4.1
DRIVING
Driver Profiles
Creating a Driver Profile ............................... 4.2
Restoring a Driver’s Profile .......................... 4.2
Saved Driver Settings .................................... 4.2
Steering Wheel
Adjusting Position ........................................... 4.3
Adjusting Sensitivity ...................................... 4.3
Using Left Steering Wheel Buttons.......... 4.3
Using Right Steering Wheel Buttons ....... 4.4
Horn ...................................................................... 4.4
MirrorsAdjusting Exterior Side Mirrors.................. 4.5
Rear View Mirror .............................................. 4.5
Starting and Powering Off
Starting Model S .............................................. 4.6
Powering Off ..................................................... 4.6
Gears
Shifting Gears ................................................... 4.7
Leaving Model S in Neutral (Tow Mode) 4.7
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview ......................... 4.8
Indicator Lights ................................................ 4.9
LightsControlling Lights ............................................ 4.11
Headlight High Beams .................................. 4.12
Headlights After Exit..................................... 4.13
Cornering Lights ............................................. 4.13
Turn Signals ...................................................... 4.14
Hazard Warning Flashers ............................ 4.14
Wipers and WashersWipers................................................................. 4.15
Washers ............................................................. 4.15
Park Assist
How Park Assist Works ................................ 4.16
Visual and Audio Feedback ....................... 4.16
Controlling Audible Feedback .................. 4.17
Limitations and False Warnings ............... 4.17
Other Parking Aids ........................................ 4.17
Trip Information
Displaying Trip Information ....................... 4.18
Energy Usage
Displaying Energy Usage ............................ 4.19
Driving Tips to Maximize Range .............. 4.19
Brakes
Braking Systems............................................ 4.20
Brake Wear ..................................................... 4.20
Regenerative Braking.................................... 4.21
Parking Brake ................................................... 4.21
Traction Control
How It Works................................................... 4.22
Cruise ControlOperating Cruise Control ........................... 4.23
Changing the Cruising Speed ................... 4.23
Canceling and Resuming ............................ 4.23
Rear View CameraCamera Location ........................................... 4.24
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Starting and Powering OffStarting and Powering Off
4.6MODEL S OWNERS MANUAL
Starting and Powering OffStarting Model S
When you open a door, Model S powers on the
instrument panel and touchscreen. The center
circle on the instrument panel displays the
status of doors and the charge level, and you
can operate all controls.
To d r i v e :
•PRESS THE BRAKE - the center circle on
the instrument panel changes to display the
speedometer, power meter, charge level,
and selected gear (P, R, N, or D)
•SELECT A GEAR - all the way down for
Drive and all the way up for Reverse,
Everything you need to know when driving
Model S displays on the instrument panel.
Key Not Inside
If Model S does not detect a key when you
press the brake, the instrument panel displays a
message telling you that a key was not
detected.
Place the key in the center console cup holder
where Model S can best detect it.
If Model S still does not detect the key, try
holding it against the center console,
immediately below the 12V power socket (see
page 5.16). Or try using another key. If another
key does not work, contact Tesla.
A number of factors can affect whether
Model S can detect the key. These include a low
battery in the key, interference from other
devices using radio signals, and objects
between the key and receiver.Always keep the key with you. After driving,
you need it to restart Model S after it powers
off. And when you leave Model S, you must
bring it with you to lock Model S, either
manually or automatically (see page 2.5).
Powering Off
When you finish driving, shift into Park by
pressing the button on the end of the gear
selector. The parking brake automatically
engages and all systems keep operating. When
you leave Model S with the key, it powers off
automatically, turning off the touchscreen and
instrument panel.
Model S also powers off automatically after
being in Park for 15 minutes, even if you are
sitting in the driver’s seat.
To power off Model S while you are still sitting
in the driver’s seat, touch Controls > E-Brake &
Power Off > Power Off. Model S automatically
powers back on again if you press the brake or
touch anywhere on the touchscreen.
NOTE: Model S automatically shifts into Park
whenever you finish driving and exit, even if you
shift into Neutral before exiting. To keep
Model S in Neutral, see page 4.7.
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Gears
DRIVING4.7
GearsShifting Gears
When Model S is in Park, you must press the
brake to shift to another gear.
Move the lever up or down to change gears.
If you try to shift into a gear that the current
driving speed prohibits, you hear a chime and
the gear does not change.
Reverse
Push the lever all the way up and release. You
can only shift into Reverse when Model S is
stopped or moving less than 8 km/h. If moving
less than 1.6 km/h, you must press the brake.
Neutral
Push the lever up or down to the first position
and release to shift into Neutral. Neutral allows
Model S to roll freely.
If Model S is in Park and you use the
touchscreen to release the parking brake
(Controls > E-Brake & Power Off ), Model S
shifts into Neutral (see page 4.21).
Model S automatically shifts into Park when you
exit. To leave Model S in Neutral, use the
touchscreen to engage Tow mode (see
page 4.7).
Drive
Push the lever all the way down and release.
You can shift into Drive when Model S is
stopped or moving less than 8 km/h in Reverse.
If Model S is moving less than 1.6 km/h, you
must press the brake to shift into Drive.
Park
With Model S stopped, press the end of the
gear selector. Whenever Model S is in Park, the
parking brake is applied.
Model S automatically shifts into Park
whenever you:
•Open the driver’s door and exit.
•Connect a charge cable.
Leaving Model S in Neutral (Tow
Mode)
Model S automatically shifts into Park
whenever you finish driving and exit Model S.
To keep Model S in Neutral when you exit,
allowing it to roll freely (for example, pulling
onto a transporter, etc.), activate Tow mode:
1.Shift into Park.
2.Press the brake pedal.
3.Touch Controls > E-Brake & Power Off >
To w M o d e.
Model S beeps, shifts into Neutral, and releases
the parking brake (if engaged).
When Tow mode is active, Model S
displays this indicator light on the
instrument panel, along with a message
telling you that Model S will remain free rolling.
NOTE: In Tow mode, Model S does not shift into
a driving gear. To cancel Tow mode, shift into
Park or touch Tow mode again. Tow mode also
cancels if you use the touchscreen to apply the
parking brake (Controls > E-Brake & Power Off
> Parking Brake).
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Instrument Panel
DRIVING4.9
Indicator Lights
Indicator lights flash on briefly when you press the brake pedal to prepare for driving. Unless an
indicator light applies to a current situation, they should turn off. If an indicator light fails to turn on
or off, contact Tesla.
In addition to indicator lights, alerts display on the top or bottom center of the instrument panel. If
alerts are in effect, an alert icon (exclamation mark) displays on the top of the touchscreen. Touch
this icon to display a description of the alert.
Indicator Description
Airbag safety. If this indicator does not flash on briefly when Model S prepares to
drive, or if it remains on, contact Tesla immediately. See page 3.18.
A seat belt is not fastened. See page 3.4.
The front passenger’s air bag has been turned off using the touchscreen.
Seepage3.17.
Rear fog lights. See page 4.11.
Parking lights (side marker lights, tail lights, and license plate lights) are on.
Headlight low beams are on.
Headlight high beams are on. See page 4.12.
Electronic stability control systems are applying the brake to the relevant wheel to
prevent slippage (light flashes).
The traction control system has been disabled. See page 4.22.
An Active Air Suspension fault is detected. Contact Tesla. See page 5.11.
Active Air Suspension’s automatic self-leveling is disabled. In other words, Model S is
i n J a c k m o d e a n d i s r e a d y t o b e l i f t e d o r pulled onto a transporter. Jack mode cancels
when Model S is driven over 7 km/h. See page 5.11.
The parking brake is manually applied. See page 4.21.
A parking brake fault is detected. Contact Tesla. See page 4.21.
TC
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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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Maintenance ScheduleMaintenance Schedule
7.2MODEL S OWNERS MANUAL
MAINTENANCE
Maintenance ScheduleService Intervals
Regular maintenance is the key to ensuring the
continued reliability and efficiency of your
Model S.
Take Model S to Tesla at the regularly scheduled
maintenance intervals of every 12 months, or
every 20,000 kms, whichever comes first.
Model S must be serviced by Tesla-certified
technicians. Damages or failures caused by
maintenance or repairs performed by non-Tesla
certified technicians are not covered by the
warranty.
Fluid Replacement
Do not change or top up Battery coolant and
brake fluid yourself. Tesla service technicians
replace fluids at the regularly scheduled service
intervals:
•Brake fluid - every 2 years or 40,000 kms,
whichever comes first.
•Battery coolant - every 4 years or
80,000 kms, whichever comes first.
NOTE: Any damage from opening the Battery
coolant reservoir is excluded from the warranty.
Daily and Monthly Checks
In addition to the regularly scheduled
maintenance performed by Tesla, you should
carry out a few simple checks more frequently.
Daily Checks
•Check the Battery’s charge level, displayed
on the instrument panel.
•Check that all exterior lights, horn, turn
signals, and wipers and washers are
working.
•Check the operation of the brakes,
including the parking brake.
•Check the operation of the seat belts
(see page 3.5).
•Look for fluid deposits underneath Model S
that might indicate a leak. It is normal for a
small pool of water to form (caused by the
air conditioning system’s dehumidifying
process).
Monthly Checks
•Check the condition and pressure of each
tire (see page 7.3).
•Check washer fluid level and top up if
necessary (see page 7.18).
•Check that the air conditioning system is
operating (see page 5.9).
CAUTION: Contact Tesla immediately if
you notice any significant or sudden drop
in fluid levels or uneven tire wear.
High Voltage Safety
Your Model S has been designed and built with
safety as a priority. However, be aware of these
precautions to protect yourself from the risk of
injury inherent in all high-voltage systems:
•Read and follow all instructions provided on
the labels that are attached to Model S.
These labels are there for your safety.
•The high voltage system has no
user-serviceable parts. Do not disassemble,
remove or replace high voltage
components, cables or connectors. High
voltage cables are colored orange for easy
identification.
•If an accident occurs, do not touch any high
voltage wiring, connectors, or components
connected to the wiring.
•In the unlikely event that a fire occurs,
immediately contact your local fire
emergency responders.
WARNING: Always disconnect the charge
cable before working underneath
Model S, even if charging is not in progress.
WARNING: Keep your hands and clothing
away from cooling fans. Some fans
operate even when Model S is powered off.
WARNING: Some fluids (battery acid,
Battery coolant, brake fluid, windshield
washer additives, etc.) used in motor vehicles
are poisonous and should not be inhaled,
swallowed, or brought into contact with open
wounds. For your safety, always read and follow
instructions printed on fluid containers.
Dispose of used fluids and other
chemicals at authorized waste disposal
sites. It is illegal to pollute drains, waterways or
soil.
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CleaningCleaning
7.12MODEL S OWNERS MANUAL
CleaningCleaning the Exterior
To prevent damage to the paint, immediately
remove corrosive substances (bird droppings,
tree resin, dead insects, tar spots, road salt,
industrial fallout, etc). Do not wait until Model S
is due for a complete wash. If necessary, use
denatured alcohol to remove tar spots and
stubborn grease stains, then immediately wash
the area with water and a mild, non-detergent
soap to remove the alcohol.
Follow these steps when washing the exterior
of Model S:
1.Rinse Thoroughly
Before washing, flush grime and grit from
the bodywork using a hose. Flush away
accumulations of mud in areas where debris
easily collects (such as wheel arches and
panel seams). If salt has been used on the
highways (such as during winter months),
thoroughly rinse all traces of road salt from
the underside of the vehicle.
2.Hand Wash
Hand wash Model S using a soft cloth and
cold or lukewarm water containing a mild,
good quality car shampoo.
3.Rinse with Clean Water
After washing, rinse with clean water to
prevent soap from drying on the surfaces.
4.Dry Thoroughly and Clean Exterior Glass
After washing and rinsing, dry thoroughly
with a chamois.
Clean windows and mirrors using an
automotive glass cleaner. Do not scrape, or
use any abrasive cleaning fluid on glass or
mirrored surfaces.
Cautions for Exterior Cleaning
CAUTION: Do not use hot water and
detergents.
CAUTION: In hot weather, do not wash in
direct sunlight.
CAUTION: If using a pressure washer,
maintain a distance of at least 30 cm
between the nozzle and the surface of
Model S. Keep the nozzle moving and do
not concentrate the water jet on any one
area.
CAUTION: Do not aim water hoses
d i r e c t l y a t w i n d o w, d o o r o r h o o d s e a l s , o r
through wheel apertures onto brake
components.
CAUTION: Avoid using tight-napped or
rough cloths, such as washing mitts.
CAUTION: If washing in an automatic car
wash, use Touchless car washes only.
These car washes have no parts (brushes,
etc.) that touch the surfaces of Model S.
Using any other type of car wash could
cause damage that is not covered by the
warranty.
CAUTION: Do not used chemical based
wheel cleaners. These can damage the
finish on the wheels.
CAUTION: Avoid using a high pressure
power washer on the rear view camera or
parking sensors (if equipped) and do not
clean a sensor or camera lens with a
sharp or abrasive object that can scratch
or damage its surface.
Some cleaning products contain
chemicals that are hazardous to the
environment. Always take precautions to
prevent spilling. It is illegal to pollute
drains, rivers and waterways. Used toxic
chemicals must be disposed of at
authorized waste disposal sites only.
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