Electronic stability control systems are
actively minimizing wheel spin by
controlling brake pressure and motor
power (indicator
flashes). See Traction
Control on page 51. If this indicator
stays illuminated, a fault is detected
(contact Tesla immediately).
Electronic stability control systems are
no longer minimizing wheel spin. See
Traction Control on page 51.Vehicle Hold is actively applying the
brakes. See Vehicle Hold on page
54.A door or trunk is open. See Doors on
page 9, Rear Trunk on page 12, or
Front Trunk on page 14.Flashes green when the left turn
signal is operating. Both turn signal
indicators
flash green when the
hazard warning flashers are operating.
Flashes green when the right turn
signal is operating. Both turn signal
indicators
flash green when the
hazard warning flashers are operating.
Driving Status
When Model 3 is driving (or ready to drive),
the touchscreen shows your current driving
status and a real-time visualization of the road
as detected by the Autopilot components (see About Autopilot on page 58).
Note: The following illustration is provided for
demonstration purposes only. Depending on vehicle options, software version, and market
region, the information displayed may be
slightly
different.
1. Driving speed.
2. On the energy bar, black (or white in night
brightness) represents energy being used
during acceleration and green indicates
energy being gained through regenerative
braking. A dashed line appears on the
energy bar when power available for
acceleration or power that can be gained
by regenerative braking is being limited. Model 3 limits power for many reasons.
Here are just a few examples:
WipersTo perform a single wipe with the windshield
wipers, press and immediately release the
button on the end of the left-hand steering column lever.
To adjust the continuous wiper settings, touch the windshield wiper icon on the touchscreen
(which also displays the current state of the
wipers) or swipe to the windshield wiper "Card" on the touchscreen (see Touchscreen
Overview on page 4).
Note: When you operate the wipers, the
headlights automatically turn on (if they were
not on already).Caution: To avoid damaging the hood,
ensure that the hood is fully closed before
activating the windshield wipers.
1. Turn the wipers on or off.2.Adjust the speed of the wipers.
Braking SystemsWarning: Properly functioning braking
systems are critical to ensure safety. If you experience a problem with the brake
pedal, brake caliper, or any component of
a Model 3 braking system, contact Tesla
immediately.
Model 3 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 touchscreen when you first start
Model 3. 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 touchscreen displays this
indicator at any time other than
displaying
briefly when you first start
Model 3, 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 beaware 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).
Automatic Emergency Braking automatically
applies full braking in situations where a
collision is considered imminent (see Automatic Emergency Braking on page 77).
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 3 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
replace the brake pads, contact Tesla Service.
Warning: Neglecting to replace worn
brake pads damages the braking system
and can result in a braking hazard.
Regenerative Braking
Whenever Model 3 is moving and your foot is
off the accelerator, regenerative braking slows
down Model 3 and feeds any surplus energy back to the Battery.
By anticipating your stops and reducing or
removing pressure from the accelerator pedal
to slow down, you can take advantage of regenerative braking to increase driving range.
Of course, this is no substitute for regular
braking when needed for safety.
Note: If regenerative braking is aggressively
slowing Model 3 (such as when your foot is
completely
off the accelerator pedal at
highway speeds), the brake lights turn on to
alert others that you are slowing down.
Warning: In snowy or icy conditions
Model 3 may experience traction loss
during regenerative braking, particularly
when in the Standard setting and/or not
using winter tires. Tesla recommends
Brakes
Driving49
using the Low setting (see To Set the
Regenerative Braking Level on page 50)
in snowy or icy conditions to help
maintain vehicle stability.
The amount of energy fed back to the Battery using regenerative braking can depend on the
current state of the Battery and the charge
level setting that you are using. For example,
regenerative braking may be limited if the Battery is already fully charged or if the
ambient temperature is too cold.
Note: If regenerative braking is limited, a
dashed line displays on the energy bar (see
Driving Status on page 43).
To Set the Regenerative Braking Level
You can use the touchscreen to change the
level of regenerative braking:
1. Touch Controls > Driving > Regenerative
Braking .
2. Choose from two levels:
How Park Assist WorksModel 3 has several sensors designed to
detect the presence of objects. When driving slowly in Drive or Reverse (for example, when
parking), the sensors alert you if an object is
detected in close proximity of your Model 3.
Objects are only detected in the direction of
the gear you selected; front objects in Drive,
rear objects in Reverse.Warning: You may not be alerted if Model
3 rolls freely in the opposite direction of
the gear you selected (for example, you
will not receive an alert if Model 3 rolls
backwards down a hill while in Drive).
The sensors are activated when driving slower
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 theperformance of Park Assist, causing
either no readings or false readings (see
Limitations and False Warnings on page
53). Therefore, depending on Park Assist
to determine if Model 3 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 touchscreen, showing objects that are in close proximity to the front
and rear of Model 3. This view closes when you shift into Drive unless an object is
detected close to the front of Model 3, 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 56).
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 53), an audible
beep sounds as you approach an object. You
can temporarily mute the chime by pressing
the scroll button on the left side of the steering wheel or by touching the mute buttonlocated on the bottom left corner of the Park
Assist view.
Note: If a sensor is unable to provide
feedback, the touchscreen displays an alert message.
Park Assist
52Model 3 Owner
When Model 3 is stopped, Vehicle Hold can
continue 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. After coming to a
complete stop, simply press the brake pedal
again (until the touchscreen displays the
Vehicle Hold indicator light) to enable Vehicle
Hold. You can then release the brake pedal and remain stopped, even on a hill.
This indicator displays on the
touchscreen whenever Vehicle Hold
is actively braking Model 3.
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 3 for
approximately ten minutes, Model 3 shifts into
Park and Vehicle Hold cancels. Model 3 also shifts into Park if it detects that the driver has
left the vehicle.
Vehicle Hold
54Model 3 Owner
Camera Location
Model 3 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. Lines show your driving path based
on the position of the steering wheel. These
lines adjust appropriately as you move the
steering wheel.
Note: Visual feedback from the parking
sensors displays on the touchscreen (see Park
Assist on page 52).
To display the view from the
camera any time, touch the
camera icon on the touchscreen.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 3 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
56Model 3 Owner
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 3 as
needed. When the vehicle you are following is
no longer detected,
Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control accelerates up to the set speed.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control also adjusts the
speed as appropriate when entering and
exiting curves.
You can manually accelerate at any time when
driving at a set speed using
Traffic-AwareCruise Control. But when you release the
accelerator, Model 3 returns to the set speed.
When following a vehicle,
Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control remains active at low speeds, even if
Model 3 comes to a standstill. When the vehicle is moving again,
Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control resumes operating at your current set
speed. However, under the following
circumstances,
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
goes into a HOLD state instead of resuming,
and the touchscreen displays a message
indicating that you need to resume cruise control: