2008 TESLA ROADSTER battery

Driving basics
6-5
Driving your vehicle
Hand brake
WARNING: Do not apply the hand
brake when the vehicle is moving. This
could result in a loss of control and may
damage the rear brakes.
S
The hand brake operates on the rear wheels
only, and is totally independent of the foot
operated hydraulic brake system.
To apply the hand brake, pull the lever fully
upwards.
If the starter switch is in the ON
position and the hand brake is
applied, the warnin g indicator in the
instrument panel illuminates and the Touch
Screen will display the main Parked screen.
Caution: If the hand brake is applied
when the brakes are hot (such as after
prolonged or frequent hard use), care should
be taken that the hand brake is securely
engaged. As the brake discs cool, the amount
of brake force applied by the lever will
reduce. To release the hand brake, pull the lever up
slightly, depress the button (shown in
illustration) and fully lower the lever. The
warning indicator will extinguish and the
Touch Screen will display a Drive screen.
Braking
WARNING: After driving through heavy
rain, some loss of braking response may
be experienced. As soon as safety permits,
apply the brakes to generate heat and dry the
brake components. Never drive the vehicle
through deep water - doing so can cause
damage and void the New Vehicle Limited
Wa r ra n t y.
S
The brakes operate through dual circuits. If
one circuit fails, the other continues to
function, but brakin g performance is
reduced. If greater pedal effort, or longer
stopping distances are experienced, the car
should not be driven and Tesla Motors should
be contacted as soon as possible. The brakes are servo-assisted, but only when
the starter switch is in the ON position and
the electrical systems are operating. Without
servo assistance, greater pedal effort is
required to control the vehicle, resulting in
longer stopping distances.
Regenerative brakingWhenever the vehicle is moving and your
foot is off the accelerator, regenerative
braking slows the vehicle and feeds energy
back to the battery. By anticipating your
stops and simply removing your foot from
the accelerator to slow down, you can take
advantage of the energy gains of
regenerative braking. A visual display on the
instrument panel provides real-time
feedback of the vehicle’s regenerative
braking. See
LCD panel, page 6-11 .Anti-lock Braking System
(ABS)
WARNING: ABS cannot overcome the
physical limitations such as stopping
the vehicle in too short a distance, turning the
vehicle at high speeds, or the lack of grip on
the road’s surface.
S
WARNING: Do not take risks when
driving in the hope that ABS will correct
errors of judgement. In all cases it is the
driver's responsibility to drive with due care
and attention.
S
Your vehicle is equipp ed with an anti-lock
braking system (ABS) that prevents the
wheels from locking when maximum brake
BRAKE
TR0005
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Instruments
6-11
Driving your vehicle
Instruments
BRAKE FAU LT
CRUISE
TC
P
R
N
D
mph
rpm
x1000
150
140
130
120
110
100
50
40
30
20 10 90
60 80
70
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
1415
BRAKE
FAU LT
CRUISE
TC
PRND
mph
rpmx1000
150140130120110100
5040302010
90
60
80
70
0
012345
6
7
8
910
1112131415
TR0028noc
LCD panelThe Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel in the
instrument panel operates whenever the
starter switch is in the ON position. The LCD
displays three types of information.AmmeterThe ammeter displays information about the
electrical current either entering or leaving
the Battery.
The numbers at the top left of the LCD
indicates the current (in amps).
Ammeter
Odometer,
trip display,
& range
Charge level
TR0031
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Instruments6-12Driving your vehicleThe extending bar on the top right of the LCD
is a visual indicator of the amount of and
direction of the current:
• When the bar extends to the right of the
vertical line, the Battery is discharging.
• When the solid bar extends to the left of
the vertical line, then the Battery is
recharging (from regenerative braking).Charge levelThe size of the filled region within the battery
icon provides a visual indicator of the amount
of charge remaining in the Battery.
Odometer and trip displayThis portion of the LCD display can display
trip, odometer, and range information. To
scroll through these types of information,
press the button located on the right-hand
side of the steering column:
• The TRIP display shows the miles traveled
since the trip display was last reset. To
reset the trip display to zero, press and
hold the button on the side of the
steering column for about one second.
Note: The TRIP display can also be
viewed and reset on the Touch Screen’s
Drive screen called “Trip”. Resetting the
TRIP display using the button on the
steering column resets the trip display on
the Touch Screen, and vice versa.
• The ODO display shows the total miles
traveled by the vehicle in its lifetime.
TR0032TR0031-B
TR0029
Reset
TRIP
Display
•The RANGE display shows an estimate of
how many miles you can travel on the
amount of charge remaining in the
Battery. The displayed range is an
estimate only and the actual range may
vary depending on your driving style and
the electrical systems you are using (for
example, air conditioning).
If the key is off, pressing the TRIP button
temporarily illuminates the instrument panel
to show the ODO display.Warning indicators
High beam. Illuminates when the
headlight high beams are selected.
Turn signals. Flashes to indicate which
turn signals are operating. Both
indicators will flash when the hazard warning
lights are operating. If a turn signal indicator
flashes quickly or irregularly, the associated
turn signal bulb may need replacing.
Brake indicator. Illuminates when the
hand brake is applied. If the indicator
illuminates at any other time, a fault with the
brake system has been detected.
• Indicator permanently illuminated - brake
fluid level is low.
• Indicator flashing - fault with the ABS
system is detected.
WARNING: Driving the vehicle with the
brake indicator illuminated could result
in fatal or serious injury. Stop the vehicle as
soon as safety permits and rectify the
problem immediately.
S
BRAKE
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Instruments
6-13
Driving your vehicle
Charge indicator. Flashes amber when
the vehicle is charging.
Charge indicator. Illuminates red when
the charging port door is open and
the vehicle is not charging.
Caution: Never run the vehicle until the
Battery is fully depleted. If the Battery
is fully depleted, all electrical systems on the
vehicle are inoperable and the vehicle can not
be driven.
Tire pressure indicator. Illuminates
when the pressure of a tire is out of
range. If a fault with the Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) is detected, the
warning indicator flas hes. Check the Touch
Screen for more information.
Seat belt warning. Illuminates
whenever the driver’s seat belt is
unbuckled and the starter switch is in the ON
position. Also, an audible sound will be heard
for six seconds if the starter switch is turned
to the ON position and the drivers seat belt is
unbuckled. If the car is driven more than a
tenth of a mile with the driver’s seat belt
unbuckled, you’ll hear a warning tone.
Airbag warning. Illu minates during the
system check that occurs when the
starter switch is turned to the ON position.
This indicator should extinguish within
approximately six seconds. If the light fails to
illuminate, or fails to extinguish after six
seconds, a fault has occurred and you must
contact Tesla Motors. Warning: If the airbag indicator is
illuminated, the airbag system will be
deactivated. Contact Tesla Motors
immediately. In the event of an accident the
airbags may not inflate.
S
Non-critical fault. Illuminates yellow
when a non-critical fault is detected.
For example, when power is reduced due to
high temperature. Bring the vehicle to Tesla
Motors for servicing as soon as possible.
Critical fault. Illuminates red when a
critical fault is detected. This is usually
accompanied by the inability to drive the
vehicle and a shutdown of all electrical
systems. Stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe
to do so, and contact Tesla Motors.
Traction control. Illuminates when the
traction control has been manually
deactivated and will il luminate briefly in
situations where traction control is in use.
Cruise control. Illuminates when the
cruise control system is operating.
Frost warning. Illuminates when the
temperature outside the vehicle falls
below 37º F (3º C). Extinguishes when the
temperature raises again to
exceed 41º F (5º C).
Gear position indicatorsWhen the starter switch is turned to the ON
position, the gear po sition indicators
sequentially (and briefly) illuminate red and then green. When the start-up sequence is
complete, the indicator corresponding to the
currently selected gear (
N) remains
illuminated green. For more information, see
Selecting gears, page 6-3 .FAULTFAULTTCCRUISEPRND
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Interior temperature control7-4
Comfort and convenience
Interior temperature controlGeneral informationThe temperature of the air inside the vehicle
is controlled using the controls on the center
console.
Heating is provided by a high voltage electric
heater located under the hood. Cooling is
provided by an all-electric air conditioning
system located under the hood. In addition to
cooling the cabin, the system also cools the
Battery.
Note: In high ambient temperatures, the
system may not be able to achieve the
desired cabin temperature. This is normal,
with priority being given to cooling the
Battery to ensure that cell temperatures stay
within a range that supports long life and
efficient performance.Control panel1. Driver’s seat heater
2. Passenger’s seat heater
3. Temperature control
4. Air conditioning system
5. Heating system
6. Fan speed control
7. Air recirculation
8. Air distribution
The heating and air conditioning in your Tesla
Roadster operate differently from those in
conventional vehicles in two key ways. First,
the temperature control 3 doesn’t do
anything unless either the air conditioning 4
or the heating system 5 button is pressed.
Second, because the vehicle is designed to
conserve the Battery’s energy, the air conditioning system and the heating system
must be manually turned on each time you
start the vehicle—even if they were turned on
when you shut the vehicle off.
Also note that if both the air conditioning and
heating is turned on at the same time, you get
a nominal amount of cooling. If operating
when the ambient temperature is below 2°, it
is recommended you press the air
recirculation
7 button.
Operating the systemNote: The fan, heating and air conditioning
system are powered by the Battery.
Prolonged use decreases the range of the
vehicle.
Heating and air conditioning must be
reselected each time the starter switch is
turned to the ON position or whenever the
fan is turned off.Fan speedRotate the fan control 6 clockwise to increase
fan speed.
With the fan switched off, the amount of air
entering the vehicle depends on your driving
speed. To operate the air conditioning or
heating systems, the fan must be turned on.Te m p e r a t u r eRotate the temperature control 3 clockwise
or counterclockwise to adjust the
temperature of the heated or cooled air.
Unlike the temperature control system of a
conventional vehicle, the temperature of the
air entering the vehicle will change only if the
heating or air conditioning system is
operating.Air conditioningEnsure that the fan 6 is on, then press button
4 to operate the air conditioning system. The
indicator in the switch illuminates blue when
the system is operating. Press again to switch
off.
TR0020
1
2
47
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Interior temperature control
7-5
Comfort and convenience
Rotate the temperature control to achieve
the desired air temperature.
Note: In high ambient temperatures, cooling
may be temporarily diverted away from the
passenger compartment to cool the Battery.HeatingEnsure that the fan 6 is on, then press button
5 to operate the heating system. The
indicator in the switch will illuminate amber
when the system is operating. Press again to
switch off.
Rotate the temperature control to achieve
the desired air temperature.Air recirculationPress button 7 to operate air recirculation.
The indicator in the switch will illuminate
green. Press again to switch off.
When air recirculation is operating, and the
soft-top or hard-top is installed, 90% of the
air from within the passenger compartment is
recirculated, instead of being drawn from
outside the vehicle. This is useful for
preventing fumes from entering the vehicle
or to effectively maintain a constant
temperature.
Note: It is recommended that recirculation is
switched off for a short period each hour to
refresh the air inside the vehicle, and to help
prevent the windshield from fogging.Air distributionRotate the air distribution control 8 to
change the points at which air enters the
passenger compartment. Windshield vents
Footwell vents
Face vents
Air flow from the vents can be mixed by
positioning the control between the
distribution settings.
Ve n t i l a t i o nAir is drawn into the ventilation system
through the grill at the front of the vehicle.
Keep the grill clear of obstructions (leaves,
snow, etc.).
Press the thumb depression to open the
vents and rotate to direct the air. The vents
on each side of the dashboard can be
adjusted to direct air onto the side windows.
Note: With the face level vents open, airflow
to the foot and windshield outlets is reduced. TR0026
Windshield defrostingFor maximum efficiency when removing frost
or mist from your windshield, set the controls
as follows:
1. Rotate the air distribution control to windshield.
2. Rotate the fan control fully clockwise.TR0027
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Interior temperature control7-6
Comfort and convenience
3. Switch on both the heating and air conditioning.
4. Rotate the heating control for maximum heat.
When the windshield has fully cleared, adjust
the controls as required.Seat heatersThe seat heaters operate only when the
starter switch is in the ACC or ON position.
Note: The seat heaters must be reselected
each time the starter switch is turned to the
ON position.
Press the respective button to operate the
required seat heater. The seat heaters can be
operated at two different levels:
• Press once to operate at a high level. The
switch indicator will illuminate amber.
• Press again to operate at low level. The
switch indicator will illuminate green. •
Press again to switch off.
The seat heaters are thermostatically
controlled to maintain a constant
temperature. The indicator in the switch
remains illuminated until either the seat
heater is manually turned off or the starter
switch is turned to the OFF position.
Note: Although the seat heaters consume
energy from the Battery, they require less
energy than the cabin heater.TR0021 Roadster OHB.book Page 6 Th ursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM

9-1
Maintenance and careMaintenanceGeneral information 8-2
Routine maintenance 8-2
Owner maintenance 8-2
Opening and closing the hood 8-3
Fluid reservoirs Fluid reservoir locations 8-4
Brake fluid 8-4
Windshield washer fluid 8-5
Battery coolant 8-5
Windshield wiper and washer Checking the wiper blade 8-6
Replacing the wiper blade 8-6
Windshield washer jets 8-6
Cleaning and vehicle care Environmental precautions 8-7
Cleaning the vehicle exterior 8-7
Polishing the body 8-8
Using a car cover 8-8
Paint damage and rectification 8-8
Cleaning the vehicle interior 8-8
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