Contents
Overview............................................................. 2
Interior Overview.........................................................................2
Exterior Overview....................................................................... 3
Touchscreen Overview..............................................................4
Opening and Closing..................................... 9
Keys.................................................................................................. 9 Doors.............................................................................................. 15Windows....................................................................................... 18Rear Trunk.................................................................................... 19 Front Trunk...................................................................................21Interior Storage and Electronics.........................................24
Seating and Safety Restraints.................. 28 Front and Rear Seats.............................................................. 28Seat Belts...................................................................................... 31 Child Safety Seats.................................................................... 35Airbags.......................................................................................... 41
Driving.............................................................. 48 Driver Profiles ............................................................................ 48
Steering Wheel..........................................................................50 Mirrors........................................................................................... 52Starting and Powering Off.................................................... 54
Gears............................................................................................. 56 Lights............................................................................................ 58Car Status..................................................................................... 61 Wipers and Washers............................................................... 64Braking and Stopping............................................................. 65Traction Control........................................................................ 69Park Assist.................................................................................. 70Vehicle Hold................................................................................ 72 Track Mode.................................................................................. 73Getting Maximum Range.......................................................74Rear View Camera.................................................................... 75
Dashcam...................................................................................... 76
Pedestrian Warning System................................................. 79 Cold Weather Best Practices............................................... 80
Autopilot.......................................................... 84 About Autopilot........................................................................ 84Traffic-Aware Cruise Control................................................ 87
Autosteer..................................................................................... 93 Autopark.................................................................................... 100 Summon..................................................................................... 102Smart Summon........................................................................ 105Lane Assist................................................................................ 108Collision Avoidance Assist..................................................... 111 Speed Assist.............................................................................. 114
Using the Touchscreen............................... 116 Controls....................................................................................... 116Climate Controls...................................................................... 125 Maps and Navigation.............................................................130Media and Audio..................................................................... 136Phone...........................................................................................139 Calendar...................................................................................... 141Using Voice Commands....................................................... 142 Security Settings..................................................................... 143HomeLink
Exterior Overview
1.Exterior lights ( Lights on page 58)
2. Autopilot camera ( About Autopilot on page 84)
3. Front door handle ( Using Exterior Door Handles on page 15)
4. Key card sensor ( Keys on page 9), Autopilot camera ( About Autopilot on page 84)
5. Rear door handle ( Using Exterior Door Handles on page 15)
6. Charge port ( Charging Instructions on page 157)
7. Autopilot cameras ( About Autopilot on page 84)
8. Exterior mirrors ( Mirrors on page 52)
9. Radar sensor (hidden from view) ( About Autopilot on page 84)
10. Hood/front trunk ( Front Trunk on page 21)
11. Tow eye cover ( Instructions for Transporters on page 199)
12. Wheels and tires ( Wheels and Tires on page 190)
13. Rear view camera ( Rear View Camera on page 75)
14. Rear trunk ( Rear Trunk on page 19)
Exterior Overview
Overview3
2.Car Status. This area dynamically displays the current status of Model 3 as you drive, park,
open doors, turn lights on, etc. Monitor this area when driving as it displays important
information such as driving speed and warning messages (see Car Status on page 61). When
the car is in Park, you can open the trunks or charge port door.
3. Cards. This area automatically updates to display information such as incoming calls, seat belt
reminders, current state of the wipers, etc. It also provides easy access to the rear view camera (see Rear View Camera on page 75), charging status (see Charging Instructions on
page 157), voice commands (see Using Voice Commands on page 142), wiper controls (see
Wipers on page 64), and seat belt reminders (see Seat Belt Reminders on page 31). Swipe
to the right or left to access:
Interior Emergency Trunk ReleaseAn illuminated mechanical release located
inside the rear trunk allows you to open the rear trunk from the inside if Model 3 has no
electrical power. This mechanical release also
allows a person locked inside to get out.
1. Firmly push the illuminated button in the
direction of the arrow to release the latch.
2. Push the rear trunk open.
Note: The button glows for several hours after
a brief exposure to ambient light.
Warning: Do not allow children to play
inside the trunk or become locked inside.
An unrestrained child could suffer serious
injury or death in a crash. A child could
suffer heat exhaustion if trapped in the
vehicle, especially without climate control
on.
Rear Trunk
20Model 3 Owner
For dual-strap tethers, position a strap oneach side of the head support.
For single-strap tethers at the outboard
seating positions, run the strap over the outside-facing side of the head support (sameside of the head support as the seat belt
retraction mechanism).
For a single-strap tether in the center seating
position, fully lower the head support (see Raising/Lowering the Rear Center HeadSupport on page 29) and run the strap over
the top center of the head support.
Testing a Child Safety Seat
Before seating a child, always make sure the
child safety seat is not loose:
1. Hold the child safety seat by the belt path
and try to slide the safety seat from side
to side and front to back.
2. If the seat moves more than one inch
(2.5 cm), it is too loose. Tighten the belt or
reconnect the LATCH retained child safety
seat.
3. If you are unable to reduce slack, try a
different seat location or try another child
safety seat.
Child Safety Seat Warnings
Warning: Extreme hazard! Do not seat a
child on the front passenger seat even if
you are using a child safety seat. This seat
has an airbag in front of it. Although this airbag is disabled when Model 3 detects a
lightweight passenger, do not rely on technology to protect your child.Warning: Child restraint systems are
designed to be secured in vehicle seats
by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt. Children could be
endangered in a crash if their child restraints are not properly secured in the
vehicle.Warning: According to collision statistics,
children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating positions
than in the front seating positions.Warning: Do not use a forward facing
child safety seat until your child weighs
over 20 lbs (9 kg) and can sit
Child Safety Seats
Seating and Safety Restraints39
Note: The parking brake operates on the rear
wheels only, and is independent of the pedal-
operated brake system.
Warning: In snowy or icy conditions the
rear wheels may not have sufficient
traction to prevent Model 3 from sliding
down a slope, particularly if not using winter tires. Avoid parking on hills in
snowy or icy conditions. You are always responsible for parking safely.Warning: Your Model 3 may display an
alert if the road is too steep to safely park
on, or if the parking brakes are not
properly engaged. These alerts are for
guidance purposes only and are not a
substitute for the driver’s judgment of safe parking conditions, including specific
road or weather conditions. Do not
depend on these alerts to determine
whether or not it is safe to park at any location. You are always responsible for
parking safely.When you use the touchscreen to
manually apply the parking brake,
the red parking brake indicator lights
up on the touchscreen.If the parking brake experiences an
electrical issue, the amber parking brake indicator lights up and a fault
message displays at the top of the
touchscreen.Caution: In the unlikely event that Model 3
loses electrical power, you cannot access
the touchscreen and are therefore unable to release the parking brake without first
jump starting Model 3 (see Instructions
for Transporters on page 199).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.
Brakes must be periodically inspected visually by removing the tire and wheel. For detailed
specifications and service limits for rotors and
brake pads, see Subsystems on page 188.
Additionally, Tesla recommends cleaning and
lubricating the brake calipers every year or
12,500 miles (20,000 km) if in an area where
roads are salted during winter months.Warning: Neglecting to replace worn
brake pads damages the braking system
and can result in a braking hazard.
Braking and Stopping
68Model 3 Owner
performing the procedure, and do not
attempt to use tools or excessive force.
Note: Preemptively applying WD-40 to the
door handle pivot pins can help prevent ice buildup inside your door handle. See Applying
WD-40 to Door Handle Pivot Pins for
instructions.
Perform the following to remove ice from the door handle:
1. Forcefully press the rear-most part of the
door handle to initially try to open the
door handle and release light or moderate ice buildup.
2. Working in a circular pattern around the
perimeter of the door handle, use the
bottom of your fist to forcefully bump the
door handle to break and release the ice
buildup.
3. Aiming for the rearmost end of the wide
part of the door handle, use the bottom of
your fist to forcefully bump the door
handle. Increase the intensity of the
bumps as necessary, repeating steps 1 and
2 until the ice is removed and the door
handle can be opened.
Caution: Never bump the vehicle so
hard as to cause a dent; the force
used should be similar to knocking on
your neighbor’s front door.
4. Once the door handle is able to move,
open and close it a few more times to
release any remaining ice buildup. Make
sure the door handle is fully pressed in
(retracted) prior to entering the vehicle,
and check that the door is fully closed
before driving away.
Applying WD-40 to Door Handle
Pivot Pins
In severe winter conditions, applying WD-40
to door handle pivot pins can help prevent ice
buildup that might immobilize the handle.
Consider applying WD-40 to the door handle pivot pins if you are expecting freezing rain,heavy snow, or icy conditions. Reapply as
needed.Caution: Read and observe the
instructions and warnings provided by
WD-40 prior to performing this
procedure.
To apply WD-40 to the door handle pivot pin:
1. Open the door handle and prop it open
using a folded towel or other soft material.
2. Attach the provided straw to the nozzle of
the WD-40 bottle.
3. Put on eye protection.
4. Place the end of the straw next to the
pivot pin and spray it for approximately
one second, taking care not to
accidentally spray other components.
Note: Rest the end of the straw on the top
of the spring around the pivot pin to
better aim the spray.
Warning: Make sure eye protection is
worn when performing this step.
5. Remove the towel or other soft material
used to prop the door handle open.
6. Pivot the door handle in and out
approximately ten times.
7. For a second time, place the end of the
straw next to the pivot pin and spray it for
approximately one second, taking care not
to accidentally spray other components.
Note: Rest the end of the straw on the top
of the spring around the pivot pin to better aim the spray.
Cold Weather Best Practices
82Model 3 Owner
Charging Instructions
Opening the Charge Port The charge port is located on the left side of
Model 3, behind a door that is part of the rear
tail light assembly. Before charging, park
Model 3 to ensure that the charge cable easily reaches the charge port.
With Model 3 unlocked (or an authenticated
phone is within range) and in Park, press and
release the button on the Tesla charge cable
to open the charge port door.
You can also open the charge port door using
any of these methods: