Spoiler brake light only works sometimes

[tizio]

I don't understand when the 3rd brake light in the spoiler is supposed to come on. I have an AP2 75D and I've seen the spoiler light up when pressing the brakes a few times. I've also confirmed that the X avatar in the dashboard display mirrors the times when the light is on, so it definitely knows the light isn't coming on. I've tried to get it lit with headlights in Off, On, and Auto and with every combination of the front/rear fog lights.

What is your experience with the spoiler brake light?

 

[boaterva]

It's a normal legal 3rd high brake light, as in any other car made in the last what, 20 years? It should come on anytime you step on the brake or heavy regen. If not, definitely time to have it checked out.

 

[tizio]

Thanks for the confirmation. TSC appointment is scheduled for Friday.

 

[tizio]

Turns out the problem requires a bit more attention. They have to hold it until Monday now. Gotta say, I sure do miss it compared to the older S 85 they lent me. It's true that the X seats are nicer and any Tesla without all the tech just isn't very appealing to me.

 

[boaterva]

Turns out the problem requires a bit more attention. They have to hold it until Monday now. Gotta say, I sure do miss it compared to the older S 85 they lent me. It's true that the X seats are nicer and any Tesla without all the tech just isn't very appealing to me.

Some 'dealers' the loaners get you to upgrade.... with Tesla, sometimes it just gets you missing what you have.

 

[tizio]

Took a couple weeks, but they fixed it. They had to manufacture, paint, and install a new spoiler assembly. However, they offered top-notch customer service and made quite sure I was happy with the results.

.·:*¨¨*:·.Great seller .·:*¨¨*:·. A+++ .·:*¨¨*:·. would buy again .·:*¨¨*:·.

 

[Fiddler]

Took a couple weeks, but they fixed it. They had to manufacture, paint, and install a new spoiler assembly. However, they offered top-notch customer service and made quite sure I was happy with the results.

.·:*¨¨*:·.Great seller .·:*¨¨*:·. A+++ .·:*¨¨*:·. would buy again .·:*¨¨*:·.

Thanks for posting. Mine spoiler light wasn't lighting either so Tesla replaced the spoiler. It took two weeks to replace the spoiler, and my Tesla service was fantastic also; however, now the trunk doesn't raise up all the way so I bump my head often.

 

[boaterva]

Thanks for posting. Mine spoiler light wasn't lighting either so Tesla replaced the spoiler. It took two weeks to replace the spoiler, and my Tesla service was fantastic also; however, now the trunk doesn't raise up all the way so I bump my head often.

What do you mean it doesn’t raise all the way? Do you mean everywhere? Or the openers are broken? You do know the height is setable, right?

Raise the trunk lid all the way by hand, lower it to where you want it to be for that location, hold the ‘close’ button until it beeps. That should set it.

Else, something is broken and they should repair it.

 

[DCGOO]

Thanks for posting. Mine spoiler light wasn't lighting either so Tesla replaced the spoiler. It took two weeks to replace the spoiler, and my Tesla service was fantastic also; however, now the trunk doesn't raise up all the way so I bump my head often.

Did you try re-adjusting the height? It is configurable, the procedure is in the manual.

I am thinking it was lowered while in the shop, and they just forgot to reset it when they returned it.

 

[Fiddler]

What do you mean it doesn’t raise all the way? Do you mean everywhere? Or the openers are broken? You do know the height is setable, right?

Raise the trunk lid all the way by hand, lower it to where you want it to be for that location, hold the ‘close’ button until it beeps. That should set it.

Else, something is broken and they should repair it.

Did you try re-adjusting the height? It is configurable, the procedure is in the manual.

I am thinking it was lowered while in the shop, and they just forgot to reset it when they returned it.

Wow! You guy are great! Holding the ‘close’ button until it beeps was the answer. I may have inadvertently set it lower without realizing it.

Thank you.

 

[rainforest]

Now my brake light isn’t coming on. If the avatar shows the light is off, that means it knows the light is defective. Why does the car not tell me to change the brake light with a message?

 

[tizio]

It's an amazing bit of self-awareness for the X. My experiences with Tesla since getting this fixed tell me they're happy waiting for you to take initiative to fix if it's non-critical.

 

[boaterva]

Hm... you’d think a piece of legally required equipment like the 3rd brake light would get the ‘bulb out’ treatment. I assume we do get that, right? I’ve never seen one on a Tesla.

 

[rainforest]

Hm... you’d think a piece of legally required equipment like the 3rd brake light would get the ‘bulb out’ treatment. I assume we do get that, right? I’ve never seen one on a Tesla.

Exactly. When the avatar shows that a light is out, clearly the car knows there is a malfunction. Why does it not explicitly ask me to change the bulb?

 

[MP3Mike]

Exactly. When the avatar shows that a light is out, clearly the car knows there is a malfunction. Why does it not explicitly ask me to change the bulb?

Maybe because it isn't user-serviceable?

 

[1375mlm]

Maybe because it isn't user-serviceable?

I don’t think that’s what @rainforest getting at.
My 2012 Mercedes knew the lightbulb in the headlight was out, so it gave me an audible and visual warning every time I started the car to make sure I got it fixed. The car didn’t care who fixed it. As long as there was a malfunctioning bulb, the car would warn me of it until it was working, just in case I didn’t know. The warning was there so I could take the appropriate measure to fix it. Whether the appropriate measure be doing it myself, calling my local SC, or getting Elon himself to replace it, it wouldn’t matter.
The same way Tesla’s have the warning “battery coolant low” or “park assist unavailable”, it’s not asking the driver to step out and address all the problems.
Would be great if one of those warnings were also “Check spoiler brake light”

 

[rainforest]

I don’t think that’s what @rainforest getting at.
My 2012 Mercedes knew the lightbulb in the headlight was out, so it gave me an audible and visual warning every time I started the car to make sure I got it fixed. The car didn’t care who fixed it. As long as there was a malfunctioning bulb, the car would warn me of it until it was working, just in case I didn’t know. The warning was there so I could take the appropriate measure to fix it. Whether the appropriate measure be doing it myself, calling my local SC, or getting Elon himself to replace it, it wouldn’t matter.
The same way Tesla’s have the warning “battery coolant low” or “park assist unavailable”, it’s not asking the driver to step out and address all the problems.
Would be great if one of those warnings were also “Check spoiler brake light”

You took the words out of my mouth......

 

[rainforest]

Spoke to the service centre today and they said they would need to remove the entire rear glass in order to install the new spoiler with functioning brake light. That sounds crazy! Anyone with experience?

They will see if it has something to do with the firmware first.

 

[tizio]

It's a real understatement to say the spoiler light is not user serviceable. They didn't do a great job of designing this part for repairs.

I had a loaner for an entire month while they ordered a new spoiler, had it painted, then finally installed it. They said nothing about removing the glass, but YMMV.

 

[rainforest]

It's a real understatement to say the spoiler light is not user serviceable. They didn't do a great job of designing this part for repairs.

I had a loaner for an entire month while they ordered a new spoiler, had it painted, then finally installed it. They said nothing about removing the glass, but YMMV.

Now I’m worried that they’re going to have to disassemble everything just to replace the spoiler. Sounds crazy. I’m surprised so few people have had this issue after searching online and in the forum.