Yellow bands of death can disable some touchscreen controls

[Kevin Bohacz]

The yellow bands of death (yellow boarders on my touchscreen) are so bad on my 11/2017 build MS 100D that under some conditions I cannot see some of the touchscreen controls, and therefore cannot operate aspects of the car such as the heater controls and volume at the bottom the screen, map settings on the right side, and more. This makes this band issue far more than cosmetic (not that cosmetic repairs caused by substandard materials or workmanship do not have to be fixed under warrantee).

The yellow bands are partially reflective. This makes any alleged software fix impossible. I find it hard to believe that Tesla is even working on something so kooky like this when it cannot possibly work. So I suspect the software fix is nothing but a rumor.

Exposing the panel to more heat and damaging radiation via a UV lamp also sounds like an unlikely fix. The screen is exposed to UV from the sun all day when parked outside.

I have lived with this problem for six months, and like many others, I am growing tired of waiting. This is a real warrantee problem and it is difficult to imagine Tesla not rectifying it.

I have had nothing but fantastic customer service from Tesla. The last I heard from my SC was that fixed replacement panels are expected sometime soon (no actual date). I hope this is still Tesla's plan. I’d hate to think of the devastating problems Tesla would have with its customers otherwise. I am planning on buying a Model 3 for my wife in a few months when the lease for her car is up. Those plans of mine would likely change if this issue is not resolved by then.

(This image does not show the bands at their worst. Under some conditions the controls are completely obscured)

 

[Tam]

...Model 3...

Model S and X have had these 2 problems:
1) Bubbles
2) Yellow borders

However, I haven't heard of any reports of those two above problems for Model 3 since its first production almost 2 years ago.

So, logically, if you want to avoid those two problems, maybe you should go for a Model 3.

 

[Kevin Bohacz]

So, logically, if you want to avoid those two problems, maybe you should go for a Model 3.

It isn't about concern that a Model 3 will have the same problem as my MS. The concern is that I want to be sure Tesla plans to continue offering the great customer service I have experienced in the past. I do not want to buy another car from a company that has decided to stop taking care of its customers. Maybe the Model 3 will have a costly problem similar to this in the future?

The only way I'll know for sure that Tesla is stepping up to the plate and continuing to do the right things is if they take care of their customers with this yellow screen of death problem. I've just got to believe Tesla will fix this mess and do it with a real solution and not a bandaid.

In other threads on TMC, people have reported that Tesla has told them they are not going to replace and/or fix the yellow bands of death on their screens under warrantee. This is very concerning to me. I have been living with this problem for six months and it has yet to be fixed. This problem cropped up before the car was one year old (I took delivery in 1/2018). This is why if Telsa does not take care of this yellow band of death problem then I will not be purchasing another car from them.

 

[Tam]

...I do not want to buy another car from a company that has decided to stop taking care of its customers...

Agreed. That does make sense.

Tesla needs to fix this screen problem.

 

[PWlakewood]

Have you contacted your local sc to see what they say about replacing your screen? I would start there before jumping to conclusions or taking what other people say as gospel.

 

[Kevin Bohacz]

Have you contacted your local sc to see what they say about replacing your screen? I would start there before jumping to conclusions or taking what other people say as gospel.

As mentioned in the original post (which I guess might have been a little too long): I have had nothing but fantastic customer service from Tesla in the past. I have contacted them regarding the yellow screen several times. I continue to have nothing but the highest regard for the people at my SC.

What I heard from my SC was that a permanent fix is still being explored by engineering. The SC gave me no ETA for a repair. This is a worrisome situation since Tesla is selling brand new cars right now. Are they selling those cars with a known defect? If not, are they withholding a permanent fix for existing customers? I feel these are important questions.

Part of the reason I originally posted this information was to refute some of the rumors such as a software fix, which obviously would not work since the yellow is reflective and therefore both blocks the light from the screen and reflects sunlight hitting it.

Another reason for this post was to show that this yellowing can worsen into more than a cosmetic issue.

I am a staunch Tesla supporter and want them to succeed. I've driven electric since 2013 and will never go back. In my opinion, excellent customer service is just as important as manufacturing an excellent car. Relegating customers to stare at their yellowing screens for months or years on end, is not, in my opinion, the kind of customer service that will encourage future sales or glowing recommendations

 

[Mary Starfnbu]

After reading these posts, I went out to look at the screen on our June 2018 S100D. Sure enough there is a faint yellow glow around the edge of the screen. I hope there will be a permanent solution on the horizon, soon.

 

[emmz0r]

Well then they should keep replacing the screens in the meantime. Waiting months and months for a fix is unacceptable.

 

[PWlakewood]

I'm sure Tesla will replace the screens just like they have replaced much more expensive items like drive units and batteries. I'm sure the manufacturer will be responsible as it is obviously a design defect that Tesla did not know about until after install. They probably purchased/signed a contract for thousands of screens and are waiting on the manufacturer to figure out a solution or build the new ones.

 

[ucmndd]

I'm sure the manufacturer will be responsible as it is obviously a design defect that Tesla did not know about until after install. They probably purchased/signed a contract for thousands of screens and are waiting on the manufacturer to figure out a solution or build the new ones.

If Tesla used the screens as designed, they might have a case to hold the OEM (Innolux) responsible. There is compelling evidence to suggest this is not the case, Tesla is using the screens outside of their environmental specs, and the OEM is fully within their rights to tell them to take a walk.

 

[Cheburashka]

I'm sure Tesla will replace the screens just like they have replaced much more expensive items like drive units and batteries. I'm sure the manufacturer will be responsible as it is obviously a design defect that Tesla did not know about until after install. They probably purchased/signed a contract for thousands of screens and are waiting on the manufacturer to figure out a solution or build the new ones.

Actually what happened was Tesla used a consumer grade laptop screen instead of a automotive grade display. This seems like 100% Tesla's fault IMO..

 

[Kevin Bohacz]

I'm sure Tesla will replace the screens just like they have replaced much more expensive items like drive units and batteries.

People have been reporting this problem for at least year and waiting for a permanent solution. A year is very long time to wait. I have been living with this problem for six months and it has yet to be fixed.

In other TMC threads, people have speculated that the number of cars with this problem could be quite large. It's really impossible to know without taking a survey of some kind.

 

[ucmndd]

Since when does “I can’t see” == “disabled”?

 

[Kevin Bohacz]

Since when does “I can’t see” == “disabled”?

definition: disabled: put out of action
definition: disabled: a device or mechanism : rendered inoperative

When you can't touch the button because you can't see it, that would be the definition of disabled which is also the same outcome were the button made invisible or in other ways inoperable.

Even if it was not an interactive part of the screen that was obscured, making information illegible would also fall under the definition of disabled. i.e. that part of the screen is put out of action.

 

[ucmndd]

definition: disabled: put out of action
definition: disabled: a device or mechanism : rendered inoperative

When you can't touch the button because you can't see it, that would be the definition of disabled which is also the same outcome were the button made invisible or in other ways inoperable.

Even if it was not an interactive part of the screen that was obscured, making information illegible would also fall under the definition of disabled. i.e. that part of the screen is put out of action.

The button still works when you press it. You know where it is. It’s not hard to put two and two together. Now if the yellowing stopped the screen from registering a touch, that would be quite different...

Is the light switch in your bedroom also “disabled” when the lights are off?

 

[Kevin Bohacz]

After reading these posts, I went out to look at the screen on our June 2018 S100D. Sure enough there is a faint yellow glow around the edge of the screen. I hope there will be a permanent solution on the horizon, soon.

Welcome to a club to which no one wants to belong. It took about six months for my screen to reach this point.

 

[dannycamps]

There is a reason why it's ill-advised to leave a tablet or laptop in a hot car. The screens and internal components are not designed to handle the temps a cabin can reach.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 had a similar yellow-banding issue caused by internal device heat effectively cooking the adhesive used to hold the screen together. In extreme cases, this caused the screens to separate from the devices.

Bottom line, hopefully the replacement MCU screens are more resilient to extreme temperatures and they really should be fixed under warranty as it's an issue with workmanship not caused by the end user/customer.

 

[Ken7]

The button still works when you press it. You know where it is. It’s not hard to put two and two together. Now if the yellowing stopped the screen from registering a touch, that would be quite different...

Is the light switch in your bedroom also “disabled” when the lights are off?

When you’re barreling down the highway, ‘guessing’ what your finger is pressing is neither safe nor effective. Please. Mine is rapidly getting to the same point as Kevin’s.

 

[ucmndd]

When you’re barreling down the highway, ‘guessing’ what your finger is pressing is neither safe nor effective.

Cool story. But the button still works. It’s not “disabled”.

“Guessing” where your finger is pressing is one of the primary design features of the entire Tesla UI. I get people that have screens that need replacing are quick to latch on to the safety angle in an attempt to further justify their claims, but again, it’s not like the button doesn’t work. Let’s not just make things up.

 

[buzescu]

Model 3 screen has liquid coolin running through it. More than that it seams to be the same cooling that cools the battery. I watched a video with someone taking one apart on YouTube. Not sure the S has the same b...most clearlylijely not. Nothing that can be added at this stage. If cooling with liquid is the real solution... we got big problem ...