My car thinks I'm Spanish

[GrahamW42]

When I do a Google search, using the car's browser, the results come back in Spanish. What's that all about !

As a recent CPO purchase I "don't know where the car's been" ... but it was first registered in the UK (in Feb 2016) and it's in the UK now !

More to the point, how can I get English results ?

 

[Tam]

...how can I get English results ?

I guess you'll need to call Tesla to see if they do a remote update. If not, you might have to go to the Service Center.

 

[DJP31]

When I do a Google search, using the car's browser, the results come back in Spanish. What's that all about !

As a recent CPO purchase I "don't know where the car's been" ... but it was first registered in the UK (in Feb 2016) and it's in the UK now !

More to the point, how can I get English results ?

It’s because the car has a Spanish SIM card with a roaming Tesla paid for data connection. Nothing unusual, many others, mine included have a Dutch SIM. I think if you go to the settings within the browser you can update the location to the U.K.

 

[cezdoc]

When I do a Google search, using the car's browser, the results come back in Spanish. What's that all about !

As a recent CPO purchase I "don't know where the car's been" ... but it was first registered in the UK (in Feb 2016) and it's in the UK now !

More to the point, how can I get English results ?

Yes this is normal, mine apparently has a Spanish SIM too. The browser can be updated to display in English/UK results but one other drawback is some of the Internet radio stations (BBC 5 Live, Scala) won't stream because you don't appear to be listening from the UK

 

[GrahamW42]

OK.

So I managed to find the language option in the browser preferences.

Changing it wasn't easy though. The dialog box list of languages kept disappearing before I could find and press "English". At one point I stubbed an Arabic language by mistake and fell into a world of pain populated by nothing other than squiggles ! Fortunately the "back" button was discernible and I was (eventually) able to convince my browser that I preferred English.

Still, it's odd that Tesla couldn't arrange for this UK car to be English-oriented (and that several previous owners seem to have put up with this inconvenience).

 

[GeorgeSymonds]

Spanish is pre LTE so 2016 cars and before. LTE changed to dutch sims in europe.

In the UK you need to use the URL

www google co uk/?hl=en

 

[vitesse]

I'm hoping to get a March 2016 registered S 'soon' (that's another story!) but it looks like, from what I have heard, mcars of this age are pre-LTE (4G), just, which is disappointing.

 

[bdbdbd]

Buzz Lightyear - Spanish mode - Awsome!!! Can I get this on my car?

 

[vitesse]

The CPO 70D I have just gone for was registered only a month later than yours (I guess yours is a 65 while mine's a 16?) I don't have the car yet but Tesla say it's an LTE/4G model - is yours 3G or LTE/4G out of curiosity?

When I do a Google search, using the car's browser, the results come back in Spanish. What's that all about !

As a recent CPO purchase I "don't know where the car's been" ... but it was first registered in the UK (in Feb 2016) and it's in the UK now !

More to the point, how can I get English results ?

 

[GrahamW42]

The CPO 70D I have just gone for was registered only a month later than yours (I guess yours is a 65 while mine's a 16?) I don't have the car yet but Tesla say it's an LTE/4G model - is yours 3G or LTE/4G out of curiosity?

Yes, mine's a 65. I guess it was assembled in Nov/Dec 2015.

It displays "3G" at the top of the MCU.

When I'm at home, on the house WiFi, I get an "English browser". When I'm out and about, on 3G, I get Spanish Google results. I guess Americans think that "Europe is Europe" and don't think about regionalising the cars any more than that.

 

[vitesse]

Thanks for that - looks like I was very lucky to get 4G (though I won't believe it until I see it!

It's a shame you can't run apps on the Tesla; a VPN would do nicely!

I'm going to fit a front/rear dashcam that has wifi capability for smartphone app monitoring even when the car is unattended, but as the car can't offer a hotspot connection I might invest in a cheap sim card and a mobile personal hotspot.

Yes, mine's a 65. I guess it was assembled in Nov/Dec 2015.

It displays "3G" at the top of the MCU.

When I'm at home, on the house WiFi, I get an "English browser". When I'm out and about, on 3G, I get Spanish Google results. I guess Americans think that "Europe is Europe" and don't think about regionalising the cars any more than that.

 

[WannabeOwner]

fit a front/rear dashcam

No personal experience, but Holbon is popular

 

[DJP31]

Thanks for that - looks like I was very lucky to get 4G (though I won't believe it until I see it!

The 3G cars can be upgraded to 4G which I believe many did, so fingers crossed.

Re the Dashcam, Simon at Holbon is superb. He’ll come to you and has done countless Tesla’s.

 

[WannabeOwner]

Re the Dashcam, Simon at Holbon is superb

Yeah, if someone does this to your car you definitely want it on Cam to become an overnight YouTube sensation

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/FreshExcellentHyrax-mobile.mp4?_=1

(nothing notable in 1st 20 seconds)

 

[GrahamW42]

The 3G cars can be upgraded to 4G which I believe many did

What is the benefit of this ? How difficult is it to do and what sort of cost are we talking about ?

 

[DJP31]

What is the benefit of this ? How difficult is it to do and what sort of cost are we talking about ?

The benefit is 4G is much better than 3G, so all the connectivity functions the car uses work better/faster - the map being the obvious one. As far as cost I’m not sure, I think it was a few hundred pounds. You’d have to ask a SC, I don’t know if they even still do it.