Overview................................................................3
Exterior Overview............................................................................3
Interior Overview.............................................................................4
Touchscreen Overview..................................................................6
Opening and Closing.......................................12
Keys.....................................................................................................12
Doors...................................................................................................17
Windows............................................................................................19
Rear Trunk.......................................................................................20
Front Trunk......................................................................................22
Interior Storage and Electronics..............................................25
Seating and Safety Restraints.....................29
Front and Rear Seats...................................................................29
Seat Belts.........................................................................................32
Child Safety Seats.........................................................................35
Airbags...............................................................................................41
Driving..................................................................47
Driver Profiles.................................................................................47
Steering Yoke (or Steering Wheel)........................................49
Mirrors................................................................................................52
Starting and Powering Off.........................................................53
Shifting..............................................................................................55
Lights.................................................................................................58
Instrument Panel............................................................................61
Wipers and Washers....................................................................65
Braking and Stopping.................................................................66
Traction Control.............................................................................69
Park Assist.......................................................................................70
Vehicle Hold....................................................................................72
Acceleration Modes......................................................................73
Track Mode......................................................................................74
Trip Information.............................................................................76
Rear Facing Camera(s)...............................................................77
Pedestrian Warning System......................................................78
Cold Weather Best Practices....................................................79
Autopilot...............................................................81
About Autopilot..............................................................................81
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control....................................................84
Autosteer..........................................................................................88
Navigate on Autopilot.................................................................93
Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control.......................................96
Autopark.........................................................................................103
Summon..........................................................................................105
Smart Summon............................................................................108
Active Safety Features....................................111
Lane Assist.......................................................................................111
Collision Avoidance Assist........................................................114
Speed Assist...................................................................................117
Cabin Camera.................................................................................118
Using the Touchscreen..................................119
Climate Controls...........................................................................119
Phone, Calendar, and Web Conferencing...........................126
Air Suspension..............................................................................129
Voice Commands..........................................................................131
Safety & Security Settings.......................................................133
Dashcam..........................................................................................135
Sentry Mode..................................................................................136
USB Drive Requirements for Recording Videos..............138
Smart Garage Connectivity.....................................................139
Connecting to Wi-Fi...................................................................142
Software Updates........................................................................143
Mobile App.....................................................................................145
Navigation and Entertainment..................147
Maps and Navigation.................................................................147
Media................................................................................................153
Theater, Arcade, and Toybox...................................................156
Charging and Energy Consumption........159
Electric Vehicle Components..................................................159
High Voltage Battery Information..........................................161
Charging Instructions.................................................................163
Scheduled Charging and Scheduled Departure..............168
Getting Maximum Range..........................................................169
Maintenance.......................................................171
Maintenance Service Intervals.................................................171
Tire Care and Maintenance.......................................................173
Cleaning...........................................................................................178
Windshield Wiper Blades, Jets and Fluid...........................182
Jacking and Lifting.....................................................................184
Parts and Accessories................................................................185
Do It Yourself Maintenance......................................................186
Specifications...................................................187
Identification Labels...................................................................187
Vehicle Loading............................................................................188
Dimensions....................................................................................190
Subsystems....................................................................................192
Wheels and Tires.........................................................................194
Roadside Assistance.....................................201
Contacting Tesla Roadside Assistance...............................201
Instructions for Transporters..................................................202
Running Out of Range..............................................................206
Jump Starting..............................................................................207
Troubleshooting.............................................209
Troubleshooting Alerts............................................................209
Contents
NOTE: Depending on market region, vehicle configuration, and options purchased, your vehicle may look slightly
different than described.
1.
Exterior lights (Lights on page 58)
2.
Door handles (Doors on page 17)
3.
Charge port (Charging Instructions on page 163)
4.
Autopilot cameras (About Autopilot on page 81)
5.
Exterior mirrors (Mirrors on page 52)
6.
Hood/Front trunk (Front Trunk on page 22)
7.
Front/rear tow eye cover (Instructions for Transporters on page 202)
8.
Wheels and tires (Wheels and Tires on page 194)
9.
Rear view camera (Rear Facing Camera(s) on page 77 and About Autopilot on page 81)
10.
Rear trunk/liftgate (Rear Trunk on page 20)
11.
Ultrasonic sensors, if equipped (Park Assist on page 70 and About Autopilot on page 81)
Exterior Overview
3Overview
Braking SystemsWARNING: Properly functioning braking systems
are critical to ensure safety. If you experience a
problem with the brake pedal, brake calipers, 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 briefly flashes amber on
the
instrument panel when you first start
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. Drive cautiously and avoid heavy braking.
If the instrument panel displays this red
brake indicator at any time other than
briefly when you first start Model S, a brake
system fault is detected, or the level of the
brake
fluid is low. Contact Tesla
immediately. Apply steady pressure and
keep the brakes
firm to bring the vehicle to
a stop when safe to do so.
The instrument panel displays this amber
brake indicator if a brake booster fault is detected. Apply steady pressure and keep the brakes
firm to stop the vehicle when
safety permits. Hydraulic Boost Compensation will be active (see
Hydraulic
Boost Compensation on page 67).
WARNING: When driving a Model S Plaid
equipped with the optional Carbon Ceramic Brake
Kit in temperatures below 14 degrees Fahrenheit
(-10 degrees Celsius), the instrument panel
displays an alert indicating that stability and
braking performance may be degraded in cold
weather. You may need to increase the amount of
pressure you apply to the brake pedal when
driving in cold weather. Be aware of this reduced
performance and drive cautiously in cold weather
conditions. The Apply Brakes When Regenerative
Braking is Limited feature is not available on a
Model S Plaid equipped with the optional Carbon
Ceramic Brake Kit.
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).
CAUTION: Automatic Emergency Braking (see
Automatic Emergency Braking on page 115) may
intervene to automatically brake in situations
where a collision is considered imminent.
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.
Dynamic Brake Lights (if equipped)
If you are driving over 30 mph (50 km/h) and brake
forcefully
(or if Automatic Emergency Braking engages),
the brake lights
flash quickly to warn other drivers that
Model S is rapidly slowing down. If Model S stops
completely, the hazard warning lights
flash. Flashing
continues until you press the accelerator or manually press the hazard lights button to turn them
off (see
Hazard Warning Flashers on page 60).
NOTE: When towing a trailer (if applicable), the brake
lights on the trailer also operate as described above,
even when the trailer is not equipped with a separate
braking system.
Braking and Stopping
66MODEL S Owner
Parking Brake
To engage the parking brake, touch Controls > Safety >
Parking Brake. Follow the onscreen instructions.
Use the touchscreen to manually release the parking brake (which also shifts
Model S into Neutral):
1.
Touch Controls > Safety.
2.
Press the brake pedal, then touch Parking Brake. If
Model S was previously in Park, it shifts into Neutral.
When you manually apply the parking
brake using the touchscreen, the red
parking brake indicator lights up on the
instrument panel.
If the parking brake experiences an
electrical issue, the amber parking brake
indicator lights up and a fault message displays on the
instrument panel.
NOTE: The parking brake operates on the rear wheels
only, and is independent of the pedal-operated brake
system.
CAUTION: In the unlikely event that Model S loses
electrical power, you cannot access the
touchscreen and are therefore unable to release
the parking brake without first jump starting (see
Jump Starting on page 207).
WARNING: In snowy or icy conditions the rear
wheels may not have sufficient traction to prevent
Model S 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 S 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
Tires and Tire Chains
Tire Wear
Adequate tread depth is important for proper tire
performance. Tires with a tread depth less than
4/32”
(3 mm) are more likely to hydroplane in wet conditions
and should not be used. Tires with a tread depth less than
5/32” (4 mm) do not perform well in snow and
slush and should not be used when driving in winter conditions.
Model S is originally fitted with tires that have wear
indicators molded into the tread pattern. When the
tread has been worn down to
4/32” (3 mm), the
indicators start to appear at the surface of the tread pattern, producing the
effect of a continuous band of
rubber across the width of the tire. For optimal performance and safety, Tesla recommends replacing tires before the wear indicators are visible.
To improve vehicle handling characteristics and minimize hydroplaning in wet conditions, put tires with the most tread on the rear of the car.
Tire Rotation, Balance, and Wheel
Alignment
Tesla recommends rotating the tires every 6,250 miles
(10,000 km) or if tread depth difference is 2/32 in (1.5
mm) or greater, whichever comes first.
Tire rotation is an essential part of tire maintenance. It helps maintain an even treadwear pattern which enhances the tire
If tires need to be replaced early, for example due to a
flat tire, we recommend replacing the tires in pairs
unless the other tires are within
2/32 in (1.5 mm) of tread
depth of the new tire. When replacing tires, it is important to match the brand and model of the older
tires. Always place a pair of new tires on the rear if all four tires are the same size. Always balance the wheel and tire after replacing a tire. Consult with a professional tire retailer and installer for further guidance.
NOTE: Regardless of the number of tires replaced, a
complete set of matching tires is recommended for
optimum performance.
If tires other than those specified are used, ensure that
the load and speed ratings marked on the tire
(see
Understanding Tire Markings on page 195) equal or
exceed those of the original
specification.
For the specification of the original wheels and tires
installed on
Model S, see Wheels and Tires on page 194.
If you replace a wheel, the TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) sensors need to be reset to ensure they provide accurate warnings when tires are under-
or
over-inflated (see Automatic Reset of TPMS Sensors on
page 176).
WARNING: For your safety, use only tires and
wheels that match the original specification. Tires
that do not match the original specification can
affect the operation of the TPMS.
WARNING: Never exceed the speed rating of your
vehicle
the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label, determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a TPMS that displays a tire pressure telltale (Tire Pressure Warning) on the
instrument panel
when one or more of your tires is significantly under- or
over-inflated. Accordingly, when the Tire Pressure
indicator light displays on the
instrument panel to alert
you about tire pressure, stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure
(see
Maintaining Tire Pressures on page 173). Driving on
a
significantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also
reduces range
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle