MASTER THREAD: USB drives that work with Sentry and TeslaCam

[Chronospoti]

I'm in need of some help here. My setup is as follows:

• Nomad wireless charging pad using the splitter that caem along
• Samsung Fit Plus (USB 3.1): generally highly regarded, reasonable speeds for a small drive like this, etc.
• 2 partitions (music + camera)

This setup worked great through all of 2019. Somewhere around 2020 or so, the drive would stop being recognized for both dashcam and music. In the past the device has worked great and has been able to record for sentry mode reliably, but since then it's been wonky. Very occasionally (like 10% of the time), the drive will be recognized.

I've tried a bit of troubleshooting including:

• Reformating the USB stick including using both my PC and MacBook per the tutorials here to create multiple partitions
• Tried another Samsung Fit Plus drive (I have a 64gb and 128gb drive in addition to my 256gb drive): No big difference
• Buying a new splitter, and making sure the Amazon reviews do call out working well on their Model 3
• Swapping between the 2 splitter ports.
• Plugging in the USB drive straight into the car (Nomad charger on one port only): This works reliably 100% of the time

I'm curious if anyone has run into this. Should I try a yet another new splitter or a new USB drive? I feel like at least the single factor (splitter / usb drive) I've already tested, which is leading me to wonder if it's the combination of dual partition PLUS splitter that's the problem.

 

[sduck]

It could be a number of things. I would suspect the splitter-nomad combo - it's possible that the nomad is drawing enough power that it's not leaving enough for drive to operate properly. There's no power management with splitters. You might instead try a basic hub, which will have at least some kind of power management, or, if you can get one, a navak splitter - https://www.amazon.com/Navak-Splitter-Tesla-Model-Power/dp/B07Z2KQ719 (note that this is an older version, there's a newer one, but it's not available on amazon currently)

 

[Knightshade]

FWIW I'm running navak splitters, the taptes wireless charging pad, and running separate storage devices for dashcam and music work just fine.

 

[GermanGuyUS]

2021 Model 3 Refresh. Having trouble with the USB drive provided by Tesla - plugged into the USB port in the glovebox. Intermittently will not be recognized. The problem seems to be when writing events to the drive; does not happen all the time. Unplugging and replugging fixes it but it keeps happening. I formatted it several times. Any thoughts?

 

[JCtx]

Did you format it thru the car, or your PC? I had trouble with the sentry not recording. Formatted it thru the car, and it seems to be working fine now. hence my asking. The other thing I read is that every time you turn the car off, the car generates an error file, and that over time, it acts up, so we need to erase those files from a computer. Has anybody else read about that? This is the long thread that discusses using the same USB stick for music and camera. I decided not to do that, since the largest space you can format for the camera is 32Gb, and I just want 10Gb for music, and 118 for camera. So just bought a USB-C stick for the music, and it's working fine now. Just have to be careful not to knocking out, and damage something, since it's on the way.

 

[LuvMyM3P]

2021 Model 3 Refresh. Having trouble with the USB drive provided by Tesla - plugged into the USB port in the glovebox. Intermittently will not be recognized. The problem seems to be when writing events to the drive; does not happen all the time. Unplugging and replugging fixes it but it keeps happening. I formatted it several times. Any thoughts?

I have 2020 version of M3P and bought the tesla flash drive since my SanDisk kept giving me the error message. I still get the same error message here and there, but it appears to be recording still. IDK but I feel like it shows the error message when I'm in a dip where satellite is spotty.

 

[Chronospoti]

I'm in need of some help here. My setup is as follows:

• Nomad wireless charging pad using the splitter that caem along
• Samsung Fit Plus (USB 3.1): generally highly regarded, reasonable speeds for a small drive like this, etc.
• 2 partitions (music + camera)

This setup worked great through all of 2019. Somewhere around 2020 or so, the drive would stop being recognized for both dashcam and music. In the past the device has worked great and has been able to record for sentry mode reliably, but since then it's been wonky. Very occasionally (like 10% of the time), the drive will be recognized.

I've tried a bit of troubleshooting including:

• Reformating the USB stick including using both my PC and MacBook per the tutorials here to create multiple partitions
• Tried another Samsung Fit Plus drive (I have a 64gb and 128gb drive in addition to my 256gb drive): No big difference
• Buying a new splitter, and making sure the Amazon reviews do call out working well on their Model 3
• Swapping between the 2 splitter ports.
• Plugging in the USB drive straight into the car (Nomad charger on one port only): This works reliably 100% of the time

I'm curious if anyone has run into this. Should I try a yet another new splitter or a new USB drive? I feel like at least the single factor (splitter / usb drive) I've already tested, which is leading me to wonder if it's the combination of dual partition PLUS splitter that's the problem.

It could be a number of things. I would suspect the splitter-nomad combo - it's possible that the nomad is drawing enough power that it's not leaving enough for drive to operate properly. There's no power management with splitters. You might instead try a basic hub, which will have at least some kind of power management, or, if you can get one, a navak splitter - https://www.amazon.com/Navak-Splitter-Tesla-Model-Power/dp/B07Z2KQ719 (note that this is an older version, there's a newer one, but it's not available on amazon currently)

Just want to update I got a Navak V2 and this works great now. I can play music and record Dashcam. I know the Samsung Fit Plus USB 3.1 isn't the fastest drive around, but it's better than most mini USB drives out there, but I do occasionally (like once a week maybe) get a slow speed error. I know this drive has more than enough capability to sustain 4 MB/sec writing, so I'm surprised why it pops up. I hardly listen to music on the drive so I know it's not a simultaneous read/write issue either.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Just want to update I got a Navak V2 and this works great now. I can play music and record Dashcam. I know the Samsung Fit Plus USB 3.1 isn't the fastest drive around, but it's better than most mini USB drives out there, but I do occasionally (like once a week maybe) get a slow speed error. I know this drive has more than enough capability to sustain 4 MB/sec writing, so I'm surprised why it pops up. I hardly listen to music on the drive so I know it's not a simultaneous read/write issue either.

Depending on how full the drive is, it may be garbage collection. SSDs usually have some RAM built inside to buffer things while it is doing garbage collection. A small flash drive is unlikely to have that, so it'll dip down in performance while doing that.

 

[Wilfred]

I am using the following SD card with a card reader on my 2021 model 3 without any issue from last Nov until now.

SanDisk MAX ENDURANCE microSD card 256GB

SanDisk MAX ENDURANCE microSD™ Card, U3 (32 GB - 256 GB) | Western Digital | Western Digital

Built to capture up to 120,000 hours (over 13 years)1 of footage for your home security cameras or dash cam, the SanDisk® MAX ENDURANCE microSD™ card is engineered not only for continuous recording and re-recording, but also for continuous peace of mind for years to come. Designed to last1, this...

shop.westerndigital.com

MobileMate USB 3.0 Reader

SanDisk MobileMate USB 3.0 MicroSD Card Reader | Western Digital | Western Digital

The MobileMate® USB 3.0 microSD™ card reader is the easy way to quickly transfer content from your camera or drone’s memory card. This compact and durable reader requires no downloads or additional software and is compatible with USB 3.0 and backwards-compatible with USB 2.0. And, with transfer...

shop.westerndigital.com

Plug it into the USB Type-A port, format it, that's all you need to do. Good luck.

 

[Kevy Baby]

High Endurance SD cards are overkill and a waste of money.

 

[dgb62]

Hi, I know variations of this have been posted here numerous times, I can't seem to find a fix or the same issue I'm having:
-2021 M3P, came w 128G USB stick
-sentry/dashcam worked fine until around a week ago (may have been related to recent OTA update 2021.4.11, I'm not 100% sure)
-got an error message on top of screen saying that USB stick was almost full, so I just reformatted it by using the screen controls
-that helped for a day, the same message. took the stick out, and erased all the files using my computer. didn't help.
-I read somewhere to repair the USB, next time I plugged it in to the computer it did say the usb stick was defective and it repaired it
-still no help, so I completely reformatted the usb stick
-now I occasionally get the sentry icon to pop up, but never the dashcam icon. The option to reformat the drive is grayed out on the screen
-did 2 reboots of the car, it helped the 1st time, not the second.

Any thoughts? I haven't tried just using a new USB stick. That's next. Should I book a service appt?

Appreciate any help!

 

[pnwadventures]

Flash RAM memory cells have a limited number of writes they can perform before they wear out. They are a consumable product. The Tesla cam is effectively continually writing to them, and as they wear out, the available space (number of good cells) becomes lower. This can manifest as reduced capacity, as well as corruption. Try a new SDRAM (something explicitly rated for very high write rates and longevity - most DV flash are good for this).

 

[Dolemite]

I think it is important to consider this - if you removed the drivetrain from the AWD, Sedan, ICE, and the drivetrain from the Model 3 DM - which is heavier?

The answer is the ICE - and not by a small amount. The G80 engine weighs roughly 500lbs, and the transmission about 150lbs. Maybe tack on another 100lbs or so for the driveshaft and rear diff. The Model 3 HV Pack is about 1,000lbs, and both motors are around 200-250lbs each. So, if we are comparing "apples to apples", both without their drivetrain, Tesla has actually done an incredibly impressive job with keeping the weight down.

I mean just look at the Mach-E - it's over 500lbs heavier in the same dual motor configuration as the Model Y, yet is smaller.

Yeah I’ve thought about the same - gas tank & other associated gubbins, too. It’s almost like the interior of the Model 3 is minimalist (and honestly - a little cheap) out of necessity vs. “modern design.” I wish Sandy Munro said “we could shave X lbs out of the Model 3 chassis” rather than constantly just saying that it’s overbuilt. It’s like are we taking 50 lbs? 100 lbs? 200?

 

[DaveRZ]

Sounds like your USB drive is going bad. Do you have another one you can put in the car to see if it works?

You can also put the Tesla drive into your computer and test it out by filling it up with random files until its full. Verify you can read all the data back by copying it all back to your computer into a temp folder. If any of that fails, the drive is probably toast. You can try doing a full reformat (don't use the "quick" option) which might detect bad segments and mark them as such so they won't be used.

Also, if you reformat the drive using a computer, remember you have to add the "TeslaCam" folder to get things to work with the car.

Otherwise, if the drive came with the car, it's covered under warranty. Schedule service.

best of luck!

 

[Knightshade]

Guys- he's using a brand new stick that came with his 2021 car

It's not worn out.

(in fact at the slow rate of write in a Tesla, a 128GB stick would take something like 7-11 years, on average, to wear out depending on your usage of sentry)


It's certainly possible the stick is DEFECTIVE, but not worn out.


You can certainly try another one in the meantime to see if it's JUST the stick or a more fundamental issue though- if another stick won't work either you'll need service.... seems I've seen a few folks having issues with that new glovebox USB port.



EDIT- I noticed you said you reformatted on your computer... are you sure you did so in the correct format? a 128GB stick needs a 3rd party utility in windows to format it correctly for the car. Also once formatted you need to create the TeslaCam folder on the stick for it to work.


The sentry icon being there tells you nothing- it doesn't require a stick at all and does not record any video. Only dashcam does that.

The sentry feature USES dashcam footage, if available, for some of its capabilities- but does not require that footage and is never the part that "records" anything.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Otherwise, if the drive came with the car, it's covered under warranty. Schedule service.

Not sure if it's the same with the OP's, but it says specifically right on my 128GB Tesla stick that it's not covered under the vehicle warranty (it's just a bonus freebee that they didn't have to include, much like the microfiber cleaning cloth). The SC may still swap it as goodwill, but they are within their rights not to give a replacement if it turns out the USB stick is the problem.

I would note to the OP if doing a format, to format it to FAT32 and also just to add the TeslaCam folder yourself. To format larger drives in FAT32 in windows, the utility mentioned in this article works well (a full format is possible by unchecking the quick format option).
How to Format USB Drives Larger Than 32GB With FAT32 on Windows

Note the in car format option doesn't work if there is more than one drive connected (also needs to be connected to the right ports).

 

[pnwadventures]

Guys- he's using a brand new stick that came with his 2021 car

My bad - I didn't realize the new cars came with a stick.

 

[jjrandorin]

Not sure if it's the same with the OP's, but it says specifically right on my 128GB Tesla stick that it's not covered under the vehicle warranty (it's just a bonus freebee that they didn't have to include, much like the microfiber cleaning cloth). The SC may still swap it as goodwill, but they are within their rights not to give a replacement if it turns out the USB stick is the problem.

I would note to the OP if doing a format, to format it to FAT32 and also just to add the TeslaCam folder yourself. To format larger drives in FAT32 in windows, the utility mentioned in this article works well (a full format is possible by unchecking the quick format option).
How to Format USB Drives Larger Than 32GB With FAT32 on Windows

Note the in car format option doesn't work if there is more than one drive connected (also needs to be connected to the right ports).

They dont use fat32 for the sticks any longer. The car will format it to exFat now. that change was made sometime last year. There is no need at all to do the "Fat32" dance any longer.

 

[Knightshade]

FWIW I just checked and current version of owners manual list a number of supported formats-

Model 3 requires the USB flash drive to be formatted as exFAT, FAT 32 (for Windows), MS-DOS FAT (for Mac), ext3, or ext4.

 

[stopcrazypp]

They dont use fat32 for the sticks any longer. The car will format it to exFat now. that change was made sometime last year. There is no need at all to do the "Fat32" dance any longer.

The latest manual 2020.44 still has conflicting information on supported formats, so I formatted to FAT32 just in case (I'm using a SanDisk High Endurance microSD card now with a card reader), which I know for certain works everywhere (true of even my other devices like security cameras).

Page 135:
NOTE: Media Player supports USB flash drives with FAT32 formatting (NTFS and exFAT are not currently supported).

A quick google found the reason: exFAT was still proprietary until 8/28/2019:

exFAT - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I don't remember what the factory stick was formatted in. I'll check when I have the chance.

Side note, I'm using this UGREEN 20250 card reader which has both a microSD and SD card slot (got it due to people saying the tiny SanDisk microSD one everyone uses may overheat or gets very hot, and the extra cable on this one separating the reader from the port might help). The in car format does not work with it due to it mounting two drives at once (due to having two slots). However, using my computer, formatting a 128GB microSD card and copying over the TeslaCam folder from the Tesla USB stick and putting the card into the reader works fine.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EFPX9XA