#1146 DMC Motor Fan Problem?

I would see if the error reoccurs. One time glitches do happen.

7racer said:

Just got this alert thru my OVMS and saw a reference to it in the WIKI
Roadster - Tesla Motors Club - Enthusiasts & Owners Forum

what is it? and is it something serious that I should stop driving the car?

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It is a debug-mode only warning. I'd ignore it unless you get it very often.

We started getting these same errors on the way down to TMC Connect. We contacted our local SC and they said it was from a dirty PEM. We talked with Doug_g and MGemmel at TMC Connect and they also said it was from a dirty PEM. On the way home we stopped at the Rocklin SC where they removed the PEM and did a real deep cleaning. All seemed well on the way back home until we stopped for dinner and a quick charge in Tahoe. While driving the final leg to home we started getting the same error alerts (about a dozen or so). We have contacted the Rocklin SC and will be sending them the logs. Since the PEM is clean then maybe the fan motor is indeed having an issue?

I had a bunch of those errors (going back to the prior owner, if you look at the logs), and the Rocklin SC eventually tracked down the cause to a combination of things: PEM cleaning, a bad contact on one of the connectors that feeds power to the rear blowers, and air leakage between the blowers and the PEM. The air leakage was fixed with some foam weather stripping; that was over a month ago, and no further errors (even with considerably higher ambient temps).

Contact the Rocklin SC and tell them Roadster #834 sent you...

Greg.

Greg,

Already done. Andrew will be up here tomorrow with some bailing wire & duct tape. We have a real good relationship with that SC. My wife bakes Zucchini Bread for them.

I had the same error a few weeks back, and it was there every 5 minutes. The SC has replaced the fan motor some 3 weeks ago (under goodwill, just out of warranty), and I haven't seen the error since. My PEM is indeed very dirty and gets cleaning next weekend. As my wife doesn't bake Zucchini bread, I will have to sell a kidney or do this myself. I'll taken second option and pay extra attention to the connectors, and check for air leakage. Thanks Greg for the info.

No joy after the weather stripping, cleaning the vents, cleaning out the PEM (twice in a week), and checking the contacts on the connectors. We are still getting the same error and the PEM temperature almost made it to yellow in about 10 minutes on a short test drive.

The logs are being sent off to engineering.

The SC told me they replaced the fan motor, because "a resistor that helps regulating the fan motor speed" had failed. I hope that cleaning the PEM will help in my case, or we are in the same boat here... Short drives at low speeds result in yellow PEM temperature (61°C +) and Power Limit in just a few minutes, driving on the highway is still doable here with PEM between 45 and 50°C.

m0rph, I had this problem too... does the fan make an aweful noise?

Chillout said:

m0rph, I had this problem too... does the fan make an aweful noise?

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No, mine sounded completely normal.. The fans and motor looked ok, but the fan speed control wasn't working properly.

We had the PEM/Motor fans replaced a couple of days ago and since then we have not had any more errors.

I just had the same issue with my 2010 Roadster, only this is the second time it happened in the last 14 months. The cable bundle that burned was connecting the motor fans to the PEM (it's behind the panel in the trunk). The connector to the PEM burned out and the PEM was damaged. Not sure whether the PEM overheated and burned the connector or vice versa. I was told that this occurs because I drive the Roadster in the Arizona heat which causes the motor fans to run continuously - and sucks up dust and debris which inhibit air flow and causes the PEM to overheat.

It was recommended to me that I have the PEM and fans blown out more frequently to keep the air flow clear and help keep the PEM cool.

7Racer, Nvbob - where do you live? I wonder how many other Roadster owners in high temp areas have experienced this?

Fabrizio said:

7Racer, Nvbob - where do you live? I wonder how many other Roadster owners in high temp areas have experienced this?

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We are just south of Carson City and east of South Lake Tahoe in Nevada. Summers here do tend to get up in the high 90's and sometimes in the low 100's. We do get a significant amount of dust year round.

I have the same error message now and then, especially when driving the car hard.
should I worry ?
after all it is just a debug message ...

I would upload a vehicle log to Tesla and see what thier reply is. If there is a motor fan problem and it goes unchecked it could lead to PEM damage.

Today also the messages "PEM motor problem" and "powertrain problem servicerequired" started popping up....
car had a yearly maintenance just two months ago.
the rear fans are not kicking in at all anymore.
I'll be contacting the SC in Antwerp tomorrow, i hope they have time for this ...

feeling sad ... SC said that the car may not be driven anymore for now ...car was picked up this morning and is now on its way to the SC in Antwerp on a trailer... I hope I have it back soon in a healthy state ... just out of warranty....snif

BartJ said:

feeling sad ... SC said that the car may not be driven anymore for now ...car was picked up this morning and is now on its way to the SC in Antwerp on a trailer... I hope I have it back soon in a healthy state ... just out of warranty....snif

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FYI. My fan motor was replaced back in June, just 5 weeks out of warranty, but at no cost to me... I even got a new BMW 3 as a loaner from Tesla Roadside support, also for free.. :wink:

after waiting two days for Tesla to pick-up my car , several phone calls and emails to the SC...
my car is now sitting 7 days in the SC and they haven't even looked at it yet.
I have the impression that the only thing what matters for them is giving out new model S cars...
they told me that the techs need work on my car in the evenings , after their normal duty...
they suspect the PEM , but haven't even looked at the car yet


starting to get really worried...