MCU fails for the second time

[seira321]

Not sure if it makes any difference, but with the screen off and AC running and eventually not running, Tesla and I were still able to monitor the car. On my app, I was pretty much able to do most functions except turn AC off and adjust the temperature. With trying to turn off and on AC, app would have a small pop up that said "Failure to adjust or failure to change". The main odometer had stopped working, but the Trip A/B was still working.
With my very limited understanding of electronics, when something "shorts", nothing functions anymore.
The call with Tesla also mentioned that with my bank screen, he is still able to see the car. It seemed like he found it odd that with a hard reset, AC was able to stay on.

 

[ABC2D]

At the cost of a lost MCU out of warranty, I'd take the extra 10 seconds to "wake" if it was me (well it is, and thats what I do haha)

How relevant is this to the recently built models? I'm assuming the potential for issues is the same, is that right?

 

[apacheguy]

Not sure if it makes any difference, but with the screen off and AC running and eventually not running, Tesla and I were still able to monitor the car. On my app, I was pretty much able to do most functions except turn AC off and adjust the temperature. With trying to turn off and on AC, app would have a small pop up that said "Failure to adjust or failure to change". The main odometer had stopped working, but the Trip A/B was still working.
With my very limited understanding of electronics, when something "shorts", nothing functions anymore.
The call with Tesla also mentioned that with my bank screen, he is still able to see the car. It seemed like he found it odd that with a hard reset, AC was able to stay on.

This failure mode is not consistent with eMMC failure. When the eMMC fails the unit fails to boot as it cannot load the firmware and all connectivity to Teslas servers is lost.

 

[demundus]

This failure mode is not consistent with eMMC failure. When the eMMC fails the unit fails to boot as it cannot load the firmware and all connectivity to Teslas servers is lost.

Depends on whats corrupted, I've had wonky behavior, such as A/C running during a reboot, sound cutting out randomly (blinkers etc), unable to charge but MCU still on. The flash memory is "going bad" but only certain sectors are critical to function. YMMV though I guess.

 

[demundus]

How relevant is this to the recently built models? I'm assuming the potential for issues is the same, is that right?

Still relevant, it will fail one day... when has yet to be seen. Think of it like a cell phone, or a video card in your computer.

 

[StefanT]

I have been lucky so far but now you can add me to the list of failed MCU. I have been watching the bubbles grow thinking that would be the limiting factor. Guess not. The unit had required more frequent reboots lately but it has never been that stable since it was new. Last Friday it never returned after a reboot. I think I can live without Bluetooth, backup camera, and nav but it is getting cold, brrr. All said I can't complain. It has been nearly 100k since I took the car in for it's last servicing and that was at 97k when the power steering failed.

 

[d.c.palmer]

By way of reference, my wife's car - one of the very first (Signature) cars in the UK - is now having its third MCU. Fortunately the car is still within the 4-year warranty period (we've owned it, from new, for three-and-a-half years).

We starting noticing that the MCU would endlessly reboot - this only happened in areas of poor connectivity, but unfortunatel this happens to be the case where we live. We were unable to control important vehicle functions such as foglights (vital at this time of year on rural English roads) not to mention heating and navigation. This was deemed a "roadside incident" and the car was recovered - embarrassingly - via a tow truck. No loan cars were available, so my wife was lumped with a diesel rental car (so much for Elon's "top spec" Tesla loaner promise).

So far the car's been stuck at the Milton Keynes service centre for over 2 weeks. Communication is non existent - I have to call them at regular intervals, but only get vague responses. I've been tracking the car using the app, but we are NOT impressed by the lack of urgency and failure to communicate with us. Pretty poor show all round.

 

[geometro]

I have been lucky so far but now you can add me to the list of failed MCU. I have been watching the bubbles grow thinking that would be the limiting factor. Guess not. The unit had required more frequent reboots lately but it has never been that stable since it was new. Last Friday it never returned after a reboot. I think I can live without Bluetooth, backup camera, and nav but it is getting cold, brrr. All said I can't complain. It has been nearly 100k since I took the car in for it's last servicing and that was at 97k when the power steering failed.

Are you saying that you are at 197k?

 

[geometro]

Still relevant, it will fail one day... when has yet to be seen. Think of it like a cell phone, or a video card in your computer.

Agreed that the tech can't last forever, but the cost to replace this is too high (~ $3k). This just seems absurdly high for a cost of ownership matter (I say this, though I've owned several German cars!).

 

[StefanT]

Getting close. I had 183k miles before the MCU failed and I have put about another 1000 since then. Once I hit 175k I felt pretty comfortable I would make it to 200 without issues. I guess I jinxed it.

 

[apacheguy]

MCU failures correlate much better with time than with odometer miles.

 

[KyleDay]

Is the consensus that the reboot loop is caused by eMMC wearing due to high rewrites from logging?

I see @Ingineer advertises a way to turn off logging. Is that available without voiding the warranty or serviceability of my car (it's under factory warranty for 3 more years)?

Any other ramifications of turning off this excessive logging?

 

[apacheguy]

@kdday - root is required to disable the syslog. In and of itself, this shouldn't void your warranty.

 

[demundus]

@kdday - root is required to disable the syslog. In and of itself, this shouldn't void your warranty.

Should or shouldn't... has that theory been tested yet? AFAIK we're still towing a line with root and official word from tesla.

 

[KyleDay]

@kdday - root is required to disable the syslog. In and of itself, this shouldn't void your warranty.

Thank you.

I'm not going to do this. Not worth the risk

 

[BigD0g]

Should or shouldn't... has that theory been tested yet? AFAIK we're still towing a line with root and official word from tesla.

I think the line is pretty clear, if you gain root and they know it, you get blacklisted and no OTA software updates for you. You only receive the updates by visiting an SC. Or other means outside the mothership.

 

[BigD0g]

They can not deny warranty claims unless they can prove whatever you did caused the issue. At @croman can explain better I suspect.

 

[lunitiks]

Dunno how it is in the States, but over here in Vice City, "proof" does not mean much more than "more probable than not". So, like, if I were to root my car (and Tesla knew it), and I got a warranty issue: Tesla could thow technical mumbo-jumbo at you and the poor judge doesn't have a clue what hit him. What I'm saying is, please don't think that Tesla - even though they have to "prove" that your rooting caused/contributed to your issue - "proving" something doesn't mean proving it "beyond reasonable doubt" or such. You're going to have to pay an expert to "prove" your side of the story. On Prawn Island, at least

 

[BigD0g]

Dunno how it is in the States, but over here in Vice City, "proof" does not mean much more than "more probable than not". So, like, if I were to root my car (and Tesla knew it), and I got a warranty issue: Tesla could thow technical mumbo-jumbo at you and the poor judge doesn't have a clue what hit him. What I'm saying is, please don't think that Tesla - even though they have to "prove" that your rooting caused/contributed to your issue - "proving" something doesn't mean proving it "beyond reasonable doubt" or such. You're going to have to pay an expert to "prove" your side of the story. On Prawn Island, at least

Tis true I suspect, unfortunate but true....

 

[ZapDaddy]

MCU failures correlate much better with time than with odometer miles.

My MCU failed just after 12,000 miles in my model S 100D purchased new six months ago. Extended warranty looking like a wise investment.