Owners Say Tesla Update 2026.38.5.1 Cuts Power to Third-Party V2L Adapters. What Two Outlets Report, What Tesla Has Not Said, and How Powershare Differs
By EV Bandit | Updated October 30, 2026
At a glance. Owners of aftermarket vehicle-to-load (V2L) adapters say Tesla software 2026.38.5.1 and later shuts their devices off within minutes. Two outlets report it, both drawing on the same owner forum thread. Tesla has not commented in either report, and nobody has said whether the change was deliberate.
Key takeaways
- Drive Tesla and Not a Tesla App both reported on October 29 that third-party V2L devices plugged into the CCS charge port cut out after 2026.38.5.1.
- Reported run times range from about 3 minutes to 15–20 minutes; the car shows a battery management fault, per the reports.
- Neither outlet says Tesla commented, and both say it is unclear whether the change is intentional.
- Drive Tesla says Tesla’s own Powershare system is not affected. That point rests on Drive Tesla alone.
- Separately, Tesla said on October 27 that every new Tesla can now power tools and gadgets through Powershare in the U.S. and Mexico.
Some owners who power tools, coolers and campsite gear from their Teslas say a software update has ended the setup. Drive Tesla and Not a Tesla App both reported on October 29 that aftermarket V2L adapters, which draw power out through the CCS charge port, stop working on software version 2026.38.5.1 and later. Both trace the reports to a Tesla Motors Club forum thread. Neither outlet independently tested a device.
The car “throws a BMS_a076_SW_Dch_While_Charging fault and shuts down,” forum user FalconFour wrote, as quoted by Not a Tesla App.
What owners report, and how solid each point is
| Claim | Status | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Aftermarket V2L adapters cut out after 2026.38.5.1 and later | Reported by owners; carried by two outlets | Drive Tesla and Not a Tesla App, both citing the Tesla Motors Club thread. Same underlying source. |
| One owner’s device stopped after about 3 minutes at 3 kW, with a battery management fault | Single owner account | FalconFour, as quoted by Not a Tesla App; Drive Tesla describes a cut-out after about 3 minutes |
| Other owners saw 15 to 20 minutes before power dropped | Owner accounts | Not a Tesla App (“regardless of load”); Drive Tesla (two owners) |
| The devices had worked for a long time before the update | Owner accounts | Drive Tesla: a 2022 Model 3 owner said an inverter worked almost daily for over 18 months. Not a Tesla App: adapters worked on cars as old as a 2017 Model 3 with a CCS retrofit. |
| Elejoy test firmware did not fix it | Owner accounts | Both outlets |
| Camp Mode and Service Mode workarounds no longer help | Single outlet | Not a Tesla App only |
| Tesla blocked the devices on purpose | Not established | Both outlets say it is unclear. Drive Tesla notes it is also unclear whether this resembles Tesla’s 2024 restriction of 12V and USB power. Neither reports a Tesla statement. |
| Official Powershare is unaffected | Single outlet | Drive Tesla states it. Not a Tesla App does not address it. |
Why a charge-port workaround is a different animal from Powershare
Per Not a Tesla App, these adapters work by making the car’s firmware treat power leaving the pack as a charging session. That is a workaround, not a feature Tesla designed or approved. Not a Tesla App speculates that Tesla may now check for energy flowing into the battery during a charging session, and adds that unauthorized devices talking to a car’s electronics could be a security risk. Both are the outlet’s own analysis, not confirmed facts.
Powershare is Tesla’s sanctioned route. On October 27 Tesla North America posted on X that “Every new Tesla can now power your tools or gadgets via Powershare,” and a follow-up said it works in the U.S. and Mexico, according to Drive Tesla. Tesla says the feature uses the Mobile Connector and Outlet Adapter. Drive Tesla reports that Model 3 and Model Y vehicles ordered in the U.S. and Puerto Rico after October 1, 2026 are Powershare capable, along with all Cybertruck trims, and that Canada is not included. Tesla has not said when Canadian V2L will arrive.
What we could not confirm
- Whether Tesla changed anything on purpose. No Tesla statement appears in either report.
- How many owners are affected. The reports describe a handful of forum posts, not a count.
- Whether a later software build changes the behavior.
- Whether the same issue appears on vehicles that never had a CCS retrofit. The reports concern owners using adapters on the CCS port.
What this means for owners
If you rely on an aftermarket V2L adapter, the thread’s advice, as relayed by Not a Tesla App, is to avoid the update for as long as possible. We cannot verify that advice and are not recommending it; weigh it against whatever else is in each release. If you are on a new Tesla in the U.S. or Mexico, the sanctioned path is Powershare with Tesla’s own Mobile Connector and Outlet Adapter. The same release train carried other changes owners noticed, including the closed rear-screen browser loophole we sorted into fact and folklore earlier this month.
Frequently asked questions
Which Tesla software versions are affected?
Owners report 2026.38.5.1 and later, per Not a Tesla App and Drive Tesla. Neither outlet reports a Tesla confirmation.
What do owners see when it happens?
A battery management fault and a shutdown, per forum user FalconFour as quoted by Not a Tesla App. Reported run times range from about 3 minutes to 15–20 minutes.
Does it affect Tesla’s own Powershare?
Drive Tesla says official Powershare is not affected. We found no second source for that statement.
Did Tesla do this on purpose?
Unknown. Both outlets say it is unclear, and neither includes a Tesla comment.
Is Powershare available in Canada?
Not yet, per Drive Tesla. Canada was left out of Tesla’s October 27 announcement, and Tesla has not given a date.
For reporters and researchers. This page separates what owners report from what is confirmed. Suggested citation: EV Bandit, “Owners Say Tesla Update 2026.38.5.1 Cuts Power to Third-Party V2L Adapters,” October 30, 2026. Primary reports: Drive Tesla (Oct 29, 2026) and Not a Tesla App (Oct 29, 2026), both citing a Tesla Motors Club thread. We will update this page if Tesla comments.
Have you seen an aftermarket V2L adapter stop on 2026.38.5.1 or later, or kept one running on an older build? Tell us your car and version in the Tesla Model Y Owners group, 170,000 members strong.
Sources
- Drive Tesla: Tesla software update disables third-party vehicle-to-load (V2L) devices (Oct 29, 2026)
- Not a Tesla App: Tesla Breaks Compatibility With Third-Party V2L Devices (Oct 29, 2026)
- Drive Tesla: Tesla says every new vehicle can now power devices with Powershare, but still not in Canada (Oct 28, 2026)