Some drivers who own older Tesla vehicles are running into a new problem today. After installing the new Full Self-Driving v14 Lite software, their Autopilot computers are getting too hot. The heat causes the system to stop working, and sometimes it breaks the computer completely.

This issue started in late July when Tesla sent the update to cars with Hardware 3 computers. Owners shared screenshots from their cars. The pictures display the Autopilot computer reaching temperatures up to 99 degrees Celsius. The screen displays an error code called APP_w141_ECU_Thermal_Issue.

Warnings and system shutdowns occur

The problem usually starts with a warning, and a red hands icon appears on the screen. A chime plays loudly in the cabin. Then a message appears saying selfDrivingUnavailable, forcing the driver to wait for the computer to cool down before using the feature again. This happens a lot during hot days, and it often happens when the car warms up its battery for charging.

One person with a 2022 Model Y had a severe case. Their car’s computer failed completely after the update, so they had to get a brand new computer. A screenshot provided by a user confirms these details. It displays the outside temperature in the mid-40s Celsius, and the Autopilot cooling loop runs much hotter than other parts of the system.

Heavy software on old hardware

The new software is a smaller version of the program built for newer Hardware 4 cars. Hardware 3 computers only have 8 gigabytes of memory, and they process data much slower than the newer models. Tesla left these older cars on version 12.6 for over a year before releasing this new version.

Now the heavier v14 software runs on that older equipment, pushing the computer to its maximum performance limit. Reports confirmed that internal temperatures reach 96 degrees Celsius. When the computer gets this hot, it slows down. This causes the car to brake for no reason, and it stutters at intersections. It hesitates on the road when it tries to turn.

Known cooling system flaws

The thermal error code existed long before this new software came out. The Autopilot computer sits at the very top of the cooling system. What happens then? Air gets trapped in the pipes near the computer, and this blocks the coolant from flowing properly.

Older reports from years ago linked this error to battery warming. When drivers prepare to use a Supercharger, the battery gets hot, and the Autopilot computer shares the same cooling pipes. The computer gets up to 99 °C, yet the liquid inside stays around 55 degrees. Technicians say the thermal paste inside the computer dries out over time. The dried paste stops heat from moving into the liquid.

People can run a factory coolant purge from the service menu, and the process pushes trapped air out of the pipes. Some drivers tried this recently, but it did not fix the problem. They still needed a new computer. Tesla mechanics say years of heating and cooling destroy the paste.

Tesla has not released a public statement about this issue, and there is no recall for the broken computers. If a car is out of warranty, a new computer costs around 3,000 to 3,500 dollars.

What owners can do now

Drivers can take steps to protect their cars. They can check the coolant levels and run the air purge routine in service mode. They should fix any leaks first. People can avoid using the battery warmer and the self-driving system at the same time on very hot days.

If the warning appears often, drivers need to take photos of the screen. They should report the fault to a service center right away. Several people received free computer replacements under warranty after proving the fault happened repeatedly.

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