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Tesla APP_w304

Camera blocked or blinded Clean camera or wait for it to regain visibility

Common search variants: APPw304 · APP-w304 · APP w304 · Search ignores case and common separators.

DriveYes. Tesla documentation submitted to NHTSA states: “Your vehicle is OK to drive in the meantime.” Camera-dependent features may be temporarily unavailable.
ChargeNot yet established by verified evidence.
ServiceNot yet established by verified evidence for APP_w304 alone.
Confidence95%

Quick answer

APP_w304 means one or more Tesla vehicle cameras has limited or no visibility because it is blocked or blinded by external conditions. Clean the camera or wait for visibility to return; some or all Autopilot features may be temporarily unavailable.

This page separates verified manufacturer/regulator evidence from supporting material. Unsupported causes, repairs or safety conclusions are not guessed.

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1. What does APP_w304 mean?

APP_w304 means one or more Tesla vehicle cameras has limited or no visibility because it is blocked or blinded by external conditions. Clean the camera or wait for visibility to return; some or all Autopilot features may be temporarily unavailable.

2. Technical explanation

Tesla documentation submitted to NHTSA describes APP_w304 as a camera-visibility alert. When a camera cannot provide accurate visual information, Autopilot features can be temporarily unavailable. The verified alert instruction is: “Clean camera or wait for it to regain visibility.”

3. What system is affected?

Vehicle camera system and Autopilot feature availability.

4. How serious is this code?

The database severity is unknown. Official Tesla documentation states the vehicle is OK to drive in the meantime, while camera-dependent features may be temporarily unavailable.

5. Symptoms you may notice

  • APP_w304 alert: “Camera blocked or blinded.”
  • One or more vehicle cameras has limited visibility or no visibility due to external conditions.
  • Some or all Autopilot features may be temporarily unavailable.

6. Possible causes

  • One or more vehicle cameras is blocked or blinded due to external conditions.

7. Can I still drive the vehicle?

Yes. Tesla documentation submitted to NHTSA states: “Your vehicle is OK to drive in the meantime.” Camera-dependent features may be temporarily unavailable.

8. Can I charge the vehicle?

Not yet established by verified evidence.

9. What you can safely do

  • Clean the affected camera surface.
  • Wait for the camera to regain visibility.
  • Expect some or all Autopilot features to be temporarily unavailable while camera visibility is limited.

10. Step-by-step troubleshooting

  1. Follow the verified on-screen instruction: clean the camera or wait for it to regain visibility.
  2. If the alert persists, the supplied evidence does not establish additional owner-performed troubleshooting steps.

11. When to contact service

Not yet established by verified evidence for APP_w304 alone.

12. What the service center may check

  • Not yet established by verified evidence.

13. Possible repair or resolution

  • Cleaning the camera or waiting for it to regain visibility is the verified resolution guidance. No component repair procedure is established by the supplied evidence.

14. Affected vehicles

15. Related TSBs / service bulletins

  • NHTSA Manufacturer Communication PDF 10250480, published December 1, 2023: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2023/MC-10250480-9999.pdf
  • NHTSA Manufacturer Communication PDF 10247832, published October 24, 2023: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2023/MC-10247832-9999.pdf
  • NHTSA Manufacturer Communication PDF 10253666, published March 27, 2024: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2024/MC-10253666-9999.pdf

16. Recall information

  • Not yet established by verified evidence.

17. Official manufacturer information

Verified official evidence consists of Tesla owner-manual material submitted to NHTSA as manufacturer communications. It identifies APP_w304 as a camera blocked/blinded alert, states that external conditions can limit camera visibility, notes that Autopilot features may be temporarily unavailable, and instructs the driver to clean the camera or wait for visibility to return. Applicability evidence covers US Tesla Model 3 (2013–2024), Model S (2012–2024), Model X (2016–2024), and Model Y (2020–2024), with overlapping year ranges in the supplied records.

19. Frequently asked questions

What does Tesla alert APP_w304 mean?

It means one or more vehicle cameras is blocked or blinded, or has limited or no visibility, due to external conditions.

Can I drive with APP_w304?

Yes. Tesla documentation submitted to NHTSA says the vehicle is OK to drive in the meantime. However, some or all Autopilot features may be temporarily unavailable.

What should I do when APP_w304 appears?

Clean the camera or wait for it to regain visibility.

Will Autopilot be affected?

Yes, it may be. When cameras cannot provide accurate visual information, some or all Autopilot features may be temporarily unavailable.

Does APP_w304 affect charging?

Not yet established by verified evidence.

20. Sources & verification

Accepted ResearchVerified
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Tesla APP_w304: Camera blocked or blinded Clean camera or wait for it… | EV Diagnostics