Tesla pushing update failed PCS to enable supercharging while awaiting PCS repair part

[BeastDrew]

Anyone hear how to actually get the free supercharging? My pcs failed on Saturday and have been supercharging since and as of last night still paying for it.

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[LarryASilva]

Sure it's not all, mine May 2024 FS Beast is still rocking the original PCS. However, I did get this alert last night:

Ah, I think that list is Tesla's mothership tracking alerts from vehicles, not a list formed from the manufacturing tracking data. Or a result of someone asking for their truck to be fixed due to "the recall" which doesn't (yet?) exist.

It could leave one stranded in the back country if they were driving to the backcountry where there was only AC charging and had it suddenly fail. Low occurrence, but valid for boondocking/ overlander types. Or people that live far from DC charging and have one vehicle.

Yesterday, I posted some info here from a Gemini AI inquiry about our PCS issue. In a nutshell, one of the surprising AI findings to me ... was the statement that the PCS failures are related to electrical stress on the particular MOSFETS used in some Cybertruck PCS units.

A contributing factor to failure is the heat generated in the PCS unit during higher amperage home charging. I just got a Tesla Wall Charger installed .... but I am dialing back the charge rate from 48amps to 20 for my overnight charges. For whatever reasons ... the Gemini AI information was looked down upon by some folks here and the admins here stopped comment on the info and moved my post off somewhere.

I believe that the PCS problem with some Cybertrucks is well known and ignoring sometimes obscure info that AI can find is not a wise idea. May I highly suggest that anyone interested in the details of the PCS problem go to Grok, Gemini, and Chatgbt and ask, "Tell me what you know about some Cybertrucks having a problem with the PCS unit and what is known about the causes for PCS failure"

We all know that AI is not always right ... but if all 3 major AI engines agree that we can lessen the chance of failure by backing off to a cooler 20 amp overnight charge rate ... we might have more time.... more time before a failure that Tesla appears to presently have a parts shortage to address quickly. AI ... verify before trusting on important stuff. A PCS failure IS IMPORTANT STUFF.

 

[Jager]

Yesterday, I posted some info here from a Gemini AI inquiry about our PCS issue. In a nutshell, one of the surprising AI findings to me ... was the statement that the PCS failures are related to electrical stress on the particular MOSFETS used in some Cybertruck PCS units.

A contributing factor to failure is the heat generated in the PCS unit during higher amperage home charging. I just got a Tesla Wall Charger installed .... but I am dialing back the charge rate from 48amps to 20 for my overnight charges. For whatever reasons ... the Gemini AI information was looked down upon by some folks here and the admins here stopped comment on the info and moved my post off somewhere.

I believe that the PCS problem with some Cybertrucks is well known and ignoring sometimes obscure info that AI can find is not a wise idea. May I highly suggest that anyone interested in the details of the PCS problem go to Grok, Gemini, and Chatgbt and ask, "Tell me what you know about some Cybertrucks having a problem with the PCS unit and what is known about the causes for PCS failure"

We all know that AI is not always right ... but if all 3 major AI engines agree that we can lessen the chance of failure by backing off to a cooler 20 amp overnight charge rate ... we might have more time.... more time before a failure that Tesla appears to presently have a parts shortage to address quickly. AI ... verify before trusting on important stuff. A PCS failure IS IMPORTANT STUFF.

I don't think most folks have a problem with other folks' using AI Bots. But at this point these large language models are mostly just very sophisticated internet scrapers. Think Google search on steroids. Thus, they simply represent a lot of opinions from numerous unnamed and unvalidated sources.

I'm in the camp that would prefer content in forums such as this be from active human Cybertruck owners, not long cut-and-paste summaries from some AI Bot. I can do that myself if that's the sort of "authoritative opinion" I'm looking for.

And I'll offer that I disagree with your Gemini bot's suggestion to reduce L2 charging to something less than 32 amps. Seeing 32+ amps of charging is the only positive indication that a user typically is going to see that their PCS2 continues to work properly. A suddenly lower drop below 32 amps is typically the first user sign that their PCS2 is beginning to fail.

Deliberately lowering the charge rate below 32 amps is like putting a blindfold on.

 

[mongo]

I charge nightly at home off a 30amp dryer plug using a Tesla mobile charger. I pull 32amps when charging. PCS failed at 29k miles. Oct 2024 build. NonFS AWD 41xxx VIN. I think I’ve charged 3 times on 48amps, all at hotel destination chargers. So it’s not a 48amp thing for me at least.

Your 30A dryer plug and house wiring are not rated for 32A EV charging. The Mobile Connector should be limiting to 24A max. Did you create a 30A to 14-50 pigtail? If so, reduce charge current on the truck side and order the correct adapter.

 

[mongo]

Yesterday, I posted some info here from a Gemini AI inquiry about our PCS issue. In a nutshell, one of the surprising AI findings to me ... was the statement that the PCS failures are related to electrical stress on the particular MOSFETS used in some Cybertruck PCS units.

A contributing factor to failure is the heat generated in the PCS unit during higher amperage home charging. I just got a Tesla Wall Charger installed .... but I am dialing back the charge rate from 48amps to 20 for my overnight charges. For whatever reasons ... the Gemini AI information was looked down upon by some folks here and the admins here stopped comment on the info and moved my post off somewhere.

I believe that the PCS problem with some Cybertrucks is well known and ignoring sometimes obscure info that AI can find is not a wise idea. May I highly suggest that anyone interested in the details of the PCS problem go to Grok, Gemini, and Chatgbt and ask, "Tell me what you know about some Cybertrucks having a problem with the PCS unit and what is known about the causes for PCS failure"

We all know that AI is not always right ... but if all 3 major AI engines agree that we can lessen the chance of failure by backing off to a cooler 20 amp overnight charge rate ... we might have more time.... more time before a failure that Tesla appears to presently have a parts shortage to address quickly. AI ... verify before trusting on important stuff. A PCS failure IS IMPORTANT STUFF.

Nothing is "known" outside of Tesla beyond the failure code descriptions which call out fet health. For all we know, the fet is fine and its gate driver has issues.

 

[REM]

I charge nightly at home off a 30amp dryer plug using a Tesla mobile charger. I pull 32amps when charging. PCS failed at 29k miles. Oct 2024 build. NonFS AWD 41xxx VIN. I think I’ve charged 3 times on 48amps, all at hotel destination chargers. So it’s not a 48amp thing for me at least.

So you are overloading a circuit by a pretty wide margin every day? That doesn't seem prudent.

 

[LDRHAWKE]

Yesterday, I posted some info here from a Gemini AI inquiry about our PCS issue. In a nutshell, one of the surprising AI findings to me ... was the statement that the PCS failures are related to electrical stress on the particular MOSFETS used in some Cybertruck PCS units.

A contributing factor to failure is the heat generated in the PCS unit during higher amperage home charging. I just got a Tesla Wall Charger installed .... but I am dialing back the charge rate from 48amps to 20 for my overnight charges. For whatever reasons ... the Gemini AI information was looked down upon by some folks here and the admins here stopped comment on the info and moved my post off somewhere.

I believe that the PCS problem with some Cybertrucks is well known and ignoring sometimes obscure info that AI can find is not a wise idea. May I highly suggest that anyone interested in the details of the PCS problem go to Grok, Gemini, and Chatgbt and ask, "Tell me what you know about some Cybertrucks having a problem with the PCS unit and what is known about the causes for PCS failure"

We all know that AI is not always right ... but if all 3 major AI engines agree that we can lessen the chance of failure by backing off to a cooler 20 amp overnight charge rate ... we might have more time.... more time before a failure that Tesla appears to presently have a parts shortage to address quickly. AI ... verify before trusting on important stuff. A PCS failure IS IMPORTANT STUFF.

….the problem with too high a charging rate theory causing heat being involved in the failure of the PCS is that my PCS failure occurred while I was still charging overnightlwith TESLA‘s 110 V charger for 99% of my charging.

 

[Brant9]

Latest info from my Tesla SC for my CB vin 34xxx, AC Charging unavailable, parts in transit SC appt on May 30.
Telsa said I should see a notice when they push the update for free supercharging while I wait for my SC appt. Otherwise, any supercharging I do after AC charging became unavailable before the Appt will be coved by Tesla. Unfortunately the nearest supercharger is 30 minutes away and I’m reluctant to drive there and find out DC charging doesn’t work,(unlikely, but some report DC charging also failed) which means having to have it towed to my appointment that is 2 1/2 hours away in 8 days.

 

[mongo]

Latest info from my Tesla SC for my CB vin 34xxx, AC Charging unavailable, parts in transit SC appt on May 30.
Telsa said I should see a notice when they push the update for free supercharging while I wait for my SC appt. Otherwise, any supercharging I do after AC charging became unavailable before the Appt will be coved by Tesla. Unfortunately the nearest supercharger is 30 minutes away and I’m reluctant to drive there and find out DC charging doesn’t work,(unlikely, but some report DC charging also failed) which means having to have it towed to my appointment that is 2 1/2 hours away in 8 days.

Per my (admittedly limited) understanding, the update is specifically to enable DC fast charging even if AC charging from the PCS is completely kaput.
Are there any third party DC chargers closer that you could test with? Not free, but would validate it works.

 

[rtfitch]

So many trucks...
So many threads...

You might be able to restore limited charging if you unplug, set it to lower power mode, and let it go to sleep for a while. It will do a new health check when it wakes. Low probability of it working, but minimal effort to try.

Yikes, I may be headed down this road and I am not excited about it. Two weeks ago my Wall Charger throttled down from my standard 32amps to 24. I did everything, powercycled, rebooted, reinstalled and only 24a which gives about 5% per hour charge versus 10% at 32a. Workable as I charge overnight but still gives me anxity if planning for a longer than usual trip.

Wall Connector Support checked the unit, online as they can sneak in and have a look, and they said there was an error occurring within that unit and are sending me a new one to reinstall. Life is good? Now I hear that the throttle down to 24a may be an early symptom of a potential PCS failure. Blitzen is a low VIN, 2024 Foundation Series Beast...again, YIKES.

 

[Pbaker]

My PCS failed about 3 weeks ago (started with the 24 amp limit), I had an appointment for Monday the 27th and I just got a call yesterday telling me that the part would be at least 8 weeks out but the truck was ok to drive while using supercharging.....we'll see

 

[mongo]

Yikes, I may be headed down this road and I am not excited about it. Two weeks ago my Wall Charger throttled down from my standard 32amps to 24. I did everything, powercycled, rebooted, reinstalled and only 24a which gives about 5% per hour charge versus 10% at 32a. Workable as I charge overnight but still gives me anxity if planning for a longer than usual trip.

Wall Connector Support checked the unit, online as they can sneak in and have a look, and they said there was an error occurring within that unit and are sending me a new one to reinstall. Life is good? Now I hear that the throttle down to 24a may be an early symptom of a potential PCS failure. Blitzen is a low VIN, 2024 Foundation Series Beast...again, YIKES.

If you go into service mode (long press Cybertruck on the software screen and password:service) it will show if you have any PCS errors.

 

[rtfitch]

If you go into service mode (long press Cybertruck on the software screen and password:service) it will show if you have any PCS errors.

On my Tessie app I appear to be clean on PCS errors, thanks for the info. I failed to mention that after Tesla Support looked at the internals the Wall Connector totally disappeared from my Tesla app and would not charge, AT ALL. I was forced to use the mobile connector in 120 mode, that gives you a whopping 12amps which is about 1% per hour. I reported this to Tesla and like magic, the next day, my 24amp Connector reappeared and is still charging at that rate even though the Truck and Connector are set to a 40amp breaker, 32amp charge mode. New Wall Connector arrives on Thursday, that will be the deciding point.

 

[Brant9]

Per my (admittedly limited) understanding, the update is specifically to enable DC fast charging even if AC charging from the PCS is completely kaput.
Are there any third party DC chargers closer that you could test with? Not free, but would validate it works.

No unfortunately, there are no third-party Superchargers in my city. According to my Tesla Service Center, the update is to enable Free Tesla Supercharging for “AC unable to charge” PCS failures till they can be fixed and that supercharging SHOULD work during that time. It was my understanding that it depended on your particular PCS failure as the whether DC Supercharging works or not. I was informed if that happened I still had TESLA towing available under my warranty for no cost

 

[mongo]

No unfortunately, there are no third-party Superchargers in my city. According to my Tesla Service Center, the update is to enable Free Tesla Supercharging for “AC unable to charge” PCS failures till they can be fixed and that supercharging SHOULD work during that time. It was my understanding that it depended on your particular PCS failure as the whether DC Supercharging works or not. I was informed if that happened I still had TESLA towing available under my warranty for no cost

Yah, DC charging should work even if both PCS DCAC converters fail; but, on some vehicles, that gets locked out. Software update prevents the PCS error from preventing DC charging on those trucks.

Free supercharging is an account/VIN server side issue and shouldn't need a SW update.

Bummer there isn't a closer DC charger ‍

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