RUclips is excellent for helping others with this type of video. Excellent detective work. I used a flat blade melting tip on my soldering iron and cut a square-ish piece out with the width of the 2 holes you showed. Heaps of room to place black epoxy on the problem areas. Then I used the same epoxy to affix piece I cut out. Simple operation really. Done both in 40mins. No glare. Thank you.
Dude, this worked! Thanks so much. My experience: 1) I was able to get into the fenderwell without removing the bottom snaps, I just used a plastic spurg tool to pull out the liner and was able to cram my hand up inside to release the cameras. 2) I drilled all 4 holes (two each) by hand, and I ended up going WAY too deep on almost every hole. I definitely hit stuff inside the housing, but everything still works fine. 3) I used the same silicone sealant on the inside as I did to seal the holes on the outside, I didn't use a separate epoxy. 4) I realized that just one layer of electrical tape wasn't enough to get the cameras fully dark, I ended up putting on 3 or 4 layers to be sure I blocked all the light in testing. 5) I just used a small zip tie to smudge stuff around inside the housing. But I used a TON of black silicone, I just gooped it up as much as I could inside. That works great so far and only cost me the price of a 3 oz tube of Permatex black adhesive RTV sealant.
I have a 2019 m3 exactly this issue I’ve been ignoring thinking bad design but I saw someone posted Tesla FB forum they got them replaced under warranty, mine is still under warranty so I booked a service call the quote was AUD$449 to come out and replace, I called the service centre to confirm it’s a warranty issue, I was told “ it’s not a warranty item because it’s a known design problem so not covered” so I cancelled the request then searched found your fix and decided to try it. I did it slightly differently using a Drexel tool to tease away enough casing to see the pcb, then pumped a little black silicone onto pcb as you did to fill the three holes and the edge of the board, then I covered the camera lens and reconnected and tested the result was massive improvement so I filled the hole with bit more silicone to prevent water getting in and popped it back into wing. Then I repeated on other side but this time spent an extra couple of minutes testing and adding silicone until the results were almost perfect before filling the hole and refitting into wing. Cut my finger on the fake chrome plastic trim edge, damn that was sharp lol anyway thanks to you and your work I’ve spent an hour and and $5 for a tube of silicone to save myself AUD $444 😮😊 Thanks again
I decided not to do this mod and simply DIY replaced them with the latest -D revision. One thing to note: I opted to keep the Chrome look for my Late 2018 build. Repeater assemblies come with the FLAT BLACK eyebrow COVERS. Those must be removed in order to install the CHROME eyebrow COVERS. I used a hair dryer to warm the covers and adhesive tape. I started from the narrow aft end, gently prying the cover off. I cleaned the contact area of all adhesive residue using 3m adhesive remover. Any adhesive remover will work though. I peeled the protective backer, aligned the cover, and pressed firmly all around it. The fit is perfect too the original. Cost. Repeater $130 ea replacement chrome covers $25 ea. Total $325 incl tax. DIY savings $170-$200 in labor.
Did this today as this was annoying me for a long time. Drilled the two holes but cut a slot between the two with a dremal. Then used epoxy resin with black pigment and poured a tiny amount over the camera. Then used Colloidal Silica to thicken the resin and seal up the slot I made. Worked very well. Thanks for posting this.
Great piece of work! Just a remark, when the Tesla technician came to replace my camera, he did not removed the wheel trim part. He pressed the two clips visible on the top of the camera (7:35) with a flexible plastic tool and the camera pop out of there. Clean and easy.
We followed the Tesla Service Manual. Rangers may have discovered short cuts to save time. As long as you're very careful and put some tape on the bodywork to protect it, that way may work for you but the risks of breaking one or both of the securing tabs are much greater.
Thank you for ending the mystery. I knew it was internal leakage because I taped up everything as well. I knew that trying to disassemble the camera was not going to happen. I wonder why those three holes were there in the first place.
I think whoever designed the camera PCB didn't have the foresight to know that a bright LED would be shining on it and fogging the sensor. Those through-holes are very common on double-sided PCBs and are just a convenient way to connect one side to the other electrically.
The issues goes beyond the glare. Interestingly I've been able to compare the new and the old because I had my right side replaced due to peeling chrome. The new camera on the right side not only lacks glare, but it also lacks problems seeing when it's raining outside. Tesla won't admit it, but the old cameras were severely flawed due to the light glare and due to water collecting on the lens while its raining causing the image to warp and wobble while driving. FSD is extremely unhappy whenever its even slightly misting and it's always complaining about the older camera. Tesla service refuses to replace the other old one.
I had no idea the issue I see on my M3 was due to the internal camera circuit board issue. I just assumed it was glare from the light externally. Great job.. Will now be arranging a service appointment.
I use either a old soldering iron or some nichrome wire to cut plastic on critical parts. The soldering iron has a screw in the tip with a piece of copper pipe end cap that I used for larger holes. You can smash them a bit for different shapes. When done pop out the piece and epoxy paste it back in or use ABS sludge to fill in the gap. I use printer toner in resin (uv takes a bit longer to cure) to make extremely black resin when needed.
Great video! Maybe the following has been mentioned in the comments already. This problem has to have at least some small affect related to safety using Autopilot/FSD driving modes at night.
@@VladOnEarth Yea I tried that they don't care if you have FSD and the camera is affected they say it's still within spec and works good enough. Typical Tesla response.
@JFlywheel because they messed up so bad that if they admi it once, it will mean 100k+ cars will need free replacement they will lose A LOT of money from that. I personally would have been ok with just replacement part shipped to me, super easy replacement.
@@VladOnEarth I think they will be ok if they at least fixed it for FSD cars. I mean they are charging an arm and a leg for FSD. I guess the other solution is to drive like a BMW driver (just don't use your turn signals).
Helpful video. I didn’t realize there is a fix for the problem. I scheduled a service appointment to replace my cameras with a newer revision. The glare is annoying and seems like it would impact FSD performance.
Man, I went into this with the utmost confidence and it ended up costing me 200 bucks on used cameras. No fault of the video though. Where I screwed up is I was doing both cameras at the same time. I used a soldering iron to make the holes and then used a small drill bit to clean them up. While cleaning them up I must have knicked something. Follow his directions to a T and you won't have any issues. Lesson here is don't get cocky lol
Be careful in your choice of sealant. The common type contains acetic acid (smells like strong vinegar) and is very corrosive to metal parts and is not recommended for use on printed circuit boards. Dow and others make a version that is designed for use around electronic parts.
Thank you so much for this video! Made the modifications straightforward. And wow, did it ever work! So much better without the light bleed. I used spray paint to cover the leakage. I sprayed paint onto a scrap piece of plastic, let it dry for a couple minutes to thicken, and then applied with a toothpick.
Very nice! I can see why this isn't really practical as a service procedure. But definitely doable, especially if you were planning to fork out the money for new cameras anyways. BTW, the "serial number" is likely a date code (YYDDD) to identify the PCB lot.
Tesla states in the internal service manuals that the camera/repeater is "a single use only". If you remove it from the fender you have to replace it. Quite bold given the pricetag..
Thank you for this tutorial. Fixed both mine now. One tip is to not remove the blinkers when it's freezing cold outside like i did. The tabs will break of.. But luckyli i have a whole tube of black sticky stuff that i bought for this.
OMG.. I assumed it was glare from the lens on the outside. Both mine have this issue only at night on my Y-P-20. It's really typical Tesla to deny an obvious problem and push the issue back on their customers by telling them " It's within spec, but we'll fix it for $$$"
I would like to know too as I turned my FSD off. It's unsafe at night esp if it is raining on these defective cameras. Don't get FSD it's a waste of allot of money.
There are newer revisions for the repeaters than the ones you mentioned in your video now in North America (should be the same for the whole world though): 1495864-20-D and 1495865-20-D. Hopefully they are all now being made without light bleed. I decided to modify my repeaters today to get rid of the light bleed, even though it doesn't bother me since I don't care for the blind spot feature. They were a pain to remove even knowing exactly how and where to push on the two tabs. I ended up breaking the housings on both. But that just makes it easier to brush Plastidip around the camera lens and board. Then I'm just going to epoxy the housings back together. If they end up looking ugly, I'll just buy the new revisions to replace them.
Glad you tried the fix anyway. Yes, you are correct, only the -D revision part has eliminated the glare properly. The -C repeaters still have glare which comes from the glue holding the camera onto the PCB transmitting the LED light into the sensor. We'll post a follow up video soon with more details.
@@TeslaGurus hey there, I noticed in your video that version C of the side repeater camera is the new design and assuming it eliminates the light bleed. My Tesla service centre has ordered two to replace on my 2019 M3 and wanted to confirm first. Thanks and amazing video by the way!
@@wissamzaher No, the -C revision still has light bleed. We are making a follow up video to explain this. You need to wait until they have the -D repeater in stock. That fixes it.
@@TeslaGurus thanks for that. Weird as my mates m3 has version C and no light bleed. Which is confusing but a good sign? Looking forward to the upcoming video. Thanks for highlighting the issue!
@@wissamzaher Are there any other revision numbers on the housing? What is the full part number? Nothing would surprise me with this as we know there's a mix of good and bad cameras installed in cars from the factory!
Thank you for your video and analysis, this is very interesting. I have the same problem on one of my camera, the other one has been changed and is ok. I'll start with a Ranger and warranty. If not possible, i'll do your modification.
Also, the black bodies are made from Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA or Acrylic). This is easily "cut" with a hot knife, plastic welded with the same or "glued" with some common adhesives like two part epoxies or UV cured adhesives. If its a crack, there are acrylic glues like "weld on" for acrylics. This literially "melts' the acrylic and lets it reform. Keep in mind this plastic is very brittle and is referred to as glass in the trade. I was reminded of this pulling one of my lights and the entire top cracked off because I was a bit off on where I was prying :/
Thank you so much, I had no idea my repeaters had leaking light causing the blinker glare. You'd think Tesla would offer us replacement repeaters if not for free, then at a discounted price. Considering Tesla knew about it! Update: Visited a Tesla Service Center yesterday and was told by the manager that Tesla will not replace the repeaters in my 2018 Model 3 because the cameras at the time were never intended to be used as blind spot cameras. He went on to say that it's doubtful that they will even be replaced down the road for FSD, because the software will most likely work around the glare. I think this really stinks because if Tesla is going to open up newer features for older models then we should at least get the newer hardware or get a discounted price to buy them. Seems like Tesla is doing this to convince us to buy a newer model, just like Apple does.
They did try to do a fix, it used too many compute cycles. They removed it. The windshield wiper AI also doesn't work since 4 years, needs a rewrite. If I back into my batcave, and the light level changes on the front camera, it goes crazy wiping even though the windshield is dry.
I got my right side repeater replaced last summer (due to condensation) on my TM3 -21 and that one have this issue. The other side which is not changed doesn't have any issue.
I have this issue on my 2017 Model X and contacted Tesla to arrange for a paid replacement. Service told me it wasn't an issue with my car and cancelled the appointment!
What do you make of the design of the newest camera vs the taped over camera? Is it more efficient? Better vision? Shielding? Also why is it that tesla cameras aren’t HD? These 100 dash cams on the market that are 4K
No, I don't think there is much, if any difference between the oldest and newest cameras in terms of vision. These cameras are there mainly for FSD and ADAS and for that they don't need to be the highest resolution available. If they were, there would be much more processing power required in the MCU.
Great info and thanks for sharing. I just ordered up new repeaters for my 2018 M3 and although the EPC showed the -D PN, I noticed that my receipt shows the following: "1495864-20-C 1495864-20-D" I really hope the -D's show up! I plan on shooting a video on this upgrade/Fix and will definitely credit this video for the insight!
Thanks for the video - scratches an itch as to what went wrong.. If mine wasn't under warranty still, I _might_ attempt this. Only my passenger side one is bad (March 2021 SR+ in Canada). A slightly easier variation might be to drill only the first hole but pour in some black electronics potting compound and fill it up completely.. (google electronics potting compound black). I'm paying Tesla service $200 Canadian to replace the passenger side one. Driver side seems ok.
Very good detective work. Question - could you just make the holes then give a short blast or two of some non conductive rubberized spray paint into the holes? It doesn't look like it would matter what it lands on as long as it doesn't glob up on the end of the LED tube. May work to seal better and much easier than trying to dab at it with a small brush or dowel.
No, as it would then go all over the inside of the repeater window. As long as you have a small brush or stick you can just dab it all over the camera and rear pcb which I think is probably the best method. Or use a syringe if you are using free-flowing paint/sealant.
The reason the multitude of holes are under the LED is so that it doesn't overheat. You don't want to spray any of the LED holes, from whichever side you come in. Spraying the light pipe can't be too bad, but will also increase the temperature of the light pipe, and therefore the LED. How much? Hard to tell.
@@TeslaGurus I used this method to a week ago and all is well. It’s not absolutely perfect but very close! I suspect the glue holding the sensor didn’t get covered quite enough. Very happy with the results! Thanks again!
I used a soldering iron with a thin tip. Then used Sika black adhesive to cover the holes, transparent glue and then seal the 2 holes But first I purchased a damaged (broken clips) camera to to a test run.
If opting to DIY and purchase new, no mention of having to qualify a new cam to the computer? If true this is perhaps rare among the many parts which must be! Thank you for this informative video.
There is probably a market here for someone to set up a service to repair their cameras. I don't personally have a pillar drill or drill press and not really willing to attempt it without one. I have done something similar to stop rear light condensation by making a 3D printed silica-gel pack which can be replaced when necessary.
New camera is about $130, which, considering that it’s a car part, is actually not that expensive. You don’t have to worry about flushing thousands of dollars down the drain if you mess up.
Nice find! Does the camera housing have an ultrasonic weld or is there a better way to get inside? I'm assuming you destroyed 3 enclosures to get to the boards so could tell. I've had to solve similar problems with light sensors and cameras. If you can get inside, may be best to wrap around the camera with electrical tape too. Liquid electric tape should also well for the holes, but just as messy as silicone.
There is no better way I can see other than somehow making a hole yourself. The two halves are very well stuck together and don't break apart easily along the weld/glue line. It's too easy to break off a large piece of the housing when prising them apart. We actually used liquid electric tape in the video, so yes that works well and flows nicely. You could use that in a syringe and be more precise where you squirt it.
That would make very little difference to the brightness but if the whole piece of acrylic was painted apart from the ends that might have been enough to prevent this issue in the first place.
@@kevinfletcher1999 opening them up isn't easy, but before i Saw the tapei would have guessed that the solution would have been some sort of heatshrink on the acrylic piece instead of a Tiny bit of fidly tape, but then again i dont know the exact manufacturing details the tape is certainly cheaper and maybe easier is well
Can you just unplug the connection that powers the side repeater light? Or does that plug also power something else? Seems like it would be fine to just have front and rear turn signal lights
It only powers the light but disconecting them might give errors after a while. I'd rather have all my lights in working order anyway. It's law in a lot of countries to have side repeaters.
Not sure if it's been mentioned yet - since you have spare/duds, are you willing to try filling one up to the level of the camera pcb with opaque potting compound? (tilting to the appropriate angle to prevent the output optical end from having problems) - to see if the compound wicks between the led and the light pipe interfering with the blinker?
@@TeslaGurus cheers. How will this affect FSD? I quite often get multiple camera issues particularly when the suns low in winter in the uk. Does it stop FSD working or is it compensated by other tech. Being cheeky can you devise a solution for not seeing. black door handles on a blue car at night please. Aarrrggghhhhh.
Simple answer is we don't know as FSD isn't used much in the UK. Personally I think the door pillar cameras are more critical for FSD but only time will tell. I have color coded door handles on mine, so it's impossible to see them in the dark! I think we need backlighting.
In the $470 to replace them, was that for both sides and did it include labor, or just parts? That helps decide which way to go. In WA state with all the grey, dark and rain, that glare is a real issue. Thanks
That might work, although the plastic is quite thick and you could still accidentally hit one of the coils which is just the other side sticking up on the main PCB. Whatever method you choose, just go very slowly and carefully!
@@TeslaGurus Boring a hole with a soldering iron worked well for me. It was much less stressful than drilling the hole. I drilled the passenger side and almost destroyed it. I used the soldering iron on the driver side and it worked very well. I bought liquid electrical tape at Ace Hardware and it was perfect. Problem solved!! Thank you Tesla Gurus for this great video. It gave me the confidence to try this and it worked flawlessly.
i have some water / humidity I can see inside the light pipe area. On rainy days, I occasionally have the AP tell me the camera is blocked off. Im assuming the goretex patch or the lens seal is leaking somewhere a bit. Would it be ok to bake the camera at 40 degrees or so to get the humidity out or are there any other ideas for this?
You could leave the unit in a warm place for a couple of days but if you want to dry it out faster a very low oven would be OK. Then carefully inspect the housing for any cracks and seal them so the water doesn't get in again.
hi, witch is the best black epoxy putty to use? Is it possible to fill the 2 holes with epoxy without problems or do i have to put the right amount? thanks
Are the two halves just glued together? If so, can one simply apply a heat gun to it to soften the glue and pry it apart? I'd like to give this a go but don't feel comfortable drilling out the OEM housing.
I got my left camera replaced yesterday and now i got glare. I didnt have that before. Its a model 3 P 2021. I asked them about it and they said it was a software bug and it will disapear soon? I guess they lied to me.
I don’t see the need for access inside the wheel well. Are there clips that need to be in clipped on the inside? Otherwise, can you just pull on the side markers from the outside? If so, which area of the side markers should you pull from? Front rear top or bottom?
We're going to post a follow up video very soon with some additional information about camera revisions and how to carry out the repair, so make sure you're subscribed to get a notification!
When activating the turn signal at night, the blind spot warning image will display a glare that obfuscates the view of approaching vehicles? File a complain with the NHTSA to force Tesla, once again, to do the right thing.
I just unplugged the blinker on the repeater and called it a day. Sealed the connectors with some electric tape in case I want to do this in a later day… There’s already plenty of blinkers on the car, no need for those. If you still have your car under warranty this is probably the best option for you as well. Keep in mind, if you don’t put a resistor, the other blinkers will blink at a faster rate…
RUclips is excellent for helping others with this type of video.
Excellent detective work.
I used a flat blade melting tip on my soldering iron and cut a square-ish piece out with the width of the 2 holes you showed. Heaps of room to place black epoxy on the problem areas. Then I used the same epoxy to affix piece I cut out.
Simple operation really.
Done both in 40mins. No glare.
Thank you.
Nice idea,be careful of plastic fumes though. Not safe to melt/burn plastic in places with low ventilation
Dude, this worked! Thanks so much. My experience:
1) I was able to get into the fenderwell without removing the bottom snaps, I just used a plastic spurg tool to pull out the liner and was able to cram my hand up inside to release the cameras.
2) I drilled all 4 holes (two each) by hand, and I ended up going WAY too deep on almost every hole. I definitely hit stuff inside the housing, but everything still works fine.
3) I used the same silicone sealant on the inside as I did to seal the holes on the outside, I didn't use a separate epoxy.
4) I realized that just one layer of electrical tape wasn't enough to get the cameras fully dark, I ended up putting on 3 or 4 layers to be sure I blocked all the light in testing.
5) I just used a small zip tie to smudge stuff around inside the housing. But I used a TON of black silicone, I just gooped it up as much as I could inside.
That works great so far and only cost me the price of a 3 oz tube of Permatex black adhesive RTV sealant.
Are you resolve? Because there is an update in the info of video. Thanks
I have a 2019 m3 exactly this issue I’ve been ignoring thinking bad design but I saw someone posted Tesla FB forum they got them replaced under warranty, mine is still under warranty so I booked a service call the quote was AUD$449 to come out and replace, I called the service centre to confirm it’s a warranty issue, I was told “ it’s not a warranty item because it’s a known design problem so not covered” so I cancelled the request then searched found your fix and decided to try it.
I did it slightly differently using a Drexel tool to tease away enough casing to see the pcb, then pumped a little black silicone onto pcb as you did to fill the three holes and the edge of the board, then I covered the camera lens and reconnected and tested the result was massive improvement so I filled the hole with bit more silicone to prevent water getting in and popped it back into wing.
Then I repeated on other side but this time spent an extra couple of minutes testing and adding silicone until the results were almost perfect before filling the hole and refitting into wing.
Cut my finger on the fake chrome plastic trim edge, damn that was sharp lol anyway thanks to you and your work I’ve spent an hour and and $5 for a tube of silicone to save myself AUD $444 😮😊
Thanks again
I decided not to do this mod and simply DIY replaced them with the latest -D revision. One thing to note: I opted to keep the Chrome look for my Late 2018 build. Repeater assemblies come with the FLAT BLACK eyebrow COVERS. Those must be removed in order to install the CHROME eyebrow COVERS. I used a hair dryer to warm the covers and adhesive tape. I started from the narrow aft end, gently prying the cover off. I cleaned the contact area of all adhesive residue using 3m adhesive remover. Any adhesive remover will work though. I peeled the protective backer, aligned the cover, and pressed firmly all around it. The fit is perfect too the original.
Cost. Repeater $130 ea replacement chrome covers $25 ea. Total $325 incl tax. DIY savings $170-$200 in labor.
Absolutely A1 detective work - with fix! Very nicely done - and shared!!
I recommend using a hot blunt nail to punch through the housing instead of a drill. more control, minimal damage if accidentally overshot.
Did this today as this was annoying me for a long time. Drilled the two holes but cut a slot between the two with a dremal. Then used epoxy resin with black pigment and poured a tiny amount over the camera. Then used Colloidal Silica to thicken the resin and seal up the slot I made. Worked very well. Thanks for posting this.
Great piece of work!
Just a remark, when the Tesla technician came to replace my camera, he did not removed the wheel trim part. He pressed the two clips visible on the top of the camera (7:35) with a flexible plastic tool and the camera pop out of there. Clean and easy.
We followed the Tesla Service Manual. Rangers may have discovered short cuts to save time. As long as you're very careful and put some tape on the bodywork to protect it, that way may work for you but the risks of breaking one or both of the securing tabs are much greater.
@@TeslaGurus ok, I see also your further explanation on TMC.
Thank you for ending the mystery. I knew it was internal leakage because I taped up everything as well. I knew that trying to disassemble the camera was not going to happen. I wonder why those three holes were there in the first place.
I think whoever designed the camera PCB didn't have the foresight to know that a bright LED would be shining on it and fogging the sensor. Those through-holes are very common on double-sided PCBs and are just a convenient way to connect one side to the other electrically.
Ironically, because of the spacing I bet they're to stop EM interference sneaking into the camera module and affecting the sensor.
@@TeslaGurus Yep, and they clearly didn't test the old version well enough to have them done right in the first place
@@UniqueApparently this is exactly the point of this video and design iteration. Nothing is ever perfect
This is really informative, thank you for the detailed step by step and analysis. Mine 2019 M3P suffers from this glare.
Thanks for watching!
The issues goes beyond the glare. Interestingly I've been able to compare the new and the old because I had my right side replaced due to peeling chrome. The new camera on the right side not only lacks glare, but it also lacks problems seeing when it's raining outside. Tesla won't admit it, but the old cameras were severely flawed due to the light glare and due to water collecting on the lens while its raining causing the image to warp and wobble while driving. FSD is extremely unhappy whenever its even slightly misting and it's always complaining about the older camera. Tesla service refuses to replace the other old one.
Thanks for the info. Must be the lip on the cover keeping the lens cleaner.
@@kkallioj Could also be a water repelling coating on the lens itself?
Know of any way to degrade the chrome and I can get a warranty replacement?
I had no idea the issue I see on my M3 was due to the internal camera circuit board issue. I just assumed it was glare from the light externally. Great job.. Will now be arranging a service appointment.
Let us know if they make you pay for it.
Good luck, I did a service appointment and they said it was a characteristic of the car and if I wanted new ones I would have to pay!
@@j999gav I got the exact same wording. Must be copy and paste to the issue. They already know and refuse to fix something that is obvious.
I use either a old soldering iron or some nichrome wire to cut plastic on critical parts. The soldering iron has a screw in the tip with a piece of copper pipe end cap that I used for larger holes. You can smash them a bit for different shapes. When done pop out the piece and epoxy paste it back in or use ABS sludge to fill in the gap. I use printer toner in resin (uv takes a bit longer to cure) to make extremely black resin when needed.
Great video! Maybe the following has been mentioned in the comments already. This problem has to have at least some small affect related to safety using Autopilot/FSD driving modes at night.
which is what should be pushed towards during a conversation with SC imo to try and force them to replace that part free of charge.
@@VladOnEarth Yea I tried that they don't care if you have FSD and the camera is affected they say it's still within spec and works good enough. Typical Tesla response.
@JFlywheel because they messed up so bad that if they admi it once, it will mean 100k+ cars will need free replacement they will lose A LOT of money from that. I personally would have been ok with just replacement part shipped to me, super easy replacement.
@@VladOnEarth I think they will be ok if they at least fixed it for FSD cars. I mean they are charging an arm and a leg for FSD. I guess the other solution is to drive like a BMW driver (just don't use your turn signals).
Helpful video. I didn’t realize there is a fix for the problem. I scheduled a service appointment to replace my cameras with a newer revision. The glare is annoying and seems like it would impact FSD performance.
Did you have to pay for the replacement?
This is so well explained, nice job!
Thank you!
I don’t even have a Tesla idk why I’m here but his voice is calming
Man, I went into this with the utmost confidence and it ended up costing me 200 bucks on used cameras. No fault of the video though.
Where I screwed up is I was doing both cameras at the same time. I used a soldering iron to make the holes and then used a small drill bit to clean them up. While cleaning them up I must have knicked something. Follow his directions to a T and you won't have any issues. Lesson here is don't get cocky lol
Excellent level of detail. Thank you, I'll have to check to see if I have this problem.
Be careful in your choice of sealant. The common type contains acetic acid (smells like strong vinegar) and is very corrosive to metal parts and is not recommended for use on printed circuit boards.
Dow and others make a version that is designed for use around electronic parts.
This is a very good point we will mention in our follow up video
Thank you very much guys for doing this excellent investigation and tutorial for the community!
Thank you so much for this video! Made the modifications straightforward. And wow, did it ever work! So much better without the light bleed.
I used spray paint to cover the leakage. I sprayed paint onto a scrap piece of plastic, let it dry for a couple minutes to thicken, and then applied with a toothpick.
Very nice! I can see why this isn't really practical as a service procedure. But definitely doable, especially if you were planning to fork out the money for new cameras anyways. BTW, the "serial number" is likely a date code (YYDDD) to identify the PCB lot.
Tesla states in the internal service manuals that the camera/repeater is "a single use only". If you remove it from the fender you have to replace it. Quite bold given the pricetag..
@@wiwelwiwel9141 what does the new one cost from Tesla?
Thank you for this tutorial. Fixed both mine now. One tip is to not remove the blinkers when it's freezing cold outside like i did. The tabs will break of..
But luckyli i have a whole tube of black sticky stuff that i bought for this.
Thanks for the detailed video. Probably a bit too fiddly for me to do myself. I hope my service center will replace mine under warranty.
1:19, and multiple reddit posters said the SC won't do it under warranty - it is a ~$500 fix for arguably a design defect.
@@frollard Tesla are a Joke. They need to address this otherwise how can they be taken seriously. Its a safety issue when moving lane.
@@EVMYT wonder if someone took it to a lawyer or NHSTA if it would become a warranted defect
Very clever, but as you say, not one I’ll be doing at home!!
OMG.. I assumed it was glare from the lens on the outside. Both mine have this issue only at night on my Y-P-20. It's really typical Tesla to deny an obvious problem and push the issue back on their customers by telling them " It's within spec, but we'll fix it for $$$"
A complaint to the NTSB might save you $300. They will decide.
" I was blinded by the red glare, changed lanes and caused an accident.
Well done! I'm really curious if anyone has experienced better FSD with this mod. I have this same problem too.
I would like to know too as I turned my FSD off. It's unsafe at night esp if it is raining on these defective cameras. Don't get FSD it's a waste of allot of money.
There are newer revisions for the repeaters than the ones you mentioned in your video now in North America (should be the same for the whole world though): 1495864-20-D and 1495865-20-D. Hopefully they are all now being made without light bleed.
I decided to modify my repeaters today to get rid of the light bleed, even though it doesn't bother me since I don't care for the blind spot feature. They were a pain to remove even knowing exactly how and where to push on the two tabs. I ended up breaking the housings on both. But that just makes it easier to brush Plastidip around the camera lens and board. Then I'm just going to epoxy the housings back together. If they end up looking ugly, I'll just buy the new revisions to replace them.
Glad you tried the fix anyway. Yes, you are correct, only the -D revision part has eliminated the glare properly. The -C repeaters still have glare which comes from the glue holding the camera onto the PCB transmitting the LED light into the sensor. We'll post a follow up video soon with more details.
@@TeslaGurus hey there, I noticed in your video that version C of the side repeater camera is the new design and assuming it eliminates the light bleed. My Tesla service centre has ordered two to replace on my 2019 M3 and wanted to confirm first. Thanks and amazing video by the way!
@@wissamzaher No, the -C revision still has light bleed. We are making a follow up video to explain this. You need to wait until they have the -D repeater in stock. That fixes it.
@@TeslaGurus thanks for that. Weird as my mates m3 has version C and no light bleed. Which is confusing but a good sign? Looking forward to the upcoming video. Thanks for highlighting the issue!
@@wissamzaher Are there any other revision numbers on the housing? What is the full part number? Nothing would surprise me with this as we know there's a mix of good and bad cameras installed in cars from the factory!
Hi, instead of trying my luck with a drill and potentially destroying something behind the cover, how about melting a hole with a soldering iron?
Thank you very much! That’s very cool!
I think I have to order 2 new cameras an the chrome trims 👍🏻
The new chrome trim doesn’t have Tesla logo, or does it?
Thank you for your video and analysis, this is very interesting. I have the same problem on one of my camera, the other one has been changed and is ok. I'll start with a Ranger and warranty. If not possible, i'll do your modification.
Also, the black bodies are made from Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA or Acrylic). This is easily "cut" with a hot knife, plastic welded with the same or "glued" with some common adhesives like two part epoxies or UV cured adhesives. If its a crack, there are acrylic glues like "weld on" for acrylics. This literially "melts' the acrylic and lets it reform. Keep in mind this plastic is very brittle and is referred to as glass in the trade. I was reminded of this pulling one of my lights and the entire top cracked off because I was a bit off on where I was prying :/
Thank you so much, I had no idea my repeaters had leaking light causing the blinker glare. You'd think Tesla would offer us replacement repeaters if not for free, then at a discounted price. Considering Tesla knew about it!
Update: Visited a Tesla Service Center yesterday and was told by the manager that Tesla will not replace the repeaters in my 2018 Model 3 because the cameras at the time were never intended to be used as blind spot cameras. He went on to say that it's doubtful that they will even be replaced down the road for FSD, because the software will most likely work around the glare. I think this really stinks because if Tesla is going to open up newer features for older models then we should at least get the newer hardware or get a discounted price to buy them. Seems like Tesla is doing this to convince us to buy a newer model, just like Apple does.
They did try to do a fix, it used too many compute cycles. They removed it.
The windshield wiper AI also doesn't work since 4 years, needs a rewrite. If I back into my batcave, and the light level changes on the front camera, it goes crazy wiping even though the windshield is dry.
Great video. Truthfully I just replaced the two cameras with new ones :-)
Did you have to pay for them?
Liquid tape from the Plastidip folks would seem ideal for this.
I got my right side repeater replaced last summer (due to condensation) on my TM3 -21 and that one have this issue. The other side which is not changed doesn't have any issue.
This was very informative. Thank you for sharing.
I will absolutely be doing this! Excellent work.
Excellent content and delivery, thanks guys!
FANTASTIC
Thanks
I had a replacement right side repeater last week and I don’t have this issue whereas my old left one does have this issue.
I have this issue on my 2017 Model X and contacted Tesla to arrange for a paid replacement. Service told me it wasn't an issue with my car and cancelled the appointment!
my left ear enjoyed this video
Your left ear has good taste.
What do you make of the design of the newest camera vs the taped over camera? Is it more efficient? Better vision? Shielding?
Also why is it that tesla cameras aren’t HD? These 100 dash cams on the market that are 4K
No, I don't think there is much, if any difference between the oldest and newest cameras in terms of vision. These cameras are there mainly for FSD and ADAS and for that they don't need to be the highest resolution available. If they were, there would be much more processing power required in the MCU.
Fantastic work.
Great presentation, thank you!
Great info and thanks for sharing. I just ordered up new repeaters for my 2018 M3 and although the EPC showed the -D PN, I noticed that my receipt shows the following: "1495864-20-C 1495864-20-D" I really hope the -D's show up! I plan on shooting a video on this upgrade/Fix and will definitely credit this video for the insight!
Did they make you pay for it.
@@FIGHTTHECABLE Yes, I simply ordered new ones and installed them. All is well.
Thanks for the video - scratches an itch as to what went wrong..
If mine wasn't under warranty still, I _might_ attempt this. Only my passenger side one is bad (March 2021 SR+ in Canada). A slightly easier variation might be to drill only the first hole but pour in some black electronics potting compound and fill it up completely.. (google electronics potting compound black). I'm paying Tesla service $200 Canadian to replace the passenger side one. Driver side seems ok.
Don't do it! That would obscure the repeater as it would get between the light pipe and the repeater window!
@@TeslaGurus someone pointed this out on Reddit as well, agreed, bad idea!
Very good detective work. Question - could you just make the holes then give a short blast or two of some non conductive rubberized spray paint into the holes? It doesn't look like it would matter what it lands on as long as it doesn't glob up on the end of the LED tube. May work to seal better and much easier than trying to dab at it with a small brush or dowel.
No, as it would then go all over the inside of the repeater window. As long as you have a small brush or stick you can just dab it all over the camera and rear pcb which I think is probably the best method. Or use a syringe if you are using free-flowing paint/sealant.
@@TeslaGurus oh right, I didn’t think about the inside of the repeater window.
The reason the multitude of holes are under the LED is so that it doesn't overheat. You don't want to spray any of the LED holes, from whichever side you come in. Spraying the light pipe can't be too bad, but will also increase the temperature of the light pipe, and therefore the LED. How much? Hard to tell.
Excellent video and quite an impressive fix!!
Glad you liked it!
@@TeslaGurus I used this method to a week ago and all is well. It’s not absolutely perfect but very close! I suspect the glue holding the sensor didn’t get covered quite enough. Very happy with the results! Thanks again!
I used a soldering iron with a thin tip. Then used Sika black adhesive to cover the holes, transparent glue and then seal the 2 holes
But first I purchased a damaged (broken clips) camera to to a test run.
Followed your instructions and fixed both sides blinkers only one difference I was heating tiny knife and making Mini entrance door that’s it
Brilliant! I may just try this, I'm definitely affected. Might as well try to save 500 dollars
Great! Plus you'll be saving those repeater units from ending up in a bin somewhere.
300 usd for parts+ Tesla labor.
I might give it a go with a Dremel. I don't have a drill press.
Just be vary careful how deep you cut as there are components close to where you need to get access to get the paint/sealant/tape in there.
If opting to DIY and purchase new, no mention of having to qualify a new cam to the computer? If true this is perhaps rare among the many parts which must be! Thank you for this informative video.
There is probably a market here for someone to set up a service to repair their cameras. I don't personally have a pillar drill or drill press and not really willing to attempt it without one. I have done something similar to stop rear light condensation by making a 3D printed silica-gel pack which can be replaced when necessary.
Get a dremel
I did it by hand with a portable drill, and I definitely went a bit further in the housing but apparently didn't damage anything.
Awesome video
That's totally worth a shot.
Brilliant and subscribed!
I spent 5 minutes trying to fix my headphones before realizing your microphone’s balance is skewed 15% to the left :-)
Lol. Just to prove I'm editing in stereo!
New camera is about $130, which, considering that it’s a car part, is actually not that expensive. You don’t have to worry about flushing thousands of dollars down the drain if you mess up.
Great video. How about accessing by temporarily removing the gore patch? Possible?
Not possible unfortunately
Just got pricing from tesla to replace these. $337 for both cameras installed or $130 per camera if you just wanted the parts to install yourself
Do you have the parts #s?
Nice find! Does the camera housing have an ultrasonic weld or is there a better way to get inside? I'm assuming you destroyed 3 enclosures to get to the boards so could tell. I've had to solve similar problems with light sensors and cameras. If you can get inside, may be best to wrap around the camera with electrical tape too.
Liquid electric tape should also well for the holes, but just as messy as silicone.
There is no better way I can see other than somehow making a hole yourself. The two halves are very well stuck together and don't break apart easily along the weld/glue line. It's too easy to break off a large piece of the housing when prising them apart. We actually used liquid electric tape in the video, so yes that works well and flows nicely. You could use that in a syringe and be more precise where you squirt it.
Great work!
It strikes me that maybe the light tube should be silvered to direct more light to the end. This would make the indicator brighter also.
That would make very little difference to the brightness but if the whole piece of acrylic was painted apart from the ends that might have been enough to prevent this issue in the first place.
@@TeslaGurus that’s what I meant, maybe even a white sleeving around the tube.
@@kevinfletcher1999 opening them up isn't easy, but before i Saw the tapei would have guessed that the solution would have been some sort of heatshrink on the acrylic piece instead of a Tiny bit of fidly tape, but then again i dont know the exact manufacturing details the tape is certainly cheaper and maybe easier is well
Yes, very difficult to open them up without major damage to the housing, but our method works well enough and is relatively easy to do.
Thank you! How much is the new camera? Does it work just plug and play?
The cameras are around $130 and yes you can swap them over. Requires camera calibration after though.
Can you just unplug the connection that powers the side repeater light? Or does that plug also power something else?
Seems like it would be fine to just have front and rear turn signal lights
It only powers the light but disconecting them might give errors after a while. I'd rather have all my lights in working order anyway. It's law in a lot of countries to have side repeaters.
Great job thank you
wow! amazing video! Thank you!
Not sure if it's been mentioned yet - since you have spare/duds, are you willing to try filling one up to the level of the camera pcb with opaque potting compound? (tilting to the appropriate angle to prevent the output optical end from having problems) - to see if the compound wicks between the led and the light pipe interfering with the blinker?
That's going to obscure the light pipe so the repeater won't be visible afterwards. There is a big gap between the light pipe and the repeater window!
Really interesting thanks. Any ideas on stopping glare from bright sun please?
There's not much you can do about that. It's a wide-angle lens (needs to be) and that means low sun will sometimes be a problem.
@@TeslaGurus cheers. How will this affect FSD? I quite often get multiple camera issues particularly when the suns low in winter in the uk. Does it stop FSD working or is it compensated by other tech. Being cheeky can you devise a solution for not seeing. black door handles on a blue car at night please. Aarrrggghhhhh.
Simple answer is we don't know as FSD isn't used much in the UK. Personally I think the door pillar cameras are more critical for FSD but only time will tell. I have color coded door handles on mine, so it's impossible to see them in the dark! I think we need backlighting.
In the $470 to replace them, was that for both sides and did it include labor, or just parts?
That helps decide which way to go.
In WA state with all the grey, dark and rain, that glare is a real issue.
Thanks
How about poking through with a hot soldering iron instead of drilling? That wouldnt damage the board on the other side
That might work, although the plastic is quite thick and you could still accidentally hit one of the coils which is just the other side sticking up on the main PCB. Whatever method you choose, just go very slowly and carefully!
@@TeslaGurus Boring a hole with a soldering iron worked well for me. It was much less stressful than drilling the hole. I drilled the passenger side and almost destroyed it. I used the soldering iron on the driver side and it worked very well. I bought liquid electrical tape at Ace Hardware and it was perfect. Problem solved!! Thank you Tesla Gurus for this great video. It gave me the confidence to try this and it worked flawlessly.
This really should be a recall!
i have some water / humidity I can see inside the light pipe area. On rainy days, I occasionally have the AP tell me the camera is blocked off. Im assuming the goretex patch or the lens seal is leaking somewhere a bit. Would it be ok to bake the camera at 40 degrees or so to get the humidity out or are there any other ideas for this?
You could leave the unit in a warm place for a couple of days but if you want to dry it out faster a very low oven would be OK. Then carefully inspect the housing for any cracks and seal them so the water doesn't get in again.
hi, witch is the best black epoxy putty to use? Is it possible to fill the 2 holes with epoxy without problems or do i have to put the right amount? thanks
Perfect video. Thank you
Very cool fix.
What do you think of possibly drilling a small hole and shooting sealing foam with low expansion?
Anything like this would be quite difficult to control and too easy to get on the window and block the actual repeater.
You can cover the through-hole with solder mask and UV Light.
Are the two halves just glued together? If so, can one simply apply a heat gun to it to soften the glue and pry it apart? I'd like to give this a go but don't feel comfortable drilling out the OEM housing.
They are either welded or glued but impossible to get apart with a heat gun or any other way without risking damaging the unit.
Great video 👍
I got my left camera replaced yesterday and now i got glare. I didnt have that before. Its a model 3 P 2021.
I asked them about it and they said it was a software bug and it will disapear soon? I guess they lied to me.
I'm afraid so.
So weird, we have a 2022 Berlin Model Y bulit in september with this exact issue.
Can I apply painters tape on the lights..!! Will that fix this issue
Interesting. Thank you.
I don’t see the need for access inside the wheel well. Are there clips that need to be in clipped on the inside? Otherwise, can you just pull on the side markers from the outside? If so, which area of the side markers should you pull from? Front rear top or bottom?
There are 4 (or 5) clips and you need to depress them if you don't want the sheet metal to scrape the teeth off the clips.
We followed the service manual method. Metal is very thin in that area so we didn't want to risk damaging it.
Everything I needed to know! Thank you both
The original Tesla cams had their uart parts exposed interesting I wonder what kind of data you could pull...
i2c*
Hi - is this not part of warranty?
Nice. Wish you would’ve showed the camera fixed in the car and working. Just for a real world comparison.
Watch out for our next video where we repair a -C version camera and show it before and after!
@@TeslaGurus I have a 2022 so I assume mine is good but I’ll look for it next time it’s dark out. Thanks
Great job
Brilliant!
Does this also affect 2022 model 3 as well?
Shouldn't do
I get glare from the repeaters at different times on sunny days and a warning message on the screen.
Can you post an image or location on the C revision, where to fix this. I've tried yesterday, but can't find the correct spot to fill.
We're going to post a follow up video very soon with some additional information about camera revisions and how to carry out the repair, so make sure you're subscribed to get a notification!
@@TeslaGurus I am. Just eager to fix it 🤣
When activating the turn signal at night, the blind spot warning image will display a glare that obfuscates the view of approaching vehicles? File a complain with the NHTSA to force Tesla, once again, to do the right thing.
Did you manage to work out which ones have glare and which dont? Does the 50-j or 50-H have glare?
Sorry, no
@TeslaGurus I've got a 20-C and and 20-d and both have a very small amount of indicator glare. Wonder if the new E has this.
Wowww! Well done! 👍🏻
Thank you! 😃
I just unplugged the blinker on the repeater and called it a day. Sealed the connectors with some electric tape in case I want to do this in a later day… There’s already plenty of blinkers on the car, no need for those. If you still have your car under warranty this is probably the best option for you as well. Keep in mind, if you don’t put a resistor, the other blinkers will blink at a faster rate…