The Case of the Missing Radio Stations

[tinm]

From time to time I set some of the pre-sets for the AM radio dial (and even less frequently, the FM dial).

Here's the mystery: over time, the pre-sets disappear! They revert to being marked "Empty."

Why? Are the firmware updates erasing 'em? Something else? It's really annoying to have to go back and re-set them. In every other car I've ever had since beginning of time, a radio station pre-set setting is forever.

Anyone else noticed this in their S?

 

[Max*]

I have 1 FM favorite set, and it hasn't gone anywhere.

I did find out that if you use your right scroll wheel to change the media source, if you click on the steering wheel it'll undo your favorite selection.

 

[ArtInCT]

I do recall Nick Howe - News From the Frunk mentioning in an episode that setting a favorite actually removed the station from a preset, or something like that. Anyone else recall this? Ok while I was typing MAX hit upon it... sorry.

 

[scaesare]

I've had this happen a couple of times.

My assumption was that I fat fingered it and accidentally deleted it.

Thinking about it now, however, I realize I'm not sure how one does that. I know if you touch&hold you can set a NEW station... but I'm not sure how you would set a preset to Empty as happens.

Hmmm...

 

[tinm]

I almost never have the Music/Media "app" running in the 17" screen. It's so boring, shows bogus "album covers" during a talk show, all sorts of wtf moments with that app so I ignore it and leave the video app running instead.

I do use the left scroll wheel while listening to, say, some talk radio station while I'm driving. And sometimes I accidentally will press the Up or Down buttons on the left steering wheel, causing the station to change (often happens while driving and I've set the volume to X, meaning off). But that doesn't erase the pre-set setting. I haven't been able yet to figure out specifically what and when the pre-sets are zapped. Oh, yeah: they don't all get zapped en masse either; it seems to be partial zappage, as if they fade away over time.

One pet theory: if you go on a long trip, i.e., you drive away from the broadcast area of a station that you've pre-set, maybe the car thinks, "oh, there is no station there, I must destroy that pre-set for the benefit the owner, the owner will be so grateful for my having taken the initiative to do so!" But it's just a theory.

 

[Max*]

I do use the left scroll wheel while listening to, say, some talk radio station while I'm driving. And sometimes I accidentally will press the Up or Down buttons on the left steering wheel, causing the station to change (often happens while driving and I've set the volume to X, meaning off). But that doesn't erase the pre-set setting. I haven't been able yet to figure out specifically what and when the pre-sets are zapped. Oh, yeah: they don't all get zapped en masse either; it seems to be partial zappage, as if they fade away over time.

One pet theory: if you go on a long trip, i.e., you drive away from the broadcast area of a station that you've pre-set, maybe the car thinks, "oh, there is no station there, I must destroy that pre-set for the benefit the owner, the owner will be so grateful for my having taken the initiative to do so!" But it's just a theory.

Right scroll wheel, not left. Left is volume.

If you have the right scroll wheel set to "Media Source" and you press it (not scroll up and down), it will un-favorite the station you're listening too. I'm not saying this is what's happening to you, but this is what I found out.

 

[tinm]

I meant left set of buttons on steering wheel, in which the middle is the scroll wheel, and the top and bottom are the change station/track thingies depending upon what kind of media you're listening to. When it's radio, up and down buttons cycle up/down respectively amongst preset stations. Until the car removes the presets on its own.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh: one other theory. Tesla Service Centers are zapping the pre-sets. I tend to notice them missing after having visited a Service Center, and I just did recently.

 

[mibaro2]

Right scroll wheel, not left. Left is volume.

If you have the right scroll wheel set to "Media Source" and you press it (not scroll up and down), it will un-favorite the station you're listening too. I'm not saying this is what's happening to you, but this is what I found out.

Yup. Took me a while to figure out why my preset stations were disappearing. Max* is right.

 

[MikeC]

Yes, most likely clicking the right scroll wheel and un-favoriting, was happening to me and figured it out from this thread: XM Radio Presets getting deleted

 

[GlmnAlyAirCar]

If you have the right scroll wheel set to "Media Source" and you press it (not scroll up and down), it will un-favorite the station you're listening too. I'm not saying this is what's happening to you, but this is what I found out.

I normally have the right scroll wheel set to "Media Source," so this could be exactly what is happening to me if I inadvertently press instead of hold. Seems like a pretty strange "feature."