Folding Rear Seats
Model S has a split rear seat that can fold
forward.
Note: If Model S is equipped with the optional
executive rear seats, these seats do not 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 corresponding
lever and fold the seat forward.
Raising Rear Seats
Before raising a rear seat, make sure that the
seat belts are not trapped behind the backrest.
Pull the seat back upward until it locks into place.
To
confirm that the seat back is locked in the
upright position, try pulling it forward.
Warning: Always ensure the seat backs
are locked in their upright position.
Failure to do so increases the risk of injury.
Head Supports
Seats include integrated head supports that
cannot be adjusted or removed.
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 105.
If Model S is equipped with the optional cold
weather package, you can also control seat
heaters in all rear seating positions, as well as
heated wipers and washer nozzles by
touching Controls > Cold Weather (see
Controls on page 98).
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.
Seat Covers
Warning: Do not use seat covers on
Model S. Doing so could restrict
deployment of the side air bags if an
accident occurs. It can also reduce the
accuracy of the occupant detection
system (if equipped).
Front and Rear Seats
18Model S Owner
Disabling the Passenger Front
Airbags
When a child is seated in the front passenger
seat (even when the child is seated in a child safety seat or booster seat), you must disable
the passenger front airbags to prevent them
from injuring the child if a collision occurs.
Note: Rear seats are the preferred location for
seating children in child safety seats.
To turn
off the front and side airbags on the
passenger side of the vehicle, touch Controls
> Settings > Safety & Security > Passenger
Front Airbag .
The OFF status of the front passenger airbag
displays in the upper right corner of the
touchscreen. (When the airbag is ON, no status is displayed on the touchscreen.)
If the airbag is on, even if you have turned itoff (or vice versa), contact Tesla immediately.
Note: Model S has a capacitive touchscreen and may not respond to your touch if you are
wearing standard gloves. If the touchscreen is
not responding, remove gloves or wear gloves
with conductive
fingertips for use with
capacitive touchscreens.
Warning: Never seat a child in a child
safety seat or a booster seat on the front
passenger seat when the airbag is
activated. Doing so can cause serious injury or death.Warning: If the passenger airbag control
does not appear to be functioning, do not
seat a passenger in the front seat.
Contact Tesla immediately to have the
vehicle inspected and if necessary,
repaired.Warning: Do not use seat covers on
Model S. Doing so could restrict
deployment of the side air bags if an
accident occurs.
Inflation Effects
When airbags inflate, a fine powder is
released. This powder can irritate the skin and
should be thoroughly
flushed from the eyes
and from any cuts or abrasions.
After
inflation, the airbags deflate to provide a
gradual cushioning effect for the occupants
and to ensure the driver
The turn signals stop operating when canceledby the steering wheel, or when you return the
lever to the central position.
The corresponding turn signal
indicator lights up on the instrument
panel when a turn signal is
operating. You also hear a clicking
sound.Warning: If Model S is equipped with both
Autopilot hardware and the optional
Autopilot Tech Package, and
Traffic-
Aware Cruise Control is active, engaging
a turn signal can cause Model S to accelerate when using
Traffic-AwareCruise Control in specific situations (see
Overtake Acceleration on page 73).
Warning: If Model S is equipped with both
Autopilot hardware and the optional
Autopilot Tech Package, and Autosteer is active, engaging a turn signal can cause
Model S to change lanes (see Auto Lane
Change on page 79).
Lane Change Flash
To indicate a lane change, quickly press the
lever up or down against the spring pressure,
then release. The corresponding turn signal
flashes three times.
Hazard Warning Flashers To turn on the hazard warning
flashers, press
the button located on the side of the
touchscreen closest to the steering wheel. All
turn signals
flash. Press again to turn off.
Note: Hazard warning flashers operate even
without a Model S key nearby.
Lights
Driving55
If Model S is equipped with Driver Assistance
components (see About Driver Assistance on
page 68) and you have purchased the optional Autopilot Tech Package, the forward lookingcamera and the radar sensor are designed to
determine when there is a vehicle in front of
you in the same lane. If the area in front of Model S is clear,
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
maintains a set driving speed. When a vehicle is detected,
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is
designed to slow down Model S as needed to maintain a selected time-based distance from
the vehicle in front, up to the set speed.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control does not
eliminate the need to watch the road in front
of you and to apply the brakes when needed.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is primarily
intended for driving on dry, straight roads,
such as highways and freeways. It should not
be used on city streets.
Warning: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is
designed for your driving comfort and
convenience and is not a collision warning or avoidance system. It is your
responsibility to stay alert, drive safely,
and be in control of the vehicle at all
times. Never depend on
Traffic-AwareCruise Control to adequately slow down
Model S. Always watch the road in front
of you and be prepared to take corrective
action at all times. Failure to do so can
result in serious injury or death.
Warning: Although Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control is capable of detecting
pedestrians and cyclists, never depend on
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control to
adequately slow down Model S for them.
Always watch the road in front of you and be prepared to take corrective action at
all times. Failure to do so can result in
serious injury or death.
Warning: Do not use Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control on city streets or on roads where
traffic conditions are constantly changing.
Warning: Do not use Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control on winding roads with sharp
curves, on icy or slippery road surfaces,
or when weather conditions (such as
heavy rain, snow, fog, etc) make it
inappropriate to drive at a consistent
speed.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control does
not adapt driving speed based on road
and driving conditions.
Operating Traffic-Aware Cruise
ControlThe instrument panel
displays a gray speedometer
icon on the left side of the
driving speed to indicate
that
Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control is available but the
cruising speed has not been
set. Unless a vehicle is
detected ahead of you, you
must be driving at least
5 mph (8 km/h) to use
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control.
If a vehicle is detected ahead
of you, you can use
Traffic-
Aware Cruise Control at any
speed, even when stationary.
When driving at your desired speed, set the
cruising speed by moving the cruise control
lever up or down (or pulling it
briefly toward
you), then releasing.
The speedometer icon on the
instrument panel turns blue
and displays the set speed to
indicate that
Traffic-AwareCruise Control is actively
maintaining the set speed.
You can now release the accelerator pedal and
allow Traffic-Aware Cruise Control to maintain
your set speed. When no vehicle is detected ahead,
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control maintains
the set speed. If a vehicle is detected, Traffic-
Aware Cruise Control maintains your chosen
following distance, up to the set speed,
accelerating and decelerating Model S as
needed. When the vehicle you are following is
no longer detected,
Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control accelerates back to the set speed.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control also adjusts the
speed as appropriate when entering and
exiting curves.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
70Model S Owner
objects in adjacent lanes (especially oncurves), etc.
Adjust your following distance
To adjust the distance you want to maintain
between Model S and a vehicle traveling
ahead of you, rotate the cruise control lever to
choose a setting from 1 (the closest following distance) to 7 (the longest following distance).Each setting corresponds to a time-based
distance that represents how long it takes for
Model S, from its current location, to reach the
location of the rear bumper of the vehicle
ahead.
As you rotate the cruise control lever, the
instrument panel displays the current setting.
Release the lever when the desired setting is
displayed.
Warning: It is the driver
If Model S is equipped with Driver Assistance
components (see About Driver Assistance on
page 68), the forward looking camera
monitors the markers on the lane you are
driving in, and the ultrasonic sensors monitor
the surrounding areas and the blind spot for
the presence of a vehicle or other objects.
When an object is detected in your blind spot
or close to the side of Model S (such as a vehicle, guard rail, etc.), colored lines radiate
from the image of Model S on the instrument
panel. The location of the lines correspond to
the location of the detected object. The color
of the lines (white, yellow, orange, or red)
represents the object
Customizing Climate ControlThe 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 to customize individual settings. Then touch the
setting you want to change. When you change a setting, the AUTO icon turns from blue to gray
and RESET AUTO displays instead. Touch RESET AUTO to change all settings on the panel back to
their defaults. Or, you can touch AUTO associated with any individual setting to change it back to its default.
1. Touch RESET AUTO to change all settings back to their default values.
2. Touch A/C ON or A/C OFF to turn the air conditioning on and off, respectively. Turning it offreduces cooling, but saves energy.
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.
Climate Controls
106Model S Owner
Wi-Fi is available as a data connection methodand is often faster than cellular data networks.
Connecting to Wi-Fi is especially useful in areas with limited or no cellular connectivity.
To ensure fast, reliable delivery of Model S
updates (see Software Updates on page 129),
Tesla recommends leaving Wi-Fi turned on and connected to a Wi-Fi network. To connectto a Wi-Fi network:
1. Touch the 4G (or LTE) icon in the touchscreen status bar. Model S will start
scanning and display the Wi-Fi networks that are within range.
2. Select the Wi-Fi network you want to use, enter the password (if necessary), then
touch Connect.
You can also connect to a hidden network that
isn