Sentry Does Not Record and Tesla Response

[AndrewCAVT]

I have an October 2021 M3. Sometime in early-mid 2022 my vehicle stopped recording events despite saying it had.

*This is not the "x" in the camera icon problem, and while we appreciate your input, I see that problem hijacking the few threads with this problem*

I've been chasing Tesla for year to address this. I have a work car, so my M3 only gets driven on weekends. At first, I noticed it would record for three days, then two, one, and now it cuts out in as short of an hour.

After a year of ghosting and screaming matches with the Rocklin service center, I finally got them to admit there was an issue. They told me; that the atom processor has limitations and they make no guarantees of how long Sentry will record. The problem is the autopilot computer to sleep when it shouldn't. A security system that shuts off in an hour!!!!!!! And the autopilot computer is independent of the Atom controlled computer. As many of us know, Tesla service sucks, and I think with me they've sunk lower.

I've noticed a few other errors as well after learning to get into service mode. I believe they are very related. Mostly VCLeft, VCRight, and VCSec communication issues with the main CPU. I've also noticed one error telling me my collision avoidance system was offline....but did not alert me on the driver facing errors. I called Tesla out on this and I've been ghosted for about a month now. Driving around with no collision avoidance and no notification about it.

I've made it to the top person at the Service Center, a man named Chris. I've dealt with the two managers of the service center, Brandi and Justin. They all seemed like they were going to help until they ghosted because I refused to accept a faulty security system under warranty. Resolutions@ refuse to respond. I've tried Twitter but with 4 posts (all about this) and zero followers, not much happens.

I've asked for a new car. Ghosted. I've asked to just try changing the computer. Ghosted.

Who else is dealing with this issue? Anyone get an answer that isn't a giant middle finger? Anyone know how to get to service management above the location level? Calling doesn't work; I just have to wait a month to get a call from Rocklin management again, the very people who ghost.

I love the car so much but this has completely ruined the experience. Every repair, every problem, turns into a screaming match...its the only way they do anything.
*I will admit it was quite satisfying telling every customer, new and old, this story today when I walked in for battle round 112.

 

[EVRider-FL]

Way too many unanswered questions here:

1. What kind of sentry events are you talking about? Alerts or alarm events? It makes a difference.
2. Did you verify that the dashcam USB is actually working for regular dashcam recordings?
3. Did you try any other dashcam USBs?
4. Did you look at the USB on a computer to see if you could find the missing recordings there?

Tell us more about what you tried to do before contacting Tesla.

 

[ATPMSD]

As you continue to work through this, also read your State’s lemon law and begin collecting documentation in case you need to go that route.

 

[ATPMSD]

Here are some things I would try to ensure everything is setup correctly:

1. Remove the USB drive
2. Ditch the USB drive and get yourself a microSD drive with a USB adapter. Make sure it is a “high-speed” / “high-endurance” drive.
3. Format it on your PC as exFat and then create a folder called “TelsaCam” and make sure you can see that on your computer. Copy a file into it as a test then delete the file
4. Reboot the car
5. Reinsert the drive into the car and ensure the red light on the camera comes on.
6. Drive the car for a bit then stop and put the car in park. Touch the camera icon and open the viewer, did it record your drive?
7. Is this is all correct, then the car should record your driving, but it will only keep the last hour.

Note that none of this has anything to do with Sentry. Sentry is something you enable and it runs when the car is parked (assuming you have not excluded that location). If an event occurs Sentry creates a short video.

 

[ucmndd]

Every repair, every problem, turns into a screaming match...

Super weird that they aren’t interested in accommodating you.

 

[Soul Surfer]

Fellow Victims!

I have an October 2021 M3. Sometime in early-mid 2022 my vehicle stopped recording events despite saying it had.

*This is not the "x" in the camera icon problem, and while we appreciate your input, I see that problem hijacking the few threads with this problem*

I've been chasing Tesla for year to address this. I have a work car, so my M3 only gets driven on weekends. At first, I noticed it would record for three days, then two, one, and now it cuts out in as short of an hour.

After a year of ghosting and screaming matches with the Rocklin service center, I finally got them to admit there was an issue. They told me; that the atom processor has limitations and they make no guarantees of how long Sentry will record. The problem is the autopilot computer to sleep when it shouldn't. A security system that shuts off in an hour!!!!!!! And the autopilot computer is independent of the Atom controlled computer. As many of us know, Tesla service sucks, and I think with me they've sunk lower.

I've noticed a few other errors as well after learning to get into service mode. I believe they are very related. Mostly VCLeft, VCRight, and VCSec communication issues with the main CPU. I've also noticed one error telling me my collision avoidance system was offline....but did not alert me on the driver facing errors. I called Tesla out on this and I've been ghosted for about a month now. Driving around with no collision avoidance and no notification about it.

I've made it to the top person at the Service Center, a man named Chris. I've dealt with the two managers of the service center, Brandi and Justin. They all seemed like they were going to help until they ghosted because I refused to accept a faulty security system under warranty. Resolutions@ refuse to respond. I've tried Twitter but with 4 posts (all about this) and zero followers, not much happens.

I've asked for a new car. Ghosted. I've asked to just try changing the computer. Ghosted.

Who else is dealing with this issue? Anyone get an answer that isn't a giant middle finger? Anyone know how to get to service management above the location level? Calling doesn't work; I just have to wait a month to get a call from Rocklin management again, the very people who ghost.

I love the car so much but this has completely ruined the experience. Every repair, every problem, turns into a screaming match...its the only way they do anything.
*I will admit it was quite satisfying telling every customer, new and old, this story today when I walked in for battle round 112.

whatever….

 

[AndrewCAVT]

Way too many unanswered questions here:

1. What kind of sentry events are you talking about? Alerts or alarm events? It makes a difference.

Both.

1. Did you verify that the dashcam USB is actually working for regular dashcam recordings?

Yes. It does.

1. Did you try any other dashcam USBs?

Yes. Two Tesla branded, two SD cards, three random USB's I had kicking around the house.

1. Did you look at the USB on a computer to see if you could find the missing recordings there?

Yes. They are not there.

Tell us more about what you tried to do before contacting Tesla.

Tesla has confirmed that this is a known issue. The problem is, Tesla seems to think that Sentry working for <1hour fulfills their obligation.

 

[AndrewCAVT]

Here are some things I would try to ensure everything is setup correctly:

1. Remove the USB drive

Tried it.

1. Ditch the USB drive and get yourself a microSD drive with a USB adapter. Make sure it is a “high-speed” / “high-endurance” drive.

Tried it.

1. Format it on your PC as exFat and then create a folder called “TelsaCam” and make sure you can see that on your computer. Copy a file into it as a test then delete the file

Tried It.

1. Reboot the car

Tried it more times then I can count.

1. Reinsert the drive into the car and ensure the red light on the camera comes on.

Tried it, and as I said, its not that issue.

1. Drive the car for a bit then stop and put the car in park. Touch the camera icon and open the viewer, did it record your drive?

Yes, it does. This only happens after the car has been parked.

1. Is this is all correct, then the car should record your driving, but it will only keep the last hour.

Note that none of this has anything to do with Sentry. Sentry is something you enable and it runs when the car is parked (assuming you have not excluded that location). If an event occurs Sentry creates a short video.

This is sentry. We're talking about when the car is parked, all sentry functions cease after an hour. Someone (me, without my keys/phone on me) even stole a wheel off my car to prove it.

 

[AndrewCAVT]

Super weird that they aren’t interested in accommodating you.

Agreed, and that is really my problem. I repair similarly advanced equipment, Tesla is actually one of my customers. I'm OK if there is some weird problem that comes from these cars being what they are. I'm not OK being told to kick rocks. I'm especially not OK with the fact that I need to act like an ass to get them to do anything.
I'm tempted to try another SC, but the only other one close to me is rumored to be worse. When the winter clears up, I might drive it to Reno. I heard that service center is decent.

 

[AndrewCAVT]

As you continue to work through this, also read your State’s lemon law and begin collecting documentation in case you need to go that route.

I'm really trying to avoid it, but I have and I can pick one of three states. State of purchase, state of registration (law is written as such) or state that most of the repairs have been attempted in. None of those three states are generally dealer friendly. At the same time, I just want my car fixed, not some battle royale.

 

[jkdman123]

I would contact Elektrek and other journalists and see if you can get them to write an article about the problem naming you specifically. Then point Tesla toward that article. Might be a long shot, but all they can do is say no.

 

[Knightshade]

For clarity- Sentry does not record video. Not ever.

Dashcam does. Which you say is working correctly.

Sentry does the following (when working properly):

Keep the vehicle awake (because dashcam shuts off when the car goes to sleep)
Pays attention to surroundings, and goes to alert mode if something approaches the car.
Saved the last 10 minutes of dashcam recordings to the sentry folder if it goes to alert mode
Plus some other alarm related stuff not relevant here.


It sounds like you're saying... Sentry is....turning itself off and the car is then going to sleep?

Does it save alert footage from dashcam to the sentry folder BEFORE the 1 hour passes?

 

[ewoodrick]

Sounds like the USB drive went bad to me. Try to reformat it.

 

[Knightshade]

Sounds like the USB drive went bad to me. Try to reformat it.

He's claiming dashcam is still recording fine- so it can't be the USB drive.

Instead he seems to be describing Sentry turning itself off so that he car goes to sleep after a while.

Sentry doesn't require a working USB drive at all BTW, since it doesn't record anything itself... it's sentry keeping the car awake that allows recordings by dashcam to continue happening while the car is parked.

 

[EVRider-FL]

Try a different service center, you have nothing to lose. If it was a limitation of the processor it would impact everyone else with the same car. It's probably a hardware issue with your car.

 

[DocHolliday]

I've made it to the top person at the Service Center, a man named Chris. I've dealt with the two managers of the service center, Brandi and Justin. They all seemed like they were going to help until they ghosted because I refused to accept a faulty security system under warranty.

What does this mean? What were they offering?

 

[AndrewCAVT]

For clarity- Sentry does not record video. Not ever.

Dashcam does. Which you say is working correctly.

Sentry does the following (when working properly):

Keep the vehicle awake (because dashcam shuts off when the car goes to sleep)
Pays attention to surroundings, and goes to alert mode if something approaches the car.
Saved the last 10 minutes of dashcam recordings to the sentry folder if it goes to alert mode
Plus some other alarm related stuff not relevant here.


It sounds like you're saying... Sentry is....turning itself off and the car is then going to sleep?

Does it save alert footage from dashcam to the sentry folder BEFORE the 1 hour passes?

Yes, the car/sentry works perfectly fine before the car "goes to sleep." It used to be three days when I first noticed, and slowly has come down to the current hour. So sentry does record, just for a very short period of time. It seems the entire alert system turns off too.

 

[AndrewCAVT]

What does this mean? What were they offering?

The usual platitudes. We'll get to the bottom of this. We'll make this right, etc. Nothing concrete; but its more then silence which it eventually turns into within two weeks.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Yes, the car/sentry works perfectly fine before the car "goes to sleep." It used to be three days when I first noticed, and slowly has come down to the current hour. So sentry does record, just for a very short period of time. It seems the entire alert system turns off too.

To clarify, dashcam always only does a loop recording of only the last hour into the Recent Clips folder (it automatically deletes footage older than 1 hour). The Recent Clips folder thus only would contain footage from the last hour (sometimes less if more than an hour passed since you last woke the car). The only time you would see footage older than one hour in the Recent clips folder is if you managed to pull the drive before the car had a chance to delete it. So if that is the folder you are checking, then it's totally expected functionality to see only the last hour of footage.

As a side note, it is possible to recover deleted footage beyond one hour, with a file recovery tool:
Dashcam in Auto

All Sentry does on top is move clips of events it detected from that folder into the Sentry Clips folder. That's it. Sentry doesn't do any recording on its own.

It should be fairly easy to test if Sentry is working beyond one hour. Leave the car parked for more than one hour (make sure you are charged well over 20%, Sentry disables under 20%). Disable bluetooth on your phone and don't bring any fobs close to the car. Try to open the door or move in front of the cameras. Sentry should flash a warning with headlights and the screen. Then wait at least couple of minutes before pressing and holding dashcam icon to stop the recording (it should turn gray) and safely remove the drive to check on your computer if any clips were moved to the Sentry Clips folder.

Note they introduced "Camera-Based Detection" recently, try to toggle that setting on and off to see if it changes things. Also check if you might have multiple profiles or Easy Entry that might have different settings.
Model 3 Owner's Manual | Tesla

 

[CarlosFandango]

Have been trawling on & off for this scenario, encountering the same complete bullshit (ghosting included) ..