HARDWARE FIX for hot phone charging issue! New wireless charger has a built-in heatsink

[HaulingAss]

Based on input from other members (who just had this done), it didn’t help, so kinda depressing actually. The fix, is apparently, not legit.

I predicted earlier in this thread that heat sinks on the back of the wireless charger wouldn't fix the problem with iPhones. Because the problem is not with the wireless charger.

Apple needs to provide the fix (but they will refuse). The iPhone was very late to wireless charging and, when they finally offered it, it created excessive heat on standard wireless chargers. My observation is that Apple wanted to lock customers into their own ecosystem, including wireless charging. Sure, an iPhone would charge on a standard wireless charger, but not very well. To get the highest charge speeds you needed an Apple charger.

I was wirelessly charging my Android phones for at least 4 years before Apple offered it.

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[Oden's Beast]

I predicted earlier in this thread that heat sinks on the back of the wireless charger wouldn't fix the problem with iPhones. Because the problem is not with the wireless charger.

Apple needs to provide the fix (but they will refuse). The iPhone was very late to wireless charging and, when they finally offered it, it created excessive heat on standard wireless chargers. My observation is that Apple wanted to lock customers into their own ecosystem, including wireless charging. Sure, an iPhone would charge on a standard wireless charger, but not very well. To get the highest charge speeds you needed an Apple charger.

I was wirelessly charging my Android phones for at least 4 years before Apple offered it.

Okay, but if it’s an Apple only issue, why does the wireless charger in our Toyota Highlander Hybrid work flawlessly, as does the one in my Mercedes? Using the same two phone models (actually the same exact two phones, each being a different model release) that will always overheat on the Cybertruck chargers. That makes no sense to me as to why this would now start being called an Apple only issue. When again, it works fine in my other vehicles, that just don’t happen to be Tesla’s?

Also, the visible change we saw in the original post was heat sinks (indicating on outward appearance a definitive hardware change had occurred in the two different shown revisions). There was nothing shown or discussed on actual coil placement on the board, or any other possible changes in the circuit or its components.

When I have multi vehicles with zero issues with the same exact phones (and these vehicles were produced a few years before my truck was), my logic tells me it is more likely a Tesla issue. That’s my 2 cents anyway.

 

[Macgreiner]

Right. My iPhone charges just fine on my Qi desktop mount and on my Model 3. The common denominator in all this is the CT charger.

 

[HaulingAss]

Okay, but if it’s an Apple only issue, why does the wireless charger in our Toyota Highlander Hybrid work flawlessly, as does the one in my Mercedes? Using the same two phone models (actually the same exact two phones, each being a different model release) that will always overheat on the Cybertruck chargers. That makes no sense to me as to why this would now start being called an Apple only issue. When again, it works fine in my other vehicles, that just don’t happen to be Tesla’s?

Also, the visible change we saw in the original post was heat sinks (indicating on outward appearance a definitive hardware change had occurred in the two different shown revisions). There was nothing shown or discussed on actual coil placement on the board, or any other possible changes in the circuit or its components.

When I have multi vehicles with zero issues with the same exact phones (and these vehicles were produced a few years before my truck was), my logic tells me it is more likely a Tesla issue. That’s my 2 cents anyway.

Probably the units in Toyota and Mercedes have smaller phone areas, leading to better alignment between the wireless charging coils. Positioning matters. The Cybertruck can accommodate the largest phones made today but that can lead to coil misalignment in phones of more average size.

 

[HaulingAss]

Right. My iPhone charges just fine on my Qi desktop mount and on my Model 3. The common denominator in all this is the CT charger.

And the common denominator is also the iPhone. Both our Android phones charge fine, both in her Model 3 Performance and my Cybertruck. I get about 10% SOC added before I know it. My phone doesn't get any warmer than the wireless chargers we use at home.

 

[Oden's Beast]

Probably the units in Toyota and Mercedes have smaller phone areas, leading to better alignment between the wireless charging coils. Positioning matters. The Cybertruck can accommodate the largest phones made today but that can lead to coil misalignment in phones of more average size.

One of the phones is a 16 Pro Max. So literally their biggest phone. If they are being designed only for specific phone models, as a manufacturer, I would simply disclose this with an asterisk on the specification for the truck (*Compatible with phone models…..blah, blah, blah). They don’t do this. If they did (and they did actually design to a specific size), it would eliminate this entire warranty issue for them.

Either that, or include (Tesla would likely sell them as an option though ?) spacers that drop in the charger pockets for different phone models to ensure alignment in their designed coil location (as done with AirPods by some after market offerings).

Or, just make them mag compatible so they stick to the correct spot.

Any of these three solutions could potentially solve this warranty issue for them (if in fact it’s just an alignment issue).

None of these are being offered to us.

 

[Loudness]

I’m using an iPhone 16 Pro Max, and I can definitively say that the upgraded module with the heat sink fins is a huge improvement. See my previous posts in this thread.

 

[seussiii]

Might be a hot take but I hate the angle/position of the stock chargers. One of the first upgrades I did was to get the bolt on bracket with the magsafe charger for the left pillar. Works great and much better visibility.

 

[CYBST24]

Updated charger seems to be improved; iPhone 16 pro went from 32% to 36% in ~12 minutes and was not excessively warm. I’ll take it as a win.

 

[HaulingAss]

Any of these three solutions could potentially solve this warranty issue for them (if in fact it’s just an alignment issue).

Are you saying this is an Apple warranty issue or a Tesla warranty issue?

In either case, I don't think it's a warranty issue at all, unless the iPhone simply won't charge. You may have to slide it left or right to get the best results. Remember when Apple didn't consider poor phone reception a warranty issue? They told customers they were holding their phones the wrong way and blocking the antenna!

Unfortunately, the location of non Qi charger coils is not standardized from phone to phone.

 

[Oden's Beast]

Are you saying this is an Apple warranty issue or a Tesla warranty issue?

In either case, I don't think it's a warranty issue at all, unless the iPhone simply won't charge. You may have to slide it left or right to get the best results. Remember when Apple didn't consider poor phone reception a warranty issue? They told customers they were holding their phones the wrong way and blocking the antenna!

Unfortunately, the location of non Qi charger coils is not standardized from phone to phone.

Tesla is fixing these under warranty, so technically (in my mind at least), Tesla is even saying it’s a warranty issue.

As it should be doing.

If the trucks USB-C plugs didn’t work to charge your phone when plugged in, and not only did they not charge them, but they actually caused them to overheat, I’m pretty sure the expectation of most owners would be this feature should really be working correctly (and as advertised).

In the big picture, is it mission critical for the truck to operate, no. Is it kind of annoying though, yes.

I literally took a coworker to lunch (as he asked to see/experience the truck up close). His phone over heated and displayed a message to that effect while just driving to the restaurant. It really was not a great first impression for a vehicle at this price point.

I love Tesla, and the next level engineering in this truck, it’s the best and most fun vehicle I’ve ever owned. But (IMHO) basic features should have an expectation from us all, to actually work.

 

[Gigahorse]

Guys, the obvious answer to this is an Asetek phase-change Vapochill cooler. The base unit should fit in the space in front of the center console. Then rig the cooling head (designed to cool overclocked CPUs) to the underside of the CT's magnetic phone charger.

If you are creative, make it so you can carry the asembly around with you and attach to the back of your iPhone so you can use it on a sunny day for more than 17.3 seconds before it typically overheats and the screen gets so dim as to be effectively useless as a phone at all.

Honestly, carrying this thing around in a pack wouldn't even be as bad as the old bag cell phones from the '80's, however, you would also have to carry around a 110-volt A.C. current source, such as a Bluetti powerbank or something...

All around, a very practical solution to power and cool your 15-oz phone with only 45-lbs of extra gear, I'd say...

?

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[F-E]

Tesla canceled my appointment. Stating they don’t have a fix at this moment. I added a screenshot of their reply.

 

[Oden's Beast]

Tesla canceled my appointment. Stating they don’t have a fix at this moment. I added a screenshot of their reply.

Wow, thank you for the update!

 

[CyberGus]

All charging (and wireless charging in particular) induces heat. The excessive heat is likely due to coil misalignment.

I'd love to bench-test one of the charge pads to search for a position that readily charges without the extra heat. Not sure what I'd do with that information, since the phone-charge area is not readily modifiable. (I've already tried setting the phone higher, I think it needs to be lower...)

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