFie]

We’ve had that with our Model S after extended rainy periods. Moisture builds up inside car, then condenses on cool exterior glass.

Use iPhone App “Controls” section to vent windows when it’s dry outside or vehicle is in garage. That allows interior moisture to escape.

My wife never uses Autopilot on her 3 so I don’t know how frequently it occurs on 3/Y.

 

[ArtK]

The MY, which I got on 7.18, will be going in for initial visit to the SC tomorrow to correct some delivery issues (a deep door ding, soiled or damaged headliner, minor paint defects) and I added this to the list. Will let you know what they say and do.
It never occurred to me that tweaking the car's climate controls might help dry out door pillar condensation, but I will definitely investigate!

 

[TomServo]

Will parking in the sun help elevate this issue?

 

[SilverString]

This happens to my MS too on occasion.

 

[ArtK]

Will parking in the sun help elevate this issue?

Actually, I tried that. I parked the car at work with the effected door pillar facing the sun, and it caused the droplets to evaporate within ten minutes.

 

[Safir1]

The happened to me, although I think it was the right door pillar mirror. I was on the freeway on a clear day, about 65 degrees. The warning was on for a few minutes and then went off. I checked the car when I parked and not not see anything that would have blocked or fogged the camera.

 

[ArtK]

I'm the OP, and this has happened five or six more times since posting about it in August. Always on the left side, and always after a rain or car wash. On Thursday, the Mobile Repair guys are coming to fix it. I will let you know what they do.

 

[Jacko]

I'm the OP, and this has happened five or six more times since posting about it in August. Always on the left side, and always after a rain or car wash. On Thursday, the Mobile Repair guys are coming to fix it. I will let you know what they do.

I made an appt with the SC two weeks ago and sent them a photo that looked just like yours. Here was the response:

We received your message about the blocked B-pillar camera alerts. These alerts will come and go due to a variety of environmental conditions such as inner condensation, frost/dew, rain, road grime, humidity, etc and do not always point to a hardware/camera issue. Preconditioning your vehicle (heating it up in cold weather) using the Tesla app before a drive can combat the frequency of this alert. Do you have any other concerns or are you comfortable cancelling this appointment at this time?

I have to admit - they were right. We've had a very rainy/humid fall here and it was happening off and on, but since I've been preconditioning the car it has stopped. There is an extensive thread on this - on the MS forums - and some cameras/housings were replaced on the 2016-2018 MS. But most of the more recent complaints have been solved with preconditioning. My wife's 2018 MS has never had this issue...

 

[ArtK]

Thank you, @Jacko, for the valuable input. The SC told me on several past occasions that this was a common problem. But it only has occurred on the left side, three times in the past month, in fact. It seems to me that if it was a simple, unavoidable atmospheric phenomenon, it would happen bilaterally. And preconditioning to warm the area makes lots of sense, but avoids the fact that moisture is leaking into the left pillar camera housing, but not the right. I would prefer my car not do this, and have discussed it with service. They may come to my house and tell me there is little they can do. I hope they can solve it, but if not, I will precondition and hopefully it will help.

 

[qdeathstar]

It wouldn’t happen bilateral because the sun is on different sides of you car and is affecting the cameras differently.

this happens to me occasion but the cameras clear up in a few minutes..

 

[Freewheeler]

This happens to me, too, but completely at random, not necessarily rain related, and sometimes after hours of driving. Always the left, nothing to report on visual inspection (condensation, etc.). SC dropping by next Wednesday to address. just started a month ago and now occurs more frequently. Will advise on my outcome, as well.

 

[seniorcitizen]

It has been happening to me on left or right sides. Once I was getting multiple failures. I could not take a picture I was driving and it went away on its own. It happened on a sunny day. I have an appointment and about other service work so I will bring it up

 

[ArtK]

It wouldn’t happen bilateral because the sun is on different sides of you car and is affecting the cameras differently.

this happens to me occasion but the cameras clear up in a few minutes..

When I say it is not occurring bilaterally, I was did not mean both sides at the same time. I mean that no matter where or how I position my car, and often after the car wash, it ALWAYS occurs on the left. NEVER on the right. The problem occurs intermittently, but always on the left. Six times in the past two months.

The Mobile Service Center texted me to say this was a common problem and they would not be doing anything to address this issue.

The Mobile Technician came last Thursday to replace a piece of console trim under warranty, and told me that my condensation issues would not be addressed, since "It always clears up on it's own." He said my issue is extremely common, and that camera replacement generally does not solve it.