
Instrument PanelInstrument Panel
4.8MODEL S OWNERS MANUAL
Instrument PanelInstrument Panel Overview
NOTE: The following illustration is provided for demonstration purposes only. Depending on vehicle
options, software version, and market region, the information displayed may be slightly different.
1.The center display changes depending on
whether Model S is off or ready to drive. If
Model S is off, the center displays shows
remaining estimated range and status of
doors. Pressing the brake powers Model S
on—the indicator lights flash on for a
second and the center display shows
speed, power, charge level, estimated
range (see item 9), and active gear. When
Model S is plugged in, the instrument
panel displays charging status (see
page 6.8).
2.Use the left steering wheel buttons to
operate the audio system. You can also
press and roll the scroll wheel to change
what displays on the left side of the
instrument panel (see page 4.3).
3.Pay attention to important status
messages that display here.
4.All indicator lights flash on briefly when
you press the brake to prepare to drive.
They should then turn off, unless the light
applies to a current situation (see
page 4.9).
5.Use the right steering wheel buttons for
voice commands, to handle telephone
calls, and to control some features of
Model S. You can customize what features
the scroll wheel can control (see
page 4.4).6.Door lock status
7.Odometer
8.Outside temperature
9.Range estimate
The estimated range based on the amount of energy remaining in the
Battery. You can specify how you want to display range by touching
Controls > Settings > Language & Units and choosing:
•Rated - based on ECE R101 testing.
•Ideal - assumes ideal driving conditions based on driving at a steady
speed of 89 km/h on a flat road, and using no additional energy (seat
heaters, air conditioning, etc).
NOTE: When anticipating when you need
to charge, use range estimates as a
general guideline only.
10.Pay attention to alert messages that
appear at the bottom center of the
instrument panel. If any alerts are in effect,
you can view information about them by
touching the alert icon (exclamation
mark) on the touchscreen’s status bar (the
topmost area of the touchscreen).
11.Currently selected gear Park, Reverse,
Neutral, or Drive.
12.Date and time
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Energy Usage
DRIVING4.19
Energy UsageDisplaying Energy Usage
Touch the Energy app on the top of the
touchscreen to display a graph showing
how much energy Model S has been
using.
The graph visually shows energy consumption
and projected range. The projected range is
based on consumption over the last tenth of a
mile.
Heavy acceleration and high speed driving
cause peaks on the graph as Model S uses more
energy. Slowing down causes dips. Points at
which more energy was gained than used
(causing surplus energy to be regenerated and
fed back to the battery) are shown in green.
To change the graph’s scale, use standard
touchscreen finger gestures to pinch or expand
the display. You can show the energy used over
the past 10, 25, or 50 km. You can also change
the graph’s scale by touching Controls >
Settings > Apps > Energy.
NOTE: You can also display this graph on the
instrument panel by using the scroll button on
the steering wheel (see page 4.3).
Driving Tips to Maximize Range
Maximizing your driving range uses the same
driving habits that you use to conserve fuel in a
gasoline-powered vehicle.
Energy consumption depends on driving habits
and environmental conditions (such as cold
weather and hilly roads). To get the maximum
mileage from a charge, you should:
•Keep in mind that driving at high speeds
(such as on a freeway) decreases range.
•Avoid frequent and rapid acceleration.
•Instead of using the brake to slow down,
move your foot off the accelerator.
Whenever M odel S is moving and your foot
is off the accelerator, regenerative braking
slows down Model S and feeds surplus
energy back to the Battery (see page 4.21).
•Keep tires at the recommended inflation
pressures (see page 7.3).
•Lighten your load by removing any
unnecessary cargo.
•Limit the use of resources such as heating
and air conditioning. Using seat heaters to
keep warm is more efficient than heating
the cabin.
The power meter on the instrument panel and
the Energy app (see page 4.19) provide
feedback on energy usage. With this feedback,
you will soon become familiar with how driving
habits and environmental conditions impact
how much energy Model S is using.
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Brakes
DRIVING4.21
Regenerative Braking
Whenever Model S is moving and your foot is
off the accelerator, regenerative braking slows
down Model S and feeds any surplus 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 regenerative
braking to increase driving range. Of course,
this is no substitute for regular braking when
needed for safety.
NOTE: If regenerative braking is aggressively
slowing Model S, such as on a steep descent,
brake lights turn on to alert other road users
that you are slowing down.
The power meter on the instrument panel
displays real-time feedback on the amount of
energy being gained by regenerative braking.
The amount of energy fed back to the Battery
using regenerative braking can depend on the
current state of the Battery and the charge
level setting that you are using. If regenerative
braking is limited, a dashed yellow line displays
on the power meter. For example, regenerative
braking may be limited if the Battery is
extremely hot or cold because the surplus
energy is used to cool or heat the Battery.
Regenerative braking is also limited if the
Battery is already fully charged.
To Set the Regenerative Braking Level
You can use the touchscreen to change the
level of regenerative braking:
1.Touch Controls.
2.Choose from two levels:
•Standard - provides the maximum
amount of regenerative braking. When
you release the accelerator, Model S slows
down faster, reducing the need to use the
brakes.
•Low - limits the amount of regenerative
braking. When you release the
accelerator, Model S takes longer to slow
down and coasts further.
NOTE: Regenerative braking resets to Standard
each time you start Model S.
Parking Brake
The parking brake automatically engages
whenever you shift Model S into Park, and
releases whenever you shift into any other gear.
NOTE: The parking brake operates on the rear
wheels only, and is independent of the
foot-operated brake system.
Use the touchscreen to manually release the
parking brake (which also shifts Model S into
Neutral):
1.Touch Controls > E-Brake & Power Off.
2.Press the brake pedal, then touch Parking
Brake. If Model S was previously in Park, it
shifts into Neutral.
The parking brake indicator displays on
the instrument panel whenever you use
the touchscreen to manually apply the
parking brake.
If an electrical issue occurs with the
parking brake, an amber parking brake
fault message displays at the top center
of the touchscreen.
CAUTION: In the unlikely event that
Model S loses electrical power, you
cannot release the parking brake.
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Touchscreen - Controls
USING THE TOUCHSCREEN5.5 1.Close
Touch the circled X in the top left of a
window to close it. You can also touch
anywhere outside the window to close it.
2.Sunroof
If Model S is equipped with a sunroof, touch
to adjust its position (see page 2.12).
3.Driving
•Suspension
If Model S is equipped with Active Air
Suspension, touch to manually raise or
lower Model S (see page 5.11). You must
press the brake pedal before you can
change suspension settings. Active Air
Suspension causes Model S to self-level,
even when powered off. Therefore, when
lifting or towing, you must disable
self-leveling (see pages 7.23 and 9.3).
•Steering mode
Adjust the amount of effort required to
turn the steering wheel. Sport feels more
responsive whereas Comfort feels easier
to drive and park (see page 4.3).
•Regenerative braking
When you release the accelerator when
driving, regenerative braking slows
Model S and feeds any surplus energy
b a c k t o t h e B a t t e r y. I f s e t t o L o w, M o d e l S
does not slow down as quickly, but you
may experience less range (see
page 4.21).
NOTE: Regardless of the setting, the
energy gained by regenerative braking is
reduced if the Battery is full, or if it is
extremely cold or hot (the surplus energy
is used to heat or cool the Battery).
•Tr a c t i o n C o n t r o l
If you turn off Traction Control, a warning
message displays on the instrument
panel. The off setting stays in effect for
the current drive only (see page 4.22).
•Creep
When on, Model S slowly moves forward
when in Drive and backward in Reverse
when you release the brake (similar to a
conventional vehicle with an automatic
transmission). You can only adjust this
setting when Model S is in Park.4.Cold Weather
If Model S is equipped with the cold
weather option, you can control all seat
heaters and the heated wipers. Note that
you can also control the front driver and
passenger seats using the main climate
control panel located on the bottom of the
touchscreen (see page 5.8).
5.Tr i p s
View and reset the trip meters that
summarize how far you have driven (see
page 4.18).
6.Displays
Manually control the touchscreen’s
brightness and control its day (light
background) or night (dark background)
setting. When set to Auto, the touchscreen
automatically changes between Day and
Night brightness depending on the ambient
lighting conditions.
7.E-Brake & Power Off
You can manually:
•Apply and release the parking brake
(page 4.20).
•Power off (see page 4.6).
•Keep Model S in Neutral by activating
Tow Mode (see page 9.3).
8.Doors & locks (see page 2.4)
9.Control lights (see page 4.11)
WARNING: Do not read the touchscreen
while driving. Doing so increases the
likelihood of a collision. Everything you need to
know when driving is displayed on the
instrument panel.
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Climate ControlsClimate Controls
5.8MODEL S OWNERS MANUAL
Climate ControlsOverview of Climate Controls
The climate controls are always available at the bottom of the touchscreen. By default, climate
control is set to Auto On, which maintains optimum comfort in all but the most severe weather
conditions. When you adjust the temperature, the system automatically adjusts the heating, air
conditioning, air distribution, air circulation, and fan speed to maintain your selected temperature.
To override these settings, touch Auto On (see page 5.9).
The fan, heating, and air conditioning systems are powered by the Battery. Therefore, prolonged use
decreases driving range.
NOTE: The following illustration is provided for demonstration purposes only. Depending on vehicle
options, software version, and settings, the information displayed may be slightly different.
1.The front seats are equipped with heating
pads that operate at three levels from 3
(highest) to 1 (lowest).
When operating, the indicator turns red and
displays the setting number.
NOTE: If Model S is equipped with the cold
weather option, the three rear seats also
have seat heaters and all seat heaters can
be controlled by touching Controls > Cold
We a t h e r.
NOTE: Seat heaters use less Battery energy
than the climate control system.
2.Touch the up or down arrow to set the cabin
temperature (from LO, 17° C to HI, 32° C). To
apply a temperature setting to both the
driver and passenger side at the same time,
touch SYNC TEMP on the temperature
popup that appears when you touch an
arrow.
NOTE: You can display temperature in
either
oF or oC (Controls > Settings >
Language & Units).
3.Automatic/Manual climate control (see
page 5.9).4.The windshield defroster distributes air flow
to the windshield and operates the heating
and fan at their maximum level. Touch once
for Normal Defrost (icon turns blue). Touch
twice for Max Defrost (icon turns red).
When on, touch again to turn off and
restore the air distribution, heating, and fan
to their previous settings.
5.Turn climate control system on/off.
6.The rear window defroster warms up the
rear window* for 15 minutes, then
automatically shuts off.
*If Model S is equipped with the optional
tech package, exterior side mirrors are also
heated.
WARNING: To avoid burns resulting from
prolonged use, individuals who have
peripheral neuropathy, or whose capacity to
feel pain is limited because of diabetes, age,
neurological injury, or some other condition,
should exercise caution when using the climate
control system and seat heaters.
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Climate Controls
USING THE TOUCHSCREEN5.9
Customizing Climate Control
The climate control system is designed to automatically provide optimum comfort in most
situations. All you need to do is set the desired temperature, and the air conditioning, air
recirculation, air distribution, and fan speed automatically maintain your selected temperature.
To override the automatic setting, touch Auto On to view the individual settings. Then touch the
setting you want to change. When you change a setting, the Auto On icon turns from blue to gray
and Reset Auto is displayed instead.
1.Touch Reset Auto to change all settings
back to the their default values.
2.Touch A/C On or A/C off to turn the air
conditioning on and off, respectively.
Turning it off reduces cooling, and also
reduces the power used by the Battery.
Because Model S runs much quieter than a
gasoline-powered vehicle, you may notice
the sound of the compressor as it is
operating. To minimize noise, reduce the fan
speed or recirculate the air.
NOTE: Turning off air conditioning can
cause the windows to fog in some climate
conditions.3.Touch one of these icons to specify how air
is drawn into Model S:
4.Touch one of these icons to select where air
flows. You can choose more than one
location:
5.Touch and drag the slider to set the speed
of the fan.
NOTE: In high temperatures, it is more
efficient to operate the fan at a higher
speed. Doing so reduces the amount of
power needed by the air conditioning
system.
Outside air is drawn into Model S
(see page 5.10). Although less
efficient than recirculating the air in
very hot or low climate conditions,
this setting draws more air into the
rear seating areas, and is
recommended when occupants are
seated in the Tesla built in rear facing
child seats.
Air inside Model S is recirculated.
This prevents outside air (traffic
fumes) from entering but reduces
dehumidifying and cooling
performance. Recirculating the air is
the most efficient way to cool the
front cabin area but it is also the
loudest. To prevent the windshield
from fogging in some conditions,
briefly change the setting every hour
to draw in outside air.
Foot-level vents
Face-level vents
Windshield vents
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Climate ControlsClimate Controls
5.10MODEL S OWNERS MANUAL
Ventilation
Outside air is drawn into Model S through the
grill in front of the windshield. Keep the grill
clear of obstructions such as leaves and snow.
To direct the flow of air inside Model S, move
the interior vents up, down, or from side to side.
NOTE: You can direct the outer face level vents
toward the side windows to help defrost or
defog them.
Cabin Air Filter
Model S has an air filter that prevents pollen,
industrial fallout, road dust and other particles
from entering through the vents.
Tesla replaces the air filter every 40,000 km.
Climate Control Operating Tips
•If the climate control system operates more
loudly than you prefer, reduce the fan speed
or adjust the air flow to draw in outside air
(instead of recirculating).
•In addition to cooling the interior, the air
conditioning system also cools the Battery.
Therefore, in hot weather, the air
conditioning system can turn on even if you
turned it off. This is normal because the
system’s priority is to cool the Battery to
ensure it stays within an optimum
temperature range to support long life and
optimum performance.
•To ensure the climate control system
operates efficiently, close all windows and
ensure that the exterior grill in front of the
windshield is free of ice, snow, leaves, and
other debris.
•To reduce the time it takes to reach a
comfortable temperature in hot weather,
drive with the windows slightly open for a
few minutes when you first start driving.
•In very humid conditions, it is normal for the
windshield to fog slightly when you first
turn on the air conditioning. This fog clears
within a few seconds.
•It is normal for a small pool of water to form
under Model S when parked. Extra water
produced by the dehumidifying process is
drained underneath.
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Media and AudioMedia and Audio
5.16MODEL S OWNERS MANUAL
USB Connections
Your Model S has two USB connections located
on the front of the center console. Use these
connections to connect USB flash drives and
portable audio devices to the touchscreen. You
can also use these connections to charge USB
devices.
To play audio files stored on a connected
device, see page 5.15.
NOTE: Do not connect multiple devices using a
USB hub. This can prevent connected devices
from charging or from being recognized by the
touchscreen.
12V Power Socket
Your Model S has a power socket located on
the front of the center console. Power from the
socket is available whenever the instrument
panel and touchscreen are on.
The 12V power socket is suitable for accessories
requiring up to 15A or a maximum of 180 watts.
NOTE: In situations where Model S is unable to
detect the key (low battery, interference, etc),
place it immediately below the 12V power
socket where Model S can best detect it.
WARNING: The power socket and an
accessory’s connector can become hot.
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