Tesla has added more health checks to its Service Mode
Not a Tesla App
On the heels of the previous updates Service Mode, Tesla is back with more features in update 2023.26.
Thanks to reader NinerByNature, we have a look at some new Service Mode health checks. The additions to service mode include tests for the steering wheel stalks, the low-voltage battery, airbags and other vehicle diagnostics.
Airbags Diagnostics
The new 'Airbags Screen' is the first upgrade. Here, users can check the status and availability of all vehicle airbags. This includes Tesla's newer far-side airbag, which helps prevent front passengers from colliding against each other. The diagnostic screen will display the location of each airbag and state whether it's operational or if there are known faults.
Tesla has added more health checks to its Service Mode
Not a Tesla App
Steering Wheel and Stalks Checks
The new 'Steering Wheel and Stalks' service is particularly useful for troubleshooting. With it you can verify the functionality of various key components like stalks, scroll wheels, steering wheel, parking brake, and horn, ensuring smooth operations and minimizing the chance of unexpected issues on the road.
Low-Voltage Battery
The low-voltage battery reading feature offers detailed data, including voltage, charge level, and current. These details let you check on the health of your low-voltage battery and potentially replace it preemptively before it becomes an issue. Most of the vehicle's electronics are run off of the low voltage battery, and a non-working battery could leave you stranded.
Camera Pitch Verification
Tesla has added more health checks to its Service Mode
Not a Tesla App
Last but not least, this update appears to allow you to verify the pitch of each of the vehicle's cameras. This is presumably used to verify whether the camera pitch needs to be adjusted, either physically or through Tesla's automated camera calibration feature.
Earlier today we reported on some 2023 vehicle models being recalled due to the front cameras being misaligned, and this feature likely helps diagnose those issues. The cameras play a critical role in the vehicle's functions, so it's paramount that they're aimed and functioning properly.
Building on Previous Service Mode Improvements
These updates build on the momentum set by the previously released service mode updates. Looking back at our June report, we noted Tesla's significant strides in refining its Service Mode. The update introduced diagnostic screens for seat belts, the HVAC system, and a unique feature for calibrating auto-appearing door handles on the Model S. The seat belt service menu provided a detailed visual of the safety equipment's interaction with the restraint control module (RCM), creating an additional safety-check tool for owners.
The HVAC system visualization offered an immersive understanding of the vehicle's climate control. Additionally, door handle calibration, specific to the Model S, allowed individual calibrations for these handles. Even though Service Mode was designed primarily for technicians, the detailed insights provided were a boon for owners who sought to troubleshoot and calibrate their vehicles effectively, provided they understood the implications of their adjustments. These features marked another incremental step in improving Tesla's Service Mode, setting the stage for the even more impressive updates in their latest release.
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Tesla previously told its employees on the Cybertruck production line that work would be halted for three business days and that they would not be required to show up to Giga Texas for any other work. Work was halted on the Cybertruck line from December 3rd until December 6th.
Many speculated that Tesla had hit a demand mark with the Cybertruck or run into other production-related difficulties. However, pausing production for such a short period is a fairly normal business operation, as Tesla continuously retools and upgrades its production lines.
Halts for business demand tend to look more similar to Ford’s F-150 Lightning production halt - where they halted production from November 18, 2024, until January 6, 2025. Ford also announced that this production halt was due to reduced demand for its electric truck in the face of stiffer competition.
Cybertunnel
In this case, part of the reason for the halt could potentially have been due to upgrades to the underground tunnel that is used to move Cybertrucks fresh from the production line to the holding lot at Giga Texas. Tesla has been working on improving the production flow rate for its vehicle - and rather than encountering issues with production, they’ve previously mentioned they’ve had issues with getting vehicles out of their outbound parking lots and off their assembly lines - and into customers’ hands fast enough.
The Cybertunnel moves trucks from inside Giga Texas to the holding lot just outside the factory. At that holding lot, they’re either loaded into trains or trucks to be transported across North America. The tunnel passes underneath Texas Highway 130, helping to ensure that Tesla isn’t clogging up traffic crossing the highway with brand-new trucks.
More Shut Downs?
It’s likely we’ll see even more shutdowns at Giga Texas in the coming months. Tesla has shown that it intends to continue increasing production rates at Giga Texas, which means it will need time to upgrade its assembly lines and processes. In addition, the Model Y is also produced at Giga Texas—and once the Model Y Juniper arrives, there will need to be shutdowns to accommodate re-tooling.
So, no need to stress - it's just regular operations. And we get to see a cool Cyber-themed tunnel too. In the meantime, check out Joe Tegtmeyer’s drone video of Giga Texas below.
Giga Texas on this cold 6 December 2024 morning! Big news with the @boringcompany paving & tunnel covering structure on W side, new mystery construction on W side of GA, continued work on SW corner for tunnel alternate exit & production of both @cybertruck & Model Y today,… pic.twitter.com/94a894ix1I
Tesla’s FSD V13 introduced a host of new features, including the ability to Unpark itself, travel in reverse, and Park at its destination. While FSD can now navigate itself out of a parking spot or garage, there are limited options when arriving at your destination, but that’s about to change.
Garage Support
Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s VP of AI, confirmed on X that a future revision of FSD V13 will introduce a variety of parking options, including parking in garages, driveways, parking spots, or simply pulling over on the side of the road. Drivers will presumably be able to pick when choosing a location, or maybe the vehicle will offer suggestions based on the location.
This will be a big addition, as today, FSD doesn’t understand how to park in a garage or driveway. Some owners trick FSD into parking in their driveway by using tape or road paint to outline parking spots.
Soon, that may not be necessary, and instead, FSD will simply back itself into your garage. This feature will probably work best in larger garages—extremely tight garages may not work, given the reduced precision of vision at extremely close distances.
We hope that if Tesla introduces this feature, they’ll sell printable guides you can stick on the garage walls or floor to help ensure your vehicle is in the perfect spot every time. Many commenters mentioned that they park in urban/suburban garages with only inches to spare around their vehicles, so this will be an interesting challenge for Tesla to address.
Parking Garages
Parking garages offer their own unique problem set. For the most part, FSD can already navigate its way out of a parking garage, assuming that there aren’t any special gates or sequenced/signaled signage.
It is also able to find a parking spot in multi-level garages and navigate its way out. More support for multi-level parking garages is coming, as FSD seems to stick to the garage walls until it can find the exit itself. It seems that Tesla’s data gathering and vehicle-to-fleet communication could aid Tesla in figuring out parking garages in terms of knowing the entrances and exits.
FSD 13.2 enters a parking garage. I then park it on the second floor and it escapes the parking garage. I then park it on the snow covered roof and... pic.twitter.com/GxfsldfkUz
In the Upcoming Improvements section of FSD V13, Tesla mentions that more destination options will be supported, including pulling over (at the side of the road) and parking in a spot, driveway, or garage.
These other destination options are going to be important soon - because one of the biggest FSD features we’re all still waiting for is Banish AutoPark. Once your vehicle can pull over at the entrance of a location and then go park itself, we’re going to be super close to Unsupervised FSD becoming a reality.
![Tesla Builds Cybertruck Tunnel While Production Lines Pause [VIDEO]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/2024/cybertruck-tunnel.webp/822a2c10124f46fe13e0d45cefdd9d33/cybertruck-tunnel.jpg)
![Impressive Tesla FSD Videos: Making Room for Vehicles & Mastering Tight Maneuvers [WATCH]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/2023/fsd-beta-vis-3.jpg/9c0bfda120e9fecc4ddb111b350565ac/fsd-beta-vis-3.jpg)
