2014 Tesla Model S: backup camera failure

Filed Dec 17, 2025 · Electrical, Lights · OR

I am the current owner of a 2014 Tesla Model S equipped with MCU1. While driving, including at freeway speeds, the center touchscreen has rebooted unexpectedly, showing only the Tesla logo before recovering. During these reboots, critical vehicle functions are unavailable, including the rearview camera, HVAC/defrost controls, and other essential features. This failure matches the exact safety defect described in the federal safety agency Recall 21V‑035 related to the MCU/eMMC failure. I reported this safety issue to Tesla Service and provided photo evidence of the screen rebooting while driving. Tesla has refused to address this as a recall or safety repair. Tesla claims the recall was previously completed under a prior owner but refuses to provide any documentation proving that the recall repair was actually performed, citing prior owner privacy. Tesla has further stated that diagnosis of this active safety defect would be customer-paid due to the basic warranty being expired and has indicated that the only path forward is a paid infotainment upgrade. Tesla is effectively requiring payment to diagnose and resolve a known safety defect. As the safety defect is actively occurring while driving and Tesla has marked the recall as complete without providing proof or correcting the issue, I am requesting the federal safety agency review whether Tesla is improperly closing out recalls without ensuring the defect has been remedied and whether charging customers to diagnose known safety defects is appropriate. After entering my VIN into the federal safety agency’s recall lookup, the federal safety agency shows Recall 21V‑035 (MCU/eMMC failure) as Recall Incomplete for my vehicle. This directly contradicts Tesla’s claim that the recall was previously completed. Tesla has refused to provide documentation and is requiring paid diagnosis and a paid infotainment upgrade despite the recall being listed by the federal safety agency as unresolved.

Filed Oct 25, 2025 · Visibility · PR

The main touchscreen (MCU1) and instrument cluster on my 2014 Tesla Model S frequently freeze, reboot, or go blank while driving. When this happens, I lose access to defrost, turn signals, backup camera, and speed display. I contacted Tesla Service, but they refused to repair or replace the unit under recall EA20-003 or the extended warranty, even though the symptoms match the known eMMC 8GB memory failure. The black screen and frozen instrument cluster create a clear safety risk. Tesla should cover this issue under the recall or provide an equivalent MCU2 replacement if MCU1 parts are unavailable.

Filed Aug 31, 2023 · Electrical · TX

Rearview camera goes out intermittently increasing risk of collision.

Filed Dec 14, 2022 · Electrical · CA

After updating vehicle to software version 11.0 (2022.8.10.6 d2b84545e244) my center screen which controls the majority of my functionality and safety features including my backup camera AND my instrument cluster will intermittently go blank. This prevents me from being able to use my backup camera, see warnings about the car, as well as be able to tell how fast my car is going. In addition, my turn signals no longer have a consistent audible tone when engaged.

Filed Jul 25, 2022 · Electrical, Lights · FL

My 2014 Tesla Model S is an unsafe vehicle as my dash goes black constantly and I lose control of the car safety items included in the dash panel such as speed, back up camera, visibility and power train. I have complained many times but Tesla does not respond with results that will make the car safe again.

Filed Feb 1, 2021 · Electrical · 57,800 miles · MD

I have had repeated failures related to the main display (mcu) on my tesla model s, included failure to start when the car was powered up, "crashing" during driving, "locking" or "freezing" of entertainment screens onto the display that remain even while driving, and slow response to instructions. It was initially replaced under warranty with a remanufactured mcu1 unit in february 2020. The car continued to have problems and I scheduled service two more times during 2020 and tesla refused to replace the hardware each time. They said they "cleared the memory" and "reset the firmware". This solved the immediate problems but the problems returned, sometimes within days. I have heard anecdotally that tesla reduced data logging to try and preserve the life of these units; ironically, I believe, this results in tesla saying there was nothing logged and thus refusing to replace the hardware. In january of 2021, out of concern for the safety of my car, I paid $2500 to upgrade from mcu1 to mcu2 based on staff saying that would solve my problems. It has not. In the 10 days since the upgrade, it has "crashed" 2 more times while driving and "froze" part of the display another time while driving. I have lost unexpectedly : navigation in the middle of a complicated interchange, the rear camera needed to reverse safely, many controls including lights, heating, AC, and charging. With the mcu2 crash, I also lost the dashboard display (e.g. Speed). Finally, the implementation of the display of the rear camera in mcu2 (the rear camera is the same) is bad - at night the display is so dark it is almost useless. This is a step backwards. I have been repeatedly told an impending firmware update will fix the problems. I have received several updates, but none fixed the problems. The attached photo is the most recent crash of the new mcu2.

Filed Jan 27, 2021 · Suspension · 40,000 miles · WA

Two problems: my car is giving off warnings about the suspension. And so far tesla refuses to fix it even though the car is under warranty. 2) the center control unit is slowing down and some of the functions aren't working. So for example, my backup camera would not come on today. Again tesla is refusing to fix this and suggesting that I wait firmware fix. And this has been going on for the better part of a year.

Filed Jan 17, 2021 · Electrical · 61,000 miles · GA

The center info screen goes black and you lose the backup camera , HVAC controls, radio, and all other functions to the car. Happens randomly. Creates a safety issue and is known problem with this tesla model

Filed Jan 16, 2021 · Acceleration, Electrical · 86,000 miles · TX

Total loss of display in the middle console keeps going black, total loss of turn signals, suspension control, heater controls, de fog and de ice, no rear camera, no cruise control, high low beams,no ability to use fog lamps. Plus many more things too numerous to list. I took it to service dept and they did a temp fix for $150 but told me it will go out again and it did the very next morning. Something to do what's called the mcu memory failing. Its gone dark on several occasions many different dates. There is no way to know when it will do it again. Makes the vehicle in my estimation more likely to get into a crash

Filed Jan 15, 2021 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 104,000 miles · PA

The entire screen went black and it started showing the backup camera. I couldn't fix it even by restarting it. Notifications included- center display unavailable, it also affected the turn signal while driving and cruise control. Other safety features of the vehicle were also unavailable.

Filed Nov 29, 2020 · Suspension · 148,787 miles · NY

I would like to provide information regarding 2 preliminary evaluations in 2020 that the federal safety agency has opened for a tesla vehicle. 1.the expanded probe june over touchscreen failures. 2.2015-2017 model s and 2016-2017 model x vehicles regarding failure of left or right front suspension fore links. I would like to point out that although the federal safety agency is used to dealing with "model year" vehicles, it is well known that tesla does not follow the calendar year models like over manufacturers. They introduce new features, fixes, modifications in real-time. I wanted to let you know this as your evaluations maybe should not be cut to the calendar year and possibly gain information on the time when tesla implemented a change to the production. I am including two invoices that I have had to pay this year and here are some concerns. 1. April2020 - mcu replacement. My replaced mcu is still exhibiting the same issues where I can have no rear camera, no blinking sound, extreme delays in the touchscreen, random reboots. I am currently providing evidence to tesla in order for them to fix under warranty. The onis is on me however it seems. Tesla's own recall for this issue has a limit of 8 years or 100,000 miles. This is not covering the fact that it is older vehicles that exhibit this issue. This is a defect which has been proven by independent post-tesla service personnel which I can provide you direction to review that info. My point here is please do not let them get away with providing a half-solved solution. The mcu in question is using non-commercial grade emm memory. 2. November2020 - failure of the left or right front suspension fore links. After a visit to a local service station, they mentioned there is a problem. Attached is the invoice from tesla replacing the fore links mentioned here. In summary, my car was made in the u.s. I hope you will hold tesla accountable.

Filed Nov 17, 2020 · 7,000 miles · CA

Suspect mmc chip is failing. Having intermittent black screen and rebooting with loss of rear camera function also loss of climate control. Contacted tesla who stated my symptoms do not warrant replacement or repair. The black screen and rebooting occurs when stationary and also while driving. Also losing bluetooth connectivity, and map function very slow to load. Navigation sometimes will not calculate route.