Model S Smart Air Suspension Problem

[SL73]

Hi all,

I've had a Model S for just over a little over 1 year now and while I love it, I've been reporting a consistent problem with it for almost the same amount of time and I'm getting nowhere.

The car grounds when in Standard mode when I reverse down the drive. I've set up various auto sensing locations around the house but the problem is I pass by the side of my house at a speed that prevents the suspension rising. I then turn off the main road, travel 50 metres or so then reverse down the drive. Every now and again the suspension decides it's not going to rise, despite knowing it's in an auto sensing location, I reverse then the car grounds with a huge thump (effectively crashes into the ground).

It's frustrating as it hits the ground hard and is a real shock to everyone in the car, never mind the damage. The drive does have a dip but I've also got a BMW M3 which is fine, but not the Tesla in Normal mode.

Tesla are refusing to accept it's a problem, despite providing images. They say an engineer in the workshop has taken a look and it's not a problem, it's been escalated and the response is that it's not an issue. They also mentioned that because I'm the only person who has experienced and reported it then it's not a bug. If I can find others who have the same problem then they will look at it again.

My view is that this is a software bug and it can't be hard to fix it by retrying the suspension if the speed is within the parameters. It's a computer so checking every 1 second can't be hard. The fact is, it just sits there saying it's in an auto sensing location but the suspension stays at Normal. It takes me around 20 seconds to get to the house after hitting the geo fence.

Has anyone experienced the same? If you enter a geo fence too fast for the setting will it ever change while inside the geo fence or does it just sit there saying "yes, I know I should raise but I'm not going to?"

I have to say that I'm really disappointed in the customer service. I bought Tesla to support the idea of technology led improvements but if we can't provide positive feedback then what else, other than lost opportunity, is being missed?

I love the car but this is a big problem so any help from others would be welcome.

Regards,
David.

 

[millergraphics]

I find your issue really interesting, because I have the completely opposite experience. I have a downsloping driveway and if the car isn't in the highest setting the front end will scrape when I reach the threshold to my garage. I have always been amazed with the geo sensing and auto-raising feature. I enter my neighborhood and as soon as I reach my cul de sac, even if I am going 25 mph + the dash will show auto-raising and I can hear the suspension raising up, and it works 100% of the time. By the time I hit my driveway the car is at the highest setting. It also always goes back to normal as I leave my cul de sac. How fast are you going when you hit the location?

 

[benjiejr]

I've set up various auto sensing locations around the house but the problem is I pass by the side of my house at a speed that prevents the suspension rising.

Just a thought... I know you've setup various locations, but I wonder if you've tried setting a location at the spot on the side of your house where you currently prevented from rising and another spot by your driveway. The thought here is that you will be prevented when you pass the side of your house, but maybe the second location will kick in when you get to the driveway?

 

[wycolo]

As you see the problem ahead you have time to hit the screen and then hit the extra-high position, that is if you haven't already felt the suspension rise up automatically.
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[SL73]

I find your issue really interesting, because I have the completely opposite experience. I have a downsloping driveway and if the car isn't in the highest setting the front end will scrape when I reach the threshold to my garage. I have always been amazed with the geo sensing and auto-raising feature. I enter my neighborhood and as soon as I reach my cul de sac, even if I am going 25 mph + the dash will show auto-raising and I can hear the suspension raising up, and it works 100% of the time. By the time I hit my driveway the car is at the highest setting. It also always goes back to normal as I leave my cul de sac. How fast are you going when you hit the location?

Thanks for the feedback. It's a main road so I'll be doing around 30mph then dropping to about 10mph before I turn off onto my street.

Appreciate the point regarding your nose hitting the drive. I guess the apex is greater at the top of my drive and it's the other way round with yours.

 

[SL73]

Just a thought... I know you've setup various locations, but I wonder if you've tried setting a location at the spot on the side of your house where you currently prevented from rising and another spot by your driveway. The thought here is that you will be prevented when you pass the side of your house, but maybe the second location will kick in when you get to the driveway?

It's a good idea and I've tried that, but hit the same problem. I also tried removing all the locations and setting one a little further down the street, away from the main road. That worked better but as the back of the house is so close to the main road and the geo-fence isn't that accurate, it works better but I still have the occasion where it grounds.

I can't help thinking a quick software fix would sort this out. I'm certain it would be a simple one to fix if it was put in front of the right person.

Thanks for the feedback though.

 

[SL73]

As you see the problem ahead you have time to hit the screen and then hit the extra-high position, that is if you haven't already felt the suspension rise up automatically.
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I don't disagree. I don't hear or feel the suspension every time, especially when the kids are in the car but I could stop the car in the road, select the screen for the suspension, check and alter it if required then reverse into the drive.

I'd prefer Tesla to look at putting a fix in so I wasn't sat in the road doing that 2 or 3+ times a day. It also relies on me being vigilant, which, with the best will in the world, won't always be the case. If the fix was put in the car would be perfect.

 

[SL73]

Hi all,

If someone else could do a quick test of their air suspension I would really appreciate it. If you enter a geofence over 35mph then stop in the geofence will the suspension ever raise?

I think this is a bug. I understand the suspension can't lower at speed but once the speed drops the suspension should raise.

My car regularly crashes into the ground when I reverse down my drive, but only intermittently and I think it's due to the geofence boundaries changing, which is fine if only it retried the height adjustment once the speed drops.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Brunel]

Not sure I can help, but I have a similar use case in that I turn off a 50mph road, travel 100m to my house and in standard setting I will ground between the wheels when reversing in. However, my geofence kicks in within 10-20m of my drive every single time and by the time I have started reversing the suspension has raised.

I am struggling to picture your full scenario, but the difference does seem to be that my main road does not swing round the other side of my house...still seems strange that if you are doing 30mph as you approach your house the geo-fence does not always kick-in...do you religiously drive slowly up to your house or sometimes in a rush make a more abrupt slowing down at the last minute?

I have not been to Leeds in a while, but if you join the Facebook Group "Tesla Owners Group UK" (not similarly named club) there are a number of owners around that area, who I expect will test their car on your drive for the price of a cup of tea and a jaffa cake.

 

[culverwood]

Like millergraphics I have only ever had success when entering our downhill drive off a 60mph road. You can hear the suspension rising every time.

What I want is a reverse function so that one can set it to go back to standard at a certain point.

 

[SL73]

Not sure I can help, but I have a similar use case in that I turn off a 50mph road, travel 100m to my house and in standard setting I will ground between the wheels when reversing in. However, my geofence kicks in within 10-20m of my drive every single time and by the time I have started reversing the suspension has raised.

I am struggling to picture your full scenario, but the difference does seem to be that my main road does not swing round the other side of my house...still seems strange that if you are doing 30mph as you approach your house the geo-fence does not always kick-in...do you religiously drive slowly up to your house or sometimes in a rush make a more abrupt slowing down at the last minute?

I have not been to Leeds in a while, but if you join the Facebook Group "Tesla Owners Group UK" (not similarly named club) there are a number of owners around that area, who I expect will test their car on your drive for the price of a cup of tea and a jaffa cake.

Thanks for the feedback.

Once you turn off the main road you're onto a small estate with narrow, winding roads so I doubt you can get over 10mph, certainly no more than 15mph. I've attached a picture from my drive (complete with chunks missing from the top where the car keeps hitting it).

It takes about 20 seconds after turning off the main road to get the car into position and reversing so it should be plenty of time for it to check the speed again, realise it's in a geofence then try raising the suspension. I can sit for there for 10 minutes, it just won't do it.

I'd just like someone else to check whether they see the same thing. Enter a geofence at 35+mph then stop inside the geofence and see if the suspension retries. It doesn't need to be at my place and to be honest, I wouldn't want anyone bringing their Tesla down my drive.

If anyone can do that check I'd appreciate it.

 

[SL73]

Like millergraphics I have only ever had success when entering our downhill drive off a 60mph road. You can hear the suspension rising every time.

What I want is a reverse function so that one can set it to go back to standard at a certain point.

Thanks for the feedback and good to hear it's fine for you.

I think my geofence boundary isn't as consistent as it needs to be but a simple retry function to raise the suspension would resolve the problem. I can't imagine why they wouldn't have that coded in to the software.

 

[wycolo]

That photo does not effectively show the abrupt grade change. This looks like a very wide driveway and thus you should be able to attack it at a 45* angle to minimize any tendency to bottom out.
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[SL73]

That photo does not effectively show the abrupt grade change. This looks like a very wide driveway and thus you should be able to attack it at a 45* angle to minimize any tendency to bottom out.
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I agree bu the photo was in the context of the speed at the point I approach the drive, as per my comment "Once you turn off the main road you're onto a small estate with narrow, winding roads so I doubt you can get over 10mph, certainly no more than 15mph. I've attached a picture from my drive (complete with chunks missing from the top where the car keeps hitting it)."

As you can see from the road, you need to take it steady.

There isn't much room for maneuver when reversing, there's pretty much only one path to take which requires it to be at an angle anyway.

 

[benjiejr]

Once mine tries to raise at a geofenced location and gives me the warning that it cannot (due to speed), it does not retry even if I drop below 35 mph. From my experience, it's one try and done.

 

[SL73]

Once mine tries to raise at a geofenced location and gives me the warning that it cannot (due to speed), it does not retry even if I drop below 35 mph. From my experience, it's one try and done.

Hi benjiejr,

Thanks a lot for taking the time to test this. I'll submit a bug request to Tesla and see how I get on. It should be a simple fix that provides a lot of benefit to Tesla owners with air suspension (especially me ).

Appreciate your support,
David.