Are any of the tricks to force a software update real?

[J-a-x]

I've read so many tricks about how to force a software update (aside from just going to the software page the regular way which only seems to work 1x per day) and I seriously question whether there's any validity in any of them.
For example:

1. Hold down both steering wheel buttons to force a reboot, this will cause the car to check for updates
2. Hold down both steering wheel buttons while pressing the brake to force a reboot, this will cause the car to check for updates.
3. Keeping the car connected to wifi while charging will increase the chance Tesla will push an update to you.
4. Keeping the battery fully charged will increase the chance Tesla will push an update to you.
5. Connecting to Tesla wifi network while supercharging will increase the chance Tesla will push an update to you.
6. Connecting to Tesla wifi at a service center will increase the chance Tesla will push an update to you.

Can anybody comment on whether there's any truth to these items above? Regardless of what I do, my car seems to only check once per day for updates (or at least only once per day will it update the "last checked" date in the software settings).

I know that you need wifi to download updates, but I've been notified that updates are available when not on wifi so wifi does not seem to be a requirement to be notified at least, but does wifi increase the likelihood of getting an update notification?

Also I know the Service Center has free wifi so its useful if you don't have wifi in your parking space, but does driving to the service center before you have been notified that an update is available do anything?

 

[zoomer0056]

I've read so many tricks about how to force a software update online and I seriously question whether there's any validity in any of them.
For example:

1. Hold down both steering wheel buttons to force a reboot, this will cause the car to check for updates
2. Hold down both steering wheel buttons while pressing the brake to force a reboot, this will cause the car to check for updates.
3. Keeping the car connected to wifi while charging will increase the chance Tesla will push an update to you.
4. Keeping the battery fully charged will increase the chance Tesla will push an update to you.
5. Connecting to Tesla wifi network while supercharging will increase the chance Tesla will push an update to you.
6. Connecting to Tesla wifi at a service center will increase the chance Tesla will push an update to you.

Can anybody comment on whether there's any truth to these items above? Regardless of what I do, my car seems to only check once per day for updates (or at least only once per day will it update the "last checked" date in the software settings).

I know that you need wifi to download updates, but I've been notified that updates are available when not on wifi so wifi does not seem to be a requirement to be notified at least, but does wifi increase the likelihood of getting an update notification?

Also I know the Service Center has free wifi so its useful if you don't have wifi in your parking space, but does driving to the service center before you have been notified that an update is available do anything?

You absolutely can not force an update. An update goes to your car when Tesla decides. Besides that, you missed one. Go to software page, if it hasn't checked that day, it will look to see if your car has an update to download

 

[J-a-x]

What do you mean you missed one? How can you miss one if the app notifies you when an update is ready and at that point it just waits for you to connect to wifi and download (so it would not need to check for updates at that point).
Is there something I don't understand about missing one?

 

[LauraE]

Updates don't wait for you. Still stuck at 32.9 for the past 4 months. In november, i noticed an update was available, but waited a few days before downloading. By then, the update disappeared.

 

[GtiMart]

You just missed one entry in your list of 6 things: going to the software page "forces" a check to see if a software update is available for your car. At least it used to... at some point they limited this to one check per 24h period and later they made it to one check per multiple days.. so it's not very useful.

All the things you list are just trying to get the car to check if an update is available for it. It must detect that to start downloading it. There are no user-triggered ways to force the car to get an update if Tesla hasn't decided you were due for one. They decide when your VIN is on the update list. The only control you have is getting the car to realize that an update is available.

 

[zoomer0056]

Is there something I don't understand about missing one?

Yes. More than once I've gone to the software page and have it check with the result that an update is available. However, it did not say an update was available before doing this. I've noted my car's sleep pattern. It wakes up every two hours. So maybe (speculation, nobody but Tesla knows) when you go to the software page it connects to the mothership.

 

[Supcom]

Most of time, when it's you turn to get an update, the car is immediately notified. If, for some reason it isn't, then accessing the software page on the display will force a check if it's been more than 24 hours since the last check. If that doesn't happen (the check time is more than 24 hours ago, doing an MCU reboot should force the check.

Rebooting the MCU will not result in a check if it has been less than 24 hours since the last one.

Pushing the brake pedal when rebooting or connecting to special WiFi systems, or other things like charging your battery, parking so the valve stems point up, orienting the car so it points toward Fremont, etc. are urban legends and unlikely to impress Tesla's data center enough to move you to the top of the line.

Being patient helps the most.

 

[zoomer0056]

Being patient helps the most.

Yes. The anticipation is also exciting!

 

[J-a-x]

I guess that makes sense - that you're supposed to be instantly notified via push notification in the Tesla app when an update is ready. If a bug or coms issue or whatever prevents that from happening as expected, then the next opportunity would be via the software update page which checks 1x per day regardless of reboots, charging, wifi and other tricks.

What about using the Service Center Wifi? Is it true that if there's an update ready and somehow you didn't get the push (and its not showing in the app as waiting to download) that if you go to the service center wifi it will somehow override the 24 hour timer? Or is that also an urban legend?

 

[zoomer0056]

that you're supposed to be instantly notified via push notification in the Tesla app when an update is ready. If a bug or coms issue or whatever prevents that from happening as expected,

It's not instant. Two things have to happen, your car has to be awake and polling the mothership and your car has been chosen. The car is not wakened up (awoken?) if your car is chosen.

I just checked, no update for my car.

 

[zoomer0056]

Another note is the difference between standard and advanced software update preference. Standard software has been run on many cars and is less likely to have bugs. Advanced download puts your car towards the beginning of the release and is more risky.

 

[J-a-x]

If your car is asleep does that make it more likely to miss an update (and therefore need to wait for that refresh time then check via the settings screen)?

My car has been sleeping overnight and no updates, which if I understand you correctly could be because my car was asleep. If I was chosen I won't know until my car can do its 1x per day manual check. I can't do the manual check again until after 3:30 pm (Eastern) so I need to wait 3 hours then manually try via the settings screen. Probably no use in trying to do anything before then right?

 

[jjrandorin]

I've read so many tricks about how to force a software update (aside from just going to the software page the regular way which only seems to work 1x per day) and I seriously question whether there's any validity in any of them.
For example:

1. Hold down both steering wheel buttons to force a reboot, this will cause the car to check for updates
2. Hold down both steering wheel buttons while pressing the brake to force a reboot, this will cause the car to check for updates.
3. Keeping the car connected to wifi while charging will increase the chance Tesla will push an update to you.
4. Keeping the battery fully charged will increase the chance Tesla will push an update to you.
5. Connecting to Tesla wifi network while supercharging will increase the chance Tesla will push an update to you.
6. Connecting to Tesla wifi at a service center will increase the chance Tesla will push an update to you.

Can anybody comment on whether there's any truth to these items above? Regardless of what I do, my car seems to only check once per day for updates (or at least only once per day will it update the "last checked" date in the software settings).

I know that you need wifi to download updates, but I've been notified that updates are available when not on wifi so wifi does not seem to be a requirement to be notified at least, but does wifi increase the likelihood of getting an update notification?

Also I know the Service Center has free wifi so its useful if you don't have wifi in your parking space, but does driving to the service center before you have been notified that an update is available do anything?

The answer to the thread question is:

"No"

 

[zoomer0056]

If your car is asleep

My 2022 MSLR wakes up like clockwork every two hours. Just for several minutes. I don't know what it does, but it's reasonable to think it checks in with the mothership. I use the Tessie app which shows activity. It's a useful app and can be used to monitor your car without waking it up (that reduces phantom drain).

 

[JulienW]

If your car is asleep does that make it more likely to miss an update (and therefore need to wait for that refresh time then check via the settings screen)?

My car has been sleeping overnight and no updates, which if I understand you correctly could be because my car was asleep. If I was chosen I won't know until my car can do its 1x per day manual check. I can't do the manual check again until after 3:30 pm (Eastern) so I need to wait 3 hours then manually try via the settings screen. Probably no use in trying to do anything before then right?

No, once you are in the queue for an update you are in the queue and when you car wakes up and pings Tesla it will get notified of a pending update. If connected to WiFi it will start to download and if not you will get the Yellow "Connect to WiFi" Icon at the top of the screen.

 

[J-a-x]

My 2022 MSLR wakes up like clockwork every two hours. Just for several minutes. I don't know what it does, but it's reasonable to think it checks in with the mothership.

hmm...

I can wake my car whenever I want via the app and it definitely pings the mothership when awake (you can see some car stats via API). When awake, data is pushed from a Tesla server which you can see if you use Teslafi etc. But I don't see any evidence that it is checking for updates on those wakes despite getting new data every minute including speed, temperature, car status etc. There's no change in the "your car software is up to date as of" date in the settings screen after a remote wake for example. It may be checking in the background and not updating the UI but I kind of doubt it...

The best I can tell its pinging the mothership whenever its awake but maybe only checking for updates 1x per day regardless?

For example, it might be that I'm currently ready for an update but it's not going to tell me until after 3:30 pm when it can do its daily check again...

 

[zoomer0056]

The best I can tell its pinging the mothership whenever its awake but maybe only checking for updates 1x per day regardless?

I don't know. I've had my car for almost two years and quit trying to figure that out. Updates will happen when it's time. I do like getting updates.

 

[J-a-x]

I don't know. I've had my car for almost two years and quit trying to figure that out. Updates will happen when it's time. I do like getting updates.

Understood. I personally find it fun to try to figure it out. Even if there's nothing I can do to make my car update sooner, its still interesting to me to figure out how the system works...

 

[69KWH]

There's many of us here trying to dodge the software update. You can have my holiday update

 

[J-a-x]

There's many of us here trying to dodge the software update. You can have my holiday update

I'll take it!
Almost time to check again...