Trailer hitch bike rack - ultrasonic sensors

[silenteski]

For anyone with the trailer hitch that has tried mounting bikes on the hitch: do the ultrasonic sensors report nearby objects constantly while you’re driving?

 

[rxlawdude]

No. Not sure how they would with a honking obstruction like a rack. Basically show obstruction ~12" away from rear at all times.

 

[silenteski]

No. Not sure how they would with a honking obstruction like a rack. Basically show obstruction ~12" away from rear at all times.

To clarify, I was wondering if the vehicle would report the rack and/or bikes as an obstruction non-stop while driving. It sounds like the answer is no?

 

[Scurrah]

To clarify, I was wondering if the vehicle would report the rack and/or bikes as an obstruction non-stop while driving. It sounds like the answer is no?

I don’t have my MY yet to know absolutely for sure. But everything that I’ve read So far is that with the Official Tesla Tow package (With the updated software), put in Tow Mode, the car will turn off the rear sensors so you don’t get harassed by alerts. With a 3rd party tow hitch, there is no software update, no Tow Mode, and therefore the car sees your bike rack as a constant rear obstruction. I just don’t know for sure what that means in terms of annoyance.

 

[ecarfan]

For anyone with the trailer hitch that has tried mounting bikes on the hitch: do the ultrasonic sensors report nearby objects constantly while you’re driving?

Yes. There is another thread on that topic.

 

[rxlawdude]

To clarify, I was wondering if the vehicle would report the rack and/or bikes as an obstruction non-stop while driving. It sounds like the answer is no?

To clarify, my answer should have started with "yes" because of the core question, but your second sentence is a statement to which I answered "no." (Then addressed why one would expect anything else.) /facepalm

I have not explored Trailer Mode, which as another poster indicated, shuts off the rear sensors. My understanding is that mode has several other side effects that make it not optimal on long road trips.

 

[SoundDaTrumpet]

Yes. The rear rack shows up on the sensors as curved red lines behind the graphical representation of the car.

Red = alert/warning. Try putting this color in a slide show presentation for work, and you will get questions.

It would be nice if the rear camera can detect a bike vs. genuine trailer, and disable the annoyance. Tow mode is a terrible option because it limits the ability to use my favorite Tesla feature–Autosteer.