Model S Technical / Mechanical Issues

[jhs_7645]

I have experienced that same rumbling, very noticeable, which stops instantly when you turn climate off. I was wondering if that was normal, as my car is only three days new. Running version .31.

I don't have my car yet, but I'm thoroughly devouring this thread so I can keep up on what things to expect when I get it. One thing about the HVAC system is that yesterday I decided to *listen* to my HVAC in my ICE (4Runner). You know what?.. that thing makes a ton of strange noises, hisses, clunks, rumbles. I just never noticed them because of the engine noise, squeaky breaks, and fan belt squeals. I don't know if what you're hearing is different than that, but I can assure you, a regular HVAC system makes a lot of noise that I would not consider 'normal' and could not explain.

 

[Atrium]

I have lost 3g connectivity. No voice control is available as a result. I have tried rebooting the system several times. I called support and I am waiting for a response. I am running 4.1. Anyone experience this problem?

 

[NigelM]

I don't have my car yet, but I'm thoroughly devouring this thread so I can keep up on what things to expect when I get it. One thing about the HVAC system is that yesterday I decided to *listen* to my HVAC in my ICE (4Runner). You know what?.. that thing makes a ton of strange noises, hisses, clunks, rumbles. I just don't never noticed them because of the engine noise, squeaky breaks, and fan belt squeals. I don't know if what you're hearing is different than that, but I can assure you, a regular HVAC system makes a lot of noise that I would not consider 'normal' and could not explain.

It's sometimes tough to figure out whether you have a problem just by listening to it. When there's no vibration/noise from an ICE, other sounds seem to become elevated.

 

[Blurry_Eyed]

has anyone tried putting the rear seats down to see if this changes the amplitude or frequency of the issue?

Good suggestion, I'll give that a try when I get a chance and report back. If it is the rear seats that are the source of the sound, then it should make a noticeable difference putting them down.

 

[stevezzzz]

Anyone else having issues with the scroll wheels? In my experience, the scroll wheels on the S are frustratingly imprecise in use: they have click detents that don't really match up with the menu items. Sometimes you have to go two or three clicks to move to the next menu item; sometimes it jumps two or three items. I reported it and my service center says they'll install a new airbag unit when they can get one in.

 

[dlmorgan999]

Anyone else having issues with the scroll wheels? In my experience, the scroll wheels on the S are frustratingly imprecise in use: they have click detents that don't really match up with the menu items. Sometimes you have to go two or three clicks to move to the next menu item; sometimes it jumps two or three items. I reported it and my service center says they'll install a new airbag unit when they can get one in.

I've noticed this as well. It's hard to say whether it's a mechanical issue with the switches, or a software issue.

 

[ckessel]

Anyone else having issues with the scroll wheels? In my experience, the scroll wheels on the S are frustratingly imprecise in use: they have click detents that don't really match up with the menu items. Sometimes you have to go two or three clicks to move to the next menu item; sometimes it jumps two or three items. I reported it and my service center says they'll install a new airbag unit when they can get one in.

Yep, I've found they respond erratically. They frequently don't register single clicks up/down. If I scroll it, say, 3 clicks I get between 1 and 3 actual clicks registered.

 

[Todd Burch]

Anyone else having issues with the scroll wheels? In my experience, the scroll wheels on the S are frustratingly imprecise in use: they have click detents that don't really match up with the menu items. Sometimes you have to go two or three clicks to move to the next menu item; sometimes it jumps two or three items. I reported it and my service center says they'll install a new airbag unit when they can get one in.

For me, occasionally one click skips a menu item--but haven't had a click not register.

Either way, I'm not a super-fan of the tactile feel of the clicking. The wheels feel "loose" to me. Not a big deal to me, but I think these could be improved.

- - - Updated - - -

I have lost 3g connectivity. No voice control is available as a result. I have tried rebooting the system several times. I called support and I am waiting for a response. I am running 4.1. Anyone experience this problem?

Happened to me once. I just let it set for about 10 minutes and it came back. I did reboot once about 3 minutes in, but it didn't seem to have any effect. How long did you let it sit?

- - - Updated - - -

It's sometimes tough to figure out whether you have a problem just by listening to it. When there's no vibration/noise from an ICE, other sounds seem to become elevated.

No doubt--because the car's so quiet all of the other sounds (air suspension compressor, chiller, heat pump, fan, etc.) seem louder and perhaps are a cause of concern when none of us drivers know what we should expect to be hearing. This is a new challenge to the Tesla engineers that is not as big a deal in other cars.

 

[Atrium]

It sat all night. I am at my office now and I hope when I go back out to the car it will be reset. Thanks for the response

 

[Doug_G]

Yep, I've found they respond erratically. They frequently don't register single clicks up/down. If I scroll it, say, 3 clicks I get between 1 and 3 actual clicks registered.

I've also noticed they're a bit inconsistent.

 

[MikeK]

Agreed. The scroll wheel is fine for volume, but it's frustrating to use for precise navigation of menus because the detents are not positive enough and not perfectly aligned with stepping through the UI.

 

[Zapped]

I have lost 3g connectivity. No voice control is available as a result. I have tried rebooting the system several times. I called support and I am waiting for a response. I am running 4.1. Anyone experience this problem?

Yup, TESLA traced the problem and a setting on the Internet Service Provider side had to be adjusted/reset.

 

[ddruz]

Re Imprecise scroll wheel detents: I'm wondering if this is a universal punch list item on all cars.

Does anyone's car not have this issue, i.e. are your scroll wheel detents aligned perfectly with the menus on the instrument panel?

Has anyone received word from Tesla that they are aware of this problem and are planning a fix?

 

[FlasherZ]

Re Imprecise scroll wheel detents: I'm wondering if this is a universal punch list item on all cars.

Does anyone's car not have this issue, i.e. are your scroll wheel detents aligned perfectly with the menus on the instrument panel?

Has anyone received word from Tesla that they are aware of this problem and are planning a fix?

A fix to this isn't universally easy. My various cars have had this problem over the years, especially in colder weather -- the temperature knobs on my Suburban are notorious for this, where you might want to increase the temperature from 68 to 70 and instead, it drops by 3-4 degrees or so.

 

[NigelM]

Re Imprecise scroll wheel detents: I'm wondering if this is a universal punch list item on all cars.

Does anyone's car not have this issue?

I don't have this issue. I also don't have any of the firmware bugs.

 

[Atrium]

Yup, TESLA traced the problem and a setting on the Internet Service Provider side had to be adjusted/reset.

Did you have to take the car in for this reset?

 

[digitaltim]

I have lost 3g connectivity. No voice control is available as a result. I have tried rebooting the system several times. I called support and I am waiting for a response. I am running 4.1. Anyone experience this problem?

I have still not been upgrade to 4.1 - VIN628/SIG737. I had 3G disappear once after being in an area with no coverage for an extended period of time. I had to do a hard reset of the center console by popping a fuse at the direction of my service advisor. I don't have the manual handy to check the fuse number, so let me know if you want to resort to this and I will take a look.

 

[FlasherZ]

I have still not been upgrade to 4.1 - VIN628/SIG737. I had 3G disappear once after being in an area with no coverage for an extended period of time. I had to do a hard reset of the center console by popping a fuse at the direction of my service advisor. I don't have the manual handy to check the fuse number, so let me know if you want to resort to this and I will take a look.

Number 51 labeled "Touchscreen" in the manual. In the center of the box near the top of the fuse box in center, it's yellow.

 

[ckessel]

My phantom console presses are definitely due to the surrounding dash. It happens most on bumps, the dash bends/torques enough the chrome lining the top of the console is causing the screen to see touches. I've pushed up some on the dash and it's definitely reduced the issues. I've gotten some phantom touches on the bottom of the screen as well taking corners aggressively which, again, adds some stresses to the dash just enough to cause touches to register.

Well, shoot. My phantom "top of the console" presses seemed merely inconvenient so I wasn't going to do anything about it right away, but I hit a case this morning that was a bit disturbing. I ran over a bump in the road while I was about to press an app button (Nav I think) and the bump caused a phantom touch to drop down the drivers list right over the app button I was going to push. Consequently, when my finger met the screen I ended up selecting another driver's profile and my seat and steering wheels started their repositioning. So, for however many seconds that took I was driving in downtown traffic while everything was adjusting around me .

 

[mknox]

Well, shoot. My phantom "top of the console" presses seemed merely inconvenient so I wasn't going to do anything about it right away, but I hit a case this morning that was a bit disturbing. I ran over a bump in the road while I was about to press an app button (Nav I think) and the bump caused a phantom touch to drop down the drivers list right over the app button I was going to push. Consequently, when my finger met the screen I ended up selecting another driver's profile and my seat and steering wheels started their repositioning. So, for however many seconds that took I was driving in downtown traffic while everything was adjusting around me .

That should be disabled when the car is in gear. Every car I've owned will not respond to changing driver profile settings while under way. No way is it safe to have seats, steering wheel and mirrors moving about while you're driving. Hopefully Tesla can address this in some future software update.