My Tesla Premium Connectivity Not Working: How to Fix?

During driving, the Premium connectivity sometimes doesn’t work or runs options like not showing traffic on maps.

It happens due to internal bugs, software available for update, wrongly sign-in to the account, or a bad LTE modem. Here’s how you can troubleshoot the Tesla premium connectivity not working issue:

• Reset & Power Off.
• Update the available software.
• Sign in to your account.
• Change LTE modem.

If you want to know the procedure in detail, then I’ll explain each of them in step-by-step instructions. Keep On Reading!

Try These Fixes When Tesla Premium Connectivity is Not Working!

In this section, I’ll show you 4 solid ways that solve the bugs of premium connectivity in Tesla cars. If your one isn’t working, try the given fixes:

Fix #1: Reboot & Power Off the Car

• Hold and long press the 2 steering wheel buttons (scrollable) for up to 10 seconds. Release your finger from them when the screen goes black.
• Wait for another 25 – 30 seconds.
• Once the screen comes back, go to Controls > Safety > Power Off button. A prompt will pop on and show 2 options (Cancel and Power Off).
• Click on the Power Off bar and then wait for the screen to go black.
• Sit inside the car for around 10 to 15 minutes without touching any gears. The screen will come back after some while.
• Check if the problem solves or not.

Fix #2: Update Your Tesla’s System & App

• Go to the Controls > Software > Update Available section.
• Locate any updates that need install.
• Turn on your wireless connection and start to download. Wait for some while to finish its installation procedure.
• Open the Tesla app on your phone and locate the recent update in the front section (Software Updates). Click on it and then press the “Install” bar.
• Wait for the remaining time until it is complete.
• Go to the Controls > Software option and see if the premium connectivity works or not.

Fix #3: Sign in To Your Account Properly

A lot of times the premium connectivity in Tesla can’t work even if you paid for it but have not signed into your account in the right way. 

Check if the premium connectivity sign is showing on your verified Tesla account (not the app). This will help you troubleshoot the issue.

Just go to the Tesla website (the official one) and click on the Account option. And then, give the passcode to enter your account and check if everything seems okay.

Fix #4: Replace the LTE Modem

• Go to the touchscreen and click on Controls > Safety > Power Off option. Click on the “Power Off” bar and wait for 15 minutes at least.
• Open the frunk using Key Fob or Tesla app.
• Take out the plastic cover and detach the negative terminal (ground) of the 12V battery.
• Take out the rear passenger couch and detach the high-voltage battery.
• Remove the front passenger airbag and glove box.
  • Detach the 4 plastic clips using a reliable tweezer. Remove the panel at the bottom of the glove box.
  • Locate the passenger knee airbag over the plastic panel side.
  • After finding it, disconnect the 2-wire airbag cables from the plastic metal panel. Be sure to hold it otherwise this can fall.
  • Detach the 5 self-trappers (on the right-bottom side of the plastic cover and below the top decorative panel) from the glove box.
  • Pull out the glove box.
• Find the 4 nuts on the front left of the Tesla and under the hood.
• Loosen out the 4 nuts and do not remove them fully.
• After finding the MCU unit, remove it.
  • For 2.5 MCU, detach one bolt from the modem (metal bracket) surface and pull it downward.
  • For 3.0 MCU, remove the whole aluminum cover carefully. You might need to unscrew some bolts.
• Inside the MCU unit, remove the LTE modem (old one) after removing the 2 screws. Be sure to plug out all the wires that are connected to it.
• Insert the new LTE modem and secure the top cover of the MCU unit. Tighten the unit out by attaching the 2 bolts with a screw gun.
• Plug out all the wires back into the MCU unit.
• Pull everything back to its place by doing the reverse direction of removable.
• Then, get into your car and press the brake pedal for a while. This will help the MCU unit to boot up (takes 30 – 60 seconds).

Why Does My Tesla Have No Connectivity (Premium Type)?

In most cases, Tesla might not have premium connectivity to use the special features due to some reasons. These includes:

• Internal system error.
• Tesla software and app need update.
• Incorrect sign-in to Tesla account.
• The LTE modem has a fault.

How Do You Activate Tesla Premium Connectivity?

In 2 ways, you can activate the Tesla premium connectivity. One is through your car touchscreen and another way is via the Tesla app. Here’s the procedure for each method:

Activate Premium Connectivity Using Car Touchscreen

• In the car screen, go to Controls > Upgrades (at the bottom of the control panel).
• Locate the “Swipe to Purchase” option if your Tesla is eligible.
• Click on it.
• Park your Tesla in a good spot.
• Complete the billing option through phone or laptop. Done!

Note: Be sure your car is updated to a recent version from the touchscreen (Controls > Software).

Activate Premium Connectivity Using Tesla App

• Open the Tesla app and sign in to your account.
• Click on Upgrades > Software Upgrades.
• Locate the “Subscribe” option which you can find at the top of your phone screen. Click on it.
• Hit the “Add” close to the Premium Connectivity.
• Pick the right billing option and then click on “Next.”
• Click on “Checkout” and lastly confirm your payment details.

Tesla Premium Connectivity Worth It or Not?

In my opinion, this option is great for road trips in a long distance. This uses a great cell network (even better than a phone cell network which I find awesome).

It let you enjoy streaming services, better navigation, maps, live camera, and so on. Yes, the $10 + applicable tax per month charge can be an issue but the features are high-end to enjoy.

Take a look at the features you’ll get through this:

• Navigation
• Real-time traffic visualization
• Sentry mode to view live camera
• Remote megaphone
• Unique and detailed satellite-view maps
• Video streaming (Netflix, Hulu & YouTube)
• Great karaoke
• Music streaming
• Browser internet

In short, if you prefer a rich viewing experience on maps to discover new locations or want to watch movies while waiting in the car, this is a great option.

In Conclusion

It’s time to fix the Tesla premium connectivity not working issue through the given methods. All the given ways will take around 20 – 30 minutes to complete and solve the error. Hope This Helps!