Random Dashcam Recording

[5150]

New M3 owner this past month and new to the forums. Searched and found different issues with dashcam but nothing helped so far.

The dashcam recording red light is on, no warning or error messages. It randomly seems to decide when it will record or not. This AM I took a drive, and when I got home reviewed the video. It decided to start recording about 4 miles into my drive. I stopped at two different places. It recorded through those, then at the last stop, it decided to stop recording. Again, no errors or warnings. Previous trips it didn't record anything, even though the red recording light displays.

I've reformatted the thumb drive(samsung 128gb) and I've rebooted the display, neither seems to give constant recording.

Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[SlimJim]

same here. it used to record all the time. now it randomly records. and most of the time it doesn't record.
if i get into an accident i will have to remember to hit the record button to save the last 10 minutes of events.

 

[KenC]

Just try narrowing things down, by trying a different drive, switching USB ports, check software version is up to date.

 

[Waltjo]

I have just started to see the same problem. Seems to have started with the software update that added the viewer. Very odd. I also noticed that in the "sentry" folder there were Sentry files and Dashcam files mixed together. But the Dashcam files in the Sentry folder did not account for all the missing Dashcam files. Very strange, the dashcam system seemed to have been working just fine a few weeks earlier.

I just reformatted the USB and will see if works now.

 

[5150]

same here. it used to record all the time. now it randomly records. and most of the time it doesn't record.
if i get into an accident i will have to remember to hit the record button to save the last 10 minutes of events.

Mine too was recording everything. And just this past week or so it started its randomness. And like you, less recording than recording.

 

[5150]

I have just started to see the same problem. Seems to have started with the software update that added the viewer. Very odd. I also noticed that in the "sentry" folder there were Sentry files and Dashcam files mixed together. But the Dashcam files in the Sentry folder did not account for all the missing Dashcam files. Very strange, the dashcam system seemed to have been working just fine a few weeks earlier.

I just reformatted the USB and will see if works now.

Ah, that is about when mine decided to random record. I don't recall the exact date of my update but seems to started after that. Let me know if the reformat works for you. I will try also, and a different thumb drive as well as other USB port, as KenC suggested.

 

[5150]

Just try narrowing things down, by trying a different drive, switching USB ports, check software version is up to date.

Thanks for the suggestions, KenC. I'm on one of the latest upgrades, as it just did one the past week or so, and about when this started occurring. Trying the other port or new thumb drive, and/or formatting the current, surely wont hurt!

 

[SlimJim]

Did you ever get the warning that the write speed of USB drive was too slow?
I used to get that warning when the Video player function first became available.
But I haven't seen that warning since. I could live without the dashcam in my area due to low crime and low chance of car accident so I am not going to bother with getting a faster microSD for now.

 

[5150]

Did you ever get the warning that the write speed of USB drive was too slow?

No, no warnings or errors ever about anything. That's what is strange to me. I would think if it can't write to the drive, for whatever reason, it would display some sort of message.

 

[C141medic]

Same here. Dashcam not recording everything. On a 45 minute drive, everything should’ve been recorded but it didn’t. Doesn’t it still overwrite recordings past one hour? If that’s the case then my entire 45 minute drive should’ve been recorded. No errors about USB drive.

 

[5150]

With recommendations I've reformatted, tried the other port, and tried another thumbdrive. No luck in resolving. And, like SlimJim, it will write to the thumbdrive if I select save, otherwise nothing. So, it clearly is holding footage but doesn't want to write to the thumbdrive, unless I tell it to, or it randomly feels like it. Odd.

 

[KenC]

If none of those things work, I'd also try a full reboot, and make sure the car sleeps. Sometimes new software can flake out attached devices, which is why some people recommend detaching any attached drives before updating software.

 

[Knightshade]

With recommendations I've reformatted, tried the other port, and tried another thumbdrive. No luck in resolving. And, like SlimJim, it will write to the thumbdrive if I select save, otherwise nothing. So, it clearly is holding footage but doesn't want to write to the thumbdrive, unless I tell it to, or it randomly feels like it. Odd.

If hitting save gets you 10 minutes of footage then it's recording to the thumb drive.

The system does not buffer 10 minutes of video internally.

.

 

[5150]

If none of those things work, I'd also try a full reboot, and make sure the car sleeps. Sometimes new software can flake out attached devices, which is why some people recommend detaching any attached drives before updating software.

Darn. A no go. Rebooted and still the same. Thanks for the idea though!

 

[5150]

If hitting save gets you 10 minutes of footage then it's recording to the thumb drive.

The system does not buffer 10 minutes of video internally.

.

That is what I would think too! What the heck is it doing? If I do nothing, and try to view, nothing there. But, if I then choose to save, it saves and then I can view.

 

[5150]

If hitting save gets you 10 minutes of footage then it's recording to the thumb drive.

The system does not buffer 10 minutes of video internally.

.

Also, when viewing the thumbdrive in my PC, there is nothing in the "Recent Clips" folder, and only files in the "Saved Clips" folder. Those are the files I saved, since nothing was there to display.

 

[Knightshade]

That is what I would think too! What the heck is it doing? If I do nothing, and try to view, nothing there. But, if I then choose to save, it saves and then I can view.

wait... define "try to view"

because the in-car viewer never shows recent footage. It only lets you view stuff in the saved or sentry folders AFAIK.

Also, when viewing the thumbdrive in my PC, there is nothing in the "Recent Clips" folder, and only files in the "Saved Clips" folder. Those are the files I saved, since nothing was there to display.

Yeah- THAT part is weird- because when you hit "save" manually all it's doing is moving existing files (last 10 minutes worth) from recent to saved... (likewise when Sentry goes to alert mode all it's doing is moving existing recent files (last 10 minutes worth) to the sentry folder.

 

[5150]

wait... define "try to view"

because the in-car viewer never shows recent footage. It only lets you view stuff in the saved or sentry folders AFAIK.





Yeah- THAT part is weird- because when you hit "save" manually all it's doing is moving existing files (last 10 minutes worth) from recent to saved... (likewise when Sentry goes to alert mode all it's doing is moving existing recent files (last 10 minutes worth) to the sentry folder.

What I mean by "view" is I launch the viewer (I don't recall exact verbiage on the display) in the car, and the new dashcam display window displays. But there are no videos to view. Then, once I save recent, I can then view that after it takes a minute to save. Prior to this issue I was able to bring up the viewer and see all the clips it created. Now more than not doesn't save anything, and therefore can't view anything.

 

[mddmx]

Same problems here. Clearly this is Tesla's issue and likely a software update is what we need

 

[5150]

Same problems here. Clearly this is Tesla's issue and likely a software update is what we need

Thanks, mddmx. After going through the different things to try and remedy and seeing others having the same issue, I agree that this is a Telsa issue where a fix is needed. Of course, how do we know they know, and how to report?