Looking at the used market for a Tesla Model S

[arg]

3. The power tailgate doesn't go high enough. My wife is 5'5" and she bumps her head on it! One owner who is six foot assured me he's more than comfortable with the height his Tesla's tailgate goes. I've tried reprogramming the height as instructed and it never goes higher than a certain level. Approaching the physical limit of the tailgate height you can't program that height any more and the tailgate also refused to close by itself. That could be normal - I don't know.

It ought to power-open up to the full height that you can open it manually, subject to how you have programmed it.

The power operation does get grumpy under some circumstances (including I think being left open for a long time). Closing it manually resets that.

 

[vitesse]

It ought to power-open up to the full height that you can open it manually, subject to how you have programmed it.

The power operation does get grumpy under some circumstances (including I think being left open for a long time). Closing it manually resets that.

I think I have tried everything to be honest. I think it's faulty - the programmability is limited to the bottom of the tailgate rising no more than my chin and I'm about 5'10". There is plenty more opening until the tailgate stops but programming it with the confirmatory beep doesn't achieve any higher opening. Near the very top, nothing happens when long-pressing the button until you release it and a long beep sounds. I get the impression the tailgate is trying to close but fails and, indeed, needs to be closed manually.

 

[WannabeOwner]

I've tried reprogramming the height as instructed and it never goes higher than a certain level

Just checking:

Press button to Open it

Manually PUSH it to the height you want (up or down)

Press button to Close it.

Next time you open it it should open to the previous height. Now sure what the max is, but I'm 5'10" and i have to reach up to press the button to close it - zero chance of me bumping my head ...

 

[vitesse]

I thought you had to long press the button when the tailgate was at the desired position. Successful setting is confirmed with a beep. I'll try it the way you describe.

 

[WannabeOwner]

I thought you had to long press the button when the tailgate was at the desired position

That sounds more reasonable, sorry ... just pressing it most probably just closes it with original setting.

 

[jaitch]

Manually adjust to desired new height and then It needs a long press with confirmation beep returned to program the new height.

 

[vitesse]

Manually adjust to desired new height and then It needs a long press with confirmation beep returned to program the new height.

Yup - it's definitely not right as I can't do that. Maybe a device reset is required? Hopefully as simple as that rather than needing new struts!

 

[WannabeOwner]

Presumably you can push it open to max height, and it then stays there? If so then the "remember this position" logic seems to be bust, or the motor is unable to push it to full-open perhaps?

Long shot: try a full reboot? and then try again.

Foot on brake, press both wheel-buttons. Keep everything pressed until the T-Logo appears (is that really necessary? Not sure I've ever seen definitive "What makes a reboot a Full Hard Reset One" definition)

Then repeat again on the normal steering wheel buttons for the dashboard reboot. Does that, too, benefit from a foot-on-brake hard-reset?

 

[vitesse]

Do you lose anything like trip data and profile settings with a reboot?

 

[vitesse]

I've noticed that our car doesn't see 802.11ac (5GHz) Wi-Fi SSIDs, - I was pleased we have LTE/4G for mobile data but definitely surprised that ac Wi-Fi doesn't appear to be supported. Is this normal for an early 2016 MS? Even with the car parked just a few metres from the router the signal isn't very good - possibly because of a wall in the way.

On top of that the local 4G signal is pants - EE (our phones are on BT/EE) is good here but other networks aren't that great. I understand European cars are mainly on O2 and possibly Vodafone?

 

[DJP31]

I've noticed that our car doesn't see 802.11ac (5GHz) Wi-Fi SSIDs, - I was pleased we have LTE/4G for mobile data but definitely surprised that ac Wi-Fi doesn't appear to be supported. Is this normal for an early 2016 MS? Even with the car parked just a few metres from the router the signal isn't very good - possibly because of a wall in the way.

On top of that the local 4G signal is pants - EE (our phones are on BT/EE) is good here but other networks aren't that great. I understand European cars are mainly on O2 and possibly Vodafone?

I don't think any of the cars support 5GHz and the aerial/antennae isn't particularly brilliant either. It's located n the drivers door wing mirror in case that helps with positioning the car on the drive. I invested in Google WiFi and put a unit in the garage close to where the car is parked (the car won't fit in the garage) and the car connects to it quite happily. The SIM is a roaming one, not sure whether it has a "preferred" telecoms network.

 

[vitesse]

Some good news! Tesla's service people have booked our car in to fix the paint issue on the door and the loose roof trim I'll get them to look at the power tailgate when I bring it in. I will be provided with a replacement car as it will be with them for most of the week. I have to say I'm loving the service so far!

 

[vitesse]

Call me sad (I am!) but I have been keeping an eye on the MS 85D at the car supermarket that we waited on for over 3 weeks before giving up and buying a CPO 70D. It's still there after 2 months and is still labeled 'coming soon'. It's been reserved since we gave up our reservation but looks like whoever it was also gave up. Mysterious!

 

[IanMcL]

Perhaps they haven't nicked it yet!
(Can't crack the 4 digit code)

 

[WannabeOwner]

(Can't crack the 4 digit code)

Shoddy Software QA again ... this time on the Back Door for the Password?

 

[vitesse]

So our car is in service at West Drayton to put a couple of things right (mainly some damaged paint not shown clearly in the pre-purchase photos Tesla provided.

First interesting thing I learned today... A form of Sentry Mode could be coming to older cars like mine (pre-facelift, AP1), according to the service guys. Not sure how this would work but let's hope something comes of this.

Second, I was provided with a single motor MS 75 loaner (late 2017,white with black interior, premium seats but fabric).

This was my first opportunity to experience AP2. Errr, first impressions - not good! Very nervous compared to AP1. It has NoAP but haven't tried it yet.

The S 75 feels just as quick as our 70D, perhaps a tad quicker?

Had a chance at FCL to experience a P90D launch. My god! Glad I hadn't had my lunch beforehand!

 

[WannabeOwner]

The S 75 feels just as quick as our 70D, perhaps a tad quicker?

Didn't you have any wet roads today? its been chucking it down here ...

... the Non-D loaners I had squirmed a lot on damp roads, compared to my D-Model

75 is probably uncorked, which maybe your 70 isn't (and can't be?). Uncorking reduced the 0-60 from 5-ish to 4-ish which is quite a significant improvement - particularly for a Freebie

P90D launch

Insane or Ludicrous?

The P100D is faster still ... and the Roadster-2 could have given you back your breakfast

 

[vitesse]

I didn't do any low speed acceleration but very impressive on the motorway and no squirming.

Tried Navigation on Autopilot but auto lane changing was not working and it certainly wouldn't have taken me on my off-ramp so had to intervene.

Also experienced hard braking at motorway speed, this was overriding AP to change lane. Scary!

Auto wipers are indeed rubbish! Including the state of the blades

The big screen had the yellow border problem And this is a car with half the miles and age of mine.

Do you happen to know if I'd have to pay for Supercharging on a loaner?

 

[vitesse]

Didn't you have any wet roads today? its been chucking it down here ...

... the Non-D loaners I had squirmed a lot on damp roads, compared to my D-Model

75 is probably uncorked, which maybe your 70 isn't (and can't be?). Uncorking reduced the 0-60 from 5-ish to 4-ish which is quite a significant improvement - particularly for a Freebie



Insane or Ludicrous?

The P100D is faster still ... and the Roadster-2 could have given you back your breakfast

He has Ludicrous but doesn't that involve waiting for the battery to warm up and stuff? This was, find a spot in the circuit's perimeter road where nobody is looking at you, stop and 0-30-ish.

The 75 only has the one small (compared to P models) rear motor so I guess that means the 70D is battery limited rather than motor limited?

 

[WannabeOwner]

Do you happen to know if I'd have to pay for Supercharging on a loaner?

Interesting question. I presume not (too much admin ...)

He has Ludicrous but doesn't that involve waiting for the battery to warm up and stuff?

Two modes (same for Insane). Ludicrous and Ludicrous Max. The later will pre-warm the battery, if the car has been driving some time that time might be zero, or close to. If it is sat on your driveway then maybe 30 minutes.

Insane / Ludicrous is thickness of cable and size of motors, and whatever the Software allows to happen (i.e. Insane cars can buy OTA software upgrade to Ludicrous). You can do Launch mode (Foot on brake pedal, press accelerator all the way to the floor, release accelerator pedal, accelerator all the way to the floor again, release the brake when you want to GO. Suspension squats down on its haunches, creeps a bit under the strain ... quite a lot of drama. I've done it twice I think ...its probably faster but way to much palaver for me

... or you can just "Press loud pedal and off you go" which is definitely plenty fast enough for "away from the lights" but it definitely feels quicker when car is warmed up (although I never used to bother with MAX setting as it was a separate palaver on Dash, now it is alongside Chill, Sports, Ludicrous, Max its easier to choose).

Park on the end of the row, so you have clear straight-line when you set off
Passengers get in
No issue with "Don't Rev above 5,000 RPM until the oil is warm" so:
Just set off - foot to floor

Startles passengers every time I do that