# Dashcam recording when parked in driveway (sentry not on)



## Nom (Oct 30, 2018)

I just checked my dashcam videos .... haven't done so in a while. Noticed videos in 'recent' folder from last night .... I didn't use the car during the time periods indicated. Video was of my driveway, nothing appearing to be going on. Several different clips. Note, I do not have sentry mode on (and I confirmed this) ... I've never used sentry mode.

Why is the car taking video when parked in my driveway and sentry mode being off?

I'm thinking about the unneeded vampire drain (car was not plugged in). But also wondering why in the heck it would be taking / storing video in that situation.

As an aside (but perhaps relevant), over the last month or so I have noticed that sometimes my phone app (Tesla app) connects really quickly with my car, as if the car wasn't asleep (and it should have been). I don't check the car much. I generally use tesla app to turn heat on in car before heading out. And I do not have any 3rd party apps that would potentially keep the car awake.

Thoughts and advice are welcome!


----------



## Bokonon (Apr 13, 2017)

Nom said:


> As an aside (but perhaps relevant), over the last month or so I have noticed that sometimes my phone app (Tesla app) connects really quickly with my car, as if the car wasn't asleep (and it should have been).


This is basically your answer. The cameras are recording anytime the car is powered on, and the car often stays awake for several minutes (and sometimes much longer, if your car is connected to Wi-Fi). As a result, your most recent "recent" clips will often be of your driveway or garage unless you remove the USB drive right after you park.

Apart from third-party services, other reasons your car might stay awake are:

1.) When connected to Wi-Fi after a drive, your car will often sync up with "the mothership" and report telemetry data (especially if autopilot features were, video clips of Autosteer interventions and other notable incidents, etc. Sometimes the car will stay awake for a couple of hours on Wi-Fi despite not needing to do any of these things... There's an old thread about this from last year.

2.) In cold weather (under 40F) the car will sometimes stay awake for a bit (or wake up if it has been idle for a while) to "exercise" the charge port latch to prevent it from locking up. You can tell it's doing this by listening for a faint "ticking" sound near the charge port door, about once every 1-2 seconds.

3.) "Smart Summon standby" mode can keep the car awake if it's enabled and your home is not an excluded location.

Personally, my car usually stays awake for about 2 hours after I arrive home. It spends the first 15ish minutes talking to Tesla HQ, then sits there for another 90-100 minutes before falling asleep. If I disconnect from my home Wi-Fi network, it falls asleep as soon as TeslaFi stops polling (~10 minutes after arriving home).


----------



## Needsdecaf (Dec 27, 2018)

Bokonon said:


> Personally, my car usually stays awake for about 2 hours after I arrive home. It spends the first 15ish minutes talking to Tesla HQ, then sits there for another 90-100 minutes before falling asleep. If I disconnect from my home Wi-Fi network, it falls asleep as soon as TeslaFi stops polling (~10 minutes after arriving home).


Mine is the same. Usually 2-3 hours after TeslaFi stops polling. Quicker if unplugged, longer if plugged in (normally).


----------

