Tesla Dashcam Viewer Not Working
Tesla is one of the most popular electric cars in the world. It includes many safety features like a dashcam and sentry mode. These features are included in Models S and X cars manufactured after July 2017 and in all Model 3/Y cars.
Dashcam records video footage of what’s around your car using four cameras – front, rear, right, and left. This feature will come in handy if you get into an accident. However, Tesla’s dashcam needs an external USB drive to store the videos on.
As great as this feature is, it’s pretty common for you to find your Tesla dashcam viewer not working or unavailable. Here are a few quick ways you can fix the issue of your Tesla dashcam viewer not working:
- Reboot Your Tesla
This is one of the easiest and most common ways to solve a software issue with your Tesla. First, ensure your Tesla is parked safely and that all USB devices are disconnected.
Press and hold the two scroll wheels on either side of the steering wheel simultaneously for 10 seconds. Then, release the buttons once the main screen goes dark. Your screen should turn back on within 30 seconds, and you’ve successfully rebooted your Tesla!
Test your dashcam viewer, and it should be working fine.
- Pick the Right USB Type
Generally speaking, USB types 3.0, 3.1, and 3.2 are recommended for use in a Tesla as these types have a faster processing rate for viewing and storing data.
So if you’re using a USB 2.0, you might want to switch it out for a USB 3 type.
- Free Up Storage on the USB Device
Sometimes the issue with the dashcam viewer is the lack of free storage space on your USB device.
Therefore, you should habitually delete footage you don’t need from your USB, so your Tesla dashcam can record and store new videos.
- Format the USB Device
You can do this when your USB device is connected to your Tesla.
Go to Controls > Safety > Security, then scroll until you find “Dashcam.” Tap on “Format USB device” on the screen, and a warning will appear that all data on your device will be deleted. Confirm your choice, and your USB will be formatted.
Another way to get this done for USBs with storage of 32 GB or less is through your computer:
- Connect your USB drive to your computer.
- Right-click on your USB drive on the screen and select ‘Format.’
- Choose the ‘FAT32’ file system, and check ‘Perform a quick format.’
- Click ‘OK.’
- Create a ‘TeslaCam’ folder on your USB.
- Eject your USB from your computer.
- Connect it to your Tesla, and you should be good to go!
For USBs with storage over 32 GB, you should follow the next steps:
- Connect your USB drive to your computer.
- Go to the start menu and search for ‘Powershell.’
- Click ‘Run as administrator.’
- Copy ‘ format /FS:FAT32 yourUSBdrivename:’, and hit enter. (Type the name of your device in place of ‘yourUSBdrivename.’
- Wait for 25 to 40 minutes until your computer is done with the format.
- Open your drive and create a folder named ‘TeslaCam.’
- Eject your drive and connect to your Tesla.
Final Thoughts
Whether it’s a lack of USB storage or your Tesla needing a reboot, dealing with the issue of your Tesla dashcam viewer not working can be frustrating.
Luckily you can easily and quickly deal with this problem using the solutions from this guide. You can now enjoy a smooth and safe ride on your Tesla!