MCU unresponsive after parking in the heat

[gabeincal]

It sounds like you may be focused too much on the heat, which may have been just a coincidence with the crashed screen. Has it happened again? I had a crashed screen a couple weeks ago but it happened in the garage overnight. I managed to get it going again and a software update with the new Linux kernel showed up the next day. So I'm speculating that the system might have crashed while trying to download and validate the software package. Did you get an update shortly after this happened?

Hmm interesting. I think I did get an update a couple days later but not on that day (I think)... But even if it crashes (which is not unheard of), it would reboot in about a minute or 2. Not like this, totally dead and having a message on the cluster gauge like in the pics above...?

 

[apacheguy]

Updates only take several minutes to validate once downloaded. Definitely wouldn't take 2 days.

 

[scottm]

@gabeincal set the car up for "overheat protection" and then roast it in sunshine for a couple hours... see if it kicks in or not

Put your own thermometers in the car where you can observe them through windows, placed in shaded central areas of car.. console armrest ideally..

It adds more conversation to your conversation with Tesla if you can show a feature not working.. with photo evidence...

 

[Electroman]

Tesla support response:

"When this happens, it usually indicates that Energy Saving Mode has been turned on. I would advise to check this setting in your car, and turn it off if it did somehow get turned on. When energy Saving mode is turned on, the vehicle can go into a hibernation mode which causes it to take an extended amount of time to power back up again.

To turn off energy saving mode, tap on Controls on the touchscreen, then Displays, then make sure Energy Saving is Off."

This doesn't sound right, it's almost like they advise any owner to not use energy saving mode. And my car does 'hibernate' and I'm used to waiting 10-15 seconds for the MCU to wake up, but on this occasion it was about 10 minutes...

I hate this kind of half baked boler plate non-response which gives the impresson they didn't even bother to read through your full story.

Energy savings mode will not take 30 minutes to get back to life, and also the fact that you were driving implies the car is out of hibernation.

Boiler plate answers assume that the customer is dumb.

 

[Gig103]

I think there's a problem with the car. Mine sits out in the Arizona sun, without Overheat protection, no tint, and no windshield shade. It boots just fine.

 

[tccartier]

Good information here as I am weeks?? away from picking up a CPO 2012 Model S. Being in southern Arizona, heat is going to happen and be extreme! We've been north of 105 degrees for the last several weeks with no end in sight until winter. and my car will be parked outside in direct sunlight for up to 12 hours every day "while I work"

 

[Atlantan]

I experienced this yesterday, but the two wheel reset woke up the MCU...today, I wanted to see if the MCU wakes up on it's own...after 20 minutes of driving..no dice. Will observe and take it in for service, need to go for annual service anyways. Will update the forum.

Cheers

 

[gabeincal]

I experienced this yesterday, but the two wheel reset woke up the MCU...today, I wanted to see if the MCU wakes up on it's own...after 20 minutes of driving..no dice. Will observe and take it in for service, need to go for annual service anyways. Will update the forum.

Cheers

Let us know. I asked at another SC in person and they said I have to give the car up for diagnosis. I'm not ready for that yet..

 

[Atlantan]

Let us know. I asked at another SC in person and they said I have to give the car up for diagnosis. I'm not ready for that yet..

Yes Sir, will do. Prior to this the MCU was not responding, I thought it was Slacker, but bluetooth initializing message stayed on for awhile and only after two wheel reset Slacker stared to work. Based on this I suspect the MCU may need replacement. Soon after taking delivery, I did upgrade to LTE but I was told MCU wasn't replaced as part of this upgrade. Really didn't have any issues since then (last summer) and this entire summer in the Atlanta heat (not sure if it's heat though). The Huper Optik tint (all around) does a decent job of heat rejection.

 

[apacheguy]

When they replace it you should request that they perform the MCU clone procedure.

 

[Atlantan]

When they replace it you should request that they perform the MCU clone procedure.

Thanks will request it. Update...MCU appears to be dead, held the two wheels for over 30 seconds ...no response. So will call the service team in the AM

 

[brkaus]

Mine did the same thing in the garage this past week. During the late morning. Ambient temp ~95

Came out and had that same message and no CID.

I called the support number and they advised -

- Press on the brake (I did, and the message eventually went away, but the CID didn't start)
- Hold two scroll wheels with foot on brake. (I did and after 15 sec the CID came back)

I don't think it is heat. I think they have a lockup condition in the software.

 

[Atlantan]

Mine did the same thing in the garage this past week. During the late morning. Ambient temp ~95

Came out and had that same message and no CID.

I called the support number and they advised -

- Press on the brake (I did, and the message eventually went away, but the CID didn't start)
- Hold two scroll wheels with foot on brake. (I did and after 15 sec the CID came back)

I don't think it is heat. I think they have a lockup condition in the software.

Thank you. Overnight the car did charge. With the foot on the brake, held the two scroll wheels...after 30 seconds the display tried to start, went black, tried to start and finally came on. It connected to LTE and played Slacker music, screen appears to respond so not sure if it's display or software. Will take it in and update you all.

 

[randompersonx]

I have been having similar problems ....

The app is generally non-responsive, and the MCU keeps crashing and rebooting while driving, causing disruptions to AC, Navigation, and music.

Rebooting it manually by holding the two buttons does seem to make it better for a while, but perhaps in a few minutes, and certainly the next time the car is driven it will have the same issue again.

My car is usually parked indoors in a cooled insulated garage. I do go on a lot of road trips in Florida which does result in the car being parked out in the sun sometimes, but I am sure far less frequently than the typical Florida owner.

 

[KidDoc]

I had similar issues several months ago when it was not hot in Texas. Had the same dash message and MCU took a bit to turn on. Rebooting it seemed to fix it so I didn't bother with service. Seems like a software/computer type glitch that happens with phones and other devices now & then.

 

[Atlantan]

Going in for annual service today will report back what the techs find. Now that I am going in for service, haven't seen this issue in a couple of days.

 

[gabeincal]

Going in for annual service today will report back what the techs find. Now that I am going in for service, haven't seen this issue in a couple of days.

I just had it 2 days ago again, but it was slightly less annoying. I summoned the car out of the garage and it came out with an unresponsive MCU. Reset it with 2 scroll wheels and all is well...... Let us know if they find anything!

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

@gabeincal and others, I've had this happen a few months in - random restarts of the touchscreen, a few occasions of a dead screen that necessitated multiple hard reboot attempts - and had to get the entire MCU and display replaced. I think you are headed in that direction...

 

[gabeincal]

@gabeincal and others, I've had this happen a few months in - random restarts of the touchscreen, a few occasions of a dead screen that necessitated multiple hard reboot attempts - and had to get the entire MCU and display replaced. I think you are headed in that direction...

Interesting. I wouldn't mind having a replacement a couple years into ownership to minimize non-warranty costs later down the line! Will raise this with service center and will keep on documenting the freezes.

 

[randompersonx]

Was just told that my MCU and display needs to be replaced.
Car has been in since Wednesday, and I haven't yet been given an estimated time for completion. I am not in a huge rush to have it returned, but I am actually a bit surprised that this part isn't just kept in stock given how common of a failure it seems to be on the forum lately.