What to do when a software update stalls or fails?

[David29]

An installation of V10 firmware (2019.32.12.1 per the phone) has apparently stalled on my car. It was set to begin the install at 2 AM, the phone reported it was 60% complete at 7 AM, and it is still at 60% nearly 4 hours later. I need to use the car so I tried a manual reboot to no effect. The Tesla logo appears and disappears in the main screen. It did that 5 or 6 times while I watched for about 10 minutes.
I do not dare drive far with the install in this uncertain state. There is a Service Center about 3 miles away and I would be OK driving that far.
Advice? Experience? First time I have had such an experience in 4+ years of ownership and many software installations....

 

[brkaus]

I'd speculate a eMMC failure in the MCU... but just because I'm paranoid about that potential issue...

 

[David29]

I'd speculate a eMMC failure in the MCU... but just because I'm paranoid about that potential issue...

Interesting. I had never heard of that until coincidentally I saw a post on Facebook today about it! Yikes.
Not sure whether or not to hope for that or not. If it is, maybe it would be replaced under warranty -- oh, shoot, no, my warranty just expired 3 weeks ago!

 

[brkaus]

Interesting. I had never heard of that until coincidentally I saw a post on Facebook today about it! Yikes.
Not sure whether or not to hope for that or not. If it is, maybe it would be replaced under warranty -- oh, shoot, no, my warranty just expired 3 weeks ago!

If your within one month / 1000 miles sometimes they will let u purchase the extended warranty.

I’m about 2k miles over my warranty.

 

[David29]

If your within one month / 1000 miles sometimes they will let u purchase the extended warranty.

I’m about 2k miles over my warranty.

Right, I had heard that. The car is indeed within those limits. So maybe I walk in, buy the extended warranty, leave, then come back the next day and say my update failed....or even come back one minute later. That would be transparent but I wonder what they would do...exclude that failure?
In any case, I'll have to go over there tomorrow, and throw myself on their mercy.

 

[David29]

And by the way, in case anyone is curious ---
What you can and cannot do with your car when a software update hangs -- At least in my case:

• I could get into the car, start it, and drive away, as normal.
• Turn signals worked, and the audible signals worked. All the instrument cluster functions worked (including tire pressure, trip data, etc.) except the Audio screen. Oh, and I assume navigation would not have worked if I had started it.
• At dark, fortunately, the lights came on and seemed normal, so I could safely drive after dark.
• Remote access worked. I could open and close the sunroof, flash the lights, and probably honk the horn although I did not. The phone screen let me turn on the HVAC, but it did not in fact operate.
• I only made two short local trips so I did not have a chance to try AutoPilot. My guess is it would work, but I have no basis for that other than a hunch.
• Seats and windows moved when I operated the switches. But no automatic seat motion from the Easy Entrance/Exit profile.

 

[brkaus]

Right, I had heard that. The car is indeed within those limits. So maybe I walk in, buy the extended warranty, leave, then come back the next day and say my update failed....or even come back one minute later. That would be transparent but I wonder what they would do...exclude that failure?
In any case, I'll have to go over there tomorrow, and throw myself on their mercy.

Yup. Good question. The Xcare plan has a 30 day & 1000 mile wait period.

 

[David29]

I went to the SC today. They tried to reinstall the firmware, but it did not seem to change anything. They also said that their computer reported that my navigation maps were missing or corrupted, which I thought was odd. The last update I got was a new set of map data, about 2 weeks ago. The maps seem to have been working fine since then.
After trying a few things, the service writer said he'd need to keep it and have a technician look at it. (He said they could not let me drive away in the car because it would be a safety hazard to have a car with no defroster in the cool fall weather we are having.) He said he suspects a hardware failure and that a new computer might be needed. They gave me a loaner and said they would be in touch.
Since I went in with no appointment and they were extremely busy, I felt very well treated. The service writer seemed to do what he could. So i will know more in a few days -- I doubt they will get to it by the weekend.

Interestingly, when i got home, I looked at my phone app. It still shows software installation underway, but reports only 10% complete. So that must reflect the SC's attempt to re-install the update. It did not get far!

 

[David29]

I went to the SC today. They tried to reinstall the firmware, but it did not seem to change anything. They also said that their computer reported that my navigation maps were missing or corrupted, which I thought was odd. The last update I got was a new set of map data, about 2 weeks ago. The maps seem to have been working fine since then.
After trying a few things, the service writer said he'd need to keep it and have a technician look at it. (He said they could not let me drive away in the car because it would be a safety hazard to have a car with no defroster in the cool fall weather we are having.) He said he suspects a hardware failure and that a new computer might be needed. They gave me a loaner and said they would be in touch.
Since I went in with no appointment and they were extremely busy, I felt very well treated. The service writer seemed to do what he could. So i will know more in a few days -- I doubt they will get to it by the weekend.

Interestingly, when i got home, I looked at my phone app. It still shows software installation underway, but reports only 10% complete. So that must reflect the SC's attempt to re-install the update. It did not get far!

The car has been at the service center about 26 hours now. It is just parked there -- I do not expect them to work on it for a couple of days, because I had no appointment.)
Anyway, for some reason, the car has sent notifications to my phone repeatedly that a software update is available -- 13 so far! I assume it is the same one repeatedly, but then again, maybe not....

 

[brkaus]

The car has been at the service center about 26 hours now. It is just parked there -- I do not expect them to work on it for a couple of days, because I had no appointment.)
Anyway, for some reason, the car has sent notifications to my phone repeatedly that a software update is available -- 13 so far! I assume it is the same one repeatedly, but then again, maybe not....

They are probably working on it, perhaps remotely.

 

[David29]

They are probably working on it, perhaps remotely.

Finally, sometime on Saturday, the update notifications ceased (after it had reached 22!), and remote access to the car was blocked. I had thought that this SC told me recently that they no longer worked in Saturdays, but someone must at least have blocked the access to the car. Last time my car was in the shop, I had access for an entire week while they waited for a chance to get it into their shop, during which i could see its location out back of the building via the app.

 

[David29]

I was advised this AM that my MCU will also be replaced. I assume it is the memory issue, based upon symptoms and what I have read, but the SC has not actually said that. My car is a 2015 70D with about 45-46,000 miles on it. It is just 3 weeks past the end of the 4-year warranty period (but I expect the repair to be covered by the ESA).

 

[David29]

I was advised this AM that my MCU will also be replaced. I assume it is the memory issue, based upon symptoms and what I have read, but the SC has not actually said that. My car is a 2015 70D with about 45-46,000 miles on it. It is just 3 weeks past the end of the 4-year warranty period (but I expect the repair to be covered by the ESA).

Well, here is an unexpected twist! After acquiring the replacement MCU from another Service Center, my local SC worked on it today. The service rep texted me at the end of the day that the cause of the software installation failure was not a computer failure, but was my USB stick! They say the software loaded fine once the stick was removed and that i should no longer use it.
Now, I have heard of issues with USB sticks, but this one has been in my car for about three years and I have loaded countless software updates with no problems with any previous update, until now. So, I am suspicious about this conclusion. Is there something different about this particular software package (2019.32.12.1, first issue of version 10). Grr. Now I cannot play music from a USB? I suppose this one may simply have aged/failed.
Curious if others who have had USB issues were able to install some other USB stick and run it successfully...?
And now I won't have a new MCU. Mixed blessing, I suppose!

 

[Merle]

Well, here is an unexpected twist! After acquiring the replacement MCU from another Service Center, my local SC worked on it today. The service rep texted me at the end of the day that the cause of the software installation failure was not a computer failure, but was my USB stick! They say the software loaded fine once the stick was removed and that i should no longer use it.
Now, I have heard of issues with USB sticks, but this one has been in my car for about three years and I have loaded countless software updates with no problems with any previous update, until now. So, I am suspicious about this conclusion. Is there something different about this particular software package (2019.32.12.1, first issue of version 10). Grr. Now I cannot play music from a USB? I suppose this one may simply have aged/failed.
Curious if others who have had USB issues were able to install some other USB stick and run it successfully...?
And now I won't have a new MCU. Mixed blessing, I suppose!

IIRC, they advise removing the USB stick when you're getting ready to apply a new version. Something about the USB potentially being used as the boot up device, and that may be your issue.

I don't know about "no longer using it" as if it contained my music collection, I'd just put it right back. However, when the next update comes in, I would definitely pull it.