Summon malfunction

[caroljo]

I've been using the Summon feature via the remote iPhone app for several months to back out of my snug garage and I love it. It's generally worked well, although frequently it won't connect to the car via the app and/or aborts midway through the Summon, which was pretty easy to remedy. However, yesterday, I summoned the car as I was standing in the driveway waiting, and the car came out of the garage off center, and before I realized, it had wedged itself up against the driver-side garage door jamb. I was able to get in and manually turn the wheel away from the door jamb and back it out, but was left with scratches and paint on my fender. Needless to say, it was upsetting and I'm apprehensive about using the feature. Has anyone else had problems like this? I know that it's beta software, but...

 

[Max*]

I'm usually watching summon like a hawk when it's operating, I don't trust it. 99% of the time it does what it's supposed to do, but I've had a few times when I've had to intervene.

There are several threads on here where people have had issues with summon.

 

[Aieukl378]

Summon is awesome and I love it but I don't use the app. As mentioned, the app can lose connectivity and that can mean loss of control. I recommend using the the key fob for summon. It's more dependable than the app, it's easy and you can stop the car instantly by pressing any button if you need to.

 

[NOLASTL]

I've been using the Summon feature via the remote iPhone app for several months to back out of my snug garage and I love it. It's generally worked well, although frequently it won't connect to the car via the app and/or aborts midway through the Summon, which was pretty easy to remedy. However, yesterday, I summoned the car as I was standing in the driveway waiting, and the car came out of the garage off center, and before I realized, it had wedged itself up against the driver-side garage door jamb. I was able to get in and manually turn the wheel away from the door jamb and back it out, but was left with scratches and paint on my fender. Needless to say, it was upsetting and I'm apprehensive about using the feature. Has anyone else had problems like this? I know that it's beta software, but...

Exactly same thing happened to me. I opened a ticket with my service center. He said that he was told that it was still Beta and I should stand careful.

 

[Nismode]

One thing to note, if your car or phone is connected to wifi, it can make for connectivity issues between the phone app and the car.

 

[GlmnAlyAirCar]

The biggest problem with summon, when pulling into or out of a garage (it's primary use case?) is that the sides of the car are totally blind. Since there are no ultrasonic sensors covering the sides of the car, the only way summon can know that there is an obstruction is by ded reckoning - it has to remember where it detected an obstacle and assume it is still there.

The problem I run into is when the car stops partially into or out of the garage. If it stops for whatever reason, you have to be ultra-careful restarting summon. My assumption is that it has no memory of what was there (sides of the garage) from the previous attempt. From my experience, and from the OP's description, this appears to be a valid assumption.

 

[mytes]

The biggest problem with summon, when pulling into or out of a garage (it's primary use case?) is that the sides of the car are totally blind. Since there are no ultrasonic sensors covering the sides of the car, the only way summon can know that there is an obstruction is by ded reckoning - it has to remember where it detected an obstacle and assume it is still there.

The problem I run into is when the car stops partially into or out of the garage. If it stops for whatever reason, you have to be ultra-careful restarting summon. My assumption is that it has no memory of what was there (sides of the garage) from the previous attempt. From my experience, and from the OP's description, this appears to be a valid assumption.

then to be safe if it stops part way, i guess it is best to reverse direction out or into where it came from and start again so that it will next time continue to remember what it sees hopefully without stopping.
i have not had problems also with a narrow garage entry and narrow garage, but i put something softer, a bag of salt standing on the ground before shelves so that it will in the worst case touch something softer, but it always steers clear.
the other thing i think is very important is to have the car aligned as straight as possible first. marks on the garage door for example and align with the headlights.

 

[Goterps]

From now on I will certainly watch things when using Summons. I have a detached garage and it generally works very well and it's nice to have the car waiting when I come out. In this case, the garage door starting coming down before the car had finished backing out and the door was no low enough for the rear sensors to see it. When the garage door is replaced I am going to have the garage opener sensors raised to the bumper level. Tesla techs are looking into this as well.

 

[MP3Mike]

When the garage door is replaced I am going to have the garage opener sensors raised to the bumper level.

I'm not sure that they can do that, as I think there are laws about the placement of the sensors. However they could add a second set of sensors at a different height.

Yeah, it looks like 6" is the highest you are allowed to put them: http://www.dasma.com/PDF/Publications/TechDataSheets/OperatorElectronics/TDS364.pdf

 

[Goterps]

Thank you very much. The garage installer mentioned that 6" or lower is the norm, but I am not sure it is an actual legal requirement. If I need to so a second set of sensors, I will do so (much cheaper than another garage door and more body work!)