Some questions after 2 months ownership

[JS77]

Hi All,

So I'm approaching the 2 months mark of ownership and I've actually been really pleased with my MiC SR+... I even had a really positive Tesla Service Centre experience last week so that was great!

However, I still have some (basic) questions which I'm sure the more experienced owners can help with:

1. What is the "correct" way to disengage Autopilot? At the moment, I just tap the brakes, but that's not always conducive to what I want to do (ie. on a Motorway as I'm approaching an exit, taping the brake slows the car down more than I'd like). I thought I could just double tap the stalk again, but that just makes the car yell at me

2. I've noticed the Tyre monitor is showing my rear driver side being 2psi lower than the others... do I need to do anything under the settings before topping up, or will the sensors automatically recalibrate? (Just being overly cautious, don't want to upset the sensors if they're extra sensitive).

3. Recently, I've been getting the "Regenerative Braking has been temporarily reduced" message quite a bit... this seems to happen more so after the car has been left for a day without being used, but the battery level has always been around 60-70%, so certainly not a full battery (I'm aware that a fuller battery will reduce regen braking). Is this battery temperature related? ie by not driving the car, the battery is "cold"? It usually goes away after driving for 10 mins, and regenerative braking goes back to normal, so I'm just curious as to what factors affect the availability of full regen braking?

Thanks!

 

[spooksman]

Hi

1 - I just click the stalk upwards once.

2 - Topping up should be OK - add a couple of psi from one of those garage air machines, set it to 42psi and do all four. If there is an issue, there is a 'recalibrate TPMS' sensors option in the service menu if you want to reset them. I'd keep an eye on the one that is low, I've had two slow punctures (screws) that started like that!

3 - I would expect it to be battery temperature related, however at this time of year that seems a bit odd, I haven't seen that since the winter. Others on here may have a better view on that.

 

[Adopado]

3. Recently, I've been getting the "Regenerative Braking has been temporarily reduced" message quite a bit... this seems to happen more so after the car has been left for a day without being used, but the battery level has always been around 60-70%, so certainly not a full battery (I'm aware that a fuller battery will reduce regen braking). Is this battery temperature related? ie by not driving the car, the battery is "cold"? It usually goes away after driving for 10 mins, and regenerative braking goes back to normal, so I'm just curious as to what factors affect the availability of full regen braking?

Yes .. it's as you say .. if car left to stand for a day or two it can come up with that warning due to lowish battery ambient temperature. Can come on even when it's warmer when you are around 80% and been doing a long downhill section. The SR+ has a lower overall battery capacity so these warnings are just that little bit more likely than in a LR or P that can more easily soak up some spare juice via regen braking.

 

[JS77]

Thanks, Both!

 

[JS77]

2 - Topping up should be OK - add a couple of psi from one of those garage air machines, set it to 42psi and do all four. If there is an issue, there is a 'recalibrate TPMS' sensors option in the service menu if you want to reset them. I'd keep an eye on the one that is low, I've had two slow punctures (screws) that started like that!

On this point, can I ask where you eventually had your tyre(s) replaced? Was it a local garage or a national Kwikfit type place? And did they have the correct "pucks" for raiding the M3

Also, does changing tyres require any sort of recalibration for regen braking? Or am I overthinking it?

 

[spooksman]

On this point, can I ask where you eventually had your tyre(s) replaced? Was it a local garage or a national Kwikfit type place? And did they have the correct "pucks" for raiding the M3

Also, does changing tyres require any sort of recalibration for regen braking? Or am I overthinking it?

The first time I had 'Tyres on the Drive' - the guy was very good and had done Teslas before (not surprising now really given current sales figures!). I already had pucks , but he told me his hydraulic jack wouldn't fit with them in - we tried, and he was right. I then watched him like a hawk, and he was really good with getting his jack in the right place. Also showed good care with my wheels (they are the 20" performance ones).

Second time was Selecta Tyres - that was more of an emergency, so I was limited on choice. They were again good with the wheels and used the pucks for the jacking - again, not their first Tesla.

Bad news for me is that is was about £200 each time, which mucks up my savings over my ICE motor!

 

[Adopado]

On this point, can I ask where you eventually had your tyre(s) replaced? Was it a local garage or a national Kwikfit type place? And did they have the correct "pucks" for raiding the M3

Also, does changing tyres require any sort of recalibration for regen braking? Or am I overthinking it?

You need a set of jacking pads/pucks when using non-Tesla garages. Changing tyres and or wheels doesn't affect regen. (New wheels with new TPMS sensors would need to calibrate.)

 

[Jagdipa]

1. What is the "correct" way to disengage Autopilot? At the moment, I just tap the brakes, but that's not always conducive to what I want to do (ie. on a Motorway as I'm approaching an exit, taping the brake slows the car down more than I'd like). I thought I could just double tap the stalk again, but that just makes the car yell at me

If you have regenerative breaking on, then put your foot on the accelerator a little (so the car doesn't start slowing down when you disengage) and then push the right stick upwards.

 

[Durzel]

Is the car garaged? That might explain why it’s getting colder to the point where that message about regenerative braking would come up than it would otherwise be in this weather.

That being said I think it had to be pretty damn cold- like single digit temperatures - for it to show on mine.

It’s probably nothing to worry about in any event, unless it persists for some time after driving. You can see how much it needs to warm up to get up to temperature in the number of dots at the top of the display (above the car visual). There is a line that moves depending on you acceleration and regen, if there are dots in that line then the car wants to warm up a bit.

Braking to disengage AP will only disengage that, it will leave TACC on which is probably not what you want and might be a bit disorientating. The correct way as mentioned above is to go up on the right stalk, like you were doing a 3 blink right indication with the left stalk (not a click motion), if that makes sense.

 

[LukeUK]

To add, if you're on the motorway and want to change lanes on AP, indicate, start to turn against the resistance, tap the right stalk up and AP will disengage, whilst TACC stays on. You can then change lanes and double tap the right stalk down to re-engage AP, without TACC changing at all. No feet required.

 

[Durzel]

Also to add you only need to do this if you don’t have FSD. If you do, then the car changes lanes after you confirm with the indicator and AP stays on.

 

[pdk42]

I’m pretty sure that touching the brakes will disengage TACC and AP. I also think pushing up on the stalk will do the same thing.

 

[Durzel]

You might be right.. maybe it's only turning the wheel past the resistance that only disables AP.

 

[Matt125]

I'd like to echo spooksman with regards to possible slow punctures. I look at my tyre pressures every trip (long or short) I take in the car because I've had 3 punctures within the last 24 months, all caused by screws/bolts getting into the tyre. I wouldn't worry too much about one tyre being 2 PSI lower as that can often happen if you park up on kerbs etc - it should balance out eventually. But any lower than that and you've likely got yourself a puncture. On one of my punctures, the nail was in the other side of the tyre and I had to get someone to take the wheel off to see it!

For whatever reason, the Model 3 tyres seem to be nail and bolt magnets and I'm budgeting now for having to replace at least two tyres a year due to punctures....

 

[GeorgeSymonds]

One thing to add, the tyre pressure reading in the car isn't instantaneous, add pressure and check with the guage on the pump/compressor, then drive before checking it in the car.

Tap up for disengaging AP as others have said.. it is explained how to operatie it in the manual (and there's a new one recently out so its fairly up to date)

The regen is almost certainly a colder battery. When it's even colder in winter, you may have reduced regen for 10 mins or more, and you'll also notice range will drop, it's all entirely normal.

 

[Nick77]

You might be right.. maybe it's only turning the wheel past the resistance that only disables AP.

Spot on. This is what I have experienced works in my M3:


Disengaging AP but not TACC:

* Turning the wheel past autosteer resistance
* Indicating to change lanes
* Not touching the wheel until autosteer has a fit and automatically disengages, banning you from using it for the rest of that drive (harsh!)


Disengaging both AP and TACC:

* Touching the brakes
* Pushing the right stalk up once

 

[spooksman]

For whatever reason, the Model 3 tyres seem to be nail and bolt magnets

I reckon its those great big electric motors 'vacuuming' up the spare metal on the roads...

 

[JS77]

Thanks, all - some very useful info.

So, another question... my iPhone connects to the car via Bluetooth and I get the onscreen notification when somebody sends me a text message... however, following the onscreen instructions to reply (press the left steering wheel button once etc) results in my reply appearing on the screen, but once I press the button to confirm sending it, it always fails with the error "Message send failed"

I don't have premium connectivity, but I don't imagine that has anything to do with it, because the messages are coming through to me perfectly fine (it shows the contact name and their full message) - it's just the sending that is failing. Any ideas?

 

[MrBadger]

Certainly with iPhone, replying to texts requires iOS 13 and above.

 

[GRiLLA]

Spot on. This is what I have experienced works in my M3:


Disengaging AP but not TACC:

* Turning the wheel past autosteer resistance
* Indicating to change lanes
* Not touching the wheel until autosteer has a fit and automatically disengages, banning you from using it for the rest of that drive (harsh!)


Disengaging both AP and TACC:

* Touching the brakes
* Pushing the right stalk up once

I don't think indicating disengages AP directly, it just reduces the resistance when turning, which then disables AP.