Tesla eMMC Recall vs. Instrument Cluster LCD Failure

If your Tesla Model S or Model X is showing display problems, there are two very different issues you could be dealing with, and mixing them up can mean paying for a repair that Tesla would actually do for free. One is a documented NHTSA recall tied to a storage chip in the center display’s computer. The other is a physical LCD panel issue in the separate 12.3-inch instrument cluster behind your steering wheel. This guide breaks down how to tell which one you’re actually facing.

The eMMC Recall: What It Actually Is

In early 2021, Tesla issued a recall after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requested it. The recall record is public and specific:

• NHTSA Recall ID: 21V035000
• Tesla Campaign Number: SB-21–21–001
• Vehicles affected: Certain 2012–2018 Tesla Model S and 2016–2018 Model X vehicles with a center display using an NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and an 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device
• Approximate units affected: 134,951
• Recall began: March 29, 2021

According to NHTSA’s official recall description, the 8GB eMMC memory chip in the center display’s media control unit wears out over time from accumulated data writes. Once it reaches the end of its usable life, the controller can no longer maintain the integrity of the filesystem, which causes specific center display functions to fail. NHTSA’s stated safety concern was specific: the wear-out condition “can cause the loss of the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings, and exterior turn signal lighting.”

This is the same underlying issue widely referred to as “MCU1 eMMC failure” in Tesla owner communities. Reported early symptoms include the touchscreen becoming less responsive, longer power-up times, screen freezing that requires a reboot, and in more advanced cases, more complete failure of the media control unit.

Read the full article: Tesla eMMC Recall vs. Instrument Cluster LCD Failure: Which One Do You Actually Have?