Note: On RHD (Right Hand Drive) vehicles, the controls illustrated above are arranged similarly,but are mirrored on the right side of the vehicle.
1. Interior door handles ( Opening Doors from the Interior on page 6)
2.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (Traffic-Aware Cruise Control on page 70) and Autosteer (see
Autosteer on page 76)
3. High beams ( High Beam Headlights on page 54), Turn signals ( Turn Signals on page 54),
Wipers and washers ( Wipers and Washers on page 56)
4. Steering wheel buttons - left ( Using Left Steering Wheel Buttons on page 39)
5. Instrument panel ( Instrument Panel on page 45)
6. Steering wheel buttons - right ( Using Right Steering Wheel Buttons on page 40)
7. Gear selector ( Shifting Gears on page 44)
8. Touchscreen ( Touchscreen Overview on page 93)
9. Glove box button ( Glove Box on page 14)
10. Power window switches ( Opening and Closing on page 9)
11. Exterior mirror adjustment switches ( Mirrors on page 42)
12. Seats ( Front and Rear Seats on page 17)
13. Steering column adjuster (hidden from view in the above image) ( Steering Wheel on page
39)
14. Horn ( Horn on page 41)
15. Brakes ( Brakes on page 57)
16. Hazard warning lights ( Hazard Warning Flashers on page 55)
17. Cabin climate control ( Climate Controls on page 105)
18. Cup holders ( Cup Holders on page 16)
Interior Overview
2Model S Owner
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
8. Use the right steering wheel buttons to change what displays on the right side of theinstrument panel whenever a phone call is not active (see Using Right Steering Wheel Buttons
on page 40).
9. Total estimated driving distance (or energy) available. Instead of driving distance, you can display the percentage of battery energy remaining. To do so, touch Controls > Settings >Language & Units > Energy & Charging (see Settings on page 101).
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 isblue 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.
10. The speed limit (if available) that is currently being detected by Speed Assist (see Speed
Assist on page 91).
11. The car in front of you (if applicable).
Note: In situations where Autosteer is unable to detect lane markings, the driving lane isdetermined based on the vehicle you are following. In these situations, the car in front of you
is highlighted in blue.
12. Pay attention to important driving-related messages that appear at the bottom center of the instrument panel.
13. Your Model S.
14. When Autosteer is active and detects the driving lane, it is highlighted in blue (see Autosteer
on page 76).
15. Currently selected gear: Park, Reverse, Neutral, or Drive.
Instrument Panel
50Model S Owner
5. Volume controlTouch the up and down arrows to increase or decrease the volume of the speakers. You can
also adjust the volume using the scroll wheel on the left side of the steering wheel.
6. Climate controls (see Climate Controls on page 105).
7. Controls
Touch to access all Model S controls and settings (doors, locks, lights, etc).
8. Reverse the position of the two currently displayed apps.Warning: Paying attention to road and traffic conditions must always be the driver
Overview of Climate Controls
The climate controls are always available at the bottom of the touchscreen. By default, climate control is set to Auto, 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 (see Customizing Climate Control on page 106).
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, heated wipers, and heated steering wheel by touching Controls > Cold Weather (see Controls on page 98). When equipped with the optional executive rear
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. To apply a temperature setting to both the driver and passenger side at the same time, touch SYNC TEMP on the temperaturepopup that appears when you touch an arrow.
3. Automatic/Manual climate control (see Customizing Climate Control on page 106).
4. The windshield defroster distributes air
flow to the windshield. Touch once to turn on, touch a
second time to operate the heating and fan at their maximum level, and touch a third time 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 shutsoff. Exterior side mirrors are also heated.
Note: Depending on date of manufacture and options selected at time of purchase, some vehicles are not equipped with a heaters in the exterior side mirrors.
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, neurologicalinjury, or some other condition, should exercise caution when using the climate control
system and seat heaters.
Climate Controls
Using the Touchscreen105
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
3. Choose how air is drawn into Model S:Outside air is drawn into Model S (see Ventilation on page 108).
Although less efficient than recirculating the air in very hot or cold
climate conditions, this setting draws more air into the rear seating areas,
and is recommended when occupants are seated in the Tesla built-in rear facing child seats.
Note: Selecting outside air may adjust the fan speed to a lower setting. To
reset to default values, touch RESET AUTO.Air inside Model S is recirculated. This prevents outside air (traffic fumes)
from entering, but reduces dehumidifying performance. Recirculating the
air is the most
efficient way to cool the front cabin area. To prevent the
windshield from fogging in some conditions, briefly change the setting
every hour to draw in outside air.
Note: Selecting recirculated air may adjust the fan speed to a higher
setting. To reset to default values, touch RESET AUTO.
If your Model S is equipped with the HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate
Air) filter, you can ensure the best possible quality of air inside the cabin.
When selected, outside air is drawn in and filtered through the medical-
grade HEPA filter in addition to the secondary filtration systems. The
HEPA filter is extremely effective at removing particles, including
pollution, allergens, bacteria, pollen, mold spores, and viruses. Both the
HEPA
filter and the secondary filtration system also contain activated
carbon to remove a broad spectrum of odors and gases. When you
engage the HEPA option, the fan operates at the highest speed. In
addition, the positive pressure inside the cabin minimizes the amount of
outside air that can leak into the vehicle.
Note: Some gases, such as carbon monoxide, are not
effectively removed
by activated carbon.
4. Choose where air flows into the cabin. You can choose more than one location:
Foot-level ventsFace-level ventsWindshield vents
Note: When air is directed to the foot-level vents, approximately one third of the air continues
to flow to the windshield vents to assist in defogging. However, when air is directed to the
face-level vents, no air flows to the windshield because the air flowing through the face-level
vents may be adequate to assist in defogging the windshield.
5. Touch the arrows to set the speed of the fan.
Note: Adjusting the fan speed may change the selected setting for how air is drawn intoModel S in order to increase or reduce
airflow. If you set the fan speed very low (for example,
setting 1), and Model S is recirculating air, it automatically switches to drawing in outside air to
achieve a low air
flow. If you set the fan speed very high (for example, setting 10), Model S
automatically switches from drawing in outside air to recirculating air to achieve the highest
air
flow. Touch RESET AUTO to reset all settings to their default values.
Climate Controls
Using the Touchscreen107
VentilationOutside 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).
Cabin Overheat Protection
The climate control system can reduce cabin temperatures in extremely hot ambientconditions for a period of up to twelve hours
after you exit Model S. When enabled, air conditioning turns on when cabin
temperatures exceed 105