Phantom touch on the Model 3

[YauKwan]

I really wish I could come up with cool names like this.

Anyway experienced this yesterday. Was driving along and randomly my volume got raised to max. Freaked out for a minute and turned off the music.

Then turned it back down. It kept trying to go to max until I pulled over and did a hard reset.

My vampire loss is really high. I was attributing to the temperature as it’s really cold right now. But I’ll monitor it more closely and see if it’s related to this. I’m losing about 20 miles a night after it’s done charging

 

[Napboy]

This is a common glitch that’s supposedly will be addressed in the next update. It happened to me (when I rented one for the day) and it was parked in my garage and the volume went up to full.

Perhaps the stereo is on on the middle of the night causing the vampire drain?

 

[israndy]

As an Apple Genius since the dawn of the touch screen devices, I am very worried. I have replace SO MANY iPhone screen for the phantom touch issue. But since there are so few M3s out so far, perhaps it is like they say, just a software issue. Fangers crossed.

Maybe when they put the plastic shatter shield on it will cut down on phantom touch. Wonder if they will retrofit those of us whose cars have already been made with a shatter shield.

-Randy

 

[Zythryn]

As an Apple Genius since the dawn of the touch screen devices, I am very worried. I have replace SO MANY iPhone screen for the phantom touch issue. But since there are so few M3s out so far, perhaps it is like they say, just a software issue. Fangers crossed.

Maybe when they put the plastic shatter shield on it will cut down on phantom touch. Wonder if they will retrofit those of us whose cars have already been made with a shatter shield.

-Randy

We briefly had a phantom touch issue immediately after an update.
Reset cleared it up and it hasn’t been back over a week.
I would lean towards this being software, not hardware.

 

[kbecks13]

I'm fairly certain Tesla has already changed software to address phantom touches when you aren't in the car by disabling the touchscreen when the car doesn't sense passengers in the seats. I say this because i've seen "Touchscreen disabled" messages many times when i enter the car and it disappears within a few seconds of sitting down.

Unfortunately that won't do much for phantom touches when you're driving, but at least they can prevent the car from running itself all night long.

 

[lunitiks]

@Randy Spencer would u mind explaining what the iPhone phantom touch is, and how it (potentially) translates to M3? And why are you so worried?

 

[tchaimd]

I had the same issue as the OP - turns out that at delivery, the film over the screen was not removed, and that appeared to be the cause of the phantom inputs and volume changes!

Remove the clear film from the touchscreen, and it should fix the issue of phantom inputs!

 

[MrBilly]

In my case I don't think the volume changing on its own is phantom touch screen issues, could be software glitches. Have never had protective film over the screen. Here's my post when it happened a few weeks back. Has never happened again.
Lights stay on after exit and music keeps playing

 

[tchaimd]

Unfortunately I spoke too soon - I am still having phantom input issues, despite removing the clear film from the screen! Tesla Tech Support states that an upcoming firmware update should take care of this issue. If not, they tell me that the MCU/computer screen will have to be replaced!

 

[lunitiks]

If not, they tell me that the MCU/computer screen will have to be replaced!

If they do, don't mind posting the part number for the new unit

 

[israndy]

That sounds expensive, I hope your car is still under warranty!

-Randy

 

[tagpats]

@kbecks13 - I was hoping you were right, as I have noticed the occasional touchscreen disabled notification when entering my car. However, I just had my first experience with returning to a parked, locked car to find the touchscreen illuminated and the music at full volume.

Does anyone have a temporary work around to prevent this from happening until a permanent fix is made? I am pausing the music now each time I exit the car, but don't know if that will make any difference.

 

[Dave B]

Has anyone put a screen protector on their M3 display yet? I picked up two from Abstract Ocean, and plan on applying one as soon as I get my M3 some time in the next 1.5-4.5 weeks. (I'm being an optimist, as I configured on 2/22.)

I parked next to a nice black M3 in the south daily lot at the Atlanta airport today, and one of the first things I noticed on the display was the number of finger prints on it. I'm hoping those matte screen protectors I picked up don't cause phantom touch issues.

 

[tagpats]

I have the same screen protectors, but am waiting to install in case I end up with a new touchscreen.

 

[tagpats]

Has anyone had their car music turn on full blast since receiving software update 18.4.9?

 

[tchaimd]

Has anyone had their car music turn on full blast since receiving software update 18.4.9?

Yes, unfortunately! I am on 2018.4.9 700fb88.

I am waiting now for Tesla to guide me to the next step - wait for yet another firmware update, or replace the screen/hardware.

When driving, I still get the volume changing on its own and random phantom inputs on the screen. Once, when this was happening, I opened the Sketchpad app, and noticed that all the phantom inputs were along the right edge of the touchscreen!

When parked in my garage, I’ve noticed the stereo turn on and off randomly, at max volume! Now my front speakers sometimes rattle/vibrate at normal volume, as if they have been blasting at full volume for a while and are damaged (?). Along with my eardrums from all of the random max volume incidents, ha!

Oh, and I notice a puddle of water under the car sometimes - probably due to A/C on when the car randomly turns on when parked in garage overnight.

Once I hear back again from Tesla, I will update you all.

 

[tagpats]

@tchaimd - Thanks for the report. 18.4.10 is starting to roll out. Maybe that will fix things. I have not experienced this when driving or had any phantom touch issues that I’m aware of. Makes me wonder if there are two types of music volume issues going on.

A staff member at my service center suggested that if your phone is on Bluetooth, whatever volume level your phone is set to will result in that volume level in the car when the music comes on. This doesn’t seem right to me. If it is phantom touches on the right side of the screen that cause the volume to turn up, the Bluetooth is irrelevant. In my case, I was parked and out of phone key range when I heard the car rocking.

 

[randy1077]

You can add me to the list of people having this issue. I hope they can resolve it soon. I’ve had my car 5 days.

 

[randy1077]

Here a few captures of my phantom touch. It only happens in the afternoon when the car has been in the sun all day. It is worse on hot days.

 

[tchaimd]

Here a few captures of my phantom touch. It only happens in the afternoon when the car has been in the sun all day. It is worse on hot days.

Randy1077, that is exactly what the phantom touches look like on my screen, too, with the Sketchpad open. I'm still waiting for a firmware update to hopefully fix this issue, as I am still having to reset the touchscreen while driving when it happens, occurring maybe 1 or 2 days per week, on average.