-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Tesla's Dashcam let me down when I needed it the most
- Thread starter HawaiiPirate
- Start date
It should have the most recent clip stored but if the car was left on it may have been overwritten. I realize it's too late now but for anyone else reading...Anytime an incident occurs tap the dashcam button or honk the horn (make sure the setting for dashcam are set) to store that clip!
The capacity of the drive does not affect whether a dashcam clip is overwritten. The Tesla Dashcam software stores 1 hour of video. After 1 hour of drive time the dashcam clip clip is overwritten. Saved Dashcam and Sentry mode clips are never overwritten until you delete the clip or reformat the drive.
The missing clip may still be able to be retrieved from the /Teslacam folder. Remove the USB device from the Tesla Model Y and connect the device to a Windows or Apple computer. Within the /Teslacam root folder there is a /Saved Clips folder. Check both locations for recent Dash cam recordings.
The missing clip may still be able to be retrieved from the /Teslacam folder. Remove the USB device from the Tesla Model Y and connect the device to a Windows or Apple computer. Within the /Teslacam root folder there is a /Saved Clips folder. Check both locations for recent Dash cam recordings.
My Tesla's Dashcam let me down when I needed it the most. While waiting at a traffic light, my car was rear-ended, it's not safe to stay in the car and I had to wait outside for help. I assumed that the dashcam would have automatically saved the video footage of the incident, but when I checked a few hours later, the footage was already overwritten. Although I tried to recover the deleted data from my USB drive, I was unsuccessful because the car used a secure method to overwrite everything. I understand the importance of privacy,but users should have the option to choose how long the videos are kept before they are overwritten.
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
From my experience, Tesla does not use a secure overwrite. I recovered the full capacity of the drive using this method here with Recuva:
Dashcam in Auto
Basically do a deep scan, and selectively recover files in large increments (to avoid having to recover every file) until you find the right one. They are relatively in order, but it loops back. Make sure to recover to a different drive (not the USB drive with the raw footage) to avoid overwriting anything.
Watts_Up
Well-Known Member
Did you click on the Icon, or did you use your horn, to save the last 10 minutes of recording?
Otherwise could please explain what you mean by "automatically saved the video footage".
Last edited:
Most aftermarket dashcams have function for impact sensing. if there is impact the dashcam will automatically lock the current and/or previous files without overwriting them.
Model Y Owner's Manual Auto: Dashcam automatically saves a recording to the USB drive when Model Y detects a safety-critical event, such as a collision or airbag deployment.
I did set it to Auto.
I didn't do anything, the car detected impact, the screen shows a lot of critical error warnings messages, and I worry about another impact, so I grabbed my daughter and stay away from the car
Thank you for the information, I tried again with Recuva, but still no luck. it may be because sentry mode was enabled so the data overwritten.
for those trying to find lost data: I tested multiple software TestDisk recovered more files than others and it's free.
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
I don't use Sentry mode, so that may make a difference. Yes, if Sentry mode records events, it can overwrite the dashcam, plus it takes up disk space that otherwise could have been used for the loop. For my 128GB card (same size as drive that comes with car), I calculated it could hold a max of about 13 hours of footage. There was about 3300 clips Recuva found with the deep scan (not sure how many you found). If your car was parked in a lot for a while, and if you had a bunch of Sentry footage even before the event, I can totally see it take up the space.
If you use Sentry, the best option is to keep a spare drive in the car, and remove the drive that has the interesting event (after safely stopping recording). If the clip you are missing is right when the incident happened (but things before was recorded), it may be the issue described below:
Failsafe Dashcam Save Trick
The accident recording only works if the event recorder records it as an accident, which it might not in a rear end accident (even if the car throws errors).
Last edited:
Hopefully you and your daughter are not injured. I know it's not helpful to you but it may be to someone else reading this. Always set dashcam to save on horn honk. Then always honk the horn when incidents like this occur so that the clip is saved.
For you specifically, the good thing here is that when someone rear ends you it's usually always their fault for failing to control speed and avoid the collision. If the other driver hit you in the rear it's almost automatic they are at fault.
For you specifically, the good thing here is that when someone rear ends you it's usually always their fault for failing to control speed and avoid the collision. If the other driver hit you in the rear it's almost automatic they are at fault.
fiehlsport
Tire Guy
Horn honk is vital here - even if you're stressed out and can't remember how to go in and save a clip, you'll always remember that the horn does it.
I hear you though, this is like when you try to fumble to catch an important pic with your iPhone and by the time you've got the camera open, the moment has passed. (Or the camera glitches out only when you need it most)
I hear you though, this is like when you try to fumble to catch an important pic with your iPhone and by the time you've got the camera open, the moment has passed. (Or the camera glitches out only when you need it most)
Nubo
Test Mule
Also in the manual: "NOTE: Several factors determine whether or not Dashcam automatically saves a recording of a safety- critical event (for example, amount of force, whether or not airbags deployed, etc.). Do not rely on Dashcam to automatically record video of all safety- critical events."
I don't share this to marginalize your issue; just something for everyone to keep in mind. Auto-save is a nice feature but it's unfortunately not a guarantee that the clip you want will be saved in all situations. I really don't understand why dashcam doesn't preserve as much video as the capacity of the device would otherwise allow.
kingkong5
Member
Did you need the dashcam footage to prove that the car behind you was at fault? I'm glad that you and your daughter are OK after the accident, and that their insurance helps bring your car back to the condition it was in before the accident.
Ostrichsak
Well-Known Member
is there a way to hardwire an aftermarket dashcam? i have an extra one from the last car I sold and I want to install this on my MY.
Similar threads
