Should I install software update on salvage car?

[Papito]

Hi all,

I have a small dilemma.

Little back story: Bought salvage Tesla S 2019, front end damage, airbag curtains & driver blown, air suspension valve block damaged, I fixed everything and replaced top pyro fuse.

Also I retrofitted 3 phase charger, CCS, LTE Europe modem on MCU (worked straight away).

I have few errors, but main in TAS crash event. I plan to connect TOOLBOX 3 to delete it. (already pumped suspension reservoir with nitrogen up to 20 bar).

I have downloaded software update and I'm thinking: should I do it now or after I connect toolbox and fix last errors: crash event, TAS crash event, coolant low.

What's ur opinion?

Kind Regards to posters

 

[Tam]

Hi all,

I have a small dilemma.

Little back story: Bought salvage Tesla S 2019, front end damage, airbag curtains & driver blown, air suspension valve block damaged, I fixed everything and replaced top pyro fuse.

Also I retrofitted 3 phase charger, CCS, LTE Europe modem on MCU (worked straight away).

I have few errors, but main in TAS crash event. I plan to connect TOOLBOX 3 to delete it. (already pumped suspension reservoir with nitrogen up to 20 bar).

I have downloaded software update and I'm thinking: should I do it now or after I connect toolbox and fix last errors: crash event, TAS crash event, coolant low.

What's ur opinion?

Kind Regards to posters

Right now you have full control of your present features.

Allowing Tesla to access your car (firmware update) may risk losing some features.

If you already lost some features such as DC Fast Charging then no worries with the updates.

 

[Papito]

To be honest I'm not sure if I have DC fast charging. I heard stories that tesla turns it off - but I was pretty sure it's in cars with free supercharging.

Hmmm - I have already downloaded it but haven't installed it yet.

Dosen't connecting to Toolbox 3 (which works with internet connection, thru chrome) wouldn't be the same (they will have acess to the car?).

 

[Tam]

To be honest I'm not sure if I have DC fast charging. I heard stories that tesla turns it off - but I was pretty sure it's in cars with free supercharging.

Hmmm - I have already downloaded it but haven't installed it yet.

Dosen't connecting to Toolbox 3 (which works with internet connection, thru chrome) wouldn't be the same (they will have acess to the car?).

You mentioned "CCS." That is DC Fast Charging.

Other features that you might lose:

EAP
FSD
Premium Connectivity...

But if your car doesn't have them, then there's no loss.

 

[Tam]

Dosen't connecting to Toolbox 3 (which works with internet connection, thru chrome) wouldn't be the same (they will have acess to the car?).

I have no idea.

Logic tells me that you can use Toolbox to defeat Tesla restrictions.

After Tesla takes away your Acceleration boosts, FSD... thanks to a firmware update, just use the Toolbox to turn them back on. Of course, the Toolbox itself can't do that alone. You need to know how to do it. That's knowledge. And knowledge might cost you some money.

 

[KalJoMoS]

If you have your knowledge to make you requested changes/fixes then I would not install that SW update before all is correct. That new update may change some access and you would regret that then. What @Tam has said is that if you bring this car officially on your account online, then Tesla might remove some of the current functions on your car. It’s more like gamble, they may and may not.

 

[vcor]

Unless Tesla purchased the vehicle, crashed it, and then sold it as salvage, FSD/EAP would not be removed if the car originally had it. I think there is an exceptionally low chance of that happening. If an owner crashes it, the insurance buys it and sends it to auction/salvage yard for sale. If the car had FSD/EAP, it would remain with the car. Now FSD/EAP might be inactive due to damage to the car, but once that is fixed, FSD/EAP is restored.

I've also not heard of premium connectivity being lost, but it will run out at some point, as it's paid for 1 year at a time. Once it runs out, you would need to establish ownership with Tesla, set up an account, and pay for the next year.

Free Supercharging is very likely to be disabled by Tesla if it connects to the car (if it had it) as it does not transfer to new owners (with a 2019 car). I doubt it had free Supercharging as it was rare in 2019 cars. I'm not sure anyone had it.

General Supercharging is likely to be disabled as they don't know what damage had occurred in the car. It's unclear if this has already happened and/or if you will once you connect to Tesla's servers. If Tesla does not know the car is salvaged, then no change should occur to Supercharger support. This is the largest unknown, as I don't know of any way to find out in advance.