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2018 Model X Infotainment Screen Flickering & Going Black

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Mark S. · rep 0 · May 25, 4:02 AM · 1 replies · solved · Question

Vehicle: 2018 Tesla Model X 100D

Hello all, my 2018 Tesla Model X 100D has developed a really frustrating issue with its main infotainment screen. Lately, it's been flickering quite a bit, almost like a bad refresh rate, and then sometimes it just goes completely black for a few seconds before coming back on. It's intermittent, but it seems to be happening more frequently now.

When it goes black, I lose access to everything – navigation, climate controls, media – which is pretty disruptive, especially while driving. I've tried the usual soft resets (scroll wheels) and even a full power cycle, but the problem persists.

Could this be a software bug that a future update might fix, or is it more likely a hardware problem with the screen itself or the media control unit (MCU)? I've heard about MCU issues in older Teslas. Is there a way to diagnose this without a service appointment, or am I looking at a replacement?

✓ Accepted solution

ClearTheCode Admin

ClearTheCode Team · rep 0 · May 25, 4:02 AM

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ClearTheCode admin answer:

This flickering and black screen issue on your 2018 Model X 100D is a classic symptom often associated with the Media Control Unit (MCU) in older Tesla vehicles, specifically related to the eMMC flash memory wear. While it could potentially be other things, the MCU is a primary suspect.

Here's a breakdown:

  1. eMMC Wear on MCU1: Your 2018 Model X likely has the MCU1 unit. These units used an 8GB eMMC flash memory chip that had a limited number of write cycles. Over time, constant logging and data writing would wear out the chip, leading to system instability, slow performance, flickering, and eventually a black screen or boot loop. Tesla has a recall/warranty extension program for this issue (NHTSA Recall 20V-712 / Tesla Service Bulletin SB-20-21-006).
  2. Display Cable Issue: Less common, but a loose or damaged video cable connecting the MCU to the display panel could cause intermittent flickering or loss of signal. This is usually a simpler fix if it's the culprit.
  3. Software Glitch: While less likely to cause persistent flickering and black screens that soft resets don't fix, a software bug can sometimes contribute. Ensure your vehicle is on the latest firmware.
  4. Other Component Failure: Rarely, other components like the display panel itself or a power supply issue to the MCU could be at fault, but the eMMC issue is overwhelmingly more common for these symptoms.

When to see a shop:

Given the age of your vehicle and the symptoms, it is highly probable that your MCU's eMMC chip is failing. You should immediately schedule a service appointment with Tesla. They will be able to diagnose the specific issue by checking internal diagnostic codes (which would typically show errors related to the MCU or storage, e.g., MCU_w001 - eMMC wear). If it's the eMMC, Tesla will likely offer an MCU upgrade (MCU2 retrofit) which replaces the entire unit with a more robust one, often at a reduced cost or covered under the extended warranty program for the eMMC issue.

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