Tony_YYZ
Tezler Guru
Is anyone selling the adapter harnesses for the conversion to USB C anymore in US/Canada? The one Etsy store has been out of stock forever. Thanks!
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Model 3 new USB C center console data hub from model Y?
- Thread starter AxlxA
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nealey
Member
Just got a call from the service center. Went like this:
:car: We noticed your parts aren't correct for your car, so we ordered the correct parts.
But I need the Model Y parts for this retrofit.
:car: Aha, well, we can't sell parts that don't work with your VIN because you might brick your car.
Huh, okay. I know people have done this, could I ask a friend with a model Y to order the parts?
:car: Yes, you could do that. I'll call the parts people and ask if there's some way around this.
I'm really bad at dealing with situations like this, where I need to convince someone with all the negotiating power that they want to help me out. Anyway, I don't know if this is a trend or just this once service center, but I thought I'd report in. Hopefully I can get the part myself. If not, I have pals with model Ys who can get it for me. And I guess there's always eBay + time.
:car: We noticed your parts aren't correct for your car, so we ordered the correct parts.
But I need the Model Y parts for this retrofit.:car: Aha, well, we can't sell parts that don't work with your VIN because you might brick your car.
Huh, okay. I know people have done this, could I ask a friend with a model Y to order the parts?:car: Yes, you could do that. I'll call the parts people and ask if there's some way around this.
I'm really bad at dealing with situations like this, where I need to convince someone with all the negotiating power that they want to help me out. Anyway, I don't know if this is a trend or just this once service center, but I thought I'd report in. Hopefully I can get the part myself. If not, I have pals with model Ys who can get it for me. And I guess there's always eBay + time.
nealey
Member
Happy to report the service center just called back and said I could in fact get those parts. They cautioned me that they weren't going to fit, and that I would be voiding any warranty on those parts and around that area of the car.
So if you hear this, ask them to call the parts department and give it a shot anyway!
They then told me I needed to clean up the passenger folding mirror to have in unfold, so, LOL to the 2 months left on my warranty.
So if you hear this, ask them to call the parts department and give it a shot anyway!
They then told me I needed to clean up the passenger folding mirror to have in unfold, so, LOL to the 2 months left on my warranty.
nealey
Member
It's my understand that in the US, the manufacturer can only void the warranty for parts of the car. Like, this retrofit can't trigger them to void the warranty on the brakes. But the can absolutely void the warranty on the stuff I futzed around with, which would be the rear A/C louvers and the USB ports, probably the center console too. "Around that area of the car" is a fair way to quickly convey this, I think.
Anyway, the back part fit beautifully, using the adapter shipped from Germany from the eBay store here. I now have close to 50W in the back, which is going to be really helpful on road trips. It took maybe 5 minutes, and was about as difficult as replacing a hubcap.
The adapters I got look well-made. I do a fair amount of hobbyist electronics work and this is at least as good as anything I could have put together. I didn't want to buy all the parts because I only needed two, but this actually looks like something I could have made myself with just a pair of pliers, and I feel a little foolish now having shipped this all the way across the Atlantic ocean. So to any future thread-readers, you really ought to look into how the two connectors crimp (I think they're linked earlier in this thread) and consider making your own connector. You could maybe even ship the leftover parts off to the next person in this thread who wants to do the upgrade, so you don't have to deal with a bunch of extra connectors you will never use for anything ever.
I decided not to do the front retrofit until my family all has phones that can charge wirelessly. There does not appear to be a simple way to evenly distribute the 24W on the left port to two devices: your best bet is to plug one phone directly into the USB C port, and continue using a USB 3 hub on the right port, which means "slow" charging for the other phone. That's not enough of an improvement for me to bother right now.
I encourage anybody contemplating it to at least do the back ports. It's a simple operation, the part is fairly inexpensive, and the result is a substantial improvement.
Anyway, the back part fit beautifully, using the adapter shipped from Germany from the eBay store here. I now have close to 50W in the back, which is going to be really helpful on road trips. It took maybe 5 minutes, and was about as difficult as replacing a hubcap.
The adapters I got look well-made. I do a fair amount of hobbyist electronics work and this is at least as good as anything I could have put together. I didn't want to buy all the parts because I only needed two, but this actually looks like something I could have made myself with just a pair of pliers, and I feel a little foolish now having shipped this all the way across the Atlantic ocean. So to any future thread-readers, you really ought to look into how the two connectors crimp (I think they're linked earlier in this thread) and consider making your own connector. You could maybe even ship the leftover parts off to the next person in this thread who wants to do the upgrade, so you don't have to deal with a bunch of extra connectors you will never use for anything ever.
I decided not to do the front retrofit until my family all has phones that can charge wirelessly. There does not appear to be a simple way to evenly distribute the 24W on the left port to two devices: your best bet is to plug one phone directly into the USB C port, and continue using a USB 3 hub on the right port, which means "slow" charging for the other phone. That's not enough of an improvement for me to bother right now.
I encourage anybody contemplating it to at least do the back ports. It's a simple operation, the part is fairly inexpensive, and the result is a substantial improvement.
Tony_YYZ
Tezler Guru
Where did you get your connectors from? Is there nobody in NA that’s selling them anymore?
nealey
Member
Shipped from Germany. Tesla Model 3 (2017-2020) USB C Retrofit Adapter | eBay
But I really do think it'd be possible to use this very thread to organize a thing where one person orders the connectors and cabling (and maybe a crimping tool? I think you could just use pliers with these connectors) and mails the leftovers out to the next person who wants to make cables. I have a feeling the minimum order for these connectors is like 100.
I ordered from the same seller with the plans to upgrade. I sent an email to the Austin service email address last Friday but haven't heard anything back. How long did it take you to hear back from the SC on the parts order?
nealey
Member
Maybe a day? I submitted a service request in the app, though. Read somewhere the service department has an easier time that way.
Knightshade
Well-Known Member
Essentially US law is that the MFG isn't required to fix under warranty a problem caused by a modification or non-standard part installation you make- but that anything that fails NOT due to your changes remains covered.
I can think of a number of things they might try blaming a mod like this on that aren't physically in/around the console (12v battery failure for example) but YMMV highly on stuff like this and you might well never have an issue.
nealey
Member
I put in the front unit, and now I have "quick" USB C charging on the driver's side. Our phones aren't able to wireless charge, but when we get phones that are, I should be able to set the wireless charging pad up pretty easily now.
It took me and my father about 3 hours, including the 1 hour spent taking the wrong stuff apart. The guy who sells the adapters from Germany sends a little slip of paper with a QR code to an installation write up in German: use it! It's very good. It would have saved me that hour disassembling the wrong things.
I opted to disconnect the 12V, which meant removing the rear seat cushion. This isn't as big a deal as you might think.
The only real snag was putting the carpet panels back on. They have these little white clips on the pegs, and some of them were left behind in the console instead. Be sure to take them all out and reseat them on the pegs on the carpet panel: this way you can account for all of them, and won't be trying to cram two into the same slot. Otherwise it wasn't a very challenging install at all, just time consuming.
I used a new 6-foot USB C right angle cable to make the connection, but I did have to trim a lot of the plastic away from the phone side plug using a Dremel. It wasn't too difficult, and I goofed a couple times and took too much away, so the connector beneath is exposed a little. It's not pretty, but it's not really a problem, since everything is nicely covered.
As previous people have said, this one probably isn't worth the effort, unless you're obsessive like I am, in which case, it was a lot easier than replacing the factory radio on my 1972 Oldsmobile Toronado. And honestly it's not a bad first project if you've never done interior work on a car before, just take your time and don't force anything.
I have the driver side connected directly to the new USB C ports, and an Anker 4-port hub on the passenger side. This is essentially how the Jeda hub is configured. The 6-foot cable is just coiled up so it's out of the way. It's a mess of wires, but when the charging flap is down you don't see any of it, so I'll probably just live leave it. Maybe I'll tie some stuff together with trash bag twist ties.
It took me and my father about 3 hours, including the 1 hour spent taking the wrong stuff apart. The guy who sells the adapters from Germany sends a little slip of paper with a QR code to an installation write up in German: use it! It's very good. It would have saved me that hour disassembling the wrong things.
I opted to disconnect the 12V, which meant removing the rear seat cushion. This isn't as big a deal as you might think.
The only real snag was putting the carpet panels back on. They have these little white clips on the pegs, and some of them were left behind in the console instead. Be sure to take them all out and reseat them on the pegs on the carpet panel: this way you can account for all of them, and won't be trying to cram two into the same slot. Otherwise it wasn't a very challenging install at all, just time consuming.
I used a new 6-foot USB C right angle cable to make the connection, but I did have to trim a lot of the plastic away from the phone side plug using a Dremel. It wasn't too difficult, and I goofed a couple times and took too much away, so the connector beneath is exposed a little. It's not pretty, but it's not really a problem, since everything is nicely covered.
As previous people have said, this one probably isn't worth the effort, unless you're obsessive like I am, in which case, it was a lot easier than replacing the factory radio on my 1972 Oldsmobile Toronado. And honestly it's not a bad first project if you've never done interior work on a car before, just take your time and don't force anything.
I have the driver side connected directly to the new USB C ports, and an Anker 4-port hub on the passenger side. This is essentially how the Jeda hub is configured. The 6-foot cable is just coiled up so it's out of the way. It's a mess of wires, but when the charging flap is down you don't see any of it, so I'll probably just live leave it. Maybe I'll tie some stuff together with trash bag twist ties.
Yeah, those little white clips - no one mentioned that in the guides
It is imperative you don't lose them, or leave them in situ after you've taken off the carpeted side bits. If you lose one down inside the centre console you'll be hearing it rattling around forever more.
For what it's worth I didn't bother disconnecting the 12v. I just powered down the car from the screen and did the work. The car didn't give me any warnings during or after, even after disconnecting the CANBUS to pull the console back.
I also think the front seems like such disproportionate effort because the rear ones are so easy. Replacing the rear ports - as you know - takes about 3 minutes. The front takes quite a bit longer, but there's only 6 screws holding the whole console in, and 2 cables.. it's actually not that big a job compared to how difficult it could be, if Tesla hadn't designed the car in a clever way to minimise disassembly issues.
It is imperative you don't lose them, or leave them in situ after you've taken off the carpeted side bits. If you lose one down inside the centre console you'll be hearing it rattling around forever more.
For what it's worth I didn't bother disconnecting the 12v. I just powered down the car from the screen and did the work. The car didn't give me any warnings during or after, even after disconnecting the CANBUS to pull the console back.
I also think the front seems like such disproportionate effort because the rear ones are so easy. Replacing the rear ports - as you know - takes about 3 minutes. The front takes quite a bit longer, but there's only 6 screws holding the whole console in, and 2 cables.. it's actually not that big a job compared to how difficult it could be, if Tesla hadn't designed the car in a clever way to minimise disassembly issues.
nealey
Member
That cable I used is too short to fit a phone with a case on it. I don't use a case, but my wife does, so I'll order another contender and report back!
19 pages in, and I'll go ahead and mirror the comments above --
I did the front and rear upgrade a few months ago, and honestly the front is not worth it at all. I have no use for the USB-C inside the console and really I'd rather have the old school USB there so I could connect my xbox controller in addition to my USB thumb drive. Now to do this I'd need to buy another $10 USB-C cable for my controller, which is just silly. So this "upgrade" resulted in me losing my xbox controller.
Rear vent upgrade? Absolutely worth it. Kiddo's electronics charge just fine, as does my laptop and really whatever else. Totally worth the $100 or whatever it was. Literally took 60 seconds to install.
I'm leaving the front upgraded, not worth reverting to stock. I had previously run a 5-port USB car charger from the arm rest storage through to the front storage to charge various USB things, so I've got plenty of old school ports up there, but if I hadn't done that I'd probably revert it back to stock.
An additional data point -- I did not disconnect the 12v under the rear seat. I did shut down the car prior to disconnecting the big connector at the rear of the center console. Car still works, no errors or notifications, sun still rises in the east and sets in the west, life continued. So I think disconnecting the 12v isn't a necessary step.
I did the front and rear upgrade a few months ago, and honestly the front is not worth it at all. I have no use for the USB-C inside the console and really I'd rather have the old school USB there so I could connect my xbox controller in addition to my USB thumb drive. Now to do this I'd need to buy another $10 USB-C cable for my controller, which is just silly. So this "upgrade" resulted in me losing my xbox controller.
Rear vent upgrade? Absolutely worth it. Kiddo's electronics charge just fine, as does my laptop and really whatever else. Totally worth the $100 or whatever it was. Literally took 60 seconds to install.
I'm leaving the front upgraded, not worth reverting to stock. I had previously run a 5-port USB car charger from the arm rest storage through to the front storage to charge various USB things, so I've got plenty of old school ports up there, but if I hadn't done that I'd probably revert it back to stock.
An additional data point -- I did not disconnect the 12v under the rear seat. I did shut down the car prior to disconnecting the big connector at the rear of the center console. Car still works, no errors or notifications, sun still rises in the east and sets in the west, life continued. So I think disconnecting the 12v isn't a necessary step.
I did the front because I then fitted a Jeda Model Y hub which gives me the extra ports I need, and full power passthrough of the USB-C port, for the wireless charger.
Oddly enough doing the front is cheaper than the rear, because you’re just replacing the front hub component rather than installing a whole rear vent assembly.
Oddly enough doing the front is cheaper than the rear, because you’re just replacing the front hub component rather than installing a whole rear vent assembly.
nealey
Member
It took a long time for me. I think like 7 weeks? Shipping overseas has been really messed up due to COVID-19, and I think it's even worse now.
The tracking number I got on the package also made it look like it was hanging out in Germany the whole time, when really it was on a boat somewhere.
The tracking number I got on the package also made it look like it was hanging out in Germany the whole time, when really it was on a boat somewhere.
nealey
Member
Oh, here's the USB C cable I wound up using, which is long enough to fit our phones with cases.
The link to the Germany ebay part still works and takes about 3 weeks for the part to arrive. Now on to trying to get the rear usb part from Tesla (hoping they will let me buy it even if I only have a 3 and not a Y). 2018 model so really would like the fast charging for the rear passengers.
I did the front hub on my 2019 Model 3. Took around 7 weeks for the harness to arrive from Germany to me in New Zealand. I put a request in for the hub with my local Service Centre here and after a call from them asking why I wanted a part that wasn't made for my year, it arrived a week later. Paid for it via Apple Pay in the app and it was ready for me to pick up 
The higher power output that comes with USB-PD on the USB-C port was worth the waiting and time to install. I purchased this hub and this wireless charging pad to go with the upgrade. I went with that hub because it passes through USB-PD to the first USB-C port (for the wireless pad) and the second USB-C port is also capable of outputting up to 20W which is plenty for the Raspberry Pi 4 I have connected to it for Sentry/Dashcam. I no longer have power output issues with the car shutting off a USB port because my partner and I are trying to charge my phone while also running the Pi 4.
The higher power output that comes with USB-PD on the USB-C port was worth the waiting and time to install. I purchased this hub and this wireless charging pad to go with the upgrade. I went with that hub because it passes through USB-PD to the first USB-C port (for the wireless pad) and the second USB-C port is also capable of outputting up to 20W which is plenty for the Raspberry Pi 4 I have connected to it for Sentry/Dashcam. I no longer have power output issues with the car shutting off a USB port because my partner and I are trying to charge my phone while also running the Pi 4.
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