Seat Heaters
The front seats are equipped with heating pads that operate at three levels from 3
(highest) to 1 (lowest). To operate the seat
heaters, see Climate Controls on page 80.
If Model S is equipped with the optional cold
weather package, you can also control seat heaters in the rear seats, as well as heated
wipers by touching Controls > Cold Weather
(see Controls on page 74). When equipped
with executive seats, you can control the seat and the backrest separately in each second
row passenger seat.Folding Rear Seats
Model S has a split rear seat that can fold
forward.
Before folding, remove items from the seats and the rear foot well. To allow the rear seat
backs to fold completely flat, you may need to move the front seats forward.
To fold a rear seat, press the correspondinglever and fold the seat forward.
Front and Rear Seats
18Model S Owner's Manual
WipersTo wipe the windshield, rotate the end of the
left-hand steering column lever away from
you. You can choose from four levels:
• 1st: Auto with low rain sensitivity.*
• 2nd: Auto with high rain sensitivity.*
• 3rd: Continuous, slow.
• 4th: Continuous, fast.
For a single wipe, press and release the end of the lever.
If the wipers are set to Auto and the sensor
detects no water, the wipers do not wipe.
When you operate the wipers, headlights automatically turn on (if they are not onalready).
*Model S has a rain sensor located on the
inside of the windshield at the base of the interior mirror. When wipers are set to Auto,
the frequency at which they wipe depends on
how much water the sensor detects. When
wipers are set to the 2nd level, the sensor is
more sensitive.
To extend the life of wiper blades, remove ice from the windshield before turning wipers on.
Ice has sharp edges that can damage the
rubber on the blades.
Periodically check and clean the edge of the
wiper blade. If damaged, replace the blade
immediately. For details on checking and
replacing wiper blades, see Wiper Blades and
Washer Jets on page 121.
Caution:
In harsh climates, ensure that the
wiper blades are not frozen or adhered to
the windshield.De-icing Wipers
To make wiper blades easy to access so you
can remove any ice and snow, shift Model S
into Park, then use the touchscreen to move
them to the service position. Touch Controls >
Settings > Service & Reset > Service Mode >
ON . When parking in cold outdoor climates, it
is helpful to leave Model S with the wipers in
the service position. In this position, they are
closer to the defrost vent, allowing you to thaw them by directing air from the climatecontrol system towards the windshield.
Note: Wipers automatically return to their
normal position when you shift Model S out of
Park.
If Model S is equipped with the cold weather
option, you can de-ice wipers by touching Controls > Cold Weather > Heated Wipers .
The heated wipers automatically turn off after
heating the wipers for 15 minutes.
Washers
Press the button on the end of the left
steering column lever to spray washer fluid onto the windshield. You can press this buttonat two levels. Press partially for a single wipe,
without any washer fluid. Press fully for both
wipe and wash. When washing the windshield,
the wipers will perform two wipes after you
release the button, then a third wipe a few seconds later.
Periodically top up washer fluid (see Topping
Up Washer Fluid on page 125).
De-icing Washer Nozzles
If Model S is equipped with the cold weather
option, washer nozzles have de-icers that turn on whenever the ambient temperature nearsfreezing, or when you turn on the heatedwipers ( Controls > Cold Weather > Heated
Wipers ). The washer de-icers turn off when
the heated wipers turn off (after 15 minutes),
provided the temperature is warm enough to
prevent freezing.
Wipers and Washers
Driving51
Driving Tips to Maximize RangeYou can maximize your driving range usingthe same driving habits that you use to
conserve fuel in a gasoline-powered vehicle. In
addition to driving habits, energy
consumption depends on environmental conditions (such as cold weather and hillyroads). To get the maximum mileage from a
charge:
• Avoid frequent and rapid acceleration. • Instead of using the brake to slow down, move your foot off the accelerator.
Whenever Model 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
Regenerative Braking on page 53).
• Keep tires at the recommended inflation pressures (see Tire Care and Maintenance
on page 109).
• 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. To automatically limit the
amount of power that the climate control system uses to maintain the temperatureof the Battery and the cabin area, touch
Controls > Driving > Range Mode > ON .
Note: On Dual Motor vehicles, you can turn on
Range Mode only when acceleration is set to Sport (if you change Acceleration to Insane,Range Mode automatically turns off).
The power meter on the instrument panel and
the Energy app (described next) 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.
Energy App Use the energy app to view real-time and
projected energy usage. Choose from two
types of charts:
• Consumption Chart: - display how much energy Model S has consumed over thepast 5, 15 or 30 miles (10, 25 or 50 kms).
• Trip Chart - If your Model S is equipped with the navigation option, you can trackthe amount of energy being consumed
while navigating to a destination. The gray
line represents predicted usage and the
green line represents actual usage. Touchthe zoom icon in the top right corner to change the zoom level.
Note: The Trip Chart displays energy usage
only if you are currently navigating to a destination.
Note: In some situations, values and distances
on the Trip chart may be inaccurate. For example, when charging Model S during anactive navigation route. To resolve
inaccuracies, cancel and reinitiate navigation to the destination.
Saving Energy Model S has an energy-saving feature that
reduces the amount of energy being
consumed when Model S is not in use. Touch Controls > Displays > Energy Saving and
choose from the following options:
• OFF . All display systems remain powered
when Model S is not in use, providing the most responsive experience. More energy
is consumed.
• NIGHTLY . Model S shifts to the energy-
saving mode at night (10 pm to 5 am).
• ON. Significantly less energy is consumed
whenever Model S is not in use. The start-
up time of the instrument panel and
Bluetooth could be slower.
• Always Connected . Preserves cell
connectivity when energy saving is active.
This allows the mobile app to connect to
Model S more quickly, and provides
immediate 3G internet access when entering the car. Slightly more energy isconsumed.
Getting Maximum Range
70Model S Owner's Manual
1.Close
Touch the circled X in the top left corner
of a window to close it (or you can touch anywhere outside the window).
2. Sunroof
If Model S is equipped with a sunroof,
touch to adjust its position (see Sunroof
on page 15).
3. Suspension
If Model S is equipped with Smart Air
Suspension, touch to manually raise or lower Model S, or to remove a previously
saved auto-raising location (see Smart Air
Suspension on page 83). Model S must
be powered on and you must press the
brake pedal before you can change
suspension settings. Smart Air Suspension
causes Model S to self-level, even when
powered off. Therefore, when towing or
lifting, you must disable self-leveling (see
Instructions for Transporters on page 150
and Jacking and Lifting on page 132).
4. Driving
• Steering mode Adjust the amount of effort requiredto turn the steering wheel. Sport feels
more responsive whereas Comfort
feels easier to drive and park (see
Steering Wheel on page 37).
• Acceleration (Dual Motor vehicles only)
Choose an acceleration level. Sport is the standard level of acceleration and allows you to maximize driving range(see the Range Mode setting below).
Choose Insane if you want to increase
peak torque by approximately 50 per cent. If you choose Insane, the Range
mode setting, if on, automatically turns off.
• Creep
When on, Model S slowly movesforward when in Drive and backward
in Reverse when you release the brake
(similar to a conventional vehicle with an automatic transmission). You can
adjust this setting only when Model S
is in Park.
• Traction ControlTo allow the wheels to spin on a
standard single motor Model S, you can turn off traction control. On a dualmotor Model S, you can enable Slip
Start. If you turn off Traction Control
(or enable Slip Start), a warning
message displays on the instrument
panel. Traction control turns off for
the current drive only. On dual motor
vehicles, traction control is
automatically turned on again when the speed exceeds 40 mph
(64 km/h). See Traction Control on
page 54.
• Regenerative braking
When you release the accelerator
when driving, regenerative braking
slows Model S and feeds any surplus
energy back to the Battery. If set to
Low, Model S does not slow down as
quickly, but you may experience less range (see Regenerative Braking on
page 53).
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).
• Range Mode
If on, Model S conserves energy by
limiting the power of the climate
control system. Cabin heating and
cooling may be less effective, but seat
heaters turn on to compensate. In
Dual Motor vehicles, Range Mode can
be turned on only when acceleration
is set to Sport (see above).
5. Cold Weather
If Model S is equipped with the cold
weather option, you can control all seat heaters as well as the heated wipers andsteering wheel. Heaters that are turned on
are displayed in red. To turn off all seat
heaters, touch All Off. 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 Climate Controls on
page 80).
6. Trips
View and reset the trip meters that
summarize how far you have driven (see
Trip Information on page 69).
7. Displays
Controls
Using the Touchscreen75
Overview of Climate ControlsThe 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 Customizing Climate Control on page 81).
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, market region, 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
optional cold weather package, you can
also control seat heaters in the rear seats
as well as heated wipers by touching
Controls > Cold Weather (see Controls on
page 74). When equipped with executive seats, you can control the seat and the
backrest separately in each second row
passenger seat.
2. Touch the up or down arrow to set the
cabin temperature (from LO, 63° F to
HI, 90° F/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.
3. Automatic/Manual climate control (see
Customizing Climate Control on page
81).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 and twice
for Max Defrost. 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.
Climate Controls
80Model S Owner's 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 at the regularly
scheduled maintenance intervals of every 12 months, or every 12,500 miles (20,000 km).
Climate Control Operating Tips
• To conserve energy, you can limit the power of the climate control system by
turning on Range Mode. Cabin heating and cooling may be less effective, butseat heaters turn on to compensate.
Touch Controls > Driving > Range Mode .
• If the climate control system operates more loudly than you prefer, reduce thefan 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.
Climate Controls
82Model S Owner's Manual
Opening the Charge Port
The charge port is located on the driver’s side of Model S, behind a door that is part of therear tail light assembly.
Park Model S so that the charge cable easily
reaches the charge port.
With Model S unlocked, or a recognized key
nearby, press and release the button on a
Tesla charge cable to open the charge port door. If the cable you are using does not havethis button, you can also open the charge portdoor using any of these methods:
• Touch Controls > Charge Port on the
touchscreen.
• Touch the battery icon at the top of the touchscreen to display the Charging
screen, then touch Open Charge Port.
• Hold down the rear trunk button on the key for 1-2 seconds.
To charge at a public charging station, attach
an adapter to the station’s chargingconnector. The most commonly usedadapter(s) for each market region aresupplied with Model S. Depending on thecharging equipment you are using, you may
need to start and stop charging using a control on the charging equipment.
Note: The charge port lights up white when
you open the charge port door. If you do not
connect a charge cable, the light eventually
turns off.
Note: If you do not insert the charge cable
into the charge port within a few minutes after
opening the charge port door, the latch
closes. If this happens, use the touchscreen to
open the charge port door.Caution: The connector end of the charge
cable can damage the paint if dropped onto Model S.Caution: Do not attempt to force the
charge port door open. Doing so can
damage the latch. A damaged latch
cannot hold the door closed.
Plugging In
If desired, use the touchscreen to change the
charge limit and the charging current.
If you are using the Mobile Connector, plug it into the power outlet before plugging it intoModel S.
Align the connector to the charge port and
insert fully. When the connector is properly
inserted, charging begins automatically after Model S:
• Engages a latch that holds the connector in place.
• Shifts into Park (if it was in any other gear).
• Heats or cools the Battery, if needed. If the Battery requires heating or cooling,
you may notice a delay before charging begins.
Note: Whenever Model S is plugged in but not
actively charging, it draws energy from the wall instead of using energy stored in the
Battery. For example, if you are sitting in
Model S and using the touchscreen while it’s is
parked and plugged in, the energy being used
is drawn from the power outlet instead of the
Battery.
Charging Model S
104Model S Owner's Manual
Inflating with Air Only
If you have a Tesla tire repair kit, follow these steps to inflate a tire with air:
1. Detach the power supply connector from
the rear of the compressor and plug it into
the 12V power socket located in Model S
on the front of center console.
2. Release the black air hose from the
compressor.
3. Attach the air hose to the valve and press
the lever down to secure it in place.
4. Ensure the compressor is lying on a level
surface with the pressure gauge facing to the side where you can read it.
5. To add air, turn on the compressor and
inflate until the desired pressure is
reached.
6. To release air, turn off the compressor,
then press and hold the red button until the desired pressure is reached.
Note: For your convenience, the tire repair kit
includes a selection of adapters that allow you to inflate other items. These adapters arelocated in a compartment on the back of thecompressor.
Caution: To avoid overheating, do not use
the compressor continuously for more than eight minutes. Allow the compressorto cool for 15 minutes between uses.Caution: The compressor runs slowly
when overheated from excessive use.
Turn it off and allow it to cool.
Temporary Tire Repair
116Model S Owner's Manual