Touchscreen replacement instructions / DIY?

[TechGuy]

Does anyone know of any tips/instructions for replacing the touchscreen yourself?

Like many others of its time, the screen in my 2014 Model S is delaminating and causing quite a mess. The Service Center said it will be somewhere around $1200 to replace the screen (not the entire MCU), but of course Tesla parts are difficult to come by. They've been (supposedly) trying since March to get a screen from California, but still no ETA.

I just discovered several on eBay, and perhaps there are other ways for me to acquire one, and at a fraction of the cost that Tesla would charge. I'm in IT and have replaced notebook and PLC screens before, so I'm hoping this might be similar. I did some searching and found many discussions of having the screen replaced, but almost nothing on how to do it. I think it's likely that I missed some discussion (and hopefully even photos) and would greatly appreciate any links. Thanks!

 

[macbeth]

I have never done the screen only, but if you are trying to replace the entire MCU (which I believe to be an easier, but more expensive task), I have helped a couple people do this (I am still not very good at it). The entire process takes about 4-5 hours, being very careful, but the replacement is plug and play. Jason Hughes did a good video on the process, you have to slow it down and go step by step, but the video helps (

).

If you go this route, come down to your office in H-town and I will help you, the job goes faster with two people.

 

[Rockster]

Is there a firmware/pairing issue if a person were to replace the MCU with a used one? IOW, some software update step that only Tesla can do before the new MCU is recognized?

 

[TechGuy]

Sounds great, @macbeth -- I'll send you a PC.

@Rockster , I think you're right. I don't think a full MCU swap is feasible without at least swapping a chip from what I've read -- not to mention much more expensive.

Does anyone have any experience swapping just the screen? Thanks!

 

[demundus]

I have never done the screen only, but if you are trying to replace the entire MCU (which I believe to be an easier, but more expensive task), I have helped a couple people do this (I am still not very good at it). The entire process takes about 4-5 hours, being very careful, but the replacement is plug and play. Jason Hughes did a good video on the process, you have to slow it down and go step by step, but the video helps (

).

If you go this route, come down to your office in H-town and I will help you, the job goes faster with two people.

Was the car fully functioning after the MCU replacement? How did you get the car to recognize the MCU

 

[demundus]

Sounds great, @macbeth -- I'll send you a PC.

@Rockster , I think you're right. I don't think a full MCU swap is feasible without at least swapping a chip from what I've read -- not to mention much more expensive.

Does anyone have any experience swapping just the screen? Thanks!

It's very simple, except that I messed it up cause I let my cat hang out with me when I did it. I have done it a second time successfully with no errors when I had my memory replaced

1.) Remove the entire MCU (as shown in the video)
2.) Remove the screen from the cage (8 torx 2 on each side)
3.) gently allow the screen to fall slightly out of the cage, remove the 2 ribbon connectors (this is where i messed up, cat bumped me and i ripped a ribbon connector, had to replace the entire MCU)
4.) remove the screen from the cage
5.) reverse with new screen

You will likely only find damaged screens on ebay, you may need to buy a donor MCU and then try to resell the computer portion on ebay.

 

[nogasbiker]

3.) gently allow the screen to fall slightly out of the cage, remove the 2 ribbon connectors (this is where i messed up, cat bumped me and i ripped a ribbon connector, had to replace the entire MCU)

I know this is an old-ish thread, but did the ribbon have a terminator on the MCU side? Or was it soldered on, or inaccessible/etc.

I once messed up a ribbon cable socket on a Honda Navigation. No cat, just me misreading how the latches worked on that particular oddball ribbon socket.

 

[rooter]

MCUs are certainly -not- plug & play. But you can change the screen without such a problem.

You'll probably want a screen from a 2015 or older as newer ones develop a yellow fringe around the sides. I have an one on the bench, as do many others! I suspect that this is a protective plastic sheeting on the glass, and its glue is subject to oxidization. Maybe removing this plastic with a heatgun fixes it, although I haven't had time to try.

The ribbon cables have little black snap-locks. Don't strain the connections by letting ribbons pull too hard, and don't do this while too drunk or high. The ribbon slides in to the connector, parallel to the mainboard.

If you imagine the ribbon sliding in from North to South, you must first slide the black lock North until it stops, and opens like she does. Undo both sides of it about equally. Then the ribbon slides out with ease. Do not fail to slide the new ribbon in the same way -- don't flip it over. Slide it in until it stops, then slide the lock closed, *click*.

It is not hard to do right.

 

[Dr_F]

Is it necessary to disconnect and connect the cables in a certain order? Which one is the power supply?

 

[appleguru]

Is it necessary to disconnect and connect the cables in a certain order? Which one is the power supply?

No, it doesn’t matter. All 3 cables are long enough to allow you to disconnect/reconnect them without damaging them (just be careful!).

 

[Dr_F]

I meant the cables to the MCU. But I've figured it out myself. Thanks anyway.

 

[appleguru]

I meant the cables to the MCU. But I've figured it out myself. Thanks anyway.

Ah, gotcha.. The big grey and black ones are power.

 

[dhayek]

Hello, this is procedure that i have to do to my model x, it is a 2018 german car, and now i am based in beirut lebanon that is a non tesla serviced area so there is no service center. I need to remove the mcu to access the sim card tray and replace the european sim with a local sim. The movie showing the dismantling order is fast, any other source showing all the step by step way to do it? Also i noticed before unplugging the mcu cables he went to the frunk and disconnected the power, how to do this?
Any help is appreciated

 

[TonyT]

Non LTE cars will want to do the swap if your changing the screen, just a few more screws and $100 and you will upgrade from 3G to LTE.

 

[random155]

Where do you get the LTE sim card?

Non LTE cars will want to do the swap if your changing the screen, just a few more screws and $100 and you will upgrade from 3G to LTE.

 

[TonyT]

Get it from the Service center the same time you buy the modem.

 

[random155]

So you can buy the parts to upgrade to LTE without tesla installing them?

 

[TonyT]

So you can buy the parts to upgrade to LTE without tesla installing them?

Usually yes. If your Service Center gives you a hard time, go to another one. They are supposed to sell non restricted parts. These are not restricted. Check forum part numbers are posted. I don't have them handy at the moment.