I've always assumed the TPMS sensors sleep after a minute or so when the wheels are not moving to save energy, and that stops them reporting . If you're having work done on the wheels they're being moved and so I guess could stay awake or be woken up. At least thats how I've imagined it, and I don't think it's car side as the TPMS sensors go to sleep even even if you're sitting in the car while you're charging and the car doesn't go to sleep. I've also heard flicking the valve stem can wake them up, I tried it and all i got was a sore finger nail, but it would fit if it worked.
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Tesla Model Y - have I made a huge mistake
- Thread starter surfnsail
- Start date
Thank you - what a lovely 'welcome' to this Forum - OP has not disappeared, he has a full time job and has had to take time out to sort out buying a pump and getting the car to a garage to get it repaired.
Firstly, I am not a troll and I live in the UK - where should I post?!! I admit I was angry with a wholly disappointing first few weeks with the Model Y and was giving an honest opinion about the car, but anger was triggered by the service support - why did I contact them, lots of you say - well because the bl@@dy app tells you to. - TPMS read 36psi when I got home, 2 psi in the morning and gave a direct link to online contact to the service centre to resolve. Thank you to the sensible response from Canada (ProtonopeSJ) - it may well be living towards the edge of the UK, that the problem was worse, and to some others acknowledging the frustration of modern cars expecting there never to be a nail or screw ruining your day..
Contrary to those suggesting that this was in any way a Tesla hater post, I am a very ordinary bloke who has tried to buy into electric cars over the years and always wanted to buy into Tesla, as I viewed them as a progressive and exciting organisation promoting a more sustainable option for driving. I was royally fed up with the legacy car makers, having had many years experience with Fords and VWs and others, and initially settled on lease options on Hyundais and Kias, through hybrids and then BEV, as they too were doing something different.
I just was expecting/hoping the experience to be better and not worse. I noticed some commentary when doing research, and I did a lot, but overwhelmingly people say its the best car they've ever owned, that was enough for me, along with buying into the disruptive approach I think Tesla has brought to the industry, and which was desperately needed - I do not think we would have seen the progress in electric cars without them.
However, it seems like because we buy into Tesla's aims we must accept substandard elements on a car that costs the same or more than others - just learn to live with unsafe wiper operation, get 'used' to the suspension, buy pads for lifting, buy a compressor/buy your own spare tyre/repair kit - Tesla may not be the only ones stepping away from what should be a minimal provision, but they are worse than the Hyundai/Kia/Honda/VWs that I have owned. I guess I am disappointed about their ownership of such issues and lack of accountability - and I guess this was triggered by the service team keeping me waiting for 5 hours while they promised to resolve the issue, that their App had encouraged me to use, and then saying - not our problem, (you live too far away/we don't have the capacity to care for anyone outside the south-east, who knows).
Oh and for those who say get some mechanical knowledge, thank you, that is much appreciated - in 42 years of driving I have rebuilt and replaced just about every part of a car - perhaps its because of my age that I had higher expectations.
I can only hope things get better.
Firstly, I am not a troll and I live in the UK - where should I post?!! I admit I was angry with a wholly disappointing first few weeks with the Model Y and was giving an honest opinion about the car, but anger was triggered by the service support - why did I contact them, lots of you say - well because the bl@@dy app tells you to. - TPMS read 36psi when I got home, 2 psi in the morning and gave a direct link to online contact to the service centre to resolve. Thank you to the sensible response from Canada (ProtonopeSJ) - it may well be living towards the edge of the UK, that the problem was worse, and to some others acknowledging the frustration of modern cars expecting there never to be a nail or screw ruining your day..
Contrary to those suggesting that this was in any way a Tesla hater post, I am a very ordinary bloke who has tried to buy into electric cars over the years and always wanted to buy into Tesla, as I viewed them as a progressive and exciting organisation promoting a more sustainable option for driving. I was royally fed up with the legacy car makers, having had many years experience with Fords and VWs and others, and initially settled on lease options on Hyundais and Kias, through hybrids and then BEV, as they too were doing something different.
I just was expecting/hoping the experience to be better and not worse. I noticed some commentary when doing research, and I did a lot, but overwhelmingly people say its the best car they've ever owned, that was enough for me, along with buying into the disruptive approach I think Tesla has brought to the industry, and which was desperately needed - I do not think we would have seen the progress in electric cars without them.
However, it seems like because we buy into Tesla's aims we must accept substandard elements on a car that costs the same or more than others - just learn to live with unsafe wiper operation, get 'used' to the suspension, buy pads for lifting, buy a compressor/buy your own spare tyre/repair kit - Tesla may not be the only ones stepping away from what should be a minimal provision, but they are worse than the Hyundai/Kia/Honda/VWs that I have owned. I guess I am disappointed about their ownership of such issues and lack of accountability - and I guess this was triggered by the service team keeping me waiting for 5 hours while they promised to resolve the issue, that their App had encouraged me to use, and then saying - not our problem, (you live too far away/we don't have the capacity to care for anyone outside the south-east, who knows).
Oh and for those who say get some mechanical knowledge, thank you, that is much appreciated - in 42 years of driving I have rebuilt and replaced just about every part of a car - perhaps its because of my age that I had higher expectations.
I can only hope things get better.
lol well a flat tyre is bound to piss on your chips, but it’s a bit dramatic to question if you have then made a mistake buying the car 
I can sympathise tho generally, if mine wasn’t comically quick I wouldn’t be as forgiving with the things it doesn’t do well, but that’s me.
Just bought a Y RWD for the Mrs, who loves a drama….am expecting the issues with crap wipers, poor ride quality, constant error messages, touchscreen controls etc etc to be cited in subsequent divorce papers
I can sympathise tho generally, if mine wasn’t comically quick I wouldn’t be as forgiving with the things it doesn’t do well, but that’s me.
Just bought a Y RWD for the Mrs, who loves a drama….am expecting the issues with crap wipers, poor ride quality, constant error messages, touchscreen controls etc etc to be cited in subsequent divorce papers
Dear OP. Comments were about the car, and Tesla Service, not about you personally. Everyone has different expectations, Also, some will disagree with you if their Tesla and tire experiences were different.
Not unexpected that a Tesla service center, far away from you, will not be the best solution for a flat tire. You can use local tire shops, which will be much less expensive and more convenient.
Tesla is well aware of the shortcomings of its Model Y. They have a much improved model coming down the line. Many fixes have already shown up in the latest Model 3, such as smoother ride, more comfort, better seating etc. Still, of course, nothing is perfect.
Tesla does not make the tires, nor has any control over what may be happening for you to experience so many punctures. Their engineers select from a large variety of available tire options, and choose their fitment considering many attributes.
Tesla has sold millions of cars. Some will go through their entire life, with no tire issues. Others will have multiple issues over their lifespans.
It seems that you have had more than your share, and are justified in being frustrated.
People here are only responding to your posts. Some want to console you, others feel differently.
Not unexpected that a Tesla service center, far away from you, will not be the best solution for a flat tire. You can use local tire shops, which will be much less expensive and more convenient.
Tesla is well aware of the shortcomings of its Model Y. They have a much improved model coming down the line. Many fixes have already shown up in the latest Model 3, such as smoother ride, more comfort, better seating etc. Still, of course, nothing is perfect.
Tesla does not make the tires, nor has any control over what may be happening for you to experience so many punctures. Their engineers select from a large variety of available tire options, and choose their fitment considering many attributes.
Tesla has sold millions of cars. Some will go through their entire life, with no tire issues. Others will have multiple issues over their lifespans.
It seems that you have had more than your share, and are justified in being frustrated.
People here are only responding to your posts. Some want to console you, others feel differently.
I've heard reports that a tire pressure sender can be activated by a significant change in tire pressure (along with the usual activation by the tire turning above a certain speed). I've not confirmed this myself.
I got this out of iAsk.ai with a suitably-phrased prompt:
"
When a vehicle is stationary for some time, TPMS sensors typically go into a sleep mode to conserve battery power. These sensors are designed to wake up and start transmitting data when the vehicle is in motion above a certain speed threshold. However, significant changes in tire pressure can also trigger the TPMS sensor to wake up and start transmitting data, even if the vehicle has not moved.
TPMS sensors are equipped with accelerometers and other sensors that can detect sudden changes in tire pressure or movement, which can prompt the sensor to wake up and transmit data to the vehicle’s TPMS control unit. This feature ensures that any critical changes in tire pressure are promptly detected and communicated to the driver, enhancing safety on the road.
Therefore, if there is a substantial change in tire pressure while the vehicle is stationary, it can indeed wake up a TPMS tire pressure sender, alerting the driver to the issue even before the vehicle starts moving.
In conclusion, TPMS tire pressure senders can be awakened by significant tire pressure changes even when the vehicle is stationary, ensuring that drivers are promptly informed of any potential issues with their tires.
"
This is of course a generalization across TPM Systems. So it's not clear yet how applicable this is to Tesla's version.
"
When a vehicle is stationary for some time, TPMS sensors typically go into a sleep mode to conserve battery power. These sensors are designed to wake up and start transmitting data when the vehicle is in motion above a certain speed threshold. However, significant changes in tire pressure can also trigger the TPMS sensor to wake up and start transmitting data, even if the vehicle has not moved.
TPMS sensors are equipped with accelerometers and other sensors that can detect sudden changes in tire pressure or movement, which can prompt the sensor to wake up and transmit data to the vehicle’s TPMS control unit. This feature ensures that any critical changes in tire pressure are promptly detected and communicated to the driver, enhancing safety on the road.
Therefore, if there is a substantial change in tire pressure while the vehicle is stationary, it can indeed wake up a TPMS tire pressure sender, alerting the driver to the issue even before the vehicle starts moving.
In conclusion, TPMS tire pressure senders can be awakened by significant tire pressure changes even when the vehicle is stationary, ensuring that drivers are promptly informed of any potential issues with their tires.
"
This is of course a generalization across TPM Systems. So it's not clear yet how applicable this is to Tesla's version.
The funny thing about this is that I have thought about all the items you listed, but the only thing I have gotten around to getting is the portable compressor to be able to top up a slow puncture! So the exact inverse of where you are at
Maybe he backed out of the driveway ... that's often all it takes to update the TPMS. It's still morning. I think the point stands that he did not notice it until it was time to leave, which is fair.
edit: and yeah still think its the best car(s) I've owned, out of about 20 or so. you sort of either get it or not.
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That kind of experience would make anyone question their choice of buying/leasing an expensive car - especially when there are so many other niggles that came before it. I must admit, you've made me question whether I should sign up for breakdown cover rather than rely on Tesla's roadside assistance. I used to always go with the AA's breakdown cover, but after a diabolical experience with a BMW i3 I left them, though this was a few years ago so I suspect their support for EV's is much better now.
I hope this experience is not a case of 'the straw that broke the camels back' because there are undoubtedly positive experiences ahead that will make you cherish your car. I resonate with some of the issues you have, the wipers/lights are comically bad - they have become a running joke between my wife and I (she now drives the BMW i3 which is positively brilliant by comparison). Not only will the wipers not turn on when it's pouring down, they sometimes activate when it's sunny and there is dust on the windscreen. This happened last night when I was sat at traffic lights, I'm sure there were many bemused drivers next to me thinking 'why is that idiot dry-wiping his windscreen?'.
I don't even bother with auto-lights, way too inconsistent to be safe for other drivers. The car still often makes loud collision detection noises that scare the living bejesus out of my wife - it's particularly bad on elevations and declines as it can misread obstacles. The ride quality on the M3 is a little better than the MY, so I'm okay here. Oh and my drivers side window makes a loud screeching noise when it goes up/down.
For the first 3-6 months of owning my Tesla, I was underwhelmed. People would ask what I thought about the car and would be surprised by my muted response: "It's very pragmatic". But now I love the car, warts and all. It was the longer trips (200+ miles) that helped me build that relationship with the car. But now I find myself wanting to take it out even when I have nowhere to go, because I enjoy driving it so much. I hope there are similar positive experiences coming to you.
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Thank you for your honest reply, (and realising that my concerns were not just about a tyre!) and I am going to stick with things for now and 'trust' Tesla to realise that goodwill can only go so far and they have a duty to make this the great car it should be, which means responding to obvious flaws and not expecting their customers to make allowances.
EV1980
Member
@surfnsail, welcome to the forum. Hope you can move on from this bumpy start and gain the enjoyment from your car. I'll have had mine for exactly one year tomorrow and I still get a thrill from having it.
I got my Model Y RWD just over a year ago after hankering for a Tesla for years. I've thoroughly enjoyed it despite the wiper issues (manageable) and the "phantom braking" concern - until the last few days. I use the cruise control a lot and had only one instance of severe phantom braking last year but when I analysed it I couldn't blame the system - it revolved around a car some way ahead with only one rear light, and a motorcycle with a rear light of similar intensity just behind it.
However, on Friday I was driving at 65mph on a dual carriageway when a car entered the wide central reservation just ahead, from the opposite carriageway, stopping to let me pass before pulling out into my carriageway. My car applied emergence braking, but not until I was well past the danger zone - probably three full seconds after I had realised that there was no danger and certainly a full second AFTER I had passed the junction. Fortunately there was no-one just behind.
On Saturday I passed an AA van stopped in a layby to assist a car driver; The van had its offside wheels just touching the white line at the edge of the carriageway, and it was on a gradual left-hand bend in the dual carriageway so it appeared fairly suddenly. I was travelling at close to 70 mph and eased out a fraction to leave adequate clearance, passing both the AA van and the car parked in front of it without danger. THEN my car applied emergency braking. This time there was someone behind me but he managed somehow to swerve round me - I would apologise to him if I could, and congratulate him for averting a serious accident.
In both these incidents the car's software was so late in reacting to the possible danger that it was totally useless, taking a ridiculous time to work out that there was danger and not reacting until it was far too late to help and the incident had actually passed! Even though I always have my foot over the accelerator pedal when on cruise, there's no way I could stop the car losing about 30mph in each case and was lucky to avoid being rammed. What is Tesla Playing at??? Are they overloading the car's processor to the point where it can't cope?
The software was on version 2024.2.6, although I noted that 2024.6.8 was waiting on Sunday and I've updated it. Tesla releases loads of updates flagged as "minor fixes" but how do you find out what has been fixed? Did 2024.2.6 introduce a problem that 2024.2.8 has corrected? Who knows? What I do know is that if this happens once more my Model Y will be dumped in favour of a manufacturer who's software will not endanger the lives of my family.
However, on Friday I was driving at 65mph on a dual carriageway when a car entered the wide central reservation just ahead, from the opposite carriageway, stopping to let me pass before pulling out into my carriageway. My car applied emergence braking, but not until I was well past the danger zone - probably three full seconds after I had realised that there was no danger and certainly a full second AFTER I had passed the junction. Fortunately there was no-one just behind.
On Saturday I passed an AA van stopped in a layby to assist a car driver; The van had its offside wheels just touching the white line at the edge of the carriageway, and it was on a gradual left-hand bend in the dual carriageway so it appeared fairly suddenly. I was travelling at close to 70 mph and eased out a fraction to leave adequate clearance, passing both the AA van and the car parked in front of it without danger. THEN my car applied emergency braking. This time there was someone behind me but he managed somehow to swerve round me - I would apologise to him if I could, and congratulate him for averting a serious accident.
In both these incidents the car's software was so late in reacting to the possible danger that it was totally useless, taking a ridiculous time to work out that there was danger and not reacting until it was far too late to help and the incident had actually passed! Even though I always have my foot over the accelerator pedal when on cruise, there's no way I could stop the car losing about 30mph in each case and was lucky to avoid being rammed. What is Tesla Playing at??? Are they overloading the car's processor to the point where it can't cope?
The software was on version 2024.2.6, although I noted that 2024.6.8 was waiting on Sunday and I've updated it. Tesla releases loads of updates flagged as "minor fixes" but how do you find out what has been fixed? Did 2024.2.6 introduce a problem that 2024.2.8 has corrected? Who knows? What I do know is that if this happens once more my Model Y will be dumped in favour of a manufacturer who's software will not endanger the lives of my family.
pdk42
Active Member
I've given up trying to fathom what AP is doing. It's erratic and not be relied upon. I still use it from time to time, but I'm always on tenterhooks expecting it to crap out at some random moment.
And its behaviour today is significantly worse than on the 2019 Model 3 that started my Tesla journey. I don't know whether this wonderful re-write they have in the US ("citystreets beta" or whatever) will ever reach us or not, but IMHO it needs something radical doing because right now it's becoming something of a joke compared to the systems on most other cars.
I can confirm that my M3 (Dec 2021) warned me about significantly reduced tyre pressure whilst sat on our drive. I expected I had a slow puncture, so put some air in the tyre at the end of the afternoon after coming home from work. The (digital) tyre inflator confirmed the pressure was back to the level it should have been. At about 9pm, I received a warning on the app that the pressure had dropped significantly, I believe something like 15 psi. Put some air in it, and it was enough to get me to a kwik fit the next day.
To add to the recent moans about the wipers - yes another one - mine have gotten significantly worse during the last week. Previously it did the odd fantom wipe, nothing I hand't seen in other cars, but now every single drive it will wipe on a bone dry windscreen every 10 minutes or so. It will continue to wipe for a few minutes, stop, and come back again 10-30 minutes later. Really annoying, specially because AP cruise control/autopilot doesn't work without it.
LiamPope
Member
I too receive pressure warnings from wheels off the car having tyres swapped, so they are definitely triggered by a rapid differential not necessarily with motion.
Don't you folks back home get breakdown service thrown in with your fully comp insurance these days?
Don't you folks back home get breakdown service thrown in with your fully comp insurance these days?
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