Screen has darkening Yellow Band around entire screen

[michidragon]

There's enough examples on here to show UV isn't the cause. One person had a 2018 from memory that was delivered in a Colorado winter, didn't see much outside driving and yet within months the screen went yellow.

Correct. Delivery in late December 2018, was yellowing by early March 2019, about 82 days after delivery. At that point we had had mostly snow, no days > 40'F, and largely overcast on most days. At that point, also, most commutes were in the dark due to the short days.

All SCs were "surprised", saying "Wait, this is a new car, and it's yellowing!?" - but they still didn't give me any breaks and made me pay for the new screen.

 

[aerodyne]

Correct. Delivery in late December 2018, was yellowing by early March 2019, about 82 days after delivery. At that point we had had mostly snow, no days > 40'F, and largely overcast on most days. At that point, also, most commutes were in the dark due to the short days.

All SCs were "surprised", saying "Wait, this is a new car, and it's yellowing!?" - but they still didn't give me any breaks and made me pay for the new screen.

Wow, I am starting to pay attention now! A new car and not covered by Warranty!
What about the new part you paid for, is there some sense as to how long it will last, and if it fails, will it be covered?

 

[AMPd]

Wow, I am starting to pay attention now! A new car and not covered by Warranty!
What about the new part you paid for, is there some sense as to how long it will last, and if it fails, will it be covered?

Would be strange if tesla covered the replacement if this screen also develops the yellow band
If it’s not originally covered by warranty since tesla doesn’t classify it as a “defect” why would they cover the replacement

 

[michidragon]

Wow, I am starting to pay attention now! A new car and not covered by Warranty!
What about the new part you paid for, is there some sense as to how long it will last, and if it fails, will it be covered?

No promise, no. And now my instrument cluster screen is yellowing.

 

[aerodyne]

Maybe it is time to trade the yellowing cars in, and demand top dollar, as it "is not a defect"

 

[michidragon]

Maybe it is time to trade the yellowing cars in, and demand top dollar, as it "is not a defect"

Well, I'm not on a lease so I believe the word you'd be looking for is "sale", and I'm sure they could find other reasons to lowball.

The biggest problem about this is that there's really no promise of what's going to be done, and nothing we can do about it at all as customers/owners. (Again, someone here with a Tesla has to be a lawyer -- that's the demographic, right?)

If the MCU screen I paid for doesn't yellow (again, they said it was a revision designed to address this - but yeah they didn't say the words 'it wont yellow') - good, I guess; but I don't even know if there is a revision of the IC screen.

Note that the nature and color of the yellowing looks identical to that of the MCU screen, so probably same manufacturer and same adhesive/chemical/material causing the issue.

Interestingly it does seem to trace the shape and border of the bezel. Almost as if proximity to the bezel is causing the yellowing. It's not light since the yellowing begins beneath the bezel, and frankly direct light never hits the top of the IC screen. I'm beginning to develop some theories here, and I'm going to get some UV emitters and my thermal camera out -- but I really wish I could get a dead partially yellowed screen to mess with... it may be time to take this into the lab since Tesla isn't answering it for us. (this would allow UV to be tested, too; I have a good number of UV wavelengths I can work with here, to find out what the effect is.)

 

[aerodyne]

Sounds like there is something owners can do, and you have a good start on it!

Did you ask for your old screen back?

 

[michidragon]

Sounds like there is something owners can do, and you have a good start on it!

Did you ask for your old screen back?

I did. Rather adamantly. They refused. "Against policy." Not happy about that either.

That all said there's no telling that "home remedies" of any sort will work. There's been little consistency from Tesla as to what would end up fixing it. Whether this is damage caused by photo/light processes, heat, or oxidization - changes like that in organic compounds usually involve molecules being split or recombining; in other words, it's generally impossible to reverse. (Think Azo or phthalocyanine dye in a CD/DVD-R. It's an irreversible reflectivity change. Not -RW, that's phase change and polarization. But I think we're seeing a similar reaction here.)

 

[MIT_S60]

I did. Rather adamantly. They refused. "Against policy." Not happy about that either.

That all said there's no telling that "home remedies" of any sort will work. There's been little consistency from Tesla as to what would end up fixing it. Whether this is damage caused by photo/light processes, heat, or oxidization - changes like that in organic compounds usually involve molecules being split or recombining; in other words, it's generally impossible to reverse. (Think Azo or phthalocyanine dye in a CD/DVD-R. It's an irreversible reflectivity change. Not -RW, that's phase change and polarization. But I think we're seeing a similar reaction here.)

Did you tell them they're legally required to give it back to you?

 

[michidragon]

Did you tell them they're legally required to give it back to you?

They're legally required to fix stuff under warranty, too.

Yes, I did, since the mobile service guy was here while I was discussing it on the forum. His position was simply that it's "against policy". I suppose I could have called the police or wrestled him to the ground …. but sometimes court cases can't begin and conclude in the driveway.

Tesla is already acting out of bounds on this matter. I know that legally they're supposed to let me keep it if I ask for it. They said no.

 

[whitex]

They're legally required to fix stuff under warranty, too.

Yes, I did, since the mobile service guy was here while I was discussing it on the forum. His position was simply that it's "against policy". I suppose I could have called the police or wrestled him to the ground …. but sometimes court cases can't begin and conclude in the driveway.

Tesla is already acting out of bounds on this matter. I know that legally they're supposed to let me keep it if I ask for it. They said no.

Did you at least get the tech to write that customer insisted on the old part back, but policy prevented him from giving it to you? You could have also informed him that the old screen, which is yours, is available for sale for $2K, so if he wants he can buy it. If he does take it, you will sue for the money, no different than if you walked into a store and took of merchandise without paying. If the court agrees the old screen is yours, what the policy amounts to is theft.

 

[Ken7]

No promise, no. And now my instrument cluster screen is yellowing.

Can you post a picture of the yellowing IC screen? I’ve never seen that, but that may be coming too.

 

[aerodyne]

Michi...this is just nuts!

Not sure your location, but in CA, they must give you your old parts back upon request. You can see a legal notice saying the same posted in most shops saying such.

I have had people often "Forget" to give me parts back. In one case they refused to work on my car when I informed them of my request up front. This seems like shady behavior and I expect better of Tesla.

Thanks for your preliminary analysis. If someone on this group could get their hands on a screen, perhaps at least we could explore ways to prevent it from getting worse.

 

[michidragon]

Can you post a picture of the yellowing IC screen? I’ve never seen that, but that may be coming too.

I will post a picture yeah, just haven't been able to yet as I noticed this when I was leaving for a work trip but I will get it for sure. -- Another person on the forum here actually posted that his IC screen is yellowing too, I just haven't been able to find that comment or thread. But i'm definitely not the only one.

 

[St Charles]

I will post a picture yeah, just haven't been able to yet as I noticed this when I was leaving for a work trip but I will get it for sure. -- Another person on the forum here actually posted that his IC screen is yellowing too, I just haven't been able to find that comment or thread. But i'm definitely not the only one.

You definitely aren't the only one with this issue. I had the same and managed to get it replaced in March with little to no resistance from my local SC (Tysons Corner, Va). Interestingly, like yours, my IC started discoloring around the bezel and was easily noticed if you pushed the plastic out of the way. This lead me to think that the discoloration has more to do with pressure applied to the LCD. I think in the case of the IC, the pressure from the bezel at the front created a much more pronounced line of discoloration. Contrast this with the discoloration bands on the MCU screen which is more spread out and subtle. I would love to get my hands on an MCU screen and tear down the components to see if there is something pressing against the back...

 

[Gixx1300R]

I will post a picture yeah, just haven't been able to yet as I noticed this when I was leaving for a work trip but I will get it for sure. -- Another person on the forum here actually posted that his IC screen is yellowing too, I just haven't been able to find that comment or thread. But i'm definitely not the only one.

Can you also post a pic of the invoice of the MCU that you had to pay for that should have been under warranty?

 

[re04586]

Can you also post a pic of the invoice of the MCU that you had to pay for that should have been under warranty?

I think it was just the screen that was replaced vs the whole MCU.

 

[michidragon]

Was just the screen, yes.

IC yellowing images attached, I'll get the invoice when I get back from work stuff.

Also, I considered it being pressure, but my bezel isn't even touching my IC display. But proximity to the bezel definitely has SOMETHING to do with it as it traces the shape and contour of the bezel cut-out.

 

[aerodyne]

Quick searches show that green/yellow screens were a problem with Apple phones and pads 2013-2015. They were replaced when in warranty.

My WAG with the little I know about these devices, is that mechanical forces, either at or on the screen edge, might have something to do with it.

 

[Gixx1300R]

Was just the screen, yes.

IC yellowing images attached, I'll get the invoice when I get back from work stuff.

Also, I considered it being pressure, but my bezel isn't even touching my IC display. But proximity to the bezel definitely has SOMETHING to do with it as it traces the shape and contour of the bezel cut-out.

Can you post the invoice?