Tesla Dog Mode, a feature that keeps pets cool in the cabin while owners are out of the vehicle, is having issues and malfunctioning, according to owners.

Dog Mode has been one of the most recognizable features of a Tesla. In its earliest days, people would walk by a vehicle and see a dog stranded in what they thought was a hot car, only to see a message on the Tesla center screen that said the pet was being kept in a comfortable climate while their owner was temporarily away:

Tesla Dog Mode protects pets from hot interior cabins. (Credit: Tesla)

It has been a savior for many people who want to take their dogs with them everywhere but cannot take them into every store they shop in.

However, there seems to be a slight malfunction with Dog Mode after the rollout of Software Update 2024.20.1.

Various owners have reported having the issue, but one poster on Reddit said that their phone alerted them of a “Problem with Dog Mode” a few minutes after running into the store.

Tesla Service replied to the owner and stated:

“…our remote test did confirm a firmware issue with dog mode at this time, still under investigation […] please refrain from using dog mode for the time being.”

The issues with Dog Mode could be related to a more widespread problem with the HVAC system as a whole. The OP on Reddit also stated that the “Keep” climate mode was not working very efficiently and took roughly 15 minutes to drop a single degree.

Tesla has made various improvements to Dog Mode over the years. Most recently, it enabled a live feed so owners could watch their pets in the car with the cabin-facing camera.