Adjusting 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.
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 andresponse in all conditions.
• Sport - Increases the effort required to turn the wheel. When driving athigher 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 Using Maps
on page 81).
1. Next
If you are listening to local or satellite
radio and you have defined more than one
radio preset, 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
and hold 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 highlighted.
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 knowif a door or trunk is open when Model S is in a
driving gear.
Steering Wheel
36Model S Owner's Manual
Using Right Steering Wheel Buttons
Use the buttons on the right side of the steering wheel to control the phone, tochoose and control a Model S feature bytapping the scroll wheel, to use voice
commands, and to choose what displays on the right side of the instrument panel.
Note: Regardless of how you customize the
right side of the instrument panel, it automatically displays the phone menu to
help you easily handle phone calls on your
Bluetooth connected phone.
1. Phone Menu or Voice Commands
During a phone call, press to display the phone menu, which gives you the option
to mute, hold, or end the call.
Press and hold to use voice commands to
call a contact, navigate, or listen to
Internet music. When you hear the tone,
speak your command. Release the button
when you finish speaking. For details, see Using Voice Commands on page 37.
2. Scroll Wheel
• To choose what displays on the right side of the instrument panel, pressand hold the scroll wheel to displaythe available options. Then roll the
scroll wheel to browse through the options. Tap the scroll wheel when the
option you want is highlighted.
• When the right side of the instrument panel displays a menu, rolling the
wheel highlights the next item in a
menu and tapping the wheel selects
the highlighted item. When a menu is
not displayed, rolling the wheel
adjusts your chosen controllable
feature (see Item 3 below).
3. Customize the Scroll Wheel/Exit a Menu
Press, then use the scroll wheel to select
Phone to browse through and select
contacts and recent calls.
Press, then use the scroll wheel to select
Customize to choose the Model S feature
that you want to control whenever you
roll the wheel when a menu is not
displayed. You can choose from:
• All. Allows you to roll the wheel and
choose from all available functions
(listed next).
• Climate Temps . Roll the wheel to
change the temperature, or press the
wheel to turn the climate control
system on and off.
• Fan Speed . Roll the wheel to adjust
the speed of the fan used to cool or
heat the cabin.
• Display Brightness . Roll the wheel to
change the brightness level of the
displays, or press the wheel to restore default settings.
• Sunroof (if equipped). Roll the wheel
to adjust the position of the sunroof.
• Media Source . Roll the wheel to
control what Media Player is playing,
or press the wheel to add/remove the
currently playing station or audio track as a Favorite.
Press the lower right button at any time to either exit a menu, or go back one level in the
menu structure.
Using Voice Commands
You can use voice commands to call a
contact, navigate, or listen to Internet music.
Press and hold the voice button on the upper
right side of the steering wheel. When you
hear the tone, speak your command while
continuing to hold down the voice button.
Release the button when you finish speaking.
• To call a contact on your Bluetooth- connected phone, say “Call” or “Dial,”
followed by the contact’s first and/or last name(s). For example, “Call Eric” or “Call
Mike Phillips.”
• To search for, or navigate to, a location, say “Where is,” “Drive,” or “Navigate,”followed by an address, business name,business category, or landmark. Forexample, “Drive to Tesla in Menlo Park,”
“Drive to Starbucks on Homestead in
Cupertino,” or “Where is Stanford
University?” If you have defined a navigation address for your home or work
locations, you can use a voice command to "Navigate home" or "Navigate to work."
Steering Wheel
Driving37
Starting Model S
When you open a door, Model S powers on the instrument panel and touchscreen. Thecenter circle on the instrument panel displaysthe status of doors and the charge level, and
you can operate all controls.
To drive:
• 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 12V Power Socket on page 80). 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 Walk-away
Locking on page 7).
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.
Although usually not needed, you can 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 leave the vehicle, even if you
shift into Neutral before exiting. To keep
Model S in Neutral, see Leaving Model S in
Neutral - Tow Mode on page 41.
Starting and Powering Off
40Model S Owner's Manual
Shifting GearsWhen 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 will 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 5 mph (8 km/h). If moving less than 1 mph (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 Parking Brake on page
59).
Model S automatically shifts into Park when you exit. To leave Model S in Neutral, use the
touchscreen to engage Tow mode (see Leaving Model S in Neutral - Tow Mode on
page 41).
Drive
Push the lever all the way down and release. You can shift into Drive when Model S isstopped or moving less than 5 mph (8 km/h)
in Reverse. If Model S is moving less than
1 mph (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:
• Leave the vehicle.
• Connect a charge cable.
Leaving Model S in Neutral - Tow
Mode
Model S automatically shifts into Parkwhenever you finish driving and leaveModel S. To keep Model S in Neutral when youexit, 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 >
Tow Mode .
Model S beeps, and shifts into Neutral (which
releases the parking brake).
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. Towmode also cancels if you use the touchscreen
to apply the parking brake ( Controls > E-
Brake & Power Off > Parking Brake ).
Gears
Driving41
Instrument Panel OverviewNote: 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 thebrake 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 Charging Status on
page 98).
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 Steering
Wheel on page 36).
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 Indicator Lights on page
43).
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 Using Right Steering Wheel Buttons on page 37).
6. Door lock status
7. Odometer
8. Outside temperature
9. Total estimated driving distance (or energy) available. Instead of driving distance as shown
here, you can display the percentage of battery energy remaining. To do so, touch Controls >
Settings > Units & Format > Charging Units (see Settings on page 69).
Note: When anticipating when you need to charge, use range estimates as a general guideline
only.
Note: In cold weather, some of the stored energy in the Battery may not be available on your
drive because the Battery is too cold. When this happens, a portion of the Battery meter is
blue and the driving distance value has a snowflake image next to it. If Model S is plugged in,
you can heat your Battery using wall power by turning on climate control using the mobile
app. When the Battery warms up, the blue portion on the meter and the snowflake image are
no longer displayed.
Instrument Panel
42Model S Owner's Manual
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. Dashed lines appear on the power meter if Model S is limiting power. The dashed lines appear
on the top portion when power available for acceleration is being limited, and on the bottom
portion when power that can be gained by regenerative braking is limited. Model S limits
power for many reasons. Here are just a few examples:
• Acceleration may be limited when the Battery is reaching a low state of charge or if the powertrain is hot.
• Both acceleration and regenerative braking may be limited when the ambient temperature is either very high or very low.
• Regenerative braking may be limited when the Battery is fully charged.
13. Date and time
Indicator Lights Indicator lights flash on briefly when you press the brake pedal to prepare for driving. Unless anindicator light applies to a current situation, they should turn off. If an indicator light fails to turnon 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.IndicatorDescriptionAirbag safety. If this indicator does not flash on briefly when Model S
prepares to drive, or if it remains on, contact Tesla immediately. See Airbag
Warning Indicator on page 34.A seat belt for an occupied seat is not fastened. Note: Depending on the
date of manufacture, rear seating positions may not be equipped with a seat
belt reminder. See Seat Belts on page 19.Front fog lights (optional). See Lights on page 46.Parking lights (side marker lights, tail lights, and license plate lights) are on.
See Lights on page 46.Headlight low beams are on.Headlight high beams are on. See Headlight High Beams on page 48.Instrument Panel
Driving43
1.If you turn on DOME lights, interior dome
(map) lights turn on when you unlock
Model S, open a door upon exiting, or shift into P (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. DRL (Daytime Running Lights) operate
only when driving with the headlights off.
In jurisdictions where required by law (Canada), daytime running lights can not
be turned off.
4. If Model S is equipped with optional front
fog lights, touch to turn them on or off.
The Front Fog indicator displays
on the instrument panel
whenever the optional front fog
lights are on.
The fog lights operate only when the
headlights are on. Whenever headlights
are turned off, fog lights also turn off.
5. Exterior lights are set to AUTO each time
you start Model S. Touch these options to
temporarily change the exterior light
setting:
OFFAll exterior lights
(headlights, tail lights, side
marker lights, parking
lights, and license plate
lights) turn off until you
manually turn them back
on or until the next time
you drive Model S.PARKINGOnly the side marker
lights, parking lights, tail
lights and license plate
lights turn on.ONAll exterior lights
(headlights, tail lights, side
marker lights, parking
lights, and license plate
lights) turn on.AUTOAll exterior lights
(headlights, tail lights, side
marker lights, parking
lights, and license plate
lights) turn on
automatically when
driving in low lighting
conditions. If you change
to a different setting,
lights always revert to this
AUTO setting on your
next drive.
Note: Optional fog lights operate
automatically whenever the headlights are
on. When headlights are off, fog lights are
also off.
Lights
Driving47
How Speed Assist Works
If Model S is equipped with Driver Assistance
features, a camera mounted on the windshield behind the interior rear view mirror detectsspeed limit signs. The signs are then analyzed
and compared against GPS data to determine
the speed limit at your current driving
location. For routes where no signs are present, speed limits are determined using
GPS data (if available). Instead of determining the speed limit based on signs and GPS data,you can also manually enter an arbitrary
speed limit.
When you turn on Speed Assist, the
speedometer displays a gray line to indicate
the speed limit. Warnings (described below) take effect when you exceed this limit.
In situations where the system does not have
confidence in the acquired speed limit, the speedometer displays a dashed line instead,
and warnings do not take effect. The system
may be uncertain about a speed limit if a
speed, although initially detected, is no longer known or may no longer apply. In some cases,the dashed line displays at the originallydetected speed, whereas in other cases itdisplays at 0 mph.
If you set the assistance level to Display (see
Controlling Speed Assist below), a speed limit
sign displays in the center of the instrumental
panel whenever you exceed the speed limit
and the speedometer displays the excess
speed in gray.
Note: A speed limit sign also displays in the
center of the instrumental panel when an
automatically detected speed limit changes.
If you set the assistance level to Chime (see
Controlling Speed Assist) and exceed the
speed limit, the speedometer displays excess
speed in gray, and you also hear a warning
chime.
Note: Speed limit warnings go away
automatically after 10 seconds, or when Model
S slows down below the specified limit.
Warning: Do not rely on Speed Assist to
determine the appropriate speed limit.
Speed Assist
Driving51