2023 Model S Plaid - Rear HVAC constantly defaults to Auto and resets AC/frustrating with kids in back. Any permanent fix?
I have a 2023 Model S Plaid (bought used, ~35k miles now) and the rear climate control is driving me nuts. Every time passengers (usually my young kids in car seats) are in the back, the rear HVAC automatically switches to Auto mode, blasts the fan/AC, and seems to reset/ignore my front settings. The "Sync" option doesn't stick reliably — I have to manually drop the fan speed and adjust temps every drive.
This is extra annoying with little ones because it gets loud/cold for them quickly, and I end up fiddling while driving. I've done a full vehicle reset to factory settings, but it didn't help long-term.
Has anyone else with a refreshed Model S (especially Plaid) found a workaround or software fix for this? Things I've tried:
- Toggling Sync repeatedly
- Manually setting rear to specific fan/temps before driving
- Reboots (scroll wheels + power off)
- Checking for updates (hoping FSD 14.x or recent climate patches help)
Tesla service hasn't been super responsive on smaller stuff lately. Is this just how the occupant detection + Auto logic works, or is there a hidden setting/profile I'm missing? Love the car otherwise (Plaid performance is insane), but this feels like a UX miss for families.