Tesla infotainment system upgradeable from MCU1 to MCU2

[zanary]

Thanks!! My 2018 MS was built in Feb, hoping my number will come up soon (I have FSD and will absolutely opt for this MCU2 upgrade to be done when they upgrade mine to AP3.

Have you tried the Web app for Tesla Winds with your new MCU2? Very fun thing to have showing tail wind/headwind/airspeed, and if there are improvements on latency from MCU2 speed and/or LTE speed it would be great.
Tesla Winds and Elevation Web Browser App

I have not tried that site, but I'll give it a try.

I don't know about the number thing, but just book the service appointment. They run the VIN against their tool and it if says you can get the infotainment upgrade + HW3 for the $2500 then your set...

 

[zanary]

Zanery

Dumb question for you, Did you get FSD computer upgrade at the same time?

I just dropped my car of for the MCU upgrade and they WON't do my FSD upgrade. They said you must wait for the VIN grouping to become avaliable.

I requested they check again and verify it.

Also you said you lost Dolby feature?? do you think it is on all the time now? I notice a big difference in my premium sound system, I hope we dont loose it.

They told me I would only have the center screen replaced, NOT the IC screen. are you sure you got a new one?

They also told me my FM radio will remain. I never use it by was very specific on what would change with this upgrade.

I'm probably one of the first upgrades on the East coast and I don't know if they even know what there getting into.

Yes I did. they did both the Infotainment upgrade for $2500 and the HW3 upgrade... Remember, I had FSD Software pre-purchased with my Model S at time of purchase.

Dolby is gone. It used to be there on MCU1, but now it's all about immersion sound. No sign on Dolby.

Yes, if you purchase the $2500 infotainment you get both MCU2 and IC2. If they are just replacing your MCU1 with a MCU1, then you only get that, but that's not the $2500 infotainment update.

FM Radio is indeed gone with the Infotainment upgrade for $2500. I'm guessing they aren't doing the Infotainment $2500 upgrade for you, but this is just a replacement MCU/1.

I posted this before, but make sure your part numbers patch for the $2500 Infotainment upgrade, otherwise they are just replacing MCU1 for MCU1 which is what it sounds like from what you wrote above.

 

[Utahken]

I

I have not tried that site, but I'll give it a try.

I don't know about the number thing, but just book the service appointment. They run the VIN against their tool and it if says you can get the infotainment upgrade + HW3 for the $2500 then your set...

Tesla ordered up my parts for the upgrade on Monday. Hopefully they will be delivered to the Ohio service center for my appointment on Thursday. I placed an appointment like you too.

 

[zanary]

Does summon work a bit more reliably with the MCU2 update? I find even just summon fwd and backward to be a bit unresponsive and unreliable.

I have not tried out summons yet. It's on my list for this weekend in a partially empty parking lot.

 

[whitex]

DONE!

My Infotainment upgrade has been completed. Dropped off my Model S on Friday, and picked up a few hours ago. Here's my details writeup.

-----

Summary: This is possibly the best $2500 you will even spend on your Model S/X.


My Vehicle: 2017 Model S P100D, built and delivered in September 2017. It is equipped with MCU1, AP 2.5 and I have the Full Self Driving pre-purchased. It’s fully wrapped with a graphic wrap and had no issues with Tesla performing the upgrade. I was already running 2020.12 prior to the upgrade. Still running 2020.12 after the upgrade. I only noticed that they pushed out 2020.12 just once after it was all completed. I assume that the option codes were updated, so when 2020.12 was re-installed it added all of the new “stuff” that is supported on MCU2.

Here are the details that might interest some of you.

• You do get a new MCU screen. Mine still had the plastic protective wrap on it which I remove when I got into the vehicle.
• You do get a new IC screen.
• All settings are retained except for. (1) WIFI settings/connections, (2) Bluetooth settings/pairings, (3) Web browser favorites.
• Trip values, and custom labels are retained.
• Seat positions, mirror positions, and driver profile settings for each driver remain.
• Navigation history and favorites are retained.
• Favorite audio stations are retained (Slacker, and Tune-In)
• Historical audio stations are also retained.
• The warning “beeps” that Joe Mode reduces are much louder than with MCU1. This may freak you out at first, but it's loud. It will sure get your attention.
• Two type of vehicle calibrations are needed. (1) One for Autopilot basic features, (2) One for lane changes with/without notification. If you go into the Autopilot Settings you’ll that the second one only starts to calibrate once the first one has been completed.
• Wifi appears much quicker
• LTE appears much quicker. It still connects to 3G when out of 4G and LTE range. The bar visuals have no change, but connection is much quicker.
• The games had to be downloaded for the 1st time. You need Wifi for this.
• There was a required Navigation update that had to be done over WIFI.
• Overall, the MCU is 100x quicker. HUGE improvement in responsiveness. HUGE improvement in refresh of data on the screen.
• Visuals on IC2 are 100x smoother and more detailed than before. Animation is 100x better as well, and so smooth.
• All visuals (garbage cans, cones, lights, road markings, bike land markings, etc…) all appear on IC2
• I did have to re-enable Ambient Lights. Maybe they turned it off during the install.
• The scroll wheels are hugely responsive. Each scroll now is recorded whereas before I would have to scroll a few times for it to reduce the volume or the temperature (both scroll wheels behave the same, so it was not a defective scroll wheels). Now, they operate so smoothly and with immediate response.
• I have the Premium Audio (which was standard on my MS). Before the upgrade I had a EQ that went to 12. Now it only goes to 8. It also has Immersive Sound with three options, however I tested it out with a variety of music (classical, dance, gansta rap, disco, pop, and Spanish), and they all sound the same. I think before I had Off and Dolby Surround. Now I don’t see Dolby listed anywhere.
• The release notes, manual all appears immediately. No issues with a blank screen anymore.
• YouTube works perfectly (like your iPhone in portrait mode where the vide is on the top, followed by meta-data below it). Sound quality is impressive for YouTube.
• I got my USB Drive working again. Just plugged it in. Before I dropped it off, I got the “USB Full” false positive error that everyone is reporting (even on 2020.12), but when I just plugged it in after the upgrade, it works perfectly. Not too sure why as I had 2020.12 before and after the upgrade. Very happy that it’s recording both Sentry and Dashcam again. It’s the S500 - TeslaCam SSD Extreme from PureTesla if anyone is curious.
• There is no FM/AM/XM radio. We knew that, but I just wanted to confirm this finding in the event you were hopeful.
• I did not get to keep the old MCU1/IC1. There was a $1000 core charge if I wanted to keep it.
• I did not notice any sort of USB charging speed increase (in case you were thinking that the amperage might be increased).
• Before you drop off your vehicle, turn off any Vehicle PIN you might have setup. You will need to re-enable it once you get your Tesla back.
• When you re-pair your Tesla with your iPhone, the name will now change to Tesla Model S followed by the name of your vehicle. Before the default was just Tesla Model S.
• When I re-connected my Tesla to my home WIFI, it shows up with a new MAC address, and the manufacture of the chipset appears to be LG Innotek now (previously it was Parrot SA). I’ve only noticed a 2.4ghz connection, but I’m sure it will switch to 5.0ghz when it needs to download something heavy (software, game updates, another navigation update).

Note: I mention x100 throughout the above bullets not as a exact measurement, but as a emotion statement to indicate that it's so damn quick. It's night and day!

Did you get your old MCU and IC back? Was there a core charge credit showing on the invoice?

 

[zanary]

Did you get your old MCU and IC back? Was there a core charge credit showing on the invoice?

To take home your MCU1 and IC1, there is a $1000 core charge. So that makes the upgrade $3500. Not worth it for me.

 

[MP3Mike]

Did you get your old MCU and IC back? Was there a core charge credit showing on the invoice?

Did you bother reading what he wrote, and you quoted?

I did not get to keep the old MCU1/IC1. There was a $1000 core charge if I wanted to keep it.

 

[whitex]

Did you bother reading what he wrote, and you quoted?

Yes. Obviously I missed it.

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

Yes I did. they did both the Infotainment upgrade for $2500 and the HW3 upgrade... Remember, I had FSD Software pre-purchased with my Model S at time of purchase.

Dolby is gone. It used to be there on MCU1, but now it's all about immersion sound. No sign on Dolby.

Yes, if you purchase the $2500 infotainment you get both MCU2 and IC2. If they are just replacing your MCU1 with a MCU1, then you only get that, but that's not the $2500 infotainment update.

FM Radio is indeed gone with the Infotainment upgrade for $2500. I'm guessing they aren't doing the Infotainment $2500 upgrade for you, but this is just a replacement MCU/1.

I posted this before, but make sure your part numbers patch for the $2500 Infotainment upgrade, otherwise they are just replacing MCU1 for MCU1 which is what it sounds like from what you wrote above.
View attachment 522767

I have a text message that matches your service ticket. MCU upgrade with FSD computer retrofit $2,500.00

Boy this has me wondering what the Service Tech is reading on his side. I just texted them back yet again.

Was there any loss of sound quality with the immersion sound?

 

[BHCLUC]

DONE!

My Infotainment upgrade has been completed. Dropped off my Model S on Friday, and picked up a few hours ago. Here's my details writeup.

-----

Summary: This is possibly the best $2500 you will even spend on your Model S/X.


My Vehicle: 2017 Model S P100D, built and delivered in September 2017. It is equipped with MCU1, AP 2.5 and I have the Full Self Driving pre-purchased. It’s fully wrapped with a graphic wrap and had no issues with Tesla performing the upgrade. I was already running 2020.12 prior to the upgrade. Still running 2020.12 after the upgrade. I only noticed that they pushed out 2020.12 just once after it was all completed. I assume that the option codes were updated, so when 2020.12 was re-installed it added all of the new “stuff” that is supported on MCU2.

You mention a wrap. Are your mirror stalks wrapped? Do you know if they updated the antennae in the mirrors that would require removing such a wrap, like chrome delete?

 

[drew.c]

DONE!

My Infotainment upgrade has been completed. Dropped off my Model S on Friday, and picked up a few hours ago. Here's my details writeup.

-----

Thanks for the details. Did they replace the MCU Bezel? I didn't know if the bezel came with the new MCU. Mine has a small ding in it. If not, I may order one and have them replace it when they perform the MCU update. I have a Feb 2017 Model S P100D with MCU1 and HW2.0. I have not scheduled since I have not received the email . The silver part # on epc.tesla.com is 1002294-S0-H. The graphite bezel is 1083944-01-B.

 

[SilverGS]

@zanary Thanks for the update/feedback on the MCU upgrade!

I'm guessing that with an AP1 car, the upgrade in terms of the AP features (visualizations in IC etc) are not significant and this reduces the benefit of the MCU upgrade. However it appears that the improvements in LTE connectivity and general speed improvements in the MCU are worth it?

 

[Ludalicious]

This is great news. Really looking forward to a report of HW2.0 vehicle getting the MCU Upgrade and HW too. But at least things are progressing for most with HW2.5 Thus far. If anyone knows of a HW2.0 vehicle seeing the MCU upgrade please speak up.

 

[SOULPEDL]

Service is going to be swamped from these plus the MCU 3 upgrades. Impressive if executed well.

 

[IanMcL]

I can't survive without my DAB radio!

 

[gabreigns]

From @zanary All visuals (garbage cans, cones, lights, road markings, bike land markings, etc…) all appear on IC2


So would the MCU upgrade also show these new visuals even though I have AP 1.0?

Sorry if this has been discussed earlier.

 

[MP3Mike]

From @zanary All visuals (garbage cans, cones, lights, road markings, bike land markings, etc…) all appear on IC2


So would the MCU upgrade also show these new visuals even though I have AP 1.0?

Sorry if this has been discussed earlier.

We don't know, but I would say that there is a 99.9999% chance that the answer is no.

 

[zanary]

I have a text message that matches your service ticket. MCU upgrade with FSD computer retrofit $2,500.00

Boy this has me wondering what the Service Tech is reading on his side. I just texted them back yet again.

Was there any loss of sound quality with the immersion sound?

I can't tell between immersion vs. Dolby...

 

[zanary]

You mention a wrap. Are your mirror stalks wrapped? Do you know if they updated the antennae in the mirrors that would require removing such a wrap, like chrome delete?

I think they re-used the same antenna. I do have a full car wrap. I have no idea if they did remove the back of the side mirrors to install new antenna. Everything looks just like it did before I drop off my Model S.

Zubs (@1fastev) • Instagram photos and videos

 

[zanary]

Thanks for the details. Did they replace the MCU Bezel? I didn't know if the bezel came with the new MCU. Mine has a small ding in it. If not, I may order one and have them replace it when they perform the MCU update. I have a Feb 2017 Model S P100D with MCU1 and HW2.0. I have not scheduled since I have not received the email . The silver part # on epc.tesla.com is 1002294-S0-H. The graphite bezel is 1083944-01-B.

Looks like they kept my bezel. It didn't look like it was brand new. The plastic on the new MCU2 was only on the actual display.

@zanary Thanks for the update/feedback on the MCU upgrade!

I'm guessing that with an AP1 car, the upgrade in terms of the AP features (visualizations in IC etc) are not significant and this reduces the benefit of the MCU upgrade. However it appears that the improvements in LTE connectivity and general speed improvements in the MCU are worth it?

AP1 will not get upgraded to HW3. AP1 is End of Life when AP2 came out, so eventually you will get the same $2500 Infotainment update, but there won't be any improvement for Autopilot at all. AP1 is an entirely different technology stack. The improvement in MCU2 is well worth the $2500...

From @zanary All visuals (garbage cans, cones, lights, road markings, bike land markings, etc…) all appear on IC2

So would the MCU upgrade also show these new visuals even though I have AP 1.0?

Sorry if this has been discussed earlier.

Correct, no change in visuals as that is all HW3 doing that magic. Since AP1 will remain, there will be mo more improvements.