13 MS85 62k miles. Updated MCU1 to LTE this evening and decided to look at the bubbles in the touch screen. Here are some info + pics.
- My car survived until end of 2020 with no bubbles. Park in garage at home+work and live in mild Northwest climate. Took car to Tesla SC to get eMMC repaired under extended warranty. They kept car 2 days, claim no need to repair (before NTHSA prompted Tesla to recall) and 5 bubbles appeared when I picked up the car. I'm guessing they parked it outside in a sunny spot for a couple of days.
- Screen assembly is basically sandwich layers of
LED backlight / diffiuser
LCD
layer of goo (I read its called plasma)
capacitive touch screen layers (I don't know the detailed layering)
circuits
~1/8" glass
circuits
- Once removed, my screen has thin bead of sticky plasma around the perimeter of the screen assembly. My guess the bubbles is a result of Plasma thermal cycling expand and contracts greater than the touch glass and LCD. Thus causes it to ooze out and suck in air bubbles when contracting.
- Previously mentioned epoxy seal probably works. However, there is flex cable bonded to all 4 edges of the touch screen glass. Most of the cable is bonded to the glass facing the user but a small section is bonded to the section facing the LCD (where the plasma is)
- To properly seal around the entire perimeter, one would need to carefully detach the touch screen flex cable and apply sealer under the cable. Need to be careful as this flex cable probably bonds to the glass with fragile conductive bonding technology.
- As for removing the bubbles, not sure how thats possible yet. The 1/8" glass doesn't have any flex to squeeze the bubbles out. Might try a hair dryer to expand the plasma to push the bubbles out followed by epoxy sealer before it cools and contracts. Not sure yet.
Here is pic of backside of screen assembly
Here is edge view of the flex cable bond to the glass
I would guess need to unfold the flex tape and get sealer along the leaking plasma seam underneath. Also seal well around small section of tape bond between glass and LCD. My bubbles started right around this flex tape bonding to glass area. Perhaps that small section of bond between glass and LCD is the most likely culprit for air to be sucked back in when the plasma cools and contracts.
BTW, the LCD/backlight assembly model is G170J1 LE1. Google search shows this panel available with identical metal chassis to the MCU screen assembly. Here is a sample link
Innolux G170J1-LE1 Overview - Panelook.com
However, one with touch screen could not be easily found. Tesla did quote this display panel assembly for $500 recently.
Anyhow, haven't done anything yet, just studying the design and possible repair.
Haven't removed the instrument panel. Mine have no bubbles, it sits more shaded than the MCU. I would guess sealing is probably easier since the glass has no touch screen and flex tape.