2014 Tesla Model S visibility problems

Filed Nov 7, 2026 · Driver assistance, Electrical · TN

Active safety recall (the federal safety agency Campaign 21V‑035 / Tesla TSB SB-21-21-001) for touchscreen and Media Control Unit (MCU) failure remains unperformed due to service refusal and unlawful conditioning at the Tesla Authorized Service Center in [XXX]. Following a 6-week delay, an appointment was kept on XXX. After holding the vehicle for 4 hours, service staff explicitly conditioned execution of the mandatory safety recall upon authorizing ~$3,000 in unrelated retail repairs. When declined, the Service Manager publicly disparaged the vehicle in a crowded waiting room, falsely claimed "there is no recall," and threatened that "if we do the recall, the car may not operate or be drivable afterward," flatly refusing service. As a 40-year automotive industry veteran (former Service Manager), I recognize this as an egregious attempt to leverage mandatory safety recall work for retail service revenue, violating federal compliance obligations under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301. The unrepaired MCU failure creates an acute safety hazard, disabling critical functions including defrosters, climate controls, and rear-view display visibility. Logistics & Scope: Consumer refuses return to Franklin, TN facility due to hostility/obstruction. Requesting the federal safety agency record this non-compliance violation and compel Tesla Corporate to coordinate mobile service or transport to an alternative regional facility with loaner coverage, with full restoration of vehicle operability at zero cost to the owner. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

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 13, 2025 · Driver assistance, Lights · 100,000 miles · VA

The contact owns a 2014 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the digital screen intermittently blacked out and several safety features were inoperable. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the resort block remained at 90%, and the same EMMC ID that should have been covered under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V035000 (Back Over Prevention, Visibility, Exterior Lighting); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Filed Dec 5, 2022 · Visibility · MA

Tesla has, by design, altered a safety feature in existing cars (via a software update) that decreases safety when defogging is needed. When I purchased my 2014 Tesla Model S, the defog could be turned on or off with the press of a button that was always visible on the touchscreen. Recently, Tesla made a major change to the user interface (version 11), that cannot be reverted, which removed the defog button. It now takes about 4-7 steps to activate and then turn off the defog. The new system also requires viewing pop-up window(s) while driving. Now, when you notice visibility is decreasing due to a fogged up windshield, you have to press the temperature (e.g. "70") twice, which brings up the full climate control window (if you press slightly high/low, a "Climate Popup" instead appears, with button located in different locations). You then have to scan for the defog button and press it. To turn it off, if it has been less than 10 seconds since you turned it on (often all you need), the window will still be there, and you can press the "climate off" button to turn it off. After 10 seconds, you have to repeat the same 2-3 steps used to turn it on. However, if the Climate Popup appears rather than the full window, you need to start over again to turn the climate control off (otherwise, a bug causes the climate control to stay on when you turn the defog off). A new version (not available for my car) reportedly has a workaround, but the defog button needs to have a permanent location on the screen like before, by default. My concern is that this software update will get people into (or has gotten people into) "distracted driving" accidents as they have to look at the screen about 4-7 times while driving, rather than the minimal 2 times that the old user interface allowed.

Filed Feb 14, 2022 · Driver assistance, Lights · CA

The contact owns a 2014 Tesla Model S. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V035000 (Back Over Prevention, Visibility, Exterior Lighting) however, the part to the recall repair was unavailable. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated she was unable to start the vehicle and the battery was replaced. The manufacturer had not been made aware of the failure. Parts distribution disconnect. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed May 13, 2021 · Driver assistance, Visibility · FL

The contact owns a 2014 tesla model s. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 21v035000 (back over prevention, visibility, exterior lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The vehicle was taken to tesla (5544 okeechobee blvd, west palm beach, fl 33417) where it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Aug 18, 2020 · Electrical, Lights · 61,882 miles · UT

Failure of touchscreen. Dashboard display at -5 brightness, could not see the information. No turn signals and no reverse camera. Loss of control to air/heating, sunroof, music, garage door control. Tesla remote diagnostics team determined the mcu had an internal fault and would need to be replaced.

Filed Aug 7, 2020 · Driver assistance, Visibility · CA

There is a known issue with tesla media control unit (mcu) dead or won't turn on due to poor design of the emmc memories. The unit eventually dies once the memories are full and the unit won't turn on anymore. Since this mcu is the heart of the tesla vehicle, all the safety features will be disable like collision sensors, hazard alert/notification, unlock the door/windows from the inside, most of the gauges on the dashboard are disable, even the lane turn signals are disable and the backup camera. My unit went out since may 2020, tesla will not cover the defected unit, it they will charge me over $1700 to replaced a refurbished one. This is the 3rd time they reschedule my repair since they claim they don't have all the parts in stock. I've been driving the car with a dead mcu for almost 3 months. It is very unsafe when I drive the disable car on the road.

Filed Jul 30, 2020 · Lights, Visibility · 91,000 miles · CA

The media control unit (mcu) failed - this control unit should not be a consumable or wear part - when it fails the turn signals do not operate, the windshield defogger cannot be operated, and many other critical safety systems impacted - the mcu has been acting up and not normal for past 9 -12 months then finally failed completely 07/27/20