Firmware 4.5

[znino]

Once you get the clock icon, the update is already downloaded. You could have no phone service, and the car would still update the firmware(as long as you schedule or start the update).

Ah ok. So knowing that and knowing that you can postpone the update indefinitely by simply closing the dialog box I guess there is no danger left and I can sleep better tonight wondering however, if that is the case, why does it take so long to swap out the firmware? I was convinced the downloading was the part that was taking long. Updating the firmware on an iPad, for example, that can be close to 300-400 meg takes only a couple of minutes after you have actually downloaded the code.

 

[Todd Burch]

Ah ok. So knowing that and knowing that you can postpone the update indefinitely by simply closing the dialog box I guess there is no danger left and I can sleep better tonight wondering however, if that is the case, why does it take so long to swap out the firmware? I was convinced the downloading was the part that was taking long. Updating the firmware on an iPad, for example, that can be close to 300-400 meg takes only a couple of minutes after you have actually downloaded the code.

1. I always update in my garage, which has no cellular coverage. Never had a problem.

2. The Model S has dozens of processors (or more), tons of programmable chips, a full operating system, and a bunch of subsystems. Not comparable at all to an iPad.

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1. I always update in my garage, which has no cellular coverage. Never had a problem.

2. The Model S has dozens of processors (or more), tons of programmable chips, a full operating system, and a bunch of subsystems. Not comparable at all to an iPad.

I should add that a lot of these systems are probably checked, tested, and rechecked as part of the update process--because of the importance of getting the update right.

 

[I=V/R]

Once you get the clock icon, the update is already downloaded. You could have no phone service, and the car would still update the firmware(as long as you schedule or start the update).

I suspect that the car may still go over the air for the checksum at install time, based on recent behavior when they pulled 4.5. It had already been downloaded on my car but at install time failed out - my guess is they halted the rollout for vehicles that had downloaded but not installed yet by changing the checksum.

 

[qwk]

Ah ok. So knowing that and knowing that you can postpone the update indefinitely by simply closing the dialog box I guess there is no danger left and I can sleep better tonight wondering however, if that is the case, why does it take so long to swap out the firmware? I was convinced the downloading was the part that was taking long. Updating the firmware on an iPad, for example, that can be close to 300-400 meg takes only a couple of minutes after you have actually downloaded the code.

It depends on the update, but some only take 10 minutes to fully run through. Tesla does recommend to set aside two hours(preferably while you sleep), which isn't really that big of a deal.

In order to prevent problems with the 12v battery running low and causing more headaches, I always plug the car in and charge for 5-6 hours on 120V 12A before the update.

 

[I=V/R]

I always update in my garage, which has no cellular coverage. Never had a problem.

Well, this busts my theory about checksum test OTA at install time

 

[steve841]

Admittedly software inept, I think Tesla needs a complete redo of their installation process. It seems to me that when one device fails an installing update (such as door handles) and everything else passes... There should be some part of the installer that forces a reinstall of the failed updating component ...and if it still fails a complete rollback takes place.

It's just too far over my pay grade to comprehend how random issues occur for a small sample of owners. I've had my own share so I feel your pain.

 

[znino]

1. I always update in my garage, which has no cellular coverage. Never had a problem.

2. The Model S has dozens of processors (or more), tons of programmable chips, a full operating system, and a bunch of subsystems. Not comparable at all to an iPad.

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I should add that a lot of these systems are probably checked, tested, and rechecked as part of the update process--because of the importance of getting the update right.

I understand it has dozens of processors but really the total amount of data to be flashed is really what counts. If you flash 20 Meg of data on each of 5 chips (or memory) or 100Meg on a single one you will not have a significant amount of difference in the time it takes. As a matter of fact, having multiple systems flashing new updates simultaneously should probably even take less time. Having said that, I do not really have any knowledge of how much total data is actually downloaded for a given typical update. Anyway, even if it takes 2 hours, I find it long. I have updated firmware on many different systems in my life including mission critical telecom equipment and 2 hours is a long time. A full mac osx update of 8 gig of compressed data doesnt even take an hour! Anyway, not a huge deal as long as you can postpone the update indefinately in one shot until you are ready and as long as the "update available" only shows up AFTER the whole updated firmware has been downloaded.

 

[Todd Burch]

I understand it has dozens of processors but really the total amount of data to be flashed is really what counts. If you flash 20 Meg of data on each of 5 chips (or memory) or 100Meg on a single one you will not have a significant amount of difference in the time it takes. As a matter of fact, having multiple systems flashing new updates simultaneously should probably even take less time. Having said that, I do not really have any knowledge of how much total data is actually downloaded for a given typical update. Anyway, even if it takes 2 hours, I find it long. I have updated firmware on many different systems in my life including mission critical telecom equipment and 2 hours is a long time. A full mac osx update of 8 gig of compressed data doesnt even take an hour! Anyway, not a huge deal as long as you can postpone the update indefinately in one shot until you are ready and as long as the "update available" only shows up AFTER the whole updated firmware has been downloaded.

I've never seen an update take more than about 15 minutes. But this discussion belongs in the firmware updates thread.

In other news, 4.5 is a pretty significant regression. Lots of new bugs that were fine on 4.4. Amongst other issues I've posted about, I just went out to my car in the garage to find the driver's console screen on. I had to open and shut the door, then walk away with the fob to shut the driver's console off.

 

[Kipernicus]

You can postpone the update indefinitely by simply closing the notification window, rather than setting a time to update or updating now. The text in the update box details the three options I believe.

Also if you have already set a time, the blue button changes to "postpone update" which if you press it un-sets the time. If you just X it then nothing is changed. The little clock icon changes back to yellow (it's white when it is scheduled to update).

 

[fiksegts]

still no update avail for my car.... waiting impatiently...

 

[jerry33]

I've never seen an update take more than about 15 minutes. But this discussion belongs in the firmware updates thread.

The 4.0 update did take about two hours.

 

[brianman]

For those evaluating the updates, some of us are a bit superstitious when it comes to saying things like "mine's working fine." If I had (obeche) wood in my car it might be less of an issue.

 

[Kaivball]

Signal strength matters in the sense that if the throughout is such that the update will take 10 hours for example or constantly be interrupted, there needs to be a way for the driver to manually stop the update process to be able to drive the car or there needs to, at minimum be a time out after a reasonable time if things are slow. As it stands now you cannot stop the process once the downloading starts!

[

Signal strength or availability is not needed once the download has occurred.

By the time you see the icon the SW has already been downloaded in the background.

You don't need a signal during install.

 

[mknox]

Amongst other issues I've posted about, I just went out to my car in the garage to find the driver's console screen on. I had to open and shut the door, then walk away with the fob to shut the driver's console off.

I was just going to post that myself. Some time after the 4.5 update, I turned "Auto Present" back on and wondered if it had something to do with that (I guess not). In my case, when I discovered the driver's screen on, the handles would not auto-present, nor would tapping the handle work. I had to use the fob to unlock the car, and then the handles came out. I used the fob to lock the car and the screen went dark. Auto present has been working since.

Aside from this, 4.5 has actually fixed a couple of things for me. For instance, my UMC button now opens the charge port door again, the charge port door has stopped the random opening by itself, and I seem to be able to charge after opening the charge port with the UMC button (previously could only get the car to charge if I opened the charge port via the touch screen).

 

[cinergi]

Guess I'll add my 2 cents -- my 4.5 experience has been rock-solid: no issues to mention.

 

[Todd Burch]

Guess I'll add my 2 cents -- my 4.5 experience has been rock-solid: no issues to mention.

I cannot understand this. How does the same software and firmware on the same car cause different results? You don't hear the touchscreen fan more than you did before?

 

[PeterK]

I cannot understand this. How does the same software and firmware on the same car cause different results? You don't hear the touchscreen fan more than you did before?

Only one of the reported issues I've seen is the camera screen graying out when Homelink drop down is active. Doesn't happen when camera is on the bottom by the way.

 

[jhs_7645]

I cannot understand this. How does the same software and firmware on the same car cause different results? You don't hear the touchscreen fan more than you did before?

There are a myriad of external variables that cause software bugs to be exposed. Rest assured, everybody has the same bugs, but some people happen to have their car in a state that exposes the bug, and others don’t. An example might be one person is at the edge of 3g, and the internet radio pauses and does not resume automatically.. that is a bug. Another person can have a stronger more consistent 3g connection so they would never experience that bug.

 

[cinergi]

There are a myriad of external variables that cause software bugs to be exposed. Rest assured, everybody has the same bugs, but some people happen to have their car in a state that exposes the bug, and others don’t. An example might be one person is at the edge of 3g, and the internet radio pauses and does not resume automatically.. that is a bug. Another person can have a stronger more consistent 3g connection so they would never experience that bug.

(Also replying to Todd) -- or different hardware revisions (I have one of the first cars off the line) ... or I'm not in a state where I have mismatched firmware revisions between components ...
*shrug*

 

[Todd Burch]

(Also replying to Todd) -- or different hardware revisions (I have one of the first cars off the line) ... or I'm not in a state where I have mismatched firmware revisions between components ...
*shrug*

You're both right of course...

One thing about the touchscreen fan issue is that it was first triggered on 4.4 when my car first hit very high internal temperatures. (95°+, black interior). I wonder if those of you NOT experiencing these issues have experienced very hot/sunny weather yet. Phoenix/desert folks--are you seeing the fan issue?

One another thing I noticed for the first time on 4.5 today: my front right speaker crackles now. I almost always listen to my USB FLAC files, so that's the only place I've heard it. Haven't tested MP3/Slacker/Radio to see if it happens with those sources. This was posted by others, although I think they said they thought it was FIXED in 4.5.

So confusing!