Tesla infotainment system upgradeable from MCU1 to MCU2

[MorrisonHiker]

My MCU Failure didn't go completely black. it hung up several times and had to be rebooted while driving. I reached out and said I had symptoms of an MCU failure and told them what was happening. It says I am eligible for reimbursement. whew!

I have not had much luck with my Model S lately. Besides the $2650 (tax included) for the MCU, a few months later in October - $900 needed for tires (they lasted just 10 months), December $800 for a battery heater, January 12v battery $220, February $500 rear axle seals leaking, Just 2 days ago - Driver side door handle (3rd generation without microswitches).... I told my wife I am about to divorce Tess and order a new Model 3.

We had the problem as well. In our S75D, it would often take minutes for the car to wake up. We never had it diagnosed because we knew what the problem was. We just had the infotainment upgrade done on that car since we didn't want to try selling it with eMMC issues. Our S100D had the infotainment upgrade done last year because it was experiencing problems as well and we knew the infotainment upgrade would fix the issue. Our oldest Model S also shows as ineligible. It didn't have the upgrade done so it should be covered by the recall.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Mine says the same thing: "No record of potentially reimbursable repairs performed by Tesla"

But it appears that I can still submit a claim application, which I'm going to do.

edit: According to this: 8GB eMMC Reimbursement Frequently Asked Questions the initial eligibility on the form is if you had the eMMC replaced by Tesla and want to get reimbursed. It's not if you don't qualify for 3rd party replacement reimbursement. If you have an eligible car with an 8GB eMMC that hadn't already been replaced by Tesla, you should qualify and can still submit a 3rd party claim.

 

[DarrenK]

Has anyone gotten a definitive answer on if we can keep the current screen and get the $250 credit if we do the $1500 upgrade?

 

[Akikiki]

In a single word... No. But a couple of people that have upgraded since its $1500 have said, it was not offered to them. When you consider the effort to break down a used MCU to get the screen off and move it to a new MCU (MCU2) to put in the car, versus, just remove MCU1 and install MCU2, it's logical that Tesla would stop offering the discount since its (estimate) double the work for us to earn the $250 discount. Think about it. They perform more work, give a discount, and don't get to keep the old LCD screen. If I were them, I too would discontinue the discount for reusing the LCD.

 

[mspohr]

Has anyone gotten a definitive answer on if we can keep the current screen and get the $250 credit if we do the $1500 upgrade?

The new screens are much nicer than the old. Don't know why you wouldn't want them.

 

[DarrenK]

The new screens are much nicer than the old. Don't know why you wouldn't want them.

There is no difference to the touchscreen. They are identical. Apparently, they yellow just like the old ones too. Just look at the posts on the previous page. #s 7263, 7269 and 7272.

 

[hybridbear]

There is no difference to the touchscreen. They are identical. Apparently, they yellow just like the old ones too. Just look at the posts on the previous page. #s 7263, 7269 and 7272.

The dash screen is higher resolution. Is the center screen exactly the same? No improvement?

 

[Akikiki]

There is no difference to the touchscreen. They are identical. Apparently, they yellow just like the old ones too. Just look at the posts on the previous page. #s 7263, 7269 and 7272.

There was a months long (maybe a year long) batch of bad screens both MCU and IC screens around late '16 and most of '17. Mine was replaced, and yellowed again. They figured out they could fix (bandaid) the screen themselves at the SCs with a UV light that covers the screen. Some screens took double/triple the time under the light than others. Some took more than a day. It was curing the material to prevent the yellowing. Some, I think, were not left under the UV long enough (hard to gauge the time necessary), so the yellowing returned. Left a bad taste in the owner's mouth when that happened. I don't remember exactly where it is, but you can go over to teslatap.com and scoll through his stuff. He bought a UV light on Amazon and did his own fix. I think he paid something like $30 for the light. Not all the SC's had the lamp for a while and some were passing the lamp around to other SCs, while they were testing the fix.

Someone is going to say their '18 or '19 also had the problem. I don't doubt them. Stuff breaks, less than perfect stuff gets pass inspection. It ain't a purrfect system. But stuff gets fixed. The effort to worry and complain can exceed the benefits to the mind and body to just shake it off and not be so serious. Ya know?

 

[DarrenK]

The dash screen is higher resolution. Is the center screen exactly the same? No improvement?

As far as I know, it is identical. The driver's display is certainly different.

 

[DarrenK]

There was a months long (maybe a year long) batch of bad screens both MCU and IC screens around late '16 and most of '17. Mine was replaced, and yellowed again. They figured out they could fix (bandaid) the screen themselves at the SCs with a UV light that covers the screen. Some screens took double/triple the time under the light than others. Some took more than a day. It was curing the material to prevent the yellowing. Some, I think, were not left under the UV long enough (hard to gauge the time necessary), so the yellowing returned. Left a bad taste in the owner's mouth when that happened. I don't remember exactly where it is, but you can go over to teslatap.com and scoll through his stuff. He bought a UV light on Amazon and did his own fix. I think he paid something like $30 for the light. Not all the SC's had the lamp for a while and some were passing the lamp around to other SCs, while they were testing the fix.

Someone is going to say their '18 or '19 also had the problem. I don't doubt them. Stuff breaks, less than perfect stuff gets pass inspection. It ain't a purrfect system. But stuff gets fixed. The effort to worry and complain can exceed the benefits to the mind and body to just shake it off and not be so serious. Ya know?

I am at a loss to explain why folks who got replacement screens had yellowing, unless Tesla was using up old stock. I saw that fix you mentioned, and when the equipment to fix the yellow screen was in short supply, I considered it. Ironically, my car was in for a different service and my SC fixed it since they had the car anyway.

 

[jimmyz80]

Does anyone have a very recent experience getting an AP2.0 MCU1 non-FSD car upgraded to MCU2, and can comment on whether they received the FSD computer as part of the kit? I have my upgrade scheduled for tomorrow, pretty much for the sole purpose of adding Dashcam and Sentry Cam functionality that my car currently does not have. This all depends on the upgrade including the FSD computer, since MCU2 alone won't enable them.

I've seen a lot of messages in this thread about the FSD computer coming standard as part of the MCU2 upgrade kit, and some posts claiming the opposite. So I'm curious what's been happening very lately. I've been messaging my local service center and they don't even seem to understand what these components are. They claim I need to purchase FSD in order to even use Dashcam or Sentry Cam, which is flat out bogus.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Does anyone have a very recent experience getting an AP2.0 MCU1 non-FSD car upgraded to MCU2, and can comment on whether they received the FSD computer as part of the kit? I have my upgrade scheduled for tomorrow, pretty much for the sole purpose of adding Dashcam and Sentry Cam functionality that my car currently does not have. This all depends on the upgrade including the FSD computer, since MCU2 alone won't enable them.

I've seen a lot of messages in this thread about the FSD computer coming standard as part of the MCU2 upgrade kit, and some posts claiming the opposite. So I'm curious what's been happening very lately. I've been messaging my local service center and they don't even seem to understand what these components are. They claim I need to purchase FSD in order to even use Dashcam or Sentry Cam, which is flat out bogus.

Our 2017 AP2.5 S75D without FSD was upgraded to MCU2 last month and we received the FSD computer. If you have an estimated invoice, it should indicate if your MCU2 upgrade will include the FSD computer or not.

If you do get the FSD computer, you should have Sentry and Dash cam recording from 4 cameras. You'll also have some new visualizations, but not all that are possible with FSD. With the AP2 cameras, the color won't look as nice but is still viewable. You can upgrade the cameras on your own, if you like, and the color will get better.

 

[jimmyz80]

Our 2017 AP2.5 S75D without FSD was upgraded to MCU2 last month and we received the FSD computer. If you have an estimated invoice, it should indicate if your MCU2 upgrade will include the FSD computer or not.

If you do get the FSD computer, you should have Sentry and Dash cam recording from 4 cameras. You'll also have some new visualizations, but not all that are possible with FSD. With the AP2 cameras, the color won't look as nice but is still viewable. You can upgrade the cameras on your own, if you like, and the color will get better.

Thanks! That's how I'm hoping mine will go, and yes I'm 100% aligned on what should and shouldn't work. Was also already planning on upgrading the cameras once I know I have the FSD computer in the car. Fingers crossed that my service center doesn't let me down.

 

[Akikiki]

@jimmyz80 You said, "I've been messaging my local service center and they don't even seem to understand what these components are. They claim I need to purchase FSD in order to even use Dashcam or Sentry Cam, which is flat out bogus."

I don't ordinarily say this about SC's - any SC's, but if yours don't seem to understand what's going on... I would find another SC to take my car to in CA. Let them get smarter on their own.

 

[jimmyz80]

@jimmyz80 You said, "I've been messaging my local service center and they don't even seem to understand what these components are. They claim I need to purchase FSD in order to even use Dashcam or Sentry Cam, which is flat out bogus."

I don't ordinarily say this about SC's - any SC's, but if yours don't seem to understand what's going on... I would find another SC to take my car to in CA. Let them get smarter on their own.

Next closest one is an additional couple of hours away, so that's sort of a no-go. I'm near Folsom Lake, so I use the Rocklin SC.

 

[Akikiki]

okay. Let us know how it goes.

 

[tpedwards]

Got my P85D (that thinks it is a P90D) today. When I picked them up from school I told my nine year old twins that Twyla got an upgrade. I asked whether the screen looked different. “It looks a little brighter, I guess.” Then I launch Netflix “WHAT???” Minds blown. Then I show them the games. Oh and don’t forget Caraoke. Screams linger for several minutes. Totally worth it.

 

[jimmyz80]

okay. Let us know how it goes.

I just realized I updated some other threads but not this one. I got my S75D back from the Rocklin service center in less than 24 hours and everything was perfect, except they forgot to plug in my hazard light button. They sent out mobile service for that quick fix though. So I went from MCU1 HW2 non-FSD, to MCU2 HW3 FSD-Preview. I've also since upgraded my front fender cameras to the newer HW2.5+ versions with better color rendering, and have a front-facing triple camera coming to swap out as well. It feels pretty much like a new car.

 

[hybridbear]

I just realized I updated some other threads but not this one. I got my S75D back from the Rocklin service center in less than 24 hours and everything was perfect, except they forgot to plug in my hazard light button. They sent out mobile service for that quick fix though. So I went from MCU1 HW2 non-FSD, to MCU2 HW3 FSD-Preview. I've also since upgraded my front fender cameras to the newer HW2.5+ versions with better color rendering, and have a front-facing triple camera coming to swap out as well. It feels pretty much like a new car.

What's the cost for new side repeater cameras? Are they hard to install yourself?

 

[MorrisonHiker]

What's the cost for new side repeater cameras? Are they hard to install yourself?

We bought ours directly from Tesla for about $150 each but you might be able to find them on Ebay for less (or a lot more). You have to be careful popping them out so that you son't scratch the paint but once you've removed them, you can just disconnect the wire and plus the new ones in.

Check out this thread for more details: Upgrading AP cameras