Tesla will add the ability to customize Cabin Overheat Protection feature

July 12, 2022

By Lennon Cihak

Tesla will allow you to further customize its Cabin Overheat Protection feature

Cabin Overheat Protection (COP) is an amazing feature that is available on all Teslas.

If the interior of the vehicle gets too hot, the car can automatically turn on the HVAC fan, allowing cool air to be brought in to help cool the cabin.

You can also choose to have the vehicle use the AC to more effectively cool down the interior of the car, although it comes at the expense of some battery drain.

Up until now the temperature at which Cabin Overheat Protection turns on has not been configurable and is set at 105° F.

However, last night Elon Musk announced that Tesla will be bringing some improvements to Cabin Overheat Protection. You’ll soon be able to adjust the temperature at which COP turns on.

Although Elon says that you'll be able to adjust the temperature at which COP kicks on, it may be limited to a certain range. Maybe somewhere along the lines of 90° to 120°.

After all, if you want to keep the car any cooler, you could always use Climate Keeper.

It'll be interesting to see if Tesla includes any additional improvements to Cabin Overheat Protection, such as only allowing it to cool at certain times or locations. It could also allow the vehicle to automatically vent the windows to help further cool the interior.

Elon recently said that Tesla would incorporate a feature that would allow the vehicle to automatically close its windows when it starts raining. It's certainly possible that these features could be tied together in a 'Summer Improvements' package.

Elon said that the enhancement will be included in the next software update. Elon is likely referring to the next major update and not any minor revisions to 2022.20.

The next major release is expected to be 2022.24, which is probably still 2-4 weeks away.

Tesla’s automatic cabin overheat protection should make a real difference with record heatwaves.

Ability to adjust activation temperature coming with next software release.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 12, 2022

Cabin Overheat Protection currently has three options: Off, No A/C, and On. When the feature is set to off, which is the default, the vehicle will simply not do anything when the interior temperature reaches 105°.

When “No A/C” is selected, COP will simply utilize the fans to cool the cabin. This will help cool down the cabin slightly, but during hot days the interior of the cabin will still climb into 130° and beyond.

The best way to keep the cabin cool during hot days is to set Cabin Overheat Protection to "On," which will let the vehicle utilize the AC.

While this method is best for keeping the interior of the vehicle from exceeding 105° F, it still may not be enough in excessive heat. There is no gaurantee that the cabin will below 105°.

To enable Cabin Overheat Protection in your vehicle, head to Controls > Safety and scroll down until you see Cabin Overheat Protection and pick your preferred option.

You can also turn it on from your Tesla app by navigating to the Climate section and sliding up the bottom drawer for additional climate options, such as Dog Mode, Camp Mode.

In the app you can also choose to receive a push notification on your phone when COP is activated by going to Profile > Settings > Notifications.

COP is a nifty feature if you live in a warmer climate and dislike getting into a car that is excessively hot. It can also be life-saving if a small child or pet is ever forgotten in the car.

Cabin Overheat Protection will remain on up to a maximum of 12 hours after the car is parked, or until the battery reaches 20% of charge.

Look for this improvement and others in Tesla's upcoming update.

Tesla Issues Physical Recall for Some Model 3 & Model Y Vehicles Over Seat Fasteners

June 27, 2025

By Karan Singh

Not a Tesla App

Tesla has issued a new, voluntary safety recall for a small batch of Model 3 and Model Y vehicles due to an issue with improperly tightened fasteners in the first-row seats.

The recall impacts only about 48 vehicles and will require a Tesla service visit to resolve.

Improperly Tightened Fasteners

According to the recall notice, the issue stems from the first-row seating that may have been manufactured with improperly torqued fasteners that attach the seat back to the seat bottom. In some cases, the fasteners may be loose or missing, which could cause a rattle or the seat to detach.

This is a critical safety issue, as a seat back that is not properly anchored could detach, leaving the driver or passenger unsupported and increasing the risk of an accident.

According to Tesla’s investigation, this issue originated from a production change made for vehicles manufactured between April 3rd and May 7th of 2025. However, not all vehicles built within that date are impacted by the recall. The issue impacts 30 2026 Model Ys and 18 2025 Model 3s, across all variants, including RWD, AWD, and Performance (for the Model 3).

Thankfully, there have been no incidents related to this issue to date.

The Fix

Since this is a physical recall, Tesla will have to inspect impacted vehicles and replace and properly retorque the seat fasteners as needed, free of charge.

Owners of vehicles who have been impacted have already been contacted under the voluntary recall, and most vehicles should have been repaired by the time this notice is formally issued.

You can also check if your VIN is impacted by a recall using Tesla’s Recall Tool.

Tesla has noted the repair should take approximately one hour of work at a Service Center, and up to two hours if a Mobile Ranger addresses the recall.

Tesla Robotaxi Sends Out More Invites: Next Phases of Robotaxi

June 27, 2025

By Karan Singh

@TerrapinTerpene

Following the successful launch of Robotaxi on Sunday, June 22nd, Tesla has begun moving to the next phase of its Robotaxi rollout. They have finally begun sending out a second, larger wave of invites, expanding the early access program to more members of the Tesla community across the United States.

This has moved them past the initial 20 or so users that were offered access on Sunday. That also means Tesla is on the hunt for something crucial: more real-world data.

More Riders ASAP

The initial launch was a tightly controlled event, with access granted to a small and curated group of influencers. While this approach was ideal for generating initial buzz for the launch and collecting feedback from high-quality testers, it also presented logistical challenges.

With only a handful of authorized riders and vehicles, the demand for rides would inevitably dry up as influencers begin their journeys back home. Without a public release, that would leave Tesla’s Robotaxi fleet idle, unable to gather additional data.

To rapidly improve on Robotaxi’s FSD, Tesla needs its vehicles to be constantly navigating real-world scenarios, encountering edge cases, and logging miles. The second round of invites is needed to keep Robotaxis learning and on the road.

Austin Users Next?

This new wave of invites isn’t an open door for members of the public quite yet. By continuing to send invites to trusted community members, Tesla is executing a slow and deliberate rollout by inviting members who know and love Tesla. This allows them to scale the program gradually, increasing the number of users and the diversity of ride requests without overwhelming the relatively small initial fleet of about 10 cars.

Future phases will likely involve opening access to Tesla owners within Austin, which would open up a regular flow of rides. Once that’s done, Robotaxi will likely open up to the public.

Sign of Confidence

The expansion of the early access program is a sign that Tesla is happy and confident with the rollout so far. While Tesla can gather plenty of data around Austin from Tesla owners using FSD, they also need to continue testing features that are exclusive to the Robotaxi, such as the Robotaxi app, support, and remotely control the vehicles when needed.

We expect a full launch to potentially still be months out, but this methodical expansion will likely see more users gradually gain access to the Robotaxi network in the coming weeks.