Tesla 2026.38.5.1 is breaking V2L adapters. Power disappears after 3-20 minutes
Tesla owners are posting on the Tesla Motors Club forum that updates from version 2026.38.5.1 have broken compatibility with external V2L adapters, including those from Elejoy. At a load of 3 kW, the power supply cuts off after about three minutes, while other users report it lasting 15-20 minutes regardless of power level. The duration is suspicious because Tesla is currently expanding its own Powershare to additional models.
How the workaround worked
V2L allows charging camping equipment, tools, or household devices from the car’s battery, as well as keeping a few essential appliances running in case of a power outage. Official Powershare was available for a long time only on the Cybertruck and a few top-tier Model Y versions. This created a market need for adapters like those from Elejoy.
This device plugs into the CCS port. The firmware sees a normal DC charging session, while the adapter reverses the power flow. It even worked on a 2017 Model 3 with a modified CCS port.
However, one needed to know the procedure. User FalconFour, who has been using the adapter almost daily for over a year and a half, described it as follows: turn off the air conditioning, stop the music, open the charging port, switch to Theater mode, and partially close the driver’s door. This prevented the car from entering sleep mode or triggering an error, as normally closing the doors during discharge shuts down the system.
What breaks 2026.38.5.1
After the update, the FalconFour auto “throws a BMS_a076_SW_Dch_While_Charging fault and shuts down”. The workarounds using Camp Mode and Service Mode, which worked before, no longer function. Users advise anyone relying on such adapters to avoid installing 2026.38.5.1 or newer versions for as long as possible.
On forums, it is suspected that Tesla is now checking whether power is actually reaching the battery during charging sessions. Elejoy has distributed a test firmware, but according to one of the owners, it did not fix the problem.
Intentional or accidental?
It is unknown whether Tesla blocked these devices deliberately or if it changed something else and accidentally broke them. However, the coincidence is convenient. Tesla introduced its own compact Powershare V2L adapter last fall, and since then it has added V2L to subsequent versions, including the base Model 3 and Y.
There is also a security argument. Unauthorized devices that communicate with a car’s electronics can pose a risk, so this could also explain the blockage.
If Tesla truly verifies actual energy flow, bypassing it will be difficult. For owners of older cars without Powershare, this may mean the end of V2L, at least for now. The manufacturer may have its reasons, but cutting older cars off from a feature it never sold them leaves a bad taste.
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