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When your comma device overheats, shuts down unexpectedly, shows a blank screen, or fills up its storage, the fix is usually a FrogPilot setting, not a hardware replacement. This page walks you through every common device symptom, the FrogPilot setting that controls it, and exactly what to adjust. It doesn't cover vehicle wiring, physical mounts, or harness connections. For those, see comma.ai's official hardware guides.

Symptom Index

Use this table to jump straight to your problem.

Symptom	Likely Cause	FrogPilot Setting to Check	Default
Device shuts down from overheating while driving	Temperature exceeds the danger threshold	Raise Temperature Limits	Off
Device shuts down shortly after parking	Shutdown timer is set too low	Device Shutdown Timer	9 (6 hours)
Device stays on all night, draining car battery	Shutdown timer is set too high or low-voltage cutoff is too low	Device Shutdown Timer / Low-Voltage Cutoff	9 / 11.8 volts
Device reboots unexpectedly after changing a setting	High-Quality Recording or Use Konik Server was toggled	High-Quality Recording / Use Konik Server	Off / Off
No temperature reading in the sidebar	Numerical Temperature Gauge isn't enabled	Numerical Temperature Gauge	On (Developer tuning)
Screen is too bright at night	Brightness is set to a fixed value instead of auto	Screen Brightness (Offroad/Onroad)	Auto
Screen is completely dark while driving	Onroad brightness is set to "Screen Off" or Standby Mode is on	Screen Brightness (Onroad) / Standby Mode	Auto / Off
Screen never turns off while parked	Screen timeout is set to the maximum	Screen Timeout (Offroad)	30 seconds
WiFi hotspot doesn't appear	Tethering isn't enabled	Tethering (in openpilot network settings)	Off
SSH connection refused	SSH isn't enabled or GitHub keys aren't configured	SSH toggle + GitHub username	Off
Storage full, device sluggish	Driving data and recordings aren't being managed	Delete Driving Data / Disable Logging	—
Uploads failing on cellular	Onroad uploads are disabled or network is metered	Disable Onroad Uploads	Off

Quick Checks

Before diving into specific symptoms, run through these fast checks that solve the majority of device issues.

1. Check your tuning level. Many device settings only appear at Advanced or Developer tuning. If a setting described in this page is missing from your menus, go to FrogPilot → Tuning Level and increase it temporarily.

2. Check the sidebar. Tap your device's sidebar while parked. The three colored widgets show temperature, vehicle connection, and network/memory status at a glance. Green means healthy, yellow means caution, red means action needed.

3. Restart the device. A simple reboot clears temporary issues. Hold the power button or go to FrogPilot → System Settings → Utilities and use the reboot option.

4. Check available storage. If your device has less than 2% free space, openpilot won't start at all. Go to FrogPilot → System Settings → Data and delete old driving data or screen recordings.

5. Make sure Device Settings is enabled. Most device management features are children of the Device Settings toggle at FrogPilot → System Settings → Device Controls → Device Settings. If it's off, none of the settings inside it will take effect.

Overheating and Thermal Throttling

Your comma device has built-in thermal protection that throttles performance or shuts down driving assistance when it gets too hot.

The device monitors temperatures from the CPU, GPU, memory, and power management chips. It combines these readings into a single composite temperature and classifies it into one of four thermal bands:

Band	Temperature Range	What Happens
Green	Below 80°C	Everything is normal
Yellow	75°C – 96°C	Caution zone; device is warming up
Red	88°C – 107°C	Driving assistance can't start; device needs to cool before engaging
Danger	Above 94°C	Driving assistance is forced off; device enters emergency cooling

The overlapping ranges create hysteresis: the device won't jump back and forth between bands at the boundary. For example, once you enter the Yellow band, you won't drop back to Green until the temperature falls below 75°C.

Key rule: The device must be below the Red band to go onroad (start driving assistance). If it's already onroad and enters the Danger band, driving assistance turns off immediately. There's also a separate check: if the device has been parked for more than 5 minutes and the temperature exceeds 75°C, it goes straight to the Danger band.

Raise Temperature Limits

Property	Value
Default	Off
Recommended	Off for most drivers
Location	FrogPilot → System Settings → Device Controls → Device Settings → Raise Temperature Limits
Tuning Level	Advanced

When you enable Raise Temperature Limits, FrogPilot subtracts 6°C from the composite temperature reading before checking it against the thermal bands. This effectively shifts all the thresholds upward by 6°C, letting the device run hotter before throttling or shutting down.

⚠️ Warning: Enabling Raise Temperature Limits means your device runs closer to its hardware limits. Prolonged operation at elevated temperatures can shorten the life of your device. Only enable this if you're in a situation where the device keeps overheating despite proper mounting and ventilation, and you need to finish a drive.

Numerical Temperature Gauge

Property	Value
Default	On
Tuning Level	Developer
Location	FrogPilot → Theme and Appearance → Appearance → Developer UI → Developer Metrics → Numerical Temperature Gauge

When this is on, the sidebar's temperature widget shows the actual temperature in degrees (e.g., "42°C") instead of just "GOOD", "OK", or "HIGH". You can also enable a Fahrenheit sub-toggle to display in °F instead of °C.

💡 Tip: You can cycle through temperature display modes by tapping the temperature widget in the sidebar while Developer UI is enabled. Each tap rotates between: no numerical reading, Celsius, and Fahrenheit.

Temperature Decision Tree

1. Below 75°C: You're in the Green band. No action needed.
2. 75°C – 88°C: You're in the Yellow band. The device is warm but still functional. Check that it's not in direct sunlight and that the windshield mount isn't blocking airflow.
3. 88°C – 94°C: You're in the Red band. Driving assistance won't engage if you're parked. If you're already driving, it will stay active but is close to disengaging. Park in shade and let the device cool.
4. Above 94°C: Danger zone. Driving assistance is forced off. Move the device out of direct sun. Don't enable Raise Temperature Limits as a permanent solution; instead, investigate why the device is running this hot.

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Unexpected Shutdowns and Power Issues

FrogPilot controls two shutdown triggers: a timer that counts down after you park, and a voltage monitor that protects your car battery.

Device Shutdown Timer

Property	Value
Default	9 (6 hours after parking)
Recommended	The default of 9 works well for most drivers
Range	0 – 33
Tuning Level	Standard
Location	FrogPilot → System Settings → Device Controls → Device Settings → Device Shutdown Timer

This controls how long the device stays powered after your car's ignition turns off. The values map to real time like this:

Setting Value	Time Before Shutdown
0	5 minutes
1	15 minutes
2	30 minutes
3	45 minutes
4	1 hour
5	2 hours
...	...
33	30 hours

From value 4 onward, each increment adds 1 hour. The default of 9 means the device stays on for about 6 hours after you park. The stock openpilot default is 33 (30 hours).

There's also a built-in safety delay: the device won't shut down until at least 5 minutes have passed since going offroad, even if the timer setting is shorter. This prevents accidental shutdowns during brief stops.

Lower values protect your car battery from parasitic drain but mean the device needs a cold boot (which takes longer) when you return. Higher values keep the device warm and ready but draw more power from your car battery while parked.

Low-Voltage Cutoff

Property	Value
Default	11.8 volts
Recommended	The default of 11.8 volts works well for most vehicles
Range	11.8 – 12.5
Units	volts
Tuning Level	Developer
Location	FrogPilot → System Settings → Device Controls → Device Settings → Low-Voltage Cutoff

This is your car battery's safety net. While parked, the device monitors a low-pass filtered reading of your car's battery voltage. If it drops below this threshold (and you've been parked for at least 60 seconds), the device shuts down to prevent a dead battery.

The minimum of 11.8 volts comes from upstream openpilot's compiled constant. You can raise it (for example, to 12.0 or 12.2) if your car has a weaker battery or you want more conservative protection. You can't set it below 11.8 without modifying the source code.

⚠️ Warning: Setting this value too high (like 12.5) may cause premature shutdowns, especially in cold weather when battery voltage naturally drops. If your device keeps shutting down in cold climates, try lowering this closer to the default.

Shutdown Settings Summary

Parameter	Default	openpilot Default	Range	Units	Tuning Level
Device Shutdown Timer	9 (6 hours)	33 (30 hours)	0 – 33	Time intervals	Standard
Low-Voltage Cutoff	11.8	11.8	11.8 – 12.5	Volts	Developer

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Screen and Display Problems

FrogPilot gives you separate control over screen brightness and timeout for driving (onroad) and parked (offroad) states.

Screen Settings Summary

Parameter	Default	openpilot Default	Range	Units	Tuning Level
Screen Brightness (Offroad)	Auto	Auto	1% – Auto	Percentage or Auto	Advanced
Screen Brightness (Onroad)	Auto	Auto	Screen Off – Auto	Percentage or Auto	Advanced
Screen Timeout (Offroad)	30	30	5 – 60	Seconds	Advanced
Screen Timeout (Onroad)	30	10	5 – 60	Seconds	Advanced
Standby Mode	Off	—	On / Off	—	Standard

All screen settings live under FrogPilot → System Settings → Device Controls → Screen Settings.

Screen Brightness (Offroad) controls how bright the screen is while you're parked. Set to "Auto" (value 101), it uses the ambient light sensor. You can override it with a fixed 1%–100% value. There is no "Screen Off" option for the offroad brightness because you need to see the settings screen while parked.

Screen Brightness (Onroad) controls brightness while driving. It adds a "Screen Off" option (value 0) that disables the display entirely during a drive. When set to a fixed percentage of 5% or higher, the screen stays at that exact brightness for the entire drive regardless of the screen timeout. For very low settings (1%–4%), the screen maintains a minimum of 5% brightness until the screen timeout expires, then drops to the set value.

Screen Timeout (Offroad) and Screen Timeout (Onroad) control how long the screen stays lit after you tap it. The range is 5 to 60 seconds in 5-second steps. While parked, the screen turns off after the timeout expires. While driving, the timeout primarily affects Standby Mode: when Standby Mode is on, the screen goes dark after the timeout and wakes for alerts or changes in driving status. Without Standby Mode, the screen stays on at your set brightness for the entire drive.

Connectivity Issues

Connectivity settings live in openpilot's standard network menus, not the FrogPilot panel, but FrogPilot sets some defaults differently.

Tethering (WiFi Hotspot)

Property	Value
Default	Off (0)
Tuning Level	Minimal

The tethering setting controls whether your comma device broadcasts a WiFi hotspot. FrogPilot offers three modes:

• Always On (1): Hotspot is always active.
• Off (0): No hotspot.
• Onroad Only (2): Hotspot activates when you start driving and turns off when you park.

This setting is in openpilot's main network settings, not in the FrogPilot menu. FrogPilot defaults it to Off.

Cellular Roaming and APN

Parameter	Default	Tuning Level
Cellular APN	(empty)	Minimal
Cellular Roaming	On	Minimal

FrogPilot defaults Cellular Roaming to On (FrogPilot default is "1"), which differs from the stock openpilot default of Off. This means your device will connect to cellular networks while roaming by default.

If your SIM card or data plan requires a custom APN, enter it in the APN field in openpilot's network settings. Leave it blank if your carrier doesn't require one.

SSH Access

Property	Value
Default	Off
Tuning Level	Minimal

SSH lets you remotely access your device's command line for troubleshooting and development. To set it up:

1. Enable SSH in openpilot's developer settings.
2. Enter your GitHub username. The device will automatically fetch your public SSH keys from GitHub.
3. Connect to the device via SSH using the IP address shown in the sidebar (if the IP display is enabled).

SSH requires comma prime or comma prime lite for remote access outside your local network.

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Storage and Logging Issues

Your comma device has limited storage. FrogPilot provides toggles to manage what gets saved and uploaded.

Storage and Logging Settings

Parameter	Default	openpilot Default	Tuning Level	What It Does
Disable Logging	Off	Off	Advanced	Stops saving any driving data. Drives won't be recorded.
Disable Onroad Uploads (sub-toggle of Disable Uploads)	Off	Off	Advanced	Only blocks uploads while driving; uploads resume when parked.
Disable Uploads	Off	Off	Advanced	Stops uploading drives to comma connect (or Konik).
High-Quality Recording	Off	Off	Advanced	Saves footage at higher video quality, using significantly more storage.

High-Quality Recording has a special dependency chain: it only appears in the menu when Device Settings is on, Disable Uploads is on, and Disable Onroad Uploads is off. This is intentional. Higher bitrate recordings are larger, so they shouldn't be uploaded over cellular data. They need to be stored locally with uploads disabled.

⚠️ Warning: Toggling High-Quality Recording on or off triggers a device reboot. The device creates or removes a flag file and then restarts to apply the change. Don't change this setting while driving. A confirmation dialog will ask you to confirm the reboot.

⚠️ Warning: Enabling Disable Logging means your drives will not be recorded at all. This makes it impossible to review drives, get official support from comma.ai, or debug issues. Both Disable Logging and Disable Uploads require confirmation before activating.

Monitoring Storage

Two Developer-level sidebar metrics let you see storage status on the driving screen:

Metric	Default	Tuning Level	What It Shows
SSD Left	Off	Developer	Remaining storage in GB
SSD Used	Off	Developer	Used storage in GB

These appear in the bottom sidebar widget. You can also cycle through them by tapping the bottom sidebar widget while Developer UI is enabled. Each tap rotates through four states: connection status (the default view), memory usage (RAM %), storage left, and storage used. The fourth tap returns the widget to showing the connection status before the cycle repeats.

The sidebar widget changes color based on free space percentage:

Free Space	Sidebar Color
25% or more	Green
10% – 25%	Yellow
Below 10%	Red

If free space drops below 2%, openpilot won't start at all.

To delete data, go to FrogPilot → System Settings → Data, where you'll find buttons to delete driving data, error logs, and screen recordings.

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Device Health Monitoring via Developer Metrics

FrogPilot's Developer UI adds real-time health metrics to your sidebar and a dedicated developer sidebar on the right side of the screen.

To enable these metrics, go to FrogPilot → Theme and Appearance → Appearance → Developer UI. This is a Developer tuning level feature, so set your tuning level to Developer first.

Inside Developer UI, enable Developer Metrics to access the sidebar health widgets. Then choose which metrics to display:

Metric	Default	Tuning Level	What It Shows
CPU	On	Developer	Average CPU usage across all cores
GPU	Off	Developer	GPU usage percentage
IP	Off	Developer	Device's current IP address
RAM	On	Developer	Memory (RAM) usage percentage
SSD Left	Off	Developer	Free storage in GB
SSD Used	Off	Developer	Used storage in GB

CPU and GPU are mutually exclusive in the same sidebar slot. RAM, SSD Left, and SSD Used share a slot too. You can toggle between them by tapping the corresponding sidebar widget.

What the Numbers Mean

The sidebar widgets change color to indicate health:

Metric	Green	Yellow (Caution)	Red (Problem)
CPU / GPU usage	Below 70%	70% – 84%	85% and above
Memory (RAM) usage	Below 70%	70% – 84%	85% and above
Free storage	25%+ free	10% – 25% free	Below 10% free
Temperature	Green thermal band	Yellow thermal band	Red or Danger thermal band

CPU above 85% for extended periods may indicate a runaway process. Try rebooting. If it persists, check if you're running a particularly demanding driving model.

Memory above 85% typically means too many processes are consuming RAM. A reboot usually clears this. If it keeps happening, it could indicate a memory leak that may require a software update.

Storage in the red means you need to delete data soon. Go to FrogPilot → System Settings → Data to clear old drives and recordings.

Symptom: Device overheats regularly

1. Check your mount position. The device should be behind the rearview mirror, not in direct sunlight. If the sun hits the device directly, consider a sunshade for your windshield when parked.
2. Ensure airflow around the device. Don't cover the device or press it flat against the windshield in a way that blocks its vents.
3. Check the numerical temperature while driving. If you're consistently in the Yellow band (75°C+) even in mild weather, something may be blocking airflow.
4. As a last resort, enable Raise Temperature Limits to get through a drive. Don't leave it on permanently.

Symptom: Device shuts down too quickly after parking

1. Increase the Device Shutdown Timer. The default of 9 (6 hours) works for most people, but if you take short breaks and want the device ready when you return, increase it.
2. Check the Low-Voltage Cutoff. If it's set above 11.8 volts, your car's natural voltage drop after shutting off the engine might trigger an early shutdown. Lower it back to the default.
3. Check your car battery health. If your battery is weak or old, the voltage may drop below 11.8V quickly after parking, causing the device to shut down for battery protection. This is the device working correctly.

Symptom: Storage full

1. Delete old driving data at FrogPilot → System Settings → Data → Delete Driving Data.
2. Delete screen recordings at the same location if you've been recording your screen.
3. Delete error logs to free additional space.
4. If using High-Quality Recording, consider disabling it. HD footage uses significantly more storage.
5. Enable Disable Logging only as a last resort if you continuously run out of space and don't need drive recordings.

When To Ask For Help

Some problems can't be fixed with settings changes. Here's when to escalate.

Symptom	Settings Fix Available?	Next Step
Device overheats even with proper mounting, shade, and Raise Temperature Limits off	No	Check mount location and cable routing. If the device overheats in mild weather with good airflow, contact comma.ai support for a possible hardware issue.
Repeated low-voltage shutdowns with a healthy car battery	No	Check your harness power connection. The harness may not be delivering enough power. Verify the harness box is properly connected.
Screen is physically cracked or has dead pixels	No	Contact comma.ai support for a hardware replacement.
Device won't boot at all (no screen, no LEDs)	No	Try a different USB-C cable and power source. If still dead, the device may need reflashing or RMA through comma.ai.
Device crashes repeatedly with the same error	Possibly	Collect the error log from /data/error_logs/ (or delete old logs and reproduce the issue to get a fresh one). Share it on the FrogPilot Discord with your device type, car model, and FrogPilot version.
Settings changes don't seem to take effect	Possibly	Try a reboot first. If that doesn't help, create a toggle backup, factory reset through FrogPilot → System Settings → Utilities, then restore your backup.
WiFi or cellular hardware seems completely dead	No	Try toggling airplane mode on the device. If the modem is fully unresponsive after a reboot, it may be a hardware issue requiring comma.ai support.

Limitations & Known Issues

Understanding what FrogPilot can and can't control about your hardware will save you time troubleshooting.

• FrogPilot doesn't control the fan directly. Fan speed is managed by openpilot's built-in fan controller based on composite temperature. There's no FrogPilot setting to manually set fan speed.

• Raise Temperature Limits bypasses a safety margin. The 6°C offset it applies means your device will run hotter before the system reacts. This is entirely your responsibility if you enable it.

• High-Quality Recording causes a reboot. Every time you toggle it on or off, the device restarts. Don't change this setting during a drive.

• Low-Voltage Cutoff can't go below 11.8 volts. This minimum is a safety constant from upstream openpilot. Lowering it further would require modifying the source code, which risks draining your car battery to the point where it can't start.

• Several settings require higher tuning levels. Low-Voltage Cutoff requires Developer level. Screen brightness and timeout require Advanced level. Disable Logging and Disable Uploads require Advanced level. If a setting described here is missing from your menus, check your tuning level at FrogPilot → Tuning Level.

• The sidebar metrics (CPU, GPU, memory, storage) require Developer tuning level and Developer UI to be enabled. They're not visible at lower tuning levels.

• Standby Mode and Screen Off behave differently. Standby Mode wakes the screen for alerts and changes in driving status. Screen Off (brightness = 0) keeps the screen dark regardless. If you need to see alerts, use Standby Mode instead of Screen Off.

Q: My device rebooted out of nowhere. What happened?

A: The most common cause is toggling High-Quality Recording or Use Konik Server. Both of these settings create or remove a flag file and then prompt a reboot. If you confirmed the reboot dialog, that's what triggered it. If you didn't see a dialog, check your error logs at /data/error_logs/ for crash reports, or delete old logs and drive again to capture a fresh one.

Q: My device shuts down within minutes of parking, even though the timer should keep it on for hours.

A: Check two things. First, your car's battery voltage may be dropping below the Low-Voltage Cutoff threshold (default 11.8 volts). Older or weaker batteries can sag quickly after the ignition turns off. Second, verify the Device Shutdown Timer is set to the value you expect. Value 9 means 6 hours, not 9 minutes. Go to FrogPilot → System Settings → Device Controls → Device Settings → Device Shutdown Timer and confirm.

Q: The "Raise Temperature Limits" toggle isn't visible in my settings.

A: This setting requires your tuning level to be set to at least Advanced, and the Device Settings toggle must be enabled. Go to FrogPilot → Tuning Level and select Advanced or Developer, then open FrogPilot → System Settings → Device Controls → Device Settings.

Q: I set Screen Brightness (Onroad) to a fixed percentage but the screen goes dark while driving.

A: Check if Standby Mode is enabled at FrogPilot → System Settings → Device Controls → Screen Settings → Standby Mode. When Standby Mode is on, the screen turns off after the onroad screen timeout expires, then wakes automatically for alerts, changes in driving status, or when you tap the screen. If you want the screen to stay at your set brightness permanently, turn Standby Mode off. With Standby Mode off, a fixed onroad brightness of 5% or higher stays at that exact level for the entire drive regardless of the screen timeout.

Q: How do I enable the WiFi hotspot on my comma device?

A: The tethering toggle is in openpilot's standard network settings, not in the FrogPilot panel. Go to the main openpilot settings → Network → Enable Tethering. FrogPilot defaults this to Off. You can choose "Always On" or "Onroad Only" (hotspot only while driving).

Q: SSH won't connect even though I enabled it.

A: Three things to check. First, make sure you've entered your GitHub username and that your GitHub account has public SSH keys uploaded. The device fetches your keys from GitHub automatically. Second, you need to be on the same WiFi network as the device (or have comma prime for remote access). Third, find the device's IP address by enabling the IP sidebar metric under Developer UI → Developer Metrics → Sidebar Metrics → IP.

Q: The "High-Quality Recording" toggle doesn't show up in my settings.

A: High-Quality Recording has a special visibility requirement. All three of these must be true: Device Settings is on, Disable Uploads is on, and Disable Onroad Uploads is off. This is because high-bitrate footage is large and shouldn't be uploaded over cellular. Enable Disable Uploads first, make sure Disable Onroad Uploads (its sub-toggle) stays off, then High-Quality Recording will appear.

Q: My device shows a storage warning but I haven't recorded much.

A: Driving data accumulates faster than you might expect. Every drive generates camera footage, log files, and sensor data. High-Quality Recording roughly doubles the footage size. Screen recordings also use significant space. Go to FrogPilot → System Settings → Data to see deletion options. If you're consistently running low, consider enabling Disable Uploads with Disable Onroad Uploads to batch uploads when parked, or enable Disable Logging if you truly don't need drive recordings.

Q: I'm seeing red in the temperature sidebar widget. Is my device about to break?

A: A red temperature reading means the device is in the Red or Danger thermal band (above 88°C composite temperature). The device won't start driving assistance in the Red band, and will turn off if it reaches the Danger band (above 94°C). This doesn't mean the device is broken. It means it needs to cool down. Move it out of direct sunlight, crack a window, or park in shade. The device will recover once it cools below the band thresholds.

Q: How can I see CPU and memory usage while driving?

A: Set your tuning level to Developer, then go to FrogPilot → Theme and Appearance → Appearance → Developer UI → Developer Metrics → Sidebar Metrics. Enable CPU and RAM. These will appear in the sidebar widgets during your drive. You can also tap the sidebar widgets while parked to cycle between CPU/GPU and RAM/storage views.

Related Features

Feature	How it helps with device troubleshooting
Developer UI	Surfaces CPU, GPU, memory, temperature, and storage metrics on the driving screen for real-time hardware health monitoring.
Screen Management	Controls brightness, timeout, standby behavior, and screen recording to manage display-related issues.
Device Settings	Parent toggle for shutdown timer, voltage cutoff, thermal limits, logging, and upload controls.
Data Management	Provides tools to delete driving data, error logs, screen recordings, and manage backups.