
Front TrunkFront Trunk
2.10MODEL S OWNERS MANUAL
Front TrunkOpening
To open the front trunk:
•To u c h Controls > Front Trunk on the
touchscreen, or double-click the front trunk
button on the key.
•Pull the hood up.
The door open indicator displays on the
instrument panel when the front trunk
is open. The image of the Model S on
the touchscreen Controls window also displays
the open trunk.
To open the front trunk in the unlikely situations
where Model S has no electrical power, see
page 2.11.
Closing
Lower the hood, then place both hands on the
front of the hood as shown. Press down firmly
with both hands to engage the latches. Lift the
front edge of the hood to ensure it is fully
closed.
WARNING: Slamming or dropping the
hood can cause damage, and does not
ensure that it is properly closed.
WARNING: Do not drive with the hood
secured by the secondary catch alone.
book.book Page 10 Friday, July 19, 2013 12:53 PM

Front Trunk
OPENING AND CLOSING2.11
Interior Emergency Release
An interior release button inside the front trunk
allows a person locked inside to get out. This
release button is active whenever Model S is
stationary.
Press the interior release button to open the
front trunk, then push up on the hood.
NOTE: The button glows for several hours after
a brief exposure to ambient light.
Opening with No Power
If Model S has no electrical power, or if you are
unable to open the front trunk using the
touchscreen or key, pull the mechanical release
lever located below the glove box. This releases
the primary catch.
Then push down on the secondary catch lever
and lift the hood. You may need to push the
hood down slightly to release the pressure
against the secondary catch.
book.book Page 11 Friday, July 19, 2013 12:53 PM

Tesla Built In Rear Facing Child Seats
SEATING AND SAFETY RESTRAINTS 3.11
Tesla Built In Rear Facing Child SeatsUsage Restrictions
The Tesla built in rear facing child seats are child
restraint systems and are approved to United
Nations ECE Regulation R44.04 standards for
use by children in Mass Groups II and III,
weighing 15 - 36 kg. These seats must only be
used for children who are between 3 and 12
years old, and 98 - 135 cm tall.
Always ensure the top of the child’s head
cannot contact the vehicle and that the child is
seated comfortably with the seat belts
positioned and latched correctly. The child’s
pelvis must be held securely in place by the lap
belt. Follow all instructions provided and do
not use supplemental child safety seats in
these seats.
NOTE: To draw more air into the rear seating
areas, it is recommended that whenever a child
is seated in the Tesla built in rear facing child
seats, you set the climate control system to
draw outside air into Model S, instead of
recirculating the air. See page 5.9.
Opening
1.Remove the cover from the trunk floor and
pull the strap to lift the seat assembly
upward:
2.Push the seat assembly into position:3.Undo the Velcro strap:
4.Pull the handle to release the head supports
from the seat back, then pull the head
supports toward you to unfold them:
5.Raise the seat back to the upright position
and push until it locks into position. Visually
check to ensure that the retaining catches
are engaged:
6.Check that the seat back and seat base are
securely retained in the upright position by
trying to pull the seat back toward you.
book.book Page 11 Friday, July 19, 2013 12:53 PM

Tesla Built In Rear Facing Child SeatsTesla Built In Rear Facing Child Seats
3.12MODEL S OWNERS MANUAL
Folding
CAUTION: Before folding the seats,
fasten the seat belts to prevent them
from getting trapped in the seat
mechanism and being damaged.
1.Pull the handle to release the seat back and
pull the seat back fully forward:
2.Push the lever to release the head supports
from the seat back, then fold back onto the
seat:
3.Secure the Velcro strap:4.Pull the strap at the rear of the seat to fold
the seat assembly into the trunk floor:
5.Replace the cover on the trunk floor:
book.book Page 12 Friday, July 19, 2013 12:53 PM

Steering Wheel
DRIVING4.3
Steering WheelAdjusting Position
Adjust the steering wheel to the desired driving
position by moving the control on the left side
of the steering column.
WARNING: Do not make adjustments
while driving. Doing so increases the
likelihood of a collision.
Adjusting Sensitivity
You can adjust the feel and sensitivity of the
steering system to suit your personal
preference:
1.On the touchscreen, touch Controls.
2.Choose a steering option:
•Comfort - reduces the effort required to
turn the wheel. In town, Model S feels
easier to drive and park.
•Standard - Tesla believes that this setting
offers the best handling and response in
all conditions.
•Sport - Increases the effort required to
turn the wheel. When driving at higher
speeds, Model S feels more responsive.
The only way to really know which option you
like best is to try them.
Using Left Steering Wheel Buttons
Use the buttons on the left side of the steering
wheel to change radio stations, control the
media player’s volume, and control what
displays on the left side of the instrument panel
whenever the Navigation app is not displaying
instructions.
NOTE: The volume control on the steering
wheel does not adjust spoken navigation
instructions. To control the volume of
navigation instructions, use the navigation
window on the touchscreen (see page 5.19).
1. Next
If you are listening to local radio and you
have defined more than one radio preset,
(see page 5.12) press to play the next preset
in the radio band that is currently playing. If
you have not defined more than one preset,
press to go to the next available frequency.
If you are listening to Internet radio, or to an
audio file on a connected Bluetooth or USB
device, press to skip to the next song or
station.
2. Scroll Wheel
•To adjust the media volume, roll up or
down.
•To mute the media volume, or to
pause/play an audio file, tap the wheel.
•To choose what displays on the left side
of the instrument panel, press the scroll
wheel to display the available options.
Then roll the scroll wheel to browse
through the options. Tap the scroll wheel
when the option you want is selected.
3. Previous
Same as described above for Next, except it
skips to the previous song or station.
NOTE: Regardless of how you customize the
left side of the instrument panel, it
automatically changes to display navigation
instructions (if applicable), or to let you know if
a door or trunk is open when Model S is in a
driving gear.
book.book Page 3 Friday, July 19, 2013 12:53 PM

Instrument PanelInstrument Panel
4.10MODEL S OWNERS MANUAL An ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) fault is detected. See page 4.20. Contact Tesla
immediately.
A brake system fault is detected or the brake fluid level is low. See page 4.20. Contact
Tesla immediately.
Tire pressure warning. The pressure of a tire is out of range. If a fault with the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is detected, the indicator flashes. For a TPMS
fault, contact Tesla. See page 7.3.
A door or trunk is open. See page 2.4.
Flashes green when the left turn signal is operating. Both turn signal indicators flash
green when the hazard warning flashers are operating.
Flashes green when the right turn signal is operating. Both turn signal indicators flash
green when the hazard warning flashers are operating.
Model S is in Tow mode and can roll freely. It does not automatically shift into Park
when you exit. See page 9.3.
Indicator Description
book.book Page 10 Friday, July 19, 2013 12:53 PM

LightsLights
4.12MODEL S OWNERS MANUAL 1.If DOME lights are set to AUTO, interior
dome (map) lights turn on when you unlock
Model S, open a door upon exiting, or shift
into Park. They turn off after 60 seconds,
when you lock Model S, or when you shift
into a driving gear.
You can also turn an individual dome light
on or off by pressing its lens. If you
manually turn a dome light on, it turns off
when Model S powers off. If Model S was
already powered off when you manually
turned the light on, it turns off after 60
minutes.
2.If you turn on AMBIENT lights, the lights on
the door armrests turn on whenever the
headlights are on.
3.To u c h FOG to turn the rear fog lights on or
off.
The Rear Fog indicator displays on
the instrument panel whenever rear
fog lights are on.
The fog lights operate only when the
headlights are on. Whenever headlights are
turned off, fog lights also turn off.
4.If your Model S is equipped with a coil
suspension system, you can adjust the
angle of the headlights to accommodate
the load you are carrying. You may need to
lower the angle of the headlights to avoid
blinding oncoming drivers in situations
when you are carrying a significant amount
of weight in the rear trunk. After touching
LEVEL, drag the slider to the desired
position:NOTE: Headlight adjustments are not
available if Model S is equipped with Active
Air Suspension because Model S levels
automatically.
5.Exterior lights are set to AUTO each time
you start Model S.
All exterior lights (headlights, tail
lights, position lights, and license
plate lights) automatically turn on
when driving in low lighting
conditions. These lights always
revert to AUTO on your next
drive, regardless of any other
setting that you selected when it
was previously driven.
NOTE: When set to AUTO,
headlights operate based on
lighting conditions, particularly at
dawn and dusk. A blue sky, with
the sun located low on the
horizon, can cause the lights to
switch on.
Touch one of these options to temporarily
change the exterior light setting:
Headlights, tail lights, and license
plate lights turn off until you
manually turn them back on or
until the next time you drive
Model S. Only the daytime running
lights (front) are on.
The daytime running lights, the
rear position lights, and the
license plate lights are on.
All exterior lights (headlights, tail
lights, position lights, and license
plate lights) turn on.
0Headlights are not lowered. No
change is needed when all front and
rear seats are occupied and only
the front trunk is laden.
1Headlights are lowered one or two
levels. Suitable when the front and
rear seats are occupied and the rear
trunk is laden. For more details on
vehicle loading, see page 8.3.
2
AUTO
OFF
book.book Page 12 Friday, July 19, 2013 12:53 PM

Security SettingsSecurity Settings
5.22MODEL S OWNERS MANUAL
Security SettingsAbout the Security System
If Model S does not detect a key nearby and a
locked door or trunk is opened, the horn beeps
and headlights and turn signals flash. To
deactivate the alarm, press any button on the
key.
You can manually enable or disable the alarm
system by touching Controls > Settings >
Safety & Security > Alarm. When set to on,
Model S activates its alarm one minute after the
doors lock and a recognized key is no longer
detected nearby.
If Model S is equipped with the optional
security package, it includes a battery-backed
siren. If the Tilt/Intrusion setting is on, this siren
sounds when Model S detects motion inside the
cabin or if it is raised (for example, with a tow
truck or jack) when doors are locked and a
recognized key is not detected. To turn the tilt
and intrusion detection system on or off, touch
Controls > Settings > Safety & Security >
Tilt/Intrusion.
NOTE: If you plan to leave something that
moves, such as a dog, inside your locked
Model S, remember to turn off the tilt/intrusion
system. Any type of motion detected inside
Model S activates the siren.
book.book Page 22 Friday, July 19, 2013 12:53 PM