Overheating CPU makes touchscreens go BLANK in Tesla cars! 1.3 lakh people seek solution

Overheating CPU on Tesla vehicles makes touchscreens go blank or lag out. Tesla recalls affected cars but reasons still unknown.

Tesla cars are recalled for an overheating CPU issue. Here are all details. (REUTERS)

Overheating CPUs and other internal components in modern-day gadgets is not a good thing. On an electric vehicle, it sounds riskier, considering the big batteries that are packed within the car. Hence, when Tesla recalls its 130,000 customers for an overheating CPU issue, the issue could be something big. Tesla at the moment is recalling some of its newly built cars to fix this issue of an overheating CPU that is causing the main display to blank out, or lag out. Tesla hasn't shared specifics about it but the company is recalling the cars to fix the issue.

It is yet to be known whether the overheating issue is due to the switch to AMD processors a while ago. AMD has previously confirmed its Ryzen processors and RDNA 2 GPUs are powering some Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles. The list of recalled cars includes the 2021 and 2022 Model X and Model S cars, along with 2022 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. Neither AMD or Tesla have said anything regarding the matter.

Overheating CPU makes Tesla car screen go blank

“During fast-charging or preparation for fast-charging, the infotainment central processing unit (“CPU”) may not cool sufficiently to prevent higher than expected temperatures, which may cause the CPU to slow processing or restart,” says the notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). “Slower processing or restarted processing could cause the center screen display to lag or appear blank,” it added.

The overheating CPU issue could prevent drivers from using their backup camera, shifting gears using the touchscreen, as well as from windshield wiper speed adjustment. The NHTSA says Tesla “identified 59 warranty claims and 59 field reports” potentially related to the issue and Tesla is not aware of any injuries or deaths caused by it.

A report from The Verge hints at the possibility of AMD Ryzen chips being the issue behind this, even though Tesla is yet to comment. A previous report suggested that after Tesla switched to AMD chips, some driver reported of decreased driving range in the cars using the Ryzen CPUs compared to the older ones with Intel Atom processors.