Driving basics6-4
Driving your vehicle
•Drive with the top on and the windows up
to minimize aerodynamic drag.
• Keep tires at the recommended inflation
pressures.
• Remove unnecessary belongings from
the trunk.
• Minimize the use of resources such as
heating and air conditioning. Using seat
heaters to keep warm is more efficient
than heating the cabin.
In addition to driv ing habits, energy
consumption is also increased based on
environmental conditions, such as cold
weather and hilly roads.
The Touch Screen’s Energy screen displays
precise real-time feedback on the amount of
energy you’re using. Energy feedback is also
displayed on the LCD display on the
instrument panel. Deep waterDo not drive through flooded areas, water of
unknown depth, or deep puddles. When
driving through even a relatively shallow
puddle, drive slowly to prevent water from
entering the vehicle. Carrying items in cabin areaThe trunk is the preferred place to carry
objects. In an accident, during hard braking,
or sudden maneuvers, loose items carried in
the vehicle’s cabin area can be thrown
around, and cause injury to occupants unless
securely fastened.Roadster OHB.book Page 4 Th ursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM
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
Roadster OHB.book Page 13 Thursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM
Maintenance9-2
Maintenance and care
Maintenance and care
MaintenanceGeneral informationRegular maintenance is the key to ensuring
the continued reliability and efficiency of
your vehicle.
Maintenance is the owner's responsibility and
you must ensure that the appropriate
maintenance is carried out when required
and according to the recommendations
specified by Tesla Motors.Routine maintenanceTake your vehicle to Tesla Motors at the
regularly scheduled maintenance intervals of
every 12 months, or every 12,000 miles,
whichever comes first.
Maintenance and service must be performed
by Tesla-certified technicians. Damages or
failures caused by maintenance or repairs
performed by non-Tesla certified technicians
are not covered under the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
Service interval indicatorWhen the key is inserted and the starter
switch turned to the ACC position, the Touch
Screen momentarily displays the distance to
the next service interval.
In addition, this information can be displayed
by selecting the Info icon on the Touch
Screen when the vehicle is parked. For
details, refer to the Touch Screen Users
Manual provided in your owners package.
Owner maintenance
WARNING: Any significant or sudden
drop in fluid levels, or uneven tire wear
should be rectified immediately.
S
In addition to the routine maintenance
performed by Tesla Motors, a few simple
checks must be carried out more frequently.
Advice is given on the pages that follow.Daily checks• Operation of lights, horn, turn indicators,
wipers, washers and warning indicators
• Operation of seat belts and brakes
• Check for fluid deposits underneath the
vehicle that might indicate a leakWe e k l y c h e c k s•Brake fluid level. Refer to Brake fluid,
page 10-4 .
• Windshield washer fluid level. Refer to
Windshield washer fluid, page 10-5 .
• Battery coolant. Refer to Battery coolant,
page 10-5.
• Condition and pressure of each tire. Refer
to Wheels and tires, page 11-4 .
• Operation of the air conditioning. Refer to
Interior temperature control, page 7-4.
Roadster OHB.book Page 2 Th ursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM
Tire repair
10-5
Roadside emergencies
Note: In cold conditions, use the vehicle’s
heater to warm the aerosol.
3. Position the wheel (if possible) so that the puncture is at the bottom.
4. Remove the valve cap and clean the valve thread.
5. Vigorously shake the tire sealant for approximately 30 seconds.
6. Screw the filler tube onto the tire valve and break the safety seal.
7. Hold the tire sealant upright and turn the knob one-quarter turn clockwise. If you
need to stop the process, simply turn the
knob back to the ‘OFF’ position.
8. Empty the entire contents of the tire sealant into the tire. When the sealant
stops flowing through the filler tube, turn
the knob to the ‘OFF’ position and
unscrew the filler tube from the tire valve.
Note: If tire sealant comes into contact
with the vehicle’s paint, immediately
wash the area with water to avoid
permanent damage.
9. If the wheel rim has lifted from the ground, drive immediately for 6 to 12
miles (10 to 20 km) to distribute the
sealant evenly inside the tire. Then drive
gently and do not exceed 30 mph
(45 km/h).
WARNING: If the wheel rim has not
lifted from the ground, call
Roadside Assistance to have the vehicle
transported to a repair facility.
S
10. Drive to the nearest service station and inflate the tire to the correct pressure (see
Specifications and tire pressures,
page 11-4 .) If the required pressure
cannot be reached, then the tire is too
severely damaged and you should have
the vehicle transported to a tire repair
facility. Do not drive!
Note: When adjusting tire pressures, you
can display tire pressure values on the
Touch Screen’s tire pressure screen.
However, the values displayed by the
Touch Screen will not be updated until
you place the car in drive long enough for
the tire pressure monitoring sensors to
take new readings. For details, refer to the
Touch Screen Users Manual provided in
your owners package.
11. If the correct tire pressure was achieved, continue driving. Drive carefully and do
not exceed 30 mph (45 km/h). At the
earliest opportunity, have the tire
repaired or replaced and replace the used
tire sealant.
WARNING: Always inform the tire
repairer that tire sealant has been
used. If the tire is to be subsequently
deflated, only do so in a well ventilated
area. The aerosol sealant can damage the
wheel sensor that measures tire pressure.
Therefore, the wheel sensor must be
replaced.
S
Replacing the tire sealantAlways replace the used tire sealant with one
of the same type and capacity (400 ml). Tire
sealants are available through most reputable
automotive retailers.
Roadster OHB.book Page 5 Th ursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM
11-1
Technical specifications
Vehicle identificationVehicle Identification Number 11-2
Safety compliance certification label 1 1-3
Wheels and tires Specifications and tire pressures 11-4
Tire markings 11-5
Tire placard/label 11-7
Uniform tire quality grading 11-7
Tire care 11-8
Tire Pressure Monitoring System 11 -11
Dynamic tire pressure monitoring 11-12
Wheels and tires glossary 11-13
Approved fluids and capacities Fluid specifications 11-14
Capacities 11-14
Vehicle dimensions and weights Exterior dimensions 11-15
Vehicle weights 11-16
Subsystem specifications Motor 11-17
Transmission 11-17
Steering 11-17
Front suspension 11-18
Rear suspension 11-18
Brakes 11-18
Electrical 11-19
Battery 11-19
Roadster OHB.book Page 1 Thursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM
Wheels and tires11-4
Technical specifications
Wheels and tiresSpecifications and tire
pressuresWheel type
Location
Size
Forged light alloy - directional Front 6J x 16 Rear7.5J x 17
Tire type
Location
Size
Yokohama Neova AD07 LTS - directional Front 175/55 R16 Rear225/45 R17
Road wheel bolt torque 77 lbf.ft 105 Nm
Note: For details on where to position a jack to lift the vehicle, see Vehicle jacking points, page 10-11.Tire
Tire Pressure
Recommended
Comfort setting
Front 30 PSI (207 kPa)25 PSI (172 kPa)
Rear 40 PSI (276 kPa)36 PSI (248 KPa)
Note: The recommended tire pressures have been calculated to provide the best combination of vehicle range, tire life, ride comfort a nd road
handling.
Driving the vehicle with the tires inflated to the comfort setti ng will improve ride comfort and road handling, but will decrea se vehicle range (the
number of miles you can travel on a charge) and Battery life (see the New Vehicle Limited Warranty, provided in your owners pac kage, for details
on expected range of the Battery).
Roadster OHB.book Page 4 Th ursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM
Wheels and tires11-6Technical specifications7, U.S DOT Tire Identification Number
(TIN)This begins with the letters DOT and
indicates that the tire meets all federal
standards. The next two numbers or letters
are the plant code where it was
manufactured, and the last four numbers
represent the week and year the tire was
built. For example, the numbers 1706 means
the 17th week of 2006. The other numbers
are marketing codes used at the
manufacturer's discretion. This information
can be used to contact consumers if a tire
defect requires a recall.8, Maximum permissible inflation
pressureThe maximum inflation pressure for the tire.
This pressure should not be used for normal
driving.
9, Treadwear gradeThis number indicates the tire's wear rate.
The higher the treadwear number is, the
longer it should take for the tread to wear
down. A tire rated at 400 for example, will
last twice as long as a tire rated at 200.10, Traction gradeThis letter indicates a tire's ability to stop on
wet pavement. A higher graded tire should
allow you to stop your vehicle on wet roads in
a shorter distance than a tire with a lower
grade.
Traction is graded from highest to lowest as
AA, A, B, and C.11, Temperature gradeHeat resistance grading. The tires resistance
to heat is grade A, B, or C, with A indicating
the greatest resistance to heat. This grading
is provided for a correctly inflated tire, which
is being used within its speed and loading
limits.12, Tire composition and materialsThe number of plies in both the tread area,
and the sidewall area, indicates how many
l aye rs o f ru bb e r co ate d m ate ri al m ake u p t h e
structure of the tire. Information is also
provided on the type of materials used.
Rating
Speed (mph)
Q99 R106S 112
T 118
U124
H130 V149
W168 Y186
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Wheels and tires
11-7
Technical specifications
Tire placard/labelThe tire information label on the pillar behind
the driver’s door contains the following
information:
• The maximum number of occupants for
the vehicle.
• The vehicle capacity weight, which
includes the weight of the driver,
passengers and cargo.
• The size of the tires with which the
vehicle was originally equipped.
• Cold inflation pressures for the front and
rear tires.
Note: The label must not be changed, even if
different wheels are fitted at a later stage.Steps for determining correct load
limit
WARNING: Do not exceed the vehicle
capacity weight (the total weight of
driver, passenger and cargo) given.
S
WARNING: Overloading the vehicle will
have an adverse affect on braking and
handling characteristics, which could
compromise your safety.
S
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of occupants and cargo should
neve r exce e d 2 50 kg or 5 51 l bs ” as s h ow n
on your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from 250 kg or 551
lbs (weight given on placard).
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if there will be two
150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 251 lbs: (551 - 300 (2 x
150) = 251 lbs).
TR0091
TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATIONSEATING CAPACITY TOTAL 2 FRONT2 REAR 0
SEE OWNERSMANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed 250 kg or 551lbs
ORIGINAL TIRE SIZE
COLD TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE
175/55R16
225/45R17 FRONT
REAR
207kPa, 30PSI
275kPa, 40PSI
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in Step 4.
6. Your vehicle should never be used to tow a trailer.
The number and weight of passengers will
affect the cargo and luggage load capacity. In
the example above, the cargo and luggage
load capacity is 251 lbs. However, if only one
occupant is in the vehicle, the luggage load
capacity will increase. If the vehicle carries
one 150 lb person, the luggage load capacity
will increase to 401 lbs (551 - 150 = 401 lbs).
Note: If the passengers weigh more, the
luggage load capacity will decrease.Uniform tire quality gradingThe following information relates to the tire
grading system developed by the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) which will grade tires by tread wear,
traction and temperature performance.
Note: Tires that have deep tread, and winter
tires, are exempt from these marking
requirements.
Quality grades, where applicable, can be
found on the tire sidewall between the tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:TREADWEAR 180
TRACTION AA
TEMPERATURE A
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