2017 TESLA MODEL S brakes

1. Interior door handles (Opening Doors from the Interior on page 6)
2.Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (Traffic-Aware Cruise Control on page 67) and Autosteer (see
Autosteer on page 73)
3. High beams ( High Beam Headlights on page 51), Turn signals ( Turn Signals on page 52),
Wipers and washers ( Wipers and Washers on page 53)
4. Steering wheel buttons - left ( Using Left Steering Wheel Buttons on page 37)
5. Instrument panel ( Instrument Panel on page 43)
6. Steering wheel buttons - right ( Using Right Steering Wheel Buttons on page 38)
7. Gear selector ( Shifting Gears on page 42)
8. Touchscreen ( Touchscreen Overview on page 90)
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 40)
12. Seats ( Front and Rear Seats on page 17)
13. Steering column adjuster (hidden from view in the above image) ( Steering Wheel on page
37)
14. Horn ( Horn on page 39)
15. Brakes ( Brakes on page 54)
16. Hazard warning lights ( Hazard Warning Flashers on page 52)
17. Cabin climate control ( Climate Controls on page 102)
18. Cup holders ( Cup Holders on page 16)
Interior Overview
2Model S Owner

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 86).
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.
Warning: Neglecting to replace worn
brake pads results in damage to the
braking system and can create a braking
hazard.
Brakes
54Model S Owner

When Model S is stopped, Vehicle Holdcontinues to apply the brakes even after you
remove your foot from the brake pedal. When
driving on a hill or on a
flat surface, brake as
you normally would. You can release the brake
pedal, and remain stopped (even on a hill),
whenever the instrument panel displays the
Vehicle Hold indicator light.
This indicator displays on the
instrument panel whenever Vehicle
Hold is engaged.
To disengage Vehicle Hold, press the
accelerator pedal or press and release the
brake pedal.
Note: Shifting into Neutral also disengages Vehicle Hold.
Note: After actively braking Model S for
approximately 10 minutes, Model S shifts into
Park and Vehicle Hold cancels. Model S also shifts into Park if it detects that the driver has
left the vehicle.
Vehicle Hold
Driving59

If Model S is equipped with Driver Assistance
components (see About Driver Assistance on
page 65) 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
Driver Assistance67

alert and always pay attention to the area
in front of Model S so you can anticipate whether any action is required.Warning: Forward Collision Warning does
not operate when Model S is traveling less than 4 mph (7 km/h).Warning: Forward Collision Warning does
not provide a warning when the driver is already applying the brake.
Automatic Emergency Braking
The forward looking camera and the radar
sensor are designed to determine the distance
from any object (vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle,
or pedestrian) traveling in front of Model S.
When a frontal collision is considered
unavoidable, Automatic Emergency Braking is designed to apply the brakes to reduce the
severity of the impact, even if you are already
applying the brakes.
When Automatic Emergency Braking applies
the brakes, the instrument panel displays a visual warning and you

Checking Brake FluidWarning: Contact Tesla immediately if you
notice increased movement of the brake
pedal or a
significant loss of brake fluid.Driving under these conditions can result in extended stopping distances or
complete brake failure.
The Brake indicator on the
instrument panel alerts you if the
quantity of
fluid in the brake
reservoir drops below the
recommended level. If it displays
while driving, stop as soon as safety
permits by gently applying the
brakes. Do not continue driving.
Contact Tesla immediately.
Fluid Level Check
Tesla checks the brake
fluid level at the
regularly scheduled maintenance intervals. To
check it yourself, park Model S on level
ground. When Model S is cool, remove the
maintenance panel (see Removing the
Maintenance Panel on page 153).
Check the fluid level visually by looking at the
outside marks on the side of the reservoir
without removing the
filler cap.
The brake
fluid level should always be
between the MIN and the MAX marks.
Note: Although brake
fluid level drops slightly
during normal use as a result of brake pad
wear, it should not drop below the MIN mark.
Topping Up the Brake Fluid
Do not top up your brake
fluid. Tesla service
does this when you bring Model S in for
regular servicing. The following instructions
are provided for information purposes and future reference only:
1. Clean the filler cap before removing to
prevent dirt from entering the reservoir.
2. Unscrew the cap and remove.
3. Top up the reservoir to the MAX mark using brake
fluid meeting DOT3specifications.4. Replace the filler cap.
Warning: Only use new fluid from a sealed
air-tight container. Never use previously
used
fluid or fluid from a previously
opened container

Brakes
Type
4-wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS)
with Electronic Brake Force Distribution,
Integrated Advanced Stability Control and
Electronic Accelerator pedal actuated
regenerative braking systemCalipersFour piston fixedRotor Diameters (ventilated)Front: 13.98”/355 mm
Rear: 14.37”/365 mmFront Rotor thicknessNew: 1.26”/32 mm
Service limit: 1.18”/30 mmRear Rotor thicknessNew: 1.10”/28 mm
Service limit: 1.02”/26 mmFront Brake Pad Thickness (excluding back plate)New: 0.354”/9.0 mm
Service limit: 0.078”/2 mmRear Brake Pad Thickness (excluding back plate)New: 0.315”/8.0 mm
Service limit: 0.078”/2 mmElectronic Parking Brake (EPB) Pad Thickness
(excluding back plate). Electronic calipers self-
adjust for pad wear.New: 0.216”/5.5 mm
Service limit: 0.039”/1 mmParking brakeElectrically actuated parking brake
calipers
Suspension
FrontIndependent, double wishbone, air spring
or coil spring/telescopic damper, sway barRearIndependent, multi-link, air spring or coil
spring/telescopic damper, sway bar (air
suspension vehicles only)
Battery - 12V
Rating33 amp-hr or higherVoltage and Polarity12V negative (-) ground
Subsystems
164Model S Owner

AABS (Anti-lock Braking System) 54
Acceleration (dual-motor) 95
access panel, removing 153accessoriesinstalling 157
plugging into power socket 112
adaptive headlights 51
air circulation 103
air conditioning 102
air distribution 103
air
filter 105
air suspension 107
air vents 105
airbags 31
alarm 122
all-season tires 141
always connected, setting 62
anti-lock braking (ABS) 54
audioplaying files 108
steering wheel buttons 37
volume control 108
Auto High Beam 51
Auto Lane Change 76
auto-raising suspension 106
automatic emergency braking 85
Autopark 78
Autopilot 65
Autosteer 73
average range 62
B backup camera 64
battery (12V)complete discharge 130specifications 164Battery (high voltage)care of 130
coolant 153
specifications 165
temperature limits 130
battery (key), replacing 5
blind spot warning 83
Bluetoothdevices, playing audio files from 111
general information 113
phone, pairing and using 113
body repairs 157
body touch up 150
brake
fluid replacement 137
brakesautomatic in emergencies 85fluid level 154
overview of 54
specifications 164
brightness of displays 98
C Cabin Overheat Protection setting 98
cabin temperature control 102
Calendar app 120
California Proposition 65 177
camera (rear view) 64
car cover 150
car washes 148
cargo volume 162
carpets, cleaning 149
CE
certifications 179
CHAdeMO 129
chains 141
change of ownership 101
charge port 131
charge port light 134
chargingcharge settings 135
components and equipment 128
instructions 131
public charging stations 129
scheduling 135
status of 136
charging locations, finding 116
child protectiondisabling liftgate and rear door handles 7
disabling rear window switches 9child seatscleaning 149
installing and using 22
Tesla built-in rear facing 27
cleaning 148
climate controls 102
Cold Weather controls 95
collision avoidance assist 85
console12V power socket 112
cup holders 16
USB ports 111
consumption chart 62
contact informationroadside assistance 171
Tesla 178coolantBattery, checking level of 153
Battery, replacement interval 137
copyrights 175, 176
Creep 95
cruise control 67
cup holders 16
D
dashboard overview 2
Index
Index181