Need Advice -- Tesla updated software on my 2013 Model S, Now im being forced into pricey Infotainment upgrade.

[sunielfox]

So I have a 2013 S, and I've noticed in the last few years that every software update has made the cars OS slower and slower. Recently we brought it in to service for other reasons and they updated the software while it was there. Now the computer can take up to 2 or 3 minutes to start every time we get in to drive. I went back to service and asked them to reinstall an older OS, a version that perhaps a 2013 is better equipped to handle... and they are refusing to do it. They are pushing me to do the $2500 infotainment upgrade and I just simply can't afford that anytime in the near future. Does anyone have any advice for me?

Im feeling like a company that I used to love just stabbed me in the back. Ugh its such a terrible feeling. I really dont understand why they would push a software update on me that makes my car undriveable.. Anyway, any advice?

 

[EVRider-FL]

Unfortunately you don’t have many options. You can’t revert the software, so either live with the performance issues or pay for the upgrade.

 

[dmurphy]

So I have a 2013 S, and I've noticed in the last few years that every software update has made the cars OS slower and slower. Recently we brought it in to service for other reasons and they updated the software while it was there. Now the computer can take up to 2 or 3 minutes to start every time we get in to drive. I went back to service and asked them to reinstall an older OS, a version that perhaps a 2013 is better equipped to handle... and they are refusing to do it. They are pushing me to do the $2500 infotainment upgrade and I just simply can't afford that anytime in the near future. Does anyone have any advice for me?

Im feeling like a company that I used to love just stabbed me in the back. Ugh its such a terrible feeling. I really dont understand why they would push a software update on me that makes my car undriveable.. Anyway, any advice?

It doesn't answer the entire question, but I believe that should be a $1750 upgrade and not $2500 for a vehicle prior to Autopilot 2.0 ...

See here: Infotainment Upgrade | Tesla Support

Doesn't solve the question but hopefully that eases the blow a bit.

 

[ewoodrick]

You are complaining that a 10 year old computer isn't fast enough?

But yet you feel that new updates, significantly more complex, are worth loading?

Yea, it's not cheap, but then again there is no other 10 year old car that you have the option to upgrade anything.

 

[NV Ray]

Agree with @dmurphy should be only $1750 plus tax. I just had mine done on my 2012 P85.

Go into "additional vehicle information". What is listed under "Infotainment Processor"?

Possible steps: (1) go into trips and reset (erase) all trip history and (2) do steering wheel reset.

Lastly, IMO, the MCU2 upgrade is a bargain and night and day from the MCU1 in terms of screen clarity, speed, added streaming services, etc. Remember the $1750 includes both middle and dash screen replacements. Labor is included. For $1750 you just bought a new high end laptop. Getting MCU2 upgrade

 

[dmurphy]

Agree with @dmurphy should be only $1750 plus tax. I just had mine done on my 2012 P85.

Go into "additional vehicle information". What is listed under "Infotainment Processor"?

Possible steps: (1) go into trips and reset (erase) all trip history and (2) do steering wheel reset.

Lastly, IMO, the MCU2 upgrade is a bargain and night and day from the MCU1 in terms of screen clarity, speed, added streaming services, etc. Remember the $1750 includes both middle and dash screen replacements. Labor is included. For $1750 you just bought a new high end laptop. Getting MCU2 upgrade

Also strongly recommended to go into the GPS navigation history and erase your prior destinations. Empty 'em out! Unfortunately have to delete 1 by 1, but it does help - noticeably - with navigation performance. Good tips.

It is a bargain at $1,750 but sometimes $1,750 isn't easy to come by. Been there.

 

[NV Ray]

You are complaining that a 10 year old computer isn't fast enough?

But yet you feel that new updates, significantly more complex, are worth loading?

Yea, it's not cheap, but then again there is no other 10 year old car that you have the option to upgrade

Also strongly recommended to go into the GPS navigation history and erase your prior destinations. Empty 'em out! Unfortunately have to delete 1 by 1, but it does help - noticeably - with navigation performance. Good tips.

It is a bargain at $1,750 but sometimes $1,750 isn't easy to come by. Been there.

You're right. I've been there on the "isn't easy to come by" also. My apologies for seemingly downplaying the replacement cost.

 

[glide]

This was originally a $100,000 vehicle. I’m not sure when OP bought it or how much they paid, but a $1,750 maintenance is not out of line after 10 years.

And you don’t *have* to do it. The vehicle is still fully operational.

If I were you, I would sell the car. What is your plan when the battery or drive unit fail?

 

[z0lt3c]

Perhaps a backdoor into this, you can have them replace the eMMC on your MCU1, either by recall (if eligible) or out of pocket.

When they return the vehicle to you, after the eMMC upgrade, it's running very old software (mine was running 2021.24.28).

 

[MorrisonHiker]

So I have a 2013 S, and I've noticed in the last few years that every software update has made the cars OS slower and slower. Recently we brought it in to service for other reasons and they updated the software while it was there. Now the computer can take up to 2 or 3 minutes to start every time we get in to drive. I went back to service and asked them to reinstall an older OS, a version that perhaps a 2013 is better equipped to handle... and they are refusing to do it. They are pushing me to do the $2500 infotainment upgrade and I just simply can't afford that anytime in the near future. Does anyone have any advice for me?

Im feeling like a company that I used to love just stabbed me in the back. Ugh its such a terrible feeling. I really dont understand why they would push a software update on me that makes my car undriveable.. Anyway, any advice?

Did you ever have the memory replaced on the car? There was a recall for that years ago. If you haven't had that done yet, then it should help speed things up. There have been a lot of software updates over the past 10 years though so the infotainment upgrade would probably worth it if you plan on keeping the car for several more years.

 

[dmurphy]

This was originally a $100,000 vehicle. I’m not sure when OP bought it or how much they paid, but a $1,750 maintenance is not out of line after 10 years.

And you don’t *have* to do it. The vehicle is still fully operational.

If I were you, I would sell the car. What is your plan when the battery or drive unit fail?

It's not out of line, but life throws you curveballs. Situations change, sometimes on the turn of a dime. Frankly, none of my business how or why - just trying to suggest some things that may soften the hit a little. Good housekeeping (i.e. delete trip meters like @NV Ray recommended, deleting nav history) are free and easy to do. Getting the price down to $1,750 instead of $2,500 helps too.

 

[OrbiterTI4]

...
But yet you feel that new updates, significantly more complex, are worth loading?
...

Until OP confirms what happens, my reading of the post is, "Tesla Service did an update on their own while the car was in service; if they had asked me if I had wanted any updates, knowing it would degrade performance, I would have declined."

 

[NV Ray]

Until OP confirms what happens, my reading of the post is, "Tesla Service did an update on their own while the car was in service; if they had asked me if I had wanted any updates, knowing it would degrade performance, I would have declined."

Good point. In fact, recent updates on older MS's (2012-14) have allegedly triggered the BMS_u029 error message resulting in battery pack replacement.

Happened to me last Fall and I chose to get new out of warranty battery pack from Tesla. To accommodate information sharing, I created a Facebook Group on this issue. Over 100 members now. Tesla BMS_u029 | Facebook

 

[dmurphy]

Good point. In fact, recent updates on older MS's (2012-14) have allegedly triggered the BMS_u029 error message resulting in battery pack replacement.

Happened to me last Fall and I chose to get new out of warranty battery pack from Tesla. To accommodate information sharing, I created a Facebook Group on this issue. Over 100 members now. Tesla BMS_u029 | Facebook

My (limited) understanding is that it isn't so much that the software update causes the BMS error, but rather that the firmware update process restarts the BMS, which then detects the condition.

Moreso that the firmware update has the /effect/ of the BMS error, but doesn't necessarily /cause/ it. The battery condition exists either way - it just gets exposed because the BMS restarts.

I'd love to see uptime stats on some of these vehicle components. Aside from firmware updates, they really don't reset unless you do a *full* vehicle powerdown... and that's pretty unusual.

 

[NV Ray]

My (limited) understanding is that it isn't so much that the software update causes the BMS error, but rather that the firmware update process restarts the BMS, which then detects the condition.

Moreso that the firmware update has the /effect/ of the BMS error, but doesn't necessarily /cause/ it. The battery condition exists either way - it just gets exposed because the BMS restarts.

I'd love to see uptime stats on some of these vehicle components. Aside from firmware updates, they really don't reset unless you do a *full* vehicle powerdown... and that's pretty unusual.

Sending you PM.

 

[teslick2]

Another thing you can do to speed up the maps on MCU1 is to turn off the live traffic view. For whatever reason having it enabled creates a lot of lag.

 

[Olle]

That's not normal. I have an MCU 1 that works ok. Even voice control came back with one of the later updates, some time early 2022 I think it was. Have you gotten the EMMC Upgrade yet? That's free.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

Im feeling like a company that I used to love just stabbed me in the back. Ugh its such a terrible feeling.

Tesla of today does not even care about their customers that just spent $100K buying a new Model S from them, so you can absolutely bet money that they don't care about you.

 

[KalJoMoS]

I agree with @Olle, mine is also with MCU1 and there is none of issues that all the comments are describing here. Like many have suggested it’s good to clear some of the internal memory. Have you considered to click on the Factory Reset button under the Service tab? Actually Tesla is doing this clearing with the eMMC memory recall installation. Obviously you will loose the lifetime trip meter but this has happened to all of us. I also hold back the firmware version 11 but eventually service needed this to deploy as their service equipment needed latest version to communicate. So far it seems that this (2022.8.10.11 for MCU1 cars) version has turned a totally new life into the infotainment screen. Worth to consider.

 

[Sanderpman12]

You are complaining that a 10 year old computer isn't fast enough?

But yet you feel that new updates, significantly more complex, are worth loading?

Yea, it's not cheap, but then again there is no other 10 year old car that you have the option to upgrade anything.

I can upgrade everything on a 2000-2005 lancer evo