Page 6 of 248

The features and information you need to drive Model 3
are displayed on the touchscreen. When driving, the
touchscreen displays driving-related information such as driving speed, vehicle range, warnings, etc. The touchscreen is used to control many features that, in traditional cars, are controlled using physical buttons (for example, adjusting mirrors). You can also use the touchscreen to customize
Model 3 to suit your
preferences.
WARNING: Always pay attention to road and
traffic conditions when driving. To minimize driver
distraction and ensure the safety of vehicle
occupants as well as other road users, avoid using
the touchscreen to adjust settings while the
vehicle is in motion.
NOTE: The image below is provided for demonstration
purposes only. Depending on vehicle options, software
version and market region, your touchscreen may appear
slightly different.
1.
This area on the top of the touchscreen displays useful information and provides shortcuts to various
features. In addition to the time of day
and the
outside temperature, this area displays the following
icons:
Touch to lock/unlock all doors and
trunks.Displays when Dashcam is ready to be used (you have inserted a supported
flash drive into the USB
port). Touch to operate Dashcam
.
When in Park, touch the Dashcam
icon and select "Launch Viewer" to
watch your saved Dashcam and
Sentry Mode clips (see Dashcam on
page 70).
Add, configure, or quickly switch
driver
profiles (including Valet Mode
and Easy Entry). See
Driver Profiles
on page 43.
Displays when a notification is in
effect. Touch to display information
about the
notification. To display a list
of the most recent
notifications, with
the most recent listed
first, you can
also touch
Service > Notifications.
Displays when a software update is
available (see
Software Updates on
page 148).
Touch to enable or disable Sentry
Mode to actively monitor the vehicle
Page 10 of 248

2. Lock/Unlock All - Single-click to lock doors and trunks (all doors and trunks must be closed). Double-
click to unlock doors and trunks.3.
Rear trunk - Double-click to unlatch the rear trunk. Hold down for one to two seconds to open the
charge port door.
Once inside, power up Model 3 by pressing the brake
pedal within two minutes of pressing the unlock button
on the key fob (see
Starting and Powering Off on page
48). If you wait longer than two minutes, you must
press the unlock button again, or place the key fob near
the card reader located
behind the cup holders on the
center console. When your key fob is detected, the two
minute authentication period restarts.
When approaching or leaving Model 3 carrying the key
fob, you do not need to point the key fob at
Model 3 as
you press a button, but you must be within operating range.
Radio equipment on a similar frequency can affect the
key. If this happens, move the key at least
one foot
(30 cm) away from other electronic devices (phones,
laptops, etc.).
If the key fob does not work (for example, its battery is dead), you can touch its
flat side against the card reader
on the driver
Page 13 of 248

Using Exterior Door Handles
Use your thumb to push the wide part of the door
handle. The handle pivots toward you, and you can open
the door by pulling the handle or pulling the edge of the door.
The handle retracts automatically.
When a door or trunk is open, the
touchscreen displays the Door Open
indicator light.
NOTE: See Cold Weather Best Practices on page 74 to
ensure door handles function properly in cold weather.
Opening Doors from the Interior
Model 3 doors are electrically powered. To open a door
while sitting inside, press the button located at the top of the interior door handle and push the door open.
NOTE: To prevent children from opening the rear doors,
turn on child-protection locks (see
Child-Protection
Lock on page 12).
To open a front door in the unlikely situation when
Model 3 has no power, pull up the manual door release
located in front of the window switches.
NOTE: Only the front doors are equipped with a manual
door release.
CAUTION: Manual door releases are designed to
be used only in situations when Model 3 has no
power. When Model 3 has power, use the button
located at the top of the interior door handle.Doors
11Opening and Closing
Page 14 of 248
Interior Locking and Unlocking
While sitting inside Model 3, you can lock and unlock all
doors and trunks by touching the lock icon
on the
touchscreen.
The icon changes to indicate whether
doors are locked or unlocked.
You can also unlock the doors by pressing the Park
button on the end of the drive stalk a second time.
Pressing this button once engages the Park gear and pressing it again unlocks the doors.
Walk-Away Door Lock
Doors and trunks can automatically lock when you walk away carrying your phone key or paired key fob
(if
ordered after approximately October 1, 2019). To turn
this feature on or
off, touch Controls > Locks > Walk-
Away Door Lock.
When the doors lock, the exterior lights flash once and
the mirrors fold (if
Fold Mirrors is on). To also hear a
confirmation sound when Model 3 locks, touch Controls
> Locks > Lock Confirmation Sound > ON.
Model 3 does not automatically lock if:
Page 21 of 248

Center Console
In addition to housing an RFID transmitter that reads key fobs and key cards (see
Key Card on page 7), the center
console includes cup holders, two storage
compartments, and
a wireless phone charger.
To open the main storage compartment, pull its cover upward. Open the front storage compartment by sliding its cover forward.
Second Row Console
Your Model 3 has a rear console integrated in the center
of the second row seat back. Pull the console down to
access the rear cup holders, or use it as an armrest.
Glovebox
To open the glovebox, touch Controls > Glovebox on the
bottom corner of the touchscreen. The glovebox automatically opens and its light turns on.
To close the glovebox, push it upward until it clicks into its closed position.
For additional glovebox security, touch Controls >
Safety & Security > Glovebox PIN to set a 4-digit PIN
(see
Glovebox PIN on page 140).
NOTE: If you leave the glovebox open, its light
eventually turns
off.
NOTE: The glovebox locks whenever closed and you
lock
Model 3 using the mobile app, key card, you leave
Model 3 carrying your phone key (if Walk-Away Door
Lock is turned on), or if Valet mode is active (see
Valet
Mode on page 43). It does not lock when Model 3 is
locked by touching the lock icon on the touchscreen.
WARNING: When driving, keep the glovebox
closed to prevent injury to a passenger if a
collision or sudden stop occurs.
USB Ports
Model 3 has two USB ports located in the front
compartment of the center console. These ports can be used to:
Page 53 of 248

Controlling Lights
Touch Controls > Lights on the touchscreen to control
the lights.
In addition to the lights that you can control from the
touchscreen,
Model 3 has convenience lights that
operate automatically based on what you are doing. For example, in low ambient lighting conditions, the interior lights, marker lights, tail lights, and puddle lights turn on when you unlock
Model 3, when you open a door, and
when you shift into Park. They turn
off after a minute or
two or when you shift into a driving gear or lock
Model
3.
NOTE: The image below is provided for demonstration
purposes only. Depending on vehicle options, software
version and market region, your touchscreen may appear
slightly different.
1.
Exterior lights (headlights, tail lights, side marker
lights, parking lights, and license plate lights) are set
to
AUTO each time you start Model 3. When set to
AUTO, exterior lights automatically turn on when
driving in low lighting conditions. If you change to a
different setting, lights always revert to AUTO on
your next drive.
Touch one of these options to temporarily change the exterior light setting:
Page 82 of 248

Cleaning Cameras and Sensors
To ensure the various Autopilot components can provide
information that is as accurate as possible, keep them
clean and free of obstructions, condensation, or damage. See
Cleaning on page 167.
Condensation can form inside the camera enclosures,
especially if you park your vehicle outside in cold or wet
conditions. The
touchscreen may display an alert stating
that a camera is blocked and that some or all Autopilot
features may be temporarily restricted until the camera vision is clear. To proactively dry the condensation, precondition the cabin by setting it to a warm temperature, turning the windshield defroster on, and directing the front air vents toward the door pillars (see
Mobile App on page 149).
CAUTION: Do not wipe an exposed lens with your
hands or a cloth in an attempt to remove dirt or
debris. The debris can damage the surface of the
lens when wiped.
CAUTION: Do not use chemical-based or abrasive
cleaners. Doing so can damage surfaces.
CAUTION: Do not clean an ultrasonic sensor or
camera lens with a sharp or abrasive object that
can scratch or damage its surface.
About Autopilot
80MODEL 3 Owner
Page 142 of 248
About the Security System
If Model 3 does not detect an authenticated phone, key
fob, or key card and a locked door or trunk is opened, an
alarm sounds and the headlights and turn signals
flash.
To deactivate the alarm, press any button on the mobile
app or tap your key card or key fob against the card reader located
just below the Autopilot camera on the
driver