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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 S braking system, contact Tesla
immediately.
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 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 94).
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
replace the brake pads, 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 170.
Warning:
Neglecting to replace worn
brake pads damages the braking system
and can result in a braking hazard.
Regenerative Braking
Whenever Model S is moving and your foot is
off the accelerator, regenerative braking slows
down Model S 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 S (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.
Brakes
60Model S Owner
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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 on.
Under normal conditions, it should remain on
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: 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.Warning: Traction control cannot prevent
collisions caused by driving dangerously
or turning too sharply at high speeds.
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
48 km/h or slower. Slip Start automatically
disables when the speed exceeds 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:
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premature wear and aging of various
components. Model S constantly monitors
powertrain fatigue and damage, and
notifiesyou if vehicle components need to be serviced.
Warning: Use Launch Mode only in
appropriate locations where there is no
cross
traffic or pedestrians present.
Launch Mode is designed for use on
closed circuit driving courses. It is the driver
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area beside Model S so you can anticipate
the need to take corrective action as early as possible.Caution: If a fault occurs with a Collision
Avoidance Assist feature, Model S
displays an alert. Contact Tesla Service.
Collision Avoidance Assist
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7.Displays
Manually control the brightness and the DAY (light background) or NIGHT (dark background)
setting of the touchscreen and instrument panel. When set to AUTO, the brightness changes
automatically between day and night brightness based on ambient lighting conditions. When
Auto-adjust is checked, the displays are further adjusted based on both the surroundings and
by learning your preferences (i.e. it remembers the type of manual adjustments you make).
To disable the touchscreen momentarily for cleaning purposes, touch CLEAN MODE.
You can also put Model S into an energy saving mode so it consumes less energy when not in
use (see Getting Maximum Range on page 70).
Note: The Displays settings can also be accessed from the Controls screen.
8. HomeLink (if equipped)
If the HomeLink feature is available in your region, use it to control RF-enabled garage doors, lights, or security systems (see HomeLink Universal Transceiver on page 133).
9. Driver Assistance
If Model S is equipped with Driver Assistance components, you can control the features that provide a safer and more convenient driving experience (see About Driver Assistance on page
73).
10. Service & Reset
Turn various service-related features on and
off:
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Internet Radio
Internet radio services are accessed over a
data connection. To use Internet radio, touch Media Player
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High Voltage Components
1.Front Motor (dual-motor vehicles only)
2. Air Conditioning Compressor
3. Battery Coolant Heater
4. Forward Junction Box
5. High Voltage Cabling
6. On-board Charger
7. DC-DC Converter
8. Cabin Heater
9. High Voltage Battery
10. Charge Port
11. Rear Motor
Warning:
The high voltage system has no user serviceable parts. Do not disassemble, remove
or replace high voltage components, cables or connectors. High voltage cables are typically colored orange for easy
identification.
Warning: Read and follow all instructions provided on the labels that are attached to Model S.
These labels are there for your safety.Warning: In the unlikely event that a fire occurs, immediately contact your local fireemergency responders.
Electric Vehicle Components
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Service Intervals
Regular maintenance is the key to ensuring
the continued reliability and
efficiency of your
Model S.
Rotate the tires every 10,000 km. Maintain the
correct tire pressures, and take Model S to Tesla at the regularly scheduled maintenance
intervals of every 12 months, or every
20,000 km, whichever comes
first. It is also
important to perform the daily and monthly
checks described below.
Model S should be serviced by
Tesla-certifiedtechnicians. Damages or failures caused by
maintenance or repairs performed by non- Tesla
certified technicians are not covered by
the warranty.
Daily Checks