Exterior
2-3
Your vehicle at a glance
Exterior overview1. Roof. See Removable roof, page 7-9 .
2. Charging port door. For details on vehicle charging, see the manual titled “Charging Your Vehicle” provided in your owners pack age.
3. Wheels and tires. See Wheels and tires, page 11-4.
4. Exterior door release. See Exterior door release, page 4-4.
5. Emergency door unlock. See Emergency unlocking, page 4-5.
6. Wheel bolts. See Removing the wheel, page 10-6.
7. Trunk lock. See Opening the trunk, page 4-6.
8. Vehicle recovery eye. See Attaching the vehicle recovery eye, page 10-14.
9. Headlights. See Exterior lights, page 6-7.
10. Exterior mirrors. See Exterior rear view mirrors, page 7-3.
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Interior
2-5
Your vehicle at a glance
Dashboard overview1. Touch Screen. See Touch Scr een Users Manual provided in your owners package .
2. Turn signals, headlight high beam and cruise control. See Exterior lights, page 6-7 and Cruise control, page 6-9.
3. Instruments. See Instruments, page 6-11.
4. Windshield wiper and washer. See Windshield wiper and washer, page 6-8.
5. Hazard warning light switch. See Hazard warning, page 6-10.
6. Heating and air conditioning. See Interior temperature control, page 7-4.
7. Gear selector. See Selecting gears, page 6-3.
8. Traction control switch. See Traction control, page 6-6.
9. Accessory power socket. See Accessory power socket, page 7-7.
10. Horn. See Horn, page 6-10 .
11. Starter switch. See Starting the vehicle, page 6-3.
12. Hood release. See Opening and closing the hood, page 9-3.
13. Trunk release. See Opening the trunk, page 4-6.
14. Instrument panel illumination control. See Instrument panel lighting, page 6-14.
15. Exterior lights master switch. See Exterior lights, page 6-7.
16. Power windows. See Operating the windows, page 7-2.
17. Central door locking. See Central door locking, page 4-4.
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Seats3-2Seating and safety restra
ints
Seating and Safety Restraints
Seat adjustment
WARNING: Never adjust the driver’s
seat while your vehicle is moving.
U n ex p e c t e d o r s u d d e n s e at m ove m e n t co u l d
result in an accident.
S
Driver’s seat positionTo adjust the forward/rearward position of
the driver’s seat, raise the bar beneath the
front of the seat and slide the seat to the
required position. Release the bar to lock the
TR0001
12
seat into position. Ensure that the seat is
locked in position before driving, by trying to
slide the seat forward.
To reduce the risk of injury in the event of an
accident, Tesla recommends the following
when adjusting seat position:
• Adjust the seat so that you can press the
foot pedals fully to the floor with your
knees slightly bent.
• Make sure that you can comfortably reach
the top of the steering wheel.
• Ensure a distance of at least 10 inches (25
cm) between the steering wheel and your
breastbone. The airbag will not provide
adequate protection if you sit closer.
• Fasten your seat belt correctly.Lumbar supportAdjust lumbar support using the inflator bulb
located on the outside front edge of the
driver’s seat 1 or on the inside front edge of
the passenger seat 2 .
To increase lumbar support, squeeze the bulb
repeatedly until sufficie nt support is obtained.
To reduce the amount of support, press the
button located on the clamp between the
hose and the inflator bulb.Head restraintsEach seat is provided with a head restraint.
The head restraints are integral with the seats
and therefore can not be adjusted or
removed.
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Keys
4-3
Doors, locks, and security
Unlocking
Press the Unlock button on the key fob
to unlock the doors and disarm the
alarm.
The turn signals flash twice and the red alarm
indicator on the console extinguishes.
Note: If neither door or trunk are opened
within one minute, the doors will
automatically re-lock and the alarm will arm.
Programmable button
This button can be programmed to
perform one of the following functions:
• Alarm
The horn sounds and the exterior lights
flash for one minute. Press again to cancel
the alarm.
• Trunk release
Opens the trunk.
• Open or close a HomeLink
® device
Operates devices such as a garage door
or gate.
To program this button, use the Touch
Screen. Refer to the Touch Screen Users
Manual, provided in your owners package.
To activate the programmed function, press
and hold the button for two seconds.
Replacing the key fob’s batteryThe key fob’s battery should last for
approximately one year depending on use.
When the battery needs replacing, you’ll notice a deterioration in performance. For
example, you’ll gradually need to be closer to
the vehicle to operate the key fob.
To replace the battery:
1. Remove the securing screw on the rear of the key fob and carefully separate the two
halves. Avoid damaging the seal between
the two halves.
2. Remove the batteries, taking care to avoid touching the circuit board or the
contact surfaces of the battery holder.
3. Fit two new batteries (type CR1616) with the ‘+’ sides facing upwards.
If possible, avoid touching the flat
surfaces of the battery because finger
marks will reduce battery life. Wipe the
battery clean before fitting.
4. Assemble the two halves of the key fob.
ComplianceThe key fob complies with Title 47 CFR Part
15 Subpart C rules for intentional radiators.
Operation is subject to the following
conditions:
• This device may not cause harmful
interference.
• This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any changes or modifications to the key fob
not expressly approved by the manufacturer
or Tesla Motors could void the user’s
authority to operate the equipment.
Transmitter FCC ID: L2M001004
TR0156
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Trunk4-6Doors, locks, and securityTr u n kOpening the trunkTo open the trunk, press the trunk release
button on the dashboard, or insert the key in
the external lock and turn counter-clockwise.
You can also use the key fob if you have set
up the its programmable button to remotely
open the trunk. For details on programming
the key fob, refer to the Touch Screen Users
Manual provided in your owners package.The trunk release button is disabled when the
doors are locked with the key fob, or when
your vehicle’s speed exceeds 5 mph.
Closing the trunkClose the trunk one side at a time. Use both
hands to firmly but gently apply downward
pressure on one side of
the rear spoiler until
you hear it click into place. Repeat for the
other side.
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To close the trunk,
use both hands
to firmly but gently
push down on one
side of the rear
spoiler until you
hear it “click”
into place. Repeat
for the other side.
Trunk interior release handleYour vehicle is equipped with a mechanical
trunk release handle that provides a means of
escape in the event that a person becomes
locked inside the trunk. Adults are advised to
familiarize themselves with the operation and
location of the release handle.
A T-shaped handle is located at the back of
the trunk towards the drivers side of the
vehicle. This handle is made using a
luminescent material that glows for hours
after a brief exposure to ambient light. To
open the trunk from the inside, pull the
T-shaped handle and push up on the trunk lid. TR0149
Roadster OHB.book Page 6 Th ursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM
General information about charging5-2
Charging your vehicle
Charging your vehicle
General information about chargingImportant!
Caution: If the Battery’s charge level
falls to 0%, it must be plugged in
immediately. Failure to do so can
permanently damage the Battery and this
damage is not covered by the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty. Also, if you allow the
Battery to fall to a critically low level it may
not be possible to charge the vehicle. If you
are unable to charge the vehicle, contact
Te s l a M o t o r s .
WARNING: The Battery has no parts
that an owner, or a non-Tesla authorized
technician can service. Under no
circumstances should you open or tamper
with the Battery. Always contact Tesla Motors
to arrange for Battery servicing
. S
At the end of its service life, the Battery
will be recycled. Contact Tesla Motors
for recycling arrangements.
The BatteryThe Tesla Roadster’s Battery provides power
to the motor as well as all the other electrical
systems on the vehicle, such as lights,
instruments, audio system, etc.
The Battery is one of the largest and most
advanced battery packs in the world,
consisting of several thousand lithium-ion
battery cells that store enough energy for the
vehicle to travel over 200 miles without
recharging.
Note: Actual range will vary based on driving
style. The vehicle consumes more energy if
you are driving aggressively, driving up hills, or are using more resources such as air
conditioning. Also, over time, the Battery
experiences a gradual loss of capacity,
inherent in all lithium-ion batteries. So, as
your vehicle ages, the ca
pacity of the Battery
declines.
As you drive your vehicle, the level of charge
in the Battery is depleted and you’ll need to
recharge it. The Roadster’s built-in charging
system allows you to easily recharge it by
connecting an electrical power supply to the
vehicle’s charging port.
Designed to be plugged inThe Tesla Roadster is de signed to be plugged
in when not in use. This ensures that the next
time you use the vehicle, it is fully charged
and ready to go. There is no advantage to
waiting until battery level is low before
charging. In fact, by plugging it in every night,
you eliminate the risk of damage that could
be caused by over-discharging the battery.
When plugged in, the vehicle takes care of
itself, preserving battery life by managing the
charge level and keeping the Battery at an
ideal temperature. The vehicle wakes up
every 24 hours and, if needed, automatically
initiates the charging process to keep the
Battery at an optimum charge level.
If you’re not driving your vehicle every day,
see Storing your vehicle, page 5-3 .
Leaving the vehicle unpluggedEven when you’re not driving the vehicle, the
Battery will slowly lose its charge. Therefore,
when you’re not using the vehicle, you should
leave it plugged in. However, situations may
arise in which you must leave the vehicle
unplugged for an extended time (for
example, at an airport when travelling for a
couple of weeks). If this is the case, it is your
responsibility to ensure that the Battery does
not become fully depleted. Charge the
Battery to a maximum level before leaving it,
and keep in mind that when the vehicle is left
unplugged, the Battery’s charge level will
drop to a level of approximately 50% within
the first week, and then decline at a rate of
approximately 5% each subsequent week.
Plan accordingly to ensure that the Battery
never approaches a level of 0%.
Over-discharge can permanently damage the
Battery.
If for some reason, you are unable to keep the
vehicle plugged in when it is not being used,
it is up to you to preserve battery life by
paying attention to the charge level and the
temperature (see bulleted list below). If
leaving your vehicle unplugged for more than
24 hours, follow these do’s and don’ts to
avoid prematurely decreasing the life of your
vehicle’s Battery:
• DO leave the vehicle plugged in whenever
possible.
• DO maintain at least a 15% charge level in
the Battery if leaving it unplugged for
more than 48 hours.
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Charging components5-6Charging your vehicleCharging componentsTR0034
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Main charging components1. Battery
2. Charging port
3. Charging port door
4. Charging cable
5. Cable hanger
6. High Power Connector
7. Smoke detector
The High Power Connector is the primary
source for recharging your vehicle.
During normal use, the High Power Connector
should be left on, even when the charging
cable is not connected to the vehicle. The
READY light on the control panel illuminates
green to indicate that the High Power
Connector is operating correctly.
Although the High Power Connector is on and
ready, no electricity is supplied until the
charging cable is connected to the vehicle,
and both the vehicle and the High Power
Connector determine that it is safe for
charging to begin.
For details on how to use the High Power
Connector to charge your vehicle, refer to the
manual titled “Charging Your Vehicle,”
provided in your owners package.
Roadster OHB.book Page 6 Th ursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM
6-1
Driving your vehicle
Driving basicsKey positions 6-2
Steering column lock 6-2
Starting the vehicle 6-3
Selecting gears 6-3
Driving tips 6-3
Hand brake 6-5
Braking 6-5
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) 6-5
Traction control 6-6
Switches and controls Exterior lights 6-7
Turn signals 6-8
Windshield wiper and washer 6-8
Cruise control 6-9
Hazard warning 6-10
Horn 6-10
Instruments LCD panel 6-11
Warning indicators 6-12
Gear position indicators 6-13
Instrument panel lighting 6-14
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