Tesla now repairing MCU1 with a new Tegra card for less than $500

[michaelrap]

I got a surprise text message from Tesla service saying my car was ready to be picked up this afternoon. The bill was $490 and change as promised. I have attached a screenshot from the invoice to this post.

I asked my SA how long the warranty would be for this repair and he seemed to think it was one year unlimited miles. If this has an upgraded chip on it hopefully it will last several years.

Controls of the MCU do seem more snappy. Noticed I have AM radio as I was going through the controls. Don’t remember having AM radio? Anyway so glad to be back in the Model S.

 

[reddy]

View attachment 575979 I got a surprise text message from Tesla service saying my car was ready to be picked up this afternoon. The bill was $490 and change as promised. I have attached a screenshot from the invoice to this post.

I asked my SA how long the warranty would be for this repair and he seemed to think it was one year unlimited miles. If this has an upgraded chip on it hopefully it will last several years.

Controls of the MCU do seem more snappy. Noticed I have AM radio as I was going through the controls. Don’t remember having AM radio? Anyway so glad to be back in the Model S.

Congrats. I hope mine goes this well, scheduled in 2 weeks.

Yes, the AM radio has always been there. Honestly my 1970 AMC Gremlin had better audio quality than the Model S AM radio. So you probably used it once, and never went back.

 

[Gizmotoy]

Approximately how long was your car in the Service Center? Mine went in Friday, 8/7 an not a word from them since.

Sorry, that was just the parts order. My appointment isn't for another week since I lost my spot in line due to the switch from Mobile Service to Service Center.

 

[sonysw]

Likely the 3G driver/files got corrupted in this update due to the seemingly random way files are written and at this point you see the issue as 3G connection. The issue will likely shuffle around as you update. The root cause is the chip is about to go out in a undetermined amount of time.

Thanks. They still don't know the root cause or how to solve it. The car is 2013 so I expect this. Would new Tegra card replacement will fix this ? or I have to get new MCU.

 

[Akikiki]

Thanks. They still don't know the root cause or how to solve it. The car is 2013 so I expect this. Would new Tegra card replacement will fix this ? or I have to get new MCU.

TonyT is saying its likely the most recent firmware load that caused it or the 3G software is unable to read from the bad spots where it resides. Meaning another firmware download will cause the corrupted 3G files to become obsolete when the next firmware installs in a different location on the inactive (other) partition when you get the next OTA update. Those corrupt 3G files are likely residing now on a bad spot/sectors on the active partition on existing eMMC chip on your Tegra board I hope that makes sense.

So to answer your question, a new Tegra card, will require a fresh firmware download when its installed and if Tony is correct, the new firmware download on the new eMMC chip on the new Tegra board would for sure install fresh 3G files along with all the other fresh firmware to the car. But you will still be 3G.

In case you didn't know, at&t is set the sunset date for retiring 3G as 31 Dec 2021. So, you are going to need a LTE upgrade before then. The "or I have to get a new MCU" part of your original question will fix the 3G/LTE problem, because the re-manufactured MCU's they are using has the LTE upgrade for you - included. Many people are going to have the same problem 3G termination. And its a Tesla problem just as much as it is your problem if 3G ends. Tesla wants your car connected. I think as we get closer to that date (my guess is maybe next summer) Tesla will offer a better deal for you 3G cars to because they need you off 3G too. So, some people will sit back and just wait for a better price or even having to pay the same price is no worse.

 

[baz_b]

For our Dutch friends on the forum: yesterday contacted the service center (my MCU is dead) and asked if they can order:

MSX MCU PC TEGRA DAUGHTERBOARD-PROVISIONED
Part #: 2728211-S0-A

The nice lady on the phone explained she can see the part number only cannot order it..

Tempted to go for a 3rd party to fix it..

 

[BigNick]

Message I received yesterday re part ordered:

Additional parts have been ordered for servicing your car. We will send you updates twice a week until your service is completed.

Parts Ordered

1. MSX MCU PC TEGRA DAUGHTERBOARD-PROVISIONED (64GB)
   Part #: 2728211-S0-A
   Order Date: August 12, 2020

Does anyone think the "64GB" refer to a more robust eMMC chip than on the original?

64 GB is nice, but if it’s not robust enough to handle in-car high temperatures it might still fail prematurely.

Over twenty years ago I blew a lot of money on 15K RPM hard drives and put them in a desktop machine, they were dead in a year from heat buildup.

 

[BigTonyTones]

Message I received yesterday re part ordered:

Additional parts have been ordered for servicing your car. We will send you updates twice a week until your service is completed.

Parts Ordered

1. MSX MCU PC TEGRA DAUGHTERBOARD-PROVISIONED (64GB)
   Part #: 2728211-S0-A
   Order Date: August 12, 2020

Does anyone think the "64GB" refer to a more robust eMMC chip than on the original?

64gb? I think that's new good news. I dont believe the original chip was 64gb. Even the ones the 3rd parties are installing are 32gb swissbit chips. Id love someone who is more versed to chime in!

 

[Branzo90D]

So a couple weeks ago my facelift 2016 Model S greeted me one morning with a black MCU screen. The car still started and ran, but no HVAC controls or radio or blinkers as far as I could tell.

So I immediately made an appointment through the app for service and the car has been down there for one week today. My car is just a few hundred miles out of warranty so I figured my only options were full MCU1 replacement or what they call now the infotainment MCU2 upgrade. Come to find out that because my car doesn’t have a power lift gate that the infotainment upgrade is not an option as of now.

So I just got off the phone with Tesla service here in Reno and they tell me they are now replacing the Tegra card and that my total in parts and labor for repair of the MCU1 is $490. I glanced at the estimate and it looks like the Tegra card is $120 part and the rest is labor and diagnostic fee. It seems pretty palatable since I thought I was going to be in at $1000 or more for a repair.

Just thought I would relay my experience for the benefit of others. Also they told me that part could be a week or two away.

Same situation here....Just had the work done last week..."Replaced Tegra Daughterboard Inside MCU" for a total cost of $345.30. Was also expecting the thousand plus replacement with a refurb unit, but was happily surprised.

 

[BigTonyTones]

Same situation here....Just had the work done last week..."Replaced Tegra Daughterboard Inside MCU" for a total cost of $345.30. Was also expecting the thousand plus replacement with a refurb unit, but was happily surprised.

Mind posting your receipt?

 

[tpedwards]

Interesting the price disparity between @michaelrap and @Branzo90D. It seems to me that Tesla really needs to get operations standardized for service. They penalize the customers who get service with less experienced techs because it may take them longer to perform an operation such as replacing the T3 daughter card. Don't most legacy service providers (delivered through dealers, but standardized by the manufacturer) have standard hours for each operation. The dealer's techs may take longer (or be faster) than the standard, but the customer will only be held to the estimate that was based on the standard.

Tesla has had plenty of time to figure this out since the S was released eight years ago. They really need to get on-board with regard to service. They need to start with taking it seriously and hire a VP-level service chief. Or else it will be their Achille's Heal for the longer term.

My reading tells me that Tesla Service Centers experiences vary widely. It doesn't need to be this way and it should not eight years in. Some negative experiences drive owners back to ICE. This alone is so counter to Elon Musk's vision that should drive better service.

 

[immolated]

Interesting the price disparity between @michaelrap and @Branzo90D. It seems to me that Tesla really needs to get operations standardized for service. They penalize the customers who get service with less experienced techs because it may take them longer to perform an operation such as replacing the T3 daughter card. Don't most legacy service providers (delivered through dealers, but standardized by the manufacturer) have standard hours for each operation. The dealer's techs may take longer (or be faster) than the standard, but the customer will only be held to the estimate that was based on the standard.

Tesla has had plenty of time to figure this out since the S was released eight years ago. They really need to get on-board with regard to service. They need to start with taking it seriously and hire a VP-level service chief. Or else it will be their Achille's Heal for the longer term.

My reading tells me that Tesla Service Centers experiences vary widely. It doesn't need to be this way and it should not eight years in. Some negative experiences drive owners back to ICE. This alone is so counter to Elon Musk's vision that should drive better service.

Honestly I think it's just cause early Model S owners are in the minority now. They are focused on model 3, Y, and soon Cybertruck. If this was a model 3 issue it would get squashed quickly.

 

[tpedwards]

Honestly I think it's just cause early Model S owners are in the minority now. They are focused on model 3, Y, and soon Cybertruck. If this was a model 3 issue it would get squashed quickly.

My point isn't specific to this particular issue. Service in general is not standardized from Service Center to Service Center. Service quality is certainly not consistent whether you own a Model S, X, 3 or Y.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Interesting the price disparity between @michaelrap and @Branzo90D. It seems to me that Tesla really needs to get operations standardized for service. They penalize the customers who get service with less experienced techs because it may take them longer to perform an operation such as replacing the T3 daughter card. Don't most legacy service providers (delivered through dealers, but standardized by the manufacturer) have standard hours for each operation. The dealer's techs may take longer (or be faster) than the standard, but the customer will only be held to the estimate that was based on the standard.

Tesla has had plenty of time to figure this out since the S was released eight years ago. They really need to get on-board with regard to service. They need to start with taking it seriously and hire a VP-level service chief. Or else it will be their Achille's Heal for the longer term.

My reading tells me that Tesla Service Centers experiences vary widely. It doesn't need to be this way and it should not eight years in. Some negative experiences drive owners back to ICE. This alone is so counter to Elon Musk's vision that should drive better service.

Yeah. I think that if someone goes in and requests a replacement of the daughter board, they shouldn't be charging the $175 diagnostic fee. If they do need to do a diagnosis, they should apply that fee to cover the labor.

 

[CraigE1965]

Does this new MCU1 with 64gb actually work with FSD/HW3.0? As in is it fast and responsive? Does the browser work now? Does real time traffic work, ect.? Is it any better than when the car was new with MCU1 or is MCU2 still 10 times faster?

 

[tpedwards]

Does this new MCU1 with 64gb actually work with FSD/HW3.0? As in is it fast and responsive? Does the browser work now? Does real time traffic work, ect.? Is it any better than when the car was new with MCU1 or is MCU2 still 10 times faster?

Likely it will perform exactly the same as your previous MCU1. It would just be less likely to fail in a given time frame than the prior unit.

 

[ucmndd]

Likely it will perform exactly the same as your previous MCU1. It would just be less likely to fail in a given time frame than the prior unit.

I'm not so sure about that. eMMC read/write speeds get progressively slower well before it eventually fails - I think there are a lot of people driving around with "working" MCU1s that are super slow/laggy because the storage can't keep up. Many have reported that eMMC replacements have restored some performance - albeit certainly not to MCU2 levels.

 

[goRt]

Does this new MCU1 with 64gb actually work with FSD/HW3.0? As in is it fast and responsive? Does the browser work now? Does real time traffic work, ect.? Is it any better than when the car was new with MCU1 or is MCU2 still 10 times faster?

Likely it will perform exactly the same as your previous MCU1. It would just be less likely to fail in a given time frame than the prior unit.

Until we know the exact spec of the eMMC it's impossible to say - the Swissbit 32gb chip supports a higher sustainable data rate than the 64gb and also has a higher volume of data write due to its physical structure.

 

[EV-Fixme]

Does this new MCU1 with 64gb actually work with FSD/HW3.0? As in is it fast and responsive? Does the browser work now? Does real time traffic work, ect.? Is it any better than when the car was new with MCU1 or is MCU2 still 10 times faster?

Yes, the performance of new emmc HW3 is generally much better than worn out MCU1 with HW3. MCU2 is a lot faster on maps and some features. Many general menus are pretty responsive on upgraded memory chip MCU1.

 

[EV-Fixme]

Likely it will perform exactly the same as your previous MCU1. It would just be less likely to fail in a given time frame than the prior unit.

We generally receive feedback that new chip works much better. Many even reply back that the browser often works now.