High Beam HeadlightsPush the left-hand steering column lever away
from you. To cancel, pull the lever toward you.
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 high
beam headlights can automatically switch to low beam when there is light detected in front
of Model S (for example, from an oncoming vehicle or street lights). To turn this feature on,touch Controls > Auto High Beam .
Note: Your chosen setting is retained until you manually change it. It can also be saved in
your driver
profile.
In situations where high beams are turned offbecause Auto High Beam is turned on and light is detected in front of Model S, you can
temporarily turn on high beams by pulling the
lever all the way toward you.
The following indicator lights are visible on the
instrument panel when high beams are turned
on:
High beams are turned on and the
Auto High Beam setting is turned
off.
High beams are currently turned on,
and Auto High Beam is ready to turn
off the high beams if light is
detected in front of Model S.
High beams are temporarily turnedoff because Auto High Beam is on
and is detecting light in front of
Model S. When light is no longer
detected, the high beams will
automatically turn back on.
To flash the headlight high beams, pull the
lever fully toward you and release.
Warning: Auto High Beam is an aid only and is subject to limitations. It is 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
Braking Systems
Model S has an anti-lock braking system (ABS) that prevents the wheels from locking when
you apply maximum brake pressure. This
improves steering control during heavy
braking in most road conditions.
During emergency braking conditions, the
ABS constantly monitors the speed of each
wheel and varies the brake pressure according
to the grip available.
The alteration of brake pressure can be felt as
a pulsing sensation through the brake pedal.
This demonstrates that the ABS is operating
and is not a cause for concern. Keep
firm and
steady pressure on the brake pedal while
experiencing the pulsing.
The ABS indicator flashes briefly on
the instrument panel when you firststart Model S. If this indicator lights
up at any other time, an ABS fault
has occurred and the ABS is not
operating. Contact Tesla. The braking system remains fully operational and
is not
affected by an ABS failure.
However, braking distances may increase.
If the instrument panel displays this
indicator at any time other than
displaying
briefly when you first start
Model S, a brake system fault is
detected or the brake
fluid level is
low. Contact Tesla immediately.
Emergency Braking
In an emergency, fully press the brake pedal
and maintain
firm pressure, even on low
traction surfaces. The ABS varies the braking
pressure to each wheel according to the
amount of traction available. This prevents
wheels from locking and ensures that you stop
as safely as possible.
Warning: Do not pump the brake pedal.
Doing so interrupts operation of the ABS
and can increase braking distance.Warning: Always maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you and be
aware of hazardous driving conditions.
While the ABS can improve stopping
distance, it cannot overcome the laws of physics. It also does not prevent the
danger of hydroplaning (where a layer of
water prevents direct contact between the tires and the road).
If Model S is equipped with Autopilot
hardware, Automatic Emergency Braking
automatically applies full braking in situations
where a collision is considered imminent (see
Automatic Emergency Braking on page 89).
Warning: Automatic Emergency Braking
is not designed to prevent a collision. At best, it can minimize the impact of a
frontal collision by attempting to reduce
your driving speed. Depending on Automatic Emergency Braking to avoid a
collision can result in serious injury or death.
Brake Wear
Model S brake pads are equipped with wear
indicators. A wear indicator is a thin metal
strip attached to the brake pad that squeals as
it rubs against the rotor when the pad wears
down. This squealing sound indicates that the
brake pads have reached the end of their service life and require replacement. To stop
the squealing, contact Tesla Service.
Brakes must be periodically inspected visually by removing the tire and wheel. For detailed
specifications and service limits for rotors and
brake pads, see Brakes on page 165.
Warning: Neglecting to replace worn
brake pads results in damage to the
braking system and can create a braking
hazard.
Brakes
Driving57
How It WorksThe traction control system constantly
monitors the speed of the front and rear
wheels. If Model S experiences a loss of
traction, the system minimizes wheel spin by
controlling brake pressure and motor power.
By default, the traction control system is
always active. Under normal conditions, it should remain active to ensure maximum
safety.This indicator flashes on the
instrument panel whenever the
traction control system is actively
controlling brake pressure and motor
power to minimize wheel spin. If the
indicator stays on, a fault is detected with the traction control system.
Contact Tesla Service.Warning: Traction control cannot prevent
accidents caused by driving dangerously
or turning too sharply at high speeds.Warning: If the above indicator remains
illuminated in situations in which you have
not enabled Slip Start (described next), the traction control system may not be
operating correctly. Contact Tesla Service immediately.
Allowing Wheel Slip
To allow the wheels to spin at a limited speed,
you can enable Slip Start. Slip Start can be
enabled only when Model S is moving 30 mph
(48 km/h) or slower. Slip Start automatically
disables when the speed exceeds 50 mph
(80 km/h).
Under normal conditions, Slip Start should not
be enabled. Enable it only in circumstances where you deliberately want the wheels tospin, such as:
How Park Assist Works
Model S has several sensors designed to detect the presence of objects nearby. When
moving slowly in Drive or Reverse, the sensors
alert you if an object is detected in close proximity to the front and rear of your
Model S.
Note: Depending on date of manufacture and options selected at time of purchase, someModel S vehicles are not equipped with theparking sensors.Warning: The Park Assist images provided
below are representative only. The exact
number and location of sensors may vary
depending on the date your Model S was
manufactured.
The sensors are activated when driving less
than 5 mph (8 km/h).
Warning: Never depend on Park Assist to
inform you if an area you are approaching is free of objects and/or people. Several
external factors can reduce the
performance of Park Assist, causingeither no readings or false readings (see
Limitations and False Warnings on page
61). Therefore, depending on Park
Assist to determine if Model S is
approaching an obstruction can result in
damage to the vehicle and/or objects,
and can potentially cause serious injury. Always inspect the area with your own eyes. When reversing, perform shoulder
checks and use all mirrors. Park assist does not detect children, pedestrians,bicyclists, animals, or objects that are
moving, protruding, located too far above
or below the sensors, or too close or too far from the sensors. Park Assist is for
guidance purposes only and is not
intended to replace your own direct visual
checks. It is not a substitute for careful
driving.
Visual and Audio Feedback
When you shift to Reverse, the Park Assist
view displays on the left side of the instrument
panel, showing any objects that are in close
proximity to the front and rear of Model S.
This view closes when you shift into Drive
unless objects are detected close to the front
of the Model S, in which case the Park Assist
view closes automatically when your driving
speed exceeds 5 mph (8 km/h) . When
reversing, visual feedback also displays on the
touchscreen, immediately below the camera
view (see Rear View Camera on page 67).
You can manually close the park assist view on
the touchscreen by touching the X in the
upper left corner.
When driving with the Camera app displayed
on the touchscreen, you can switch to the
Park Assist view when driving at speeds below
5 mph (8 km/h) . Touch the button located in the upper left corner of the Camera app
window. This is useful if you need assistance with parallel parking.
If chimes are turned on (see Controlling
Audible Feedback on page 61), an audible
beep sounds as you approach an object. You
can temporarily mute the chime by pressing
the scroll wheel on the left side of the steering
wheel or by touching the mute button located
on the in the bottom left corner of the Park
Assist view.
Note: If Model S is equipped with software
version 6.1 or newer, and you are driving with
the camera app displayed on the touchscreen, you can switch to the Park Assist view by
touching the icon in the upper left corner of
Park Assist
60Model S Owner
the camera app window. You must be drivingat speeds below 5 mph (8 km/h).
Note: If a sensor is unable to provide
feedback, the instrument panel displays an
alert message.Caution: Keep sensors clean from dirt,
debris, snow, and ice. Avoid using a high
pressure power washer on the sensors
and do not clean a sensor with a sharp or abrasive object that can scratch or
damage its surface.Caution: Do not install accessories or
stickers on or near the parking sensors.
Controlling Audible Feedback
You can use Park Assist with or without
audible feedback. To turn chimes on or
off,touch Controls > Settings > Safety & Security
> Park Assist Chimes .
You can also mute the chimes temporarily by
pressing the scroll wheel on the left side of the steering wheel or by touching the mute buttonin the bottom left corner of the Park Assist
view. The chimes are muted until you shift into a
different gear or drive over 5 mph (8 km/h).
Limitations and False Warnings
The parking sensors may not function
correctly in these situations:
Touch the range assurance icon, located in the
top right corner of the map/navigation
window, to control what charging stations
display on the map:The map displays superchargers
only.The map displays all visited
chargers, Chademo chargers, and
destination chargers. In situations
where a charging location may not
be reachable based on your
currently available driving range, its
associated icon on the map
displays as semi-transparent.
When you are at risk of driving beyond the
range of known charging locations, a popup
message displays on the touchscreen giving
you the opportunity to display a list of
charging locations that are within range. When
you select a charging location from the list,
Model S provides navigation instructions and
the turn-by-turn direction list displays the
predicted amount of energy that will remain
when you arrive at the charging destination.
In addition to the popup message that
displays when you are at risk of driving
beyond the range of known charging
locations, a warning symbol displays on the range assurance icon:
Touch to display a search list of
charging locations that are
estimated to be within your driving
range. Then touch a location in the
search list to navigate to it.Based on the amount of energy
remaining in your Model S, there
are no known charging locations
within your driving range.
Getting Maximum Range
66Model S Owner
Camera Location
Model S is equipped with a rear view camera
located above the rear license plate.
Whenever you shift into Reverse, the
touchscreen displays the view from the
camera. Guide lines show your driving path
based on the position of the steering wheel. These guide lines adjust appropriately as you
move the steering wheel.
Note: Visual feedback from the parking
sensors displays below the camera image (see
Park Assist on page 60).
Note: Depending on date of manufacture and
options selected at time of purchase, some Model S vehicles are not equipped with
parking sensors.
Warning: Never depend on the rear view
camera to inform you if the area behind
you is free of objects and/or people when
reversing. The camera may not detect
objects or barriers that can potentially
cause damage or injury. In addition, several external factors can reduce the
performance of the camera, including a
dirty or obstructed lens. Therefore,
depending on the rear view camera to
determine if Model S is approaching an
obstruction can result in damage to the vehicle and/or objects, and can
potentially cause serious injury. Always
inspect the area with your own eyes.
When reversing, perform shoulder checks and use all mirrors. Use the camera forguidance purposes only. It is not intendedto replace your own direct visual checks
and is not a substitute for careful driving.
Cleaning the Camera
To ensure a clear picture, keep the camera lens clean, and free of obstructions. Remove any
buildup of dirt by occasionally wiping the
camera lens with a soft damp cloth.
Caution: Do not use chemical-based or abrasive cleaners. Doing so can damage
the surface of the camera lens.
Rear View Camera
Driving67