MCU2 Upgrde and no AM or FM radio

[Jimat]

Hey @Jimat I recently upgraded to the MCU2 and having a lot of connection issues, but I don’t think it’s the 4G module. 80% of the time the app doesn’t wake the car in my garage, and we live 800m from a Telstra 4G tower and wifi at home. Also while driving it regularly disconnects from the network with no signal when I normally would. I think its a software thing and was hoping a recent update would fix, but still happening and it’s a bit of a pain. I have a SC appointment coming up and was going to bring up the issue with service then.

My car connects to my home wi-fi in my garage without any problems but disconnects when I drive out.
Then it is a big hit and miss for connecting on the drive into town and sometimes even has trouble streaming anything after I have been parked in town for a while. Eventually it gets a usable LTE signal and things return to normal.
I have had 3 or 4 OTA updates in the last month or so and it doesn’t get any better.
However my iPhone with Tunein Bluetoothed to the car sort of satisfies my need for radio.

 

[BCTS]

I've logged a Mobile Service Request for my issues. It's been 6 months of "It should be fixed by a Firmware Update" etc.. .
Honestly although I love the MCU2 Responsiveness etc... It's actually being a backward step with this 4G Issue. I've had to wait 5 minutes to be able to get my Car out of a Parking Space with Summon because it won't wake up/communicate etc..

 

[Brian May]

Extra $750 for the digital tuner which has FM and DAB.

When I got my MCU2 upgrade, I was specifically told that the radio upgrade would *not* provide DAB. Yes, I know, have seen other reports. Might be related to the age of my car (2016).

 

[moa999]

specifically told that the radio upgrade would *not* provide DAB.

Not sure then.

 

[aegidius]

Well they had better fix the 4G thing then for us oldies, radio or no radio - presumably (!) the Model 3 does not suffer from these problems with its 4G connection.

 

[aegidius]

I was specifically told that the radio upgrade would *not* provide DAB.

Tesla's own webpage says it does provide FM and DAB, but not AM.

 

[raynewman]

Well they had better fix the 4G thing then for us oldies, radio or no radio - presumably (!) the Model 3 does not suffer from these problems with its 4G connection.

I always get a quicker response from my 3G S that my LTE 3; may be the comms or perhaps that's just the way it is.

 

[Brian May]

Tesla's own webpage says it does provide FM and DAB, but not AM.

Not quite. It says "Tesla offers an additional Radio Upgrade, including the installation of a compatible radio tuner and antennas, that allows customers to *retain* access to FM radio and DAB radio".

Highlighting on the word "retain" added by me.

The wording was the same when I got my upgrade, and I was told that it would not include DAB.

I gather this means if you already have DAB then you get to keep it with the radio upgrade, but if you don't already (my car didn't have DAB beforehand) have it then you won't get it. But I wish they could clarify this.

 

[aegidius]

I gather this means if you already have DAB then you get to keep it with the radio upgrade

But no MCU1 has DAB (afaik) so what could "retain DAB" mean when you upgrade your MCU1 to MCU2 + radio upgrade? Agree it needs clarification.

 

[WozX]

As another data point, I upgraded my late 2017 MX75D to MCU2 + radio a week ago and it picks up DAB - oh, and 2021 versioned firmware too…. finally..!

 

[moa999]

As another data point, I upgraded my late 2017 MX75D to MCU2 + radio a week ago and it picks up DAB - oh, and 2021 versioned firmware too…. finally..!

Does it feel like a new car?

 

[jbcarioca]

Does it feel like a new car?

Probably like an old one. I cannot understand why one wants those ancient technologies when TuneIn has almost an endless supply of radio stations streaming from anywhere. In my car we have our Brazilian MEC-FM, New York WQXR, Los Angeles KUSC, and Radio Classique from Grasse, France. Those have been our long time favorites and now all are in our Tesla menu. The same is true for our local news stations for each of those, built from our residences. Now habits need no change.

I really would not care to have direct broadcast for AM, FM or even DAB.

 

[Maximillan]

Probably like an old one. I cannot understand why one wants those ancient technologies when TuneIn has almost an endless supply of radio stations streaming from anywhere. In my car we have our Brazilian MEC-FM, New York WQXR, Los Angeles KUSC, and Radio Classique from Grasse, France. Those have been our long time favorites and now all are in our Tesla menu. The same is true for our local news stations for each of those, built from our residences. Now habits need no change.

I really would not care to have direct broadcast for AM, FM or even DAB.

Have you tried Kyle and Jackie O? Now that's culcha for ya.

 

[YnotDoBetter]

Hi @Chuq the OP has a 2015 Model S. The original MCU1 had FM radio but I understand that a new MCU2 does away with this feature. I haven’t personally used the FM radio for a number of years as the FM sound quality was/is terrible. I live closer to a big city so use Tune In radio stations in preference despite the numerous drop outs.
p.s. Model S did not have AM radio, only FM radio in the MCU1.

My 2012 Model S with MCU1 has both AM and FM radio as well as satellite radio. Unfortunately, MCU1 at this time is soooo slooooowww in all of its functions that I'm looking at upgrading to MCU2 -- and apparently losing all radio features. This is really poor design on Tesla's part.

 

[ARMARM]

My 2012 Model S with MCU1 has both AM and FM radio as well as satellite radio. Unfortunately, MCU1 at this time is soooo slooooowww in all of its functions that I'm looking at upgrading to MCU2 -- and apparently losing all radio features. This is really poor design on Tesla's part.

For an extra $750 you can get the FM tuner, I had my MCU2 upgrade done in Dec 2020 and didn't get the tuner as I thought I would just use Tune-In to get most stations, but sometimes I'd get dropouts, so in October 2021 I had the FM tuner fitted.

 

[cafz]

For an extra $750 you can get the FM tuner, I had my MCU2 upgrade done in Dec 2020 and didn't get the tuner as I thought I would just use Tune-In to get most stations, but sometimes I'd get dropouts, so in October 2021 I had the FM tuner fitted.

It also does DAB+ right?

 

[ARMARM]

It also does DAB+ right?

Nope

 

[meloccom]

My 2012 Model S with MCU1 has both AM and FM radio as well as satellite radio. Unfortunately, MCU1 at this time is soooo slooooowww in all of its functions that I'm looking at upgrading to MCU2 -- and apparently losing all radio features. This is really poor design on Tesla's part.

Is that Bellevue West Australia or Bellevue Washington USA?
If your in the USA I don’t believe you can get the optional FM tuner. If you’re in West Australia I’m curious how you got a 2012 Model S as they didn’t arrive in Australia until December 2014.

 

[rowdy]

I cannot understand why one wants those ancient technologies when TuneIn has almost an endless supply of radio stations streaming from anywhere.

I found a lot of the fancy xmas displays this year broadcast music on FM with the lights synced to the music. One of the benefits of the tuner upgrade I guess. That and drive-ins.

Also good to have a radio in bushfire season. Although $750 buys a lot of portable radios/batteries.

 

[meloccom]

I finally bit the bullet in February and had the MCU1 upgraded to MCU2 as the original MCU was becoming very slow and needed multiple resets on occasion to get it to function.
Being one of the oldest Model S in Australia it needed additional hardware which brought the cost to $2,780.
When I got the car back many of the apps wouldn’t load, in particular TuneIn would lock up and you couldn’t log out or back in. Service had transferred my settings across to the new screen so they suggested that I did a full factory reset, which fixed the TuneIn problems but wiped all history and saved addresses.
With that addressed I was less than impressed by the strength of the 4G signal, with the new screen constantly losing connectivity, even in places where the old MCU1 worked fine.
I put up with it for a month thinking it may just be what 4G coverage is like, but as it can still connect to 3G it really should be better.
Then last month I went to go out to dinner and when I jumped into the car no screen would wake although the doors and lights came on. As we were in a hurry I used a different car to go to dinner and whilst at the restaurant tried to connect to the car. To my surprise it responded and when we got home the screens were all fine.
All this for nearly $3,000
So I logged a service and have spent the last 3 weeks messaging back and forwards and have been unable to replicate the failure to wake but the connectivity issues continue.
On Monday it went in and they replaced the SIM card and I only got to use it today in anger and the connectivity is transformed, it now works in areas where even the old MCU didn’t, and I have just driven from Sydney to the Southern Highlands through the rain without a single drop out.
So to cut a long story short, the new MCU2 should have better reception than the old MCU1, don’t settle for something less.