Tesla Left Door Pillar Camera Blocked or Blinded!
In recent Tesla models, the Tesla design includes a camera-based system instead of traditional side mirrors.
You’ll find the camera at your door side or door handle, and you can change the camera angles.
In your Tesla system, an alarm will go off when there is a camera blockage. This alarm will prompt a “camera blocked” message.
When you get this message, you may wonder what the trigger was. Why is the Tesla door “camera blocked” message on your screen?
If you get a camera blocked or blinded message, it is because there is an obstruction on the lens. These obstructions may result from dirt buildup or water droplets due to condensation. Additionally, you may experience a blind left-door camera in areas with improper lighting or due to a faulty camera.
In this article, I’ll explain why you got the “camera blocked” or “camera blinded” on your Tesla. You’ll learn some troubleshooting steps for your blinded camera.
What Does the Tesla Left Door Camera Blocked or Blinded Message Mean?
If you get an alert on your Tesla that the left door camera is blocked or blinded, your camera cannot focus.
Your camera may be unable to focus due to lens obstruction.
Here are some reasons why there may be an obstruction in the lens of your camera:
Dirt and Dust: Parts of your Tesla, including it, require frequent cleaning.
If you don’t clean your Tesla door cameras, dirt may build up on the lens, causing the camera-blocked message to pop up.
Condensation in the Cold: If you park your Tesla outside your house when it’s cold, you’ll wake up to water droplets on your car.
The water droplets may block your car door camera’s lens, triggering the blocked camera alert. Clean off the water droplets from the camera lens to eliminate the alert.
Harsh Sunlight Exposure: If you expose your Tesla’s left door camera to direct sunlight, the harsh rays may blind it.
The camera getting blinded by sunlight will cause the camera-blocked message to appear.
How to Troubleshoot Blinded Tesla Left Door Pillar Camera
Here are troubleshooting methods to try out for your blinded Tesla left-door Pilar camera:
#1. Clean the Camera
Fixing the blinded Tesla Left door camera issue can be as easy as cleaning the camera lens.
If you don’t clean it frequently, water droplets, dirt, and dust may build up on your Tesla door camera. You must properly clean the camera to turn off the LED Tesla camera alert.
Here is a table showing the materials you’ll need to clean your Tesla Left Door Pillar Camera properly.
| Materials | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Lint-free cloth | To get rid of the dirt in the camera lens and housing. |
| Small brush | To remove loose dirt. |
| Mild cleaning solution | To ensure that the camera is sufficiently clean. |
- Park your car in a place with good lightning. Turn off the vehicle and engage the parking brake.
- Go to your Tesla’s left door to find the camera. You find the camera on the door handle or near the side mirror.
- Carefully remove the surface dirt and debris on and around the camera lens with a small brush.
- Mix a mild soap with water to create a solution suitable for cleaning your Tesla cameras. Put the solution in a bottle.
- Pour some mild solution onto a lint-free cloth and use it on the camera lens.
- Clean the camera from its center and work around it circularly. Ensure you’re careful while cleaning so you don’t damage some parts.
- Dampen the cloth with some solution and clean out the dirt from the camera housing.
- Get a dry, lint-free cloth to remove the moisture on the camera lens and housing.
- Once you finish cleaning, turn on the car to ensure the camera is working effectively.
#2. Rebooting the System
Sometimes, you can fix the Tesla left door blind camera issue by rebooting the whole car system.
To reboot your Tesla system, the first thing to do is to park the car. Make sure that the vehicle is in park mode. After parking the car, hold down on the brake pedal and click on power off.
Get out of the car, securely close all the doors, and wait a few minutes for the Tesla to shut down fully.
After a few minutes, find the scroll wheels on the steering wheel of your Tesla. Press and hold onto the scroll wheels simultaneously, then enter the driver’s seat.
Hold on to the scroll wheels and wait about 20 seconds for the Tesla logo to appear. When the logo pops up on the screen, you can let go of the scroll wheels and wait for it to reboot.
After rebooting, log in to the Tesla system and test if the door camera works.
#3. Clear of Camera Data
If your Tesla left door camera still isn’t working after rebooting the car’s system, you should clear out the camera’s cache and data.
The persistent warnings on your Tesla camera may be due to excess data. To clear the junk, the first thing to do is to park the vehicle and turn it off.
Go to your Tesla system settings menu and find the camera settings. Go to the option that says clear data or cache and tap on it.
Click “OK” to confirm and proceed with the clearing process. Proceed to restart the vehicle by holding onto the brake pedal and tapping the power on.
It is crucial always to ensure your Tesla door camera stays focused to avoid getting into an accident.
Here are some tips to be aware of to keep your Tesla left door pillar camera focused:
- Make it a habit for you to clean your Tesla camera regularly. Cleaning your left door camera removes dust, dirt, and objects that may obstruct it.
- You can adjust the angle of your camera from your settings to ensure it stays focused on the view you want.
- Ensure you drive your Tesla in well-lit areas. Your Tesla left-door camera may be unable to focus because of improper lighting.
- Ensure you always drive safely to avoid hazards that may cause damage to your Tesla door camera. When your Tesla camera is faulty, it cannot focus.
- Always keep an on-the-feed showing of your Tesla door cameras. Call Tesla’s customer service immediately to resolve the issue if you notice any distortion.
- Make sure to keep up with software updates. New updates on Tesla may include some improvements that may help your Tesla door camera focus more.
FAQs
Can You Drive Your Tesla When a Blocked or Blinded Camera?
No, you cannot drive your Tesla without a blocked camera. It is very unsafe to drive your Tesla when the camera is not fully working because of potential accidents.
How Often Should You Clean Your Tesla Camera Lens?
It would be best if you cleaned your Tesla camera lens every day. You may never know if there is a dirt buildup from parking it overnight.
