Air Suspension no longer lowers at highway speeds (FW update v5.8)

[Larry Chanin]

Larry, As i wrote, i did send my complaint to Tesla - once...thought that was pretty clear. And seems to me the only people who are upset with the thread still going are folks such as you and Tomas...why not just unsubscribe, or in Tomas' case, start a new thread that simply will provide updates...bullying and making condescending remarks to people in order to silence them also tends not to work, nor is it in the spirit of allowing people on these forums to voice their opinions - as many times as they choose.

With all due respect your protestations seem a bit disingenuous. If as you say that repeating the same sentiments here in this thread is appropriate inorder to get Tesla's attention, why only complain direcctly to Tesla one time?

I never said you didn't have the right to voice your opinion, as many times as you choose. What I am trying to get across is that your approach is simply unproductive. At the heart of the matter you obviously feel the same way since you refrain from using this technique when directly communicating with Tesla.

Larry

 

[wormhole]

With all due respect your protestations seem a bit disingenuous. If as you say that repeating the same sentiments here in this thread is appropriate inorder to get Tesla's attention, why only complain direcctly to Tesla one time?

I never said you didn't have the right to voice your opinion, as many times as you choose. What I am trying to get across is that your approach is simply unproductive. At the heart of the matter you obviously feel the same way since you refrain from using this technique when directly communicating with Tesla.

Larry

It isn't disingenuous at all, its fact. I have been communicating with Tesla on this (only written them once initially, but they on occasion respond back with a 'non update' to which I again voice my displeasure), they simply say they don't know when it will return. The more voices they here about the displeasure in it being removed...and in my case, its not this particular feature's removal that concerns me - i've noticed very little difference since its been gone - as I've stated before its the principle behind it, and the public declarations of it return within a certain expected time, and them not coming close (again as this is not the first time they have given dates only to see months go by without anything).

Meanwhile, you suggest my way is unproductive, yet i get messages and rep points that suggest otherwise. Now we could turn around and look at your comments recently since you are a champion of productivity. How are your comments productive? Do they add to the discussion or at the heart of it, do they really just attempt to make the thread dormant?

 

[Chipper]

Seems like they've already rendered the dead horse down to a bloody pulp through repetition for emphasis. I'm guessing that they really don't need any additional encouragement to incessantly repeat their disappointment on this forum. :wink:

I too didn't like the manner in which this feature was temporarily removed and I sent a communication to Tesla to say so...one time. I suspect that it is likely that this unproductive repetition is likewise only being inflicted on their fellow forum members and not on Tesla.

Larry

Call it incessant if you'd like but some people still do not get it. I have voiced my concerns here (perhaps incessantly in some opinions). I have gotten feedback from Tesla indicating what they are doing, but here is what some seem to fail to understand. The "better to get it right than right now" folks too quickly forget they already had it right! If they want to improve it, I am all for that. But they need not have taken it away first. I have mentioned a few times already but to add to the incessance (?? I LIKE it!) I would be very happy if they would just return what they took and when it is changed to be even better I will praise them all the more. (This horse ain't dead yet, son!)

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I'm not that concerned; I fully expect the feature will indeed return in due course. Tesla rarely does anything right on schedule. It's not that they aren't trying hard; they just set ambitious goals for themselves.

In this case, the improved suspension lowering feature is no doubt part of the V6 firmware update, and they're probably still wringing out the last bugs. That's just software for ya.

The auto-lowering has already been confirmed by Tesla to NOT be a part of v.6. It will be in v.5.9 due out (if you believe Tesla) in about 2 weeks. Version 6 will be later.

 

[AnOutsider]

This is a forum to discuss opinions and all things Tesla. This is a hot topic for MANY, and I see no need to belittle those who pop into this thread to "keep the torch burning". From experience, I know "sitting back" and "trusting Tesla" isn't always the best course of action.

As for communications, I've sent 2 (or three, unsure) to Tesla myself, but obviously you aren't going to have a daily discussion with them via email like you would on a forum, in a thread that is DEDICATED to owners discussing an issue.

 

[Merrill]

Everyone has an opinion and that is what is great about this forum, you can express it. I do not think it is a bad thing to keep it alive until they give it back. If it is better, great and we all will show our appreciation. If you are going to make it better, do that then give us the better, but do not take what was working away!!! As long as everyone remains civil we should be allowed to continue to voice our opinion.

 

[rlcordeiro]

I only keep coming here waiting for someone to say that it's back with their latest update. I'm going in for service next week so I guess the upgrade to 5.8 will happen then, I guess I should be happy I managed to keep the feature for 4 months.Hope it comes back soon.

 

[Doug_G]

The auto-lowering has already been confirmed by Tesla to NOT be a part of v.6. It will be in v.5.9 due out (if you believe Tesla) in about 2 weeks. Version 6 will be later.

Ah, if that was posted elsewhere I missed it. A few years ago I could read all the messages on this forum. That is quite impossible now!

Will be interesting to see if it really does appear later this month...

 

[AnOutsider]

A few years ago I could read all the messages on this forum. That is quite impossible now!

Ain't that the truth!

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

I've forgotten what it felt like when the suspension was lowered at highway speeds. I guess I've gotten used to the new normal. Anyone else in the same boat?

 

[yobigd20]

I've forgotten what it felt like when the suspension was lowered at highway speeds. I guess I've gotten used to the new normal. Anyone else in the same boat?

Have you checked to see at what speed it lowers? If I'm right it was lowering at 95 mph on 5.8

No but still not lowering at 55 which it did originally.

It still automatically lowers at around 97.5mph. Definitely @ 100mph. I do this every single morning. Once it's lowered, it will stay lowered unless you fall below 65mph at which it'll go back to standard height.

Thanks Tesla for making me break the law every day to activate the feature that I paid for. If I get a ticket I'll be sure to send it via certified priority mail over to you to pay it. I'll send you the bill for my insurance rate increase too while I'm at it.

 

[FlasherZ]

Love the passion in this thread, as much as it feels misplaced. Elon said the feature is coming back, and I believe that it's coming back as soon as the next release permits. Tesla has a release process and accelerating it may cause more harm to owners than good. Registering your displeasure once is a good thing to do, following up after a period of time seems prudent, but incessantly complaining about it every other day is unproductive and is likely to reduce the weight of your voice.

Just think - in an ICE, you'd be forced to to buy the next model year.

 

[tezco]

I've forgotten what it felt like when the suspension was lowered at highway speeds. I guess I've gotten used to the new normal. Anyone else in the same boat?

With all the road construction around here I'm so busy just trying to keep in my lane that I have hardly noticed it's absence. Now that falling rock season will start in the mountains shortly, the higher the better.

 

[Mobster]

L...but incessantly complaining about it every other day is unproductive and is likely to reduce the weight of your voice.

Disagree. A lot of legislation as well as a LOT of company's habits have been CHANGED by lobbying efforts. That's one of the reasons I continue as a registered legislative lobbyist as well as pushing companies to DO THE RIGHT THING.

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Call it incessant if you'd like but some people still do not get it. I have voiced my concerns here (perhaps incessantly in some opinions). I have gotten feedback from Tesla indicating what they are doing, but here is what some seem to fail to understand. The "better to get it right than right now" folks too quickly forget they already had it right! If they want to improve it, I am all for that. But they need not have taken it away first. I have mentioned a few times already but to add to the incessance (?? I LIKE it!) I would be very happy if they would just return what they took and when it is changed to be even better I will praise them all the more. (This horse ain't dead yet, son!)

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The auto-lowering has already been confirmed by Tesla to NOT be a part of v.6. It will be in v.5.9 due out (if you believe Tesla) in about 2 weeks. Version 6 will be later.

AGREE +1

1. The Tesla "Mission Statement" was brilliant. Safe car. Feature returned soon. Then it became, over time, another corporate PR splat.

2. As An Outsider pointed out..."From experience, I know "sitting back" and "trusting Tesla" isn't always the best course of action."

3. Those that choose to....keep the pressure on. For those who want to not participate in this thread...please don't click. Better choice than "belittling people" as other posters pointed out.

Tesla - not complicated- give the feature back to us (who are responsible for your advertising $$$ saved) OR confirm the it is not safe.

 

[rrosenbl]

I for one want that feature returned. I appreciate the improved range and handling when the car sits lowest at highway speeds. If a trailer hitch finds it's way into my path, it doesn't matter what height setting I'm at, I'll likely rip open the battery compartment.

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Looking back a few pages in earlier posts I've had another idea:

Originally Posted by brianman
I wish Tesla was already doing this kind of stuff. They have the means and at least some of its current and future customers actually care about the real impact of such changes.



"You can bet that they have done this stuff - the question is why haven't they posted the results."

I suspect lowering the suspension does not make an appreciable difference in driving range, more noticeably it improves handling. Tesla won't likely release figures showing the difference in driving range or energy usage for different suspension heights because it would expose an inconvenient truth to potential buyers - the Active Air Suspension package is not worth the extra $1500.

 

[jerry33]

I suspect lowering the suspension does not make an appreciable difference in driving range, more noticeably it improves handling. Tesla won't likely release figures showing the difference in driving range or energy usage for different suspension heights because it would expose an inconvenient truth to potential buyers - the Active Air Suspension package is not worth the extra $1500.

I don't buy the inconvenient truth bit in this case for even a second. What I do buy is that the results will vary with vehicle speed, wind speed, direction, tire pressure, road surface, and alignment. Once you put a number out in public, if one person doesn't make that number it becomes a big deal and every detractor touts that number.

 

[Chipper]

Love the passion in this thread, as much as it feels misplaced. Elon said the feature is coming back, and I believe that it's coming back as soon as the next release permits. Tesla has a release process and accelerating it may cause more harm to owners than good. Registering your displeasure once is a good thing to do, following up after a period of time seems prudent, but incessantly complaining about it every other day is unproductive and is likely to reduce the weight of your voice.

Just think - in an ICE, you'd be forced to to buy the next model year.

FlasherZ, I think you might be another one who doesn't "get it". Yes, Elon said it was coming back, but you conveniently left out the fact that he said it was coming back in January. (Of course he did not say what year. ) You think it will be coming back in the next release, but there have already been two releases since its removal and it was not included in them. You are correct that releasing something new before it has had the necessary vetting might indeed be more harmful to owners so how about they just return what was previously vetted and worked perfectly and had no safety issues. Then they could continue to make it even better and we would all be MUCH happier. Until then, I guess I will just incessantly complain and continue to try to correct the misperceptions that seem to pop up quite regularly in this thread.

 

[JRP3]

I for one want that feature returned. I appreciate the improved range and handling when the car sits lowest at highway speeds. If a trailer hitch finds it's way into my path, it doesn't matter what height setting I'm at, I'll likely rip open the battery compartment.

Not necessarily, an inch higher may allow you to pass over it, or at least it might penetrate one inch less, which might make the difference between shorting cells and not. It also means a larger number of vehicles have a better chance of clearing the road before you ever get there. As I've said before they just pushed the odds in their favor.

 

[NigelM]

FlasherZ, I think you might be another one who doesn't "get it".

I'll bet you a beer that FlasherZ already got it; Flasher is a known beta tester so he already has v5.9. He just can't tell you. ;-)

 

[FlasherZ]

Disagree. A lot of legislation as well as a LOT of company's habits have been CHANGED by lobbying efforts. That's one of the reasons I continue as a registered legislative lobbyist as well as pushing companies to DO THE RIGHT THING.

Note that I don't say that everyone should just keep it bottled in; I said that you can make your voice known without being overbearing and a noisemaker. Register your displeasure with Tesla, ask when it'll be available, remind them of their commitment. You've already gotten a public commitment from the CEO that it is returning. Why not let the processes play out? As a product / service GM, I've had the responsibility for these types of decisions and determinations in the past, my customers were my greatest asset. However, customers are driven in different ways... one customer's sole focus on having their car ride another 0.75 inches closer to the road is offset by product quality requirements, other customers who want other features (valet, mirrors with lights, etc.), and the business's other objectives (margins, profitability, etc.)

There is a giant difference between a government lobbyist "influencing" an elected official who is in the business of obtaining votes for re-election, and customer influence on a product or service GM in a profit-oriented business. Tesla is working to balance all of the factors that come into play for their goals.

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FlasherZ, I think you might be another one who doesn't "get it". Yes, Elon said it was coming back, but you conveniently left out the fact that he said it was coming back in January. (Of course he did not say what year. ) You think it will be coming back in the next release, but there have already been two releases since its removal and it was not included in them. You are correct that releasing something new before it has had the necessary vetting might indeed be more harmful to owners so how about they just return what was previously vetted and worked perfectly and had no safety issues. Then they could continue to make it even better and we would all be MUCH happier. Until then, I guess I will just incessantly complain and continue to try to correct the misperceptions that seem to pop up quite regularly in this thread.

All I see every other day is someone continuing to rail on Tesla because they haven't released it THAT DAY. How about waiting for the next release, then raising your fuss? Continuing to post every other day because it hasn't been released yet isn't really productive.

There have not been 2 releases since its removal. It was removed in 5.8 and we're still on 5.8. There have been maintenance or bug-fix releases since then, but they did not add any features.

 

[Mobster]

There is a giant difference between a government lobbyist "influencing" an elected official who is in the business of obtaining votes for re-election,.....
Continuing to post every other day because it hasn't been released yet isn't really productive.

Disagree..... no giant difference. Many changes were made at my global company (that I was responsible to implement as an executive product manager) after customer continued pressure. Lobbying with the intent of reminding the company of the FACTS....safe car....commitment dates past...programming can be put back without obfuscation of other added features, etc. is a choice we are free to make along with off the record contact with Tesla execs. Additionally you continue to re-post your position (which is well stated and clear), so others are also free to continue to add the pressure on Tesla if they wish, as well as others who do not have to click on this discussion at all if it causes stress.