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Center console bubbles.

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dsmith2189

Active Member
Aug 18, 2012
1,414
101
I noticed some bubbles forming on the edge under the glass on my center console. has anyone else noticed something like this?
20140727_093352.jpg
 
If you don't have a film on the screen I believe it will need a replacement LCD/Digitizer. As long as your under warranty (and no physical damage to the screen?) it shouldn't be an issue other than time without the car.
 
You did take the film that comes with the car off, right?

Gotta stop using acetone to clean the screen!

OUCH :crying:

Sure looks like the protective film was not removed from the screen.

Yes, original protective film was removed.... Car is an early VIN delivered in 2012. original film only lasted about 6 months before it was peeling and distracting.
if you hold a credit card above the spot where the bubbles are you can see it is below the glass.
Lint is because I forgot to dust... I didn't realize my new phone camera was so much better than my last one. also you can see my fingerprints on the screen.
I use a computer monitor cleaning brush (dry) to clean the screen and remove fingerprints (when it gets too bad). no acetone.

I don't know how long it has been like this but the screen works normally. I just noticed it today at a car meet and greet with some car clubs here in Hawaii.
I was demonstrating the center console and my eyes were drawn to the bubbles. has it been this way for the last 18 months? I think I or someone at the SC would have noticed it by now.
my original thought was that maybe the extended tropical heat over time has caused this, but if no one from AZ has noticed it, then that is probably not it. Since I have an early VIN it may have been from a batch (mfg date is Dec 2012) of consoles that were overlooked in the inspection process. That is why I ask if anyone else has seen this. I appear to be the only one so far (which is good). I asked Ownership at Tesla if they have seen this before and the person I spoke to has not heard of this issue before. it may just be me and I am sure when my local SC calls me tomorrow they will want to see it and figure out how it happened.
 
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I don't know the exact construction of the 17in screen but it is probably where the digitizer, touch portion of the screen is adhered to the LCD which is the visual screen. Two separate parts that in some cases are "glued" together to make up the touch screen as a whole. When I saw the area you were located I thought heat could be a factor and it could be other factors as well or could have been bad from the factory. Other things can be issues as well, dead spots (touch), dead or stuck pixels, lines horizontal and vertical, random scrolling or changing of tabs (the screen thinks its being touched), dim or no backlight and if multiple backlights are used depending on the design/construction only half screen could light up. As far as dead or stuck pixels most companies have a threshold (6-8??) not sure if this is mentioned by Tesla's warranty. These issues can affect the display over the steering wheel as well other than touch issues since its not touch screen.
 
I am also surprised at the fit of the wood trim. That gap looks terrible. It looks like a wood overlay.

I think that's just because of the EXTREME close up that the OP managed to get with the new phone :)

Strange to see bubbles like that though, it looks as if the bonding layer between the digitizer and LCD is breaking down, poor seal on the edge of the screen, maybe? Either way, I'm sure the SC will get it fixed.
 
I am also surprised at the fit of the wood trim. That gap looks terrible. It looks like a wood overlay.
I think that's just because of the EXTREME close up that the OP managed to get with the new phone :)
Correct pete, the wood trim looks much better in person. I think it is just a combination of the way the light hits the curve on the edge of the trim and the dust that makes it look funny.

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I don't know the exact construction of the 17in screen but it is probably where the digitizer, touch portion of the screen is adhered to the LCD which is the visual screen. Two separate parts that in some cases are "glued" together to make up the touch screen as a whole. When I saw the area you were located I thought heat could be a factor and it could be other factors as well or could have been bad from the factory. Other things can be issues as well, dead spots (touch), dead or stuck pixels, lines horizontal and vertical, random scrolling or changing of tabs (the screen thinks its being touched), dim or no backlight and if multiple backlights are used depending on the design/construction only half screen could light up. As far as dead or stuck pixels most companies have a threshold (6-8??) not sure if this is mentioned by Tesla's warranty. These issues can affect the display over the steering wheel as well other than touch issues since its not touch screen.
functionally it works fine. the bubbles seem to be cosmetic. I'm just wondering if it is something new or something that I have been missing for 18+ months.
 
You have to love Tesla Service. I posted my note yesterday. Received a call this afternoon from service that they saw my post and scheduled appt to replace screen/unit. They said very rare occurrence but if it looked like above it needed to be replaced.
RichA, sad to see that someone else had my same problem. mine at 18 mo and yours at 24 mo. tesla service has been great, they replaced mine within days, under warranty. sorry that I did not follow up with that last year to close the loop. this may need to be an item added to the annual inspection, if they have not already.

ps. sorry to wake up this dead thread. I hope I never see anyone else with this problem and the thread dies again.