More Software Bugs

[hydbob]

This site is a mix of real owners who are generously sharing their experiences to help other owners, and also to help prospective buyers who want to know what they're getting into. It's also members who have reserved, maybe confirmed, who might or not buy, depending on what they learn here. I'm guessing the number of the latter is growing much faster than the former, at least because new deliveries have ground to a halt.

As a reserver who is here to learn as much as possible before a send a 6-fig wire, I'd really like to know how prevalent the problems/bugs are (let's face it--no owner has said she's been disappointed by the drive characteristics---they've met/exceeded early expectations). But the complaints strike me as a bit of a shock in terms of their variety and severity.

On this score, I dismiss the frequent qualifies: "we knew it was a start up", "you should have seen Tesla 8 years ago", ("you should see Tesla now!"), "they're only software problems"...etc.

Nope. It's 2022, Lucid started raising serious money 6 years ago, tech has only evolve in your favor over that time, your key people came from Tesla and left because they knew better (which I believe), market acceptance is greater than you could have predicted (30,000 @ $100K!)

Someone posted here--w/o any comment--the opinion that Lucid released the car to the public before it was ready. To me, this is key--but what does "ready" mean? For the people who's car when turtle for no reason, or screens went black on the highway, or whose doors locked them out (or IN!!)--THEIR cars weren't ready to be released to them. But are these outliers, or the norm, within the the maybe 1500 cars that have been delivered? If the majority of new owners are having serious problems I want to know it before I buy

I think Lucid is at a tipping point...vs Tesla, Lucid is supposed to be Next-Gen...if they disappoint in important ways, buyers like me will simply wait it out for the new offerings coming from all over the world in the next few years.

Lucid has seduced a lot of people (me so far) with great aesthetics and diving characteristic....but it can't be less reliable than a Honda Civic..at least for a a lot of us

I think the comments about it being a startup and seeing how Tesla was years ago etc are rightly founded in reality. It's not that Lucid is perfect, far from it, but there is an unreasonable expectation for them to be able to avoid the so called "growing pains" of a new company. Regardless of how Tesla did it a decade ago, manufacturing cars is hard, whether it be from a startup or a decades old manufacturer. With EVs it's even harder and it shows because there are only 3 PURE EV companies who are producing cars, only 1 at scale and it took a decade to get to where they are at. Legacy manufacturers are having their own problems producing reliable EVs and they are using good not great tech in their EVs.

Your comment about it being less reliable than a Honda Civic is one of the biggest limiting factors to EV adoption. Everyone will hold a new car to those kinds of standards, but there's a reason that EVs are the future and not the past. Paving that path comes with A LOT of pitfalls and one of them is going to be a lack of reliability with the technology going into a car. I think the general public overall is not fully ready for EV adoption, because, the general public just doesn't realize how different the EV space is compared to a traditional ICE vehicle which has had a century to refine itself into the reliable cars we know these days. Just using your Honda Civic as an example, they started producing that car in 1972...50 years of manufacturing, yet Lucid is supposed to be able to replicate that after less than a year of actual manufacturing? The tables are stacked against new auto-makers when the comparisons and expectations are set so high.

 

[milgauss]

Other than underdeveloped infotainment software and a creaky steering wheel (which will eventually get replaced), my car has been pretty much perfect (1,200 miles). If the software is not greatly improved over the next 12 months, my opinion might drastically turn. The truth is that if the Plaid didn't have a yoke, that's probably what I would have bought. Regardless, I believe Lucid (even as it is right now) is the best luxury EV... at least my car is .

 

[Mountain Man]

I’ve been absent from the forum for a few weeks so I thought I’d jump in and give my reassurances to anyone on the fence: I’m 1,300 miles into my Dream Edition, and I can assure you the Air is definitely worth getting. The software problems I had with mine were pretty minor and were mostly solved with removing the mobile key and changing the batteries in the key fob. There are other minor software design annoyances like having to push multiple buttons on the screens to close the garage door after backing out, or having to drag the music screen down to the center screen over & over because it won’t stay put, or having to wear polarized sunglasses on a sunny day to minimize the dash glare lines. But overall, the Air is a remarkable car - it drives fantastic, it is comfortable, it charges incredibly fast…And the adoration from first-time viewers who know what they’re seeing is icing on the cake.

 

[Bunnylebowski]

Someone posted here--w/o any comment--the opinion that Lucid released the car to the public before it was ready. To me, this is key--but what does "ready" mean? For the people who's car when turtle for no reason, or screens went black on the highway, or whose doors locked them out (or IN!!)--THEIR cars weren't ready to be released to them. But are these outliers, or the norm, within the the maybe 1500 cars that have been delivered? If the majority of new owners are having serious problems I want to know it before I buy

I think that’s a pretty realistic approach. For me at least the car was ready when it was released as it does all the things an excellent car should do. It drives literally however you want it to. Want to drive miss Daisy? No problem, she won’t spill her tea in the back seat, just put on ACC and it works better for me than any other car I’ve had ACC in. Want to cause a mild traumatic brain injury with a launch? No problem, got that covered. Want to zip around a back road and blast out of every corner knowing you’re not gonna lose grip? Yep it’s got that too. With comfort. With style. Want to drive well over 400 miles while not paying much attention to range preserving techniques? Done. Want to add 300 miles back in under 30 minutes? Works for me everytime at EA DC fast chargers and I get a massage and hear elite quality audio while I wait. Don’t want to ding up your car while parking? The surround camera is the best trick for that I’ve ever seen in a car.

What’s not ready is the music app software interface, which is frustrating, and the navigation is “ready” but far too limited in functionality compared to other cars which makes it frustrating, and the climate control system requires a learning curve, and Bluetooth music sucks, and getting the car to manage contact/phone calls/messages is inconsistent. For me at least I’d say those things aren’t “ready” in the way I want them to be, but the rest of the car is ready. It’s unfortunate because if EVERYTHING worked as advertised and was designed a bit better, well this thing would be the best car ever built, so the knowledge of what’s possible but currently not achieved is a bit of a let down. But I’d still buy this thing again knowing what I know now.

The only thing that concerns me is the reliability. There seems to be a wide smattering of confusing defects, most of which are easily solvable and don’t make you lose your car for a week or two at a time, and their service team is absolutely the best, but then there are a few big ones that make me wonder if they can figure this out, because living with a car for 10 years (which is my plan) with crap reliability sucks!

 

[Bus Driver]

The only thing that concerns me is the reliability. There seems to be a wide smattering of confusing defects, most of which are easily solvable and don’t make you lose your car for a week or two at a time, and their service team is absolutely the best, but then there are a few big ones that make me wonder if they can figure this out, because living with a car for 10 years (which is my plan) with crap reliability sucks!

I love the way you right. Sorry, write. I appreciate the way you put things into perspective and by that method, succeed in talking me off the ledge.

I'm a "longterm-er" too. I always plan on keeping my cars at a least ten years and over 200,000 miles. It's one way I can justify purchasing them brand new.

 

[Maverick]

I think a good place to start is with the Regrets thread. One thing about this forum is that we like to communicate everything we see or hear. Now, and I've said this many times, I don't have a history of having luxury vehicles. My nicest car before the GT was a fully loaded Jeep. As a result, I may be more willing to overlook things like gaps in the fit and finish or lack of Carplay. To be honest, I never would have looked for spacing tolerances between the trunk and the body if I weren't on this board.

For me, and most others, the car does its primary function better (by a long shot) than anything I've driven or been in. On top of that I've had few issues.

My point is that yes, software needs to be improved and they've had some QC issues, but a lot of the "I can't believe this doesn't work when it works on my 40 year old Yugo" also need to be taken in the proper context. I guarantee you that while you will absolutely post here when you fob battery dies after 3 weeks or your kWh registers 2.8 for unacceptable range, you will still love the drive and that alone will most likely have you answering the regrets thread with few to none.

 

[CLTGT]

Just to add a slightly different angle. I hope to have the same opinion of the car as @Mountain Man if I ever take delivery of the thing. My worries about whether the car and Lucid are ready for the Public is more along the resources and support given the problems Lucid is having with the cars themselves and the need for visits to a Service Center coupled with the number of Service Centers. We have not seen any announcements for additional Service Centers for quite a while, yet the number of cars delivered continues to climb and the issues with those cars does not appear to be getting any fewer. This latest pause in deliveries appears to be somewhat driven by the amount of cars sitting at Service Centers needing enhanced PDI and recall procedures performed. I am worried that the service network/capability/capacity will not/ can not keep up to the demands placed on it, demands that will grow exponentially given the ramp in production that Lucid needs to achieve to come close to making their revised numbers.

I won't even talk about the lack of SiriusXM Satellite Radio. That, to me, is just a design flaw/miss or a decision made by an uninformed engineer, a missing perk on a $140k car, not a software issue, just a brain fart on someone's part.

 

[MikeTz]

If you do not own a Lucid, or have not driven one, it is hard to evaluate the impact, that a reported issue, will have with a potential buyer. Best example is recall number #2. If I was a buyer, and not an owner, I too would be spooked by two recalls in a matter of months on a $170 k car. As an owner, and thanks to the information provided in this forum, the recall turned out to be nothing more than making my car available for inspection to Victor (Who loves cars as much as I) for ten minutes, so he could move the harness out of the way and secure it. If you love driving above all, you will not find another EV that has the driving dynamics of the Air. Missing an opportunity to own and enjoy the car early, rather than later, because something takes longer to respond to the touch, will not keep me from buying the car. I am not saying the Air is for everyone, but make sure you drive one before you decide to walk away.

 

[rbbarry]

If you do not own a Lucid, or have not driven one, it is hard to evaluate the impact, that a reported issue, will have with a potential buyer. Best example is recall number #2. If I was a buyer, and not an owner, I too would be spooked by two recalls in a matter of months on a $170 k car. As an owner, and thanks to the information provided in this forum, the recall turned out to be nothing more than making my car available for inspection to Victor (Who loves cars as much as I) for ten minutes, so he could move the harness out of the way and secure it. If you love driving above all, you will not find another EV that has the driving dynamics of the Air. Missing an opportunity to own and enjoy the car early, rather than later, because something takes longer to respond to the touch, will not keep me from buying the car. I am not saying the Air is for everyone, but make sure you drive one before you decide to walk away.

Rivian and Lucid in the same garage!

 

[HC_79]

Rivian and Lucid in the same garage!

Greedy!

 

[Thehack]

It's funny that I see so much talk about delays in the software. I will have to report on this once I get my vehicle... But I thought I would share this experience with you all.

I back my Volvo into my garage, and plug it in after every trip (it is always plugged in when not being driven). When I leave (especially in a hurry), I unplug my vehicle, get in, start and drive without preconditioning.

There is an option to turn the car to "PURE" mode vs Hybrid (which is supposed to be solely using battery instead of ICE). While the screen comes on almost immediately, the lag that the OS produces is extremely noticeable (from changing temperatures, adjusting seating temps / steering wheel temps, and simple radio functions). It can be 2 blocks of driving before the system is responsive enough so that I can change from the standard Hybrid mode at boot up to the PURE mode.

So I am unsure if this is a sign of the times, or if it is poor software from Volvo. I can live with it though. What I like is that I can drive around on a full tank pretty much daily, and do it for much cheaper than gas. Doing so in a nicer car, with more power, and a lot more range is like a dream to me. So I guess we shall see if I have any "regrets" to mention once accepting delivery. Currently I am excited for the opportunity.

 

[Steveinarizona]

It's funny that I see so much talk about delays in the software. I will have to report on this once I get my vehicle... But I thought I would share this experience with you all.

I back my Volvo into my garage, and plug it in after every trip (it is always plugged in when not being driven). When I leave (especially in a hurry), I unplug my vehicle, get in, start and drive without preconditioning.

There is an option to turn the car to "PURE" mode vs Hybrid (which is supposed to be solely using battery instead of ICE). While the screen comes on almost immediately, the lag that the OS produces is extremely noticeable (from changing temperatures, adjusting seating temps / steering wheel temps, and simple radio functions). It can be 2 blocks of driving before the system is responsive enough so that I can change from the standard Hybrid mode at boot up to the PURE mode.

So I am unsure if this is a sign of the times, or if it is poor software from Volvo. I can live with it though. What I like is that I can drive around on a full tank pretty much daily, and do it for much cheaper than gas. Doing so in a nicer car, with more power, and a lot more range is like a dream to me. So I guess we shall see if I have any "regrets" to mention once accepting delivery. Currently I am excited for the opportunity.

Poor software from Volvo. I cross shopped the Volvo XC60 T8 against the BMW 530e (I know, SUV vs. sedan but both are PHEVs). While the Volvo had much more HP, it didn't feel that way and the info system was way behind that in the BMW. After I start the BMW I put on sun glasses and my car is ready to go.

 

[Mountain Man]

Poor software from Volvo. I cross shopped the Volvo XC60 T8 against the BMW 530e (I know, SUV vs. sedan but both are PHEVs). While the Volvo had much more HP, it didn't feel that way and the info system was way behind that in the BMW. After I start the BMW I put on sun glasses and my car is ready to go.

Procedure I have become accustomed to in the Lucid: walk out to garage and car recognizes phone and unlocks within 3 seconds. Climb in and immediately step on brake pedal to get the systems started. Grab and fasten seat belt, put car in reverse, back out using ONLY the backup camera because the 360-surround view is not ready yet. Once out of the garage, curse the stupid system because surround view has come on, preventing use of garage opener buttons. Hit “X” to close surround view, hope to hit the little house symbol to make garage door choices pop up, hit garage door button. The Homelink programming is stupid and I’m convinced the programmers don’t have a car or a house, but it’s a relatively minor stupidity that you learn to live with.

 

[CLTGT]

I figured I would just go old school and put the garage door clicker on the visor like I did 10+ years ago.

 

[hydbob]

I figured I would just go old school and put the garage door clicker on the visor like I did 10+ years ago.

Did that after figuring out homelink "works" but is bad implementation.

 

[Thehack]

Procedure I have become accustomed to in the Lucid: walk out to garage and car recognizes phone and unlocks within 3 seconds. Climb in and immediately step on brake pedal to get the systems started. Grab and fasten seat belt, put car in reverse, back out using ONLY the backup camera because the 360-surround view is not ready yet. Once out of the garage, curse the stupid system because surround view has come on, preventing use of garage opener buttons. Hit “X” to close surround view, hope to hit the little house symbol to make garage door choices pop up, hit garage door button. The Homelink programming is stupid and I’m convinced the programmers don’t have a car or a house, but it’s a relatively minor stupidity that you learn to live with.

I gotta admit, that would piss me off too. I'm hoping to build an alexa routine to help me with closing the garage door.

 

[hydbob]

I gotta admit, that would piss me off too. I'm hoping to build an alexa routine to help me with closing the garage door.

I think @borski has one already?

 

[Thehack]

I know the ifttt one, and there is one that requires a subscription. Probably go the ifttt route if myQ doesn't get their alexa support together.

 

[Mountain Man]

I gotta admit, that would piss me off too. I'm hoping to build an alexa routine to help me with closing the garage door.

Ah, that’s what I thought, too. Doesn’t work because Alexa doesn’t become functional until the systems are all up and running….

 

[rbbarry]

New update out for the Lucid App for iOS