--- title: "Tesla Owners Say Dog Mode Is Malfunctioning as Summer Heats Up: Report" date: "2024-06-22" modified: "2024-06-22" authors: - name: "Beverly Braga" job_title: "Weekend Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/beverly-braga" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/tesla-owners-say-dog-mode-is-malfunctioning-as-summer-heats-up-report" categories: - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Tesla News" tags: - "Electric Vehicle" - "Tesla" --- # Tesla Owners Say Dog Mode Is Malfunctioning as Summer Heats Up: Report ![]() *\Getty Images\* Fans of furry friends, take heed! If you travel by Tesla with a paw pal, you might not want to leave them in the car, even if for a moment. Following a software update, the fan-favorite [Dog Mode]() feature might fail. [*InsideEVs*]() reports that Tesla's recent 2024.20.1 firmware update, which includes "hot weather improvements," has done the opposite for some owners. In a [Reddit]() post, a Model Y owner set dog mode to 66 degrees Fahrenheit. The outside temperature that day was 86 degrees. However, after 10 minutes, a "Problem with Dog Mode" notification popped up. The vehicle interior had reached 84 degrees and was rising when the dog was retrieved. The Model Y owner added that on the drive to the office, the overall HVAC system wasn't functioning properly either. A support ticket was submitted, and Tesla responded that the Dog Mode and other HVAC issues were a "known characteristic of \[the\] current firmware." ![]() **Tesla** Released in 2019, Dog Mode is a climate control feature that will maintain a safe vehicle interior temperature for pets left in the vehicle. To prevent passersby from playing hero, a message on the vehicle's large center screen will display a notification that the animal is safe. Hopefully, that saved more than a few [broken windows](). Dog Mode isn't intended to be an all-day babysitter, though; if the vehicle's battery drops to less than 20 percent while the feature is activated, owners will receive an alert. The faulty firmware doesn't appear to be a widespread issue, however, which makes it even more unnerving in some ways. Still, there are more than enough owners experiencing the [same issue]() either with [Dog Mode](), Camp Mode, or [Keep Climate On](). The similarity between these HVAC features is they maintain a set cabin temperature while the vehicle is parked. So, it's the climate-control-while-idle functions that seem to be buggy. Summer is officially here so until Tesla pushes out yet another update for the update, be extra vigilant when traveling with your pets. ## Author Born and raised in Hawaii, Beverly has been a prolific and published creative writer since her teens. As a contributor to The Drive, Beverly covers the weekend shift, blogging about all things automotive, mobility, transportation, and topics in-between. Currently a digital nomad, Beverly's only constant is her car, a second-generation Mazdaspeed3. Even though she's never in one place for too long, her hot hatch always feels like home. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()