MyTeslaMate
BMS family

BMS_f038_SW_Neg_Contactor

Unable to start vehicle

What does the BMS_f038_SW_Neg_Contactor alert mean?

The battery management system (BMS) detects that the negative contactor remains open during the first 2 seconds of pack contactors attempting to close.

What you'll see in your Tesla

  • Unable to start vehicle
  • Service is required

What triggers it

The BMS detects that the negative pack contactor is welded.

When it clears

The negative contactor closes as expected.

Potential impact

Inability to charge, drive, or support the low voltage (LV) system

Affected models

Model S 2012-2020 Model X 2015-2020

Track your Tesla's alerts automatically

Alerts like this reach MyTeslaMate through your car's Tesla telemetry API. MyTeslaMate logs every alert your Tesla reports and turns it into readable history and real-time notifications — hosted TeslaMate with no server to run.