Wi-Fi is available as a data connection method and is often faster than cellular data networks. Connecting to Wi-Fi is especially useful in areas with limited or no
cellular connectivity. To ensure fast, reliable delivery of software and map updates, Tesla recommends leaving
Model S connected to a Wi-Fi network whenever
possible (for example, when parked overnight).
To connect to a Wi-Fi network:
1.
Touch Controls > Wi-Fi icon at the top of the
Controls screen. Model S begins to scan and display
detected Wi-Fi networks that are within range.
NOTE: If a known Wi-Fi network does not appear in
the list, move
Model S closer to the access point or
consider using a range extender.
NOTE: When connecting to a 5GHz network (if
available), check which channels are supported in your region.
5GHz Network Channels Supported36-4852-64100-140149-165FFFF2.
Select the Wi-Fi network you want to use, enter the password (if necessary), then touch
Confirm.
3.
Model S connects to the Wi-Fi network. Whenever
the network is within range,
Model S connects to it
automatically.
You can also connect to a hidden network that isn
To add a destination to your Favorites list touch its pin on the map, then touch the star icon on the popup screen that
appears. Enter a name (or leave as-is to accept the default name), then touch
Add
to Favorites. The star becomes solid and
the destination is included on your
Favorites list.
To delete a Recent or Favorite destination, touch it on the destination list and hold it down
briefly until the X
appears. Then touch the X to delete it from the list.
Home and Work locations also display under the
navigation search bar. Touch to set an address to the corresponding location. After entering the address, touch
Save as Home or Save as Work. Then simply
touch these shortcuts whenever you want to navigate home or to work.
To change or delete the corresponding address, press
and hold the
Home or Work icon. A popup allows you to
enter a new address and
Save as Home or Save as Work.
Or touch
Clear Home or Clear Work to remove
associated addresses entirely.
NOTE: Based on your usage patterns, Model S may
prompt you to save a location as Home or Work.
NOTE: Once a Home or Work location is saved, Model S
may prompt you to navigate to your Work location in
the mornings and to your Home location in the evenings
and provide an estimated driving time based on current
traffic conditions. See Automatic Navigation on page
149.
For security reasons, if you sell Model S, it is
recommended that you delete your Home and Work
locations. You can delete these individually or you can perform a factory reset to erase all personal data (touch
Controls > Service > Factory Reset).
Charging Locations
To display charging locations on the map, touch the map
USB Connected Flash Drives
Insert a flash drive into a front USB port (see USB Ports
on page 25). Touch Media Player > USB, and then touch
the name of the folder that contains the song you want to play. After you display the contents of a folder on the USB connected
flash drive, you can touch any song in
the list to play it. Or use the previous and next arrows in
Media Player to scroll through your songs. You can also
scroll to next/previous songs using the left scroll button on the
steering yoke (or steering wheel).
NOTE: To play media from a USB connection, Model S
recognizes flash drives only. To play media from other
types of devices (such as an iPod), you must connect the device using Bluetooth.
NOTE: Media Player supports USB flash drives with
exFAT formatting (NTFS is not currently supported).
NOTE: Use a USB port located at the front of the center
console. The USB connections at the rear of the console are for charging only.
Bluetooth Connected Devices
If you have a Bluetooth-capable device such as a phone that is paired and connected to
Model S (see Pairing a
Bluetooth Phone on page 126), you can play audio files
stored on it. Choose Media Player
Opening the Charge Port
The charge port is located on the left side of Model S,
behind a door that is part of the rear tail light assembly.
Park
Model S to ensure that the charge cable easily
reaches the charge port.
With Model S in Park, press and release the button on
the Tesla charge cable to open the charge port door.
NOTE: If the charge cable is close to the charge port
door, you can press the button on the charge cable to
open the charge port door even when Model S is locked
or a recognized key is not within range.
You can also open the charge port door using any of these methods:
During Charging
During charging, the charge port light pulses green, and the
touchscreen displays real-time charging status. The
frequency at which the green charge port light pulses
slows down as the charge level approaches full. When charging is complete, the light stops pulsing and is solid green.
NOTE: If Model S is locked, the charge port light does
not light up.
If the charge port light turns red while charging, a fault
is detected. Check the
instrument panel or touchscreen
for an alert describing the fault. A fault can occur due to something as common as a power outage. If a power
outage occurs, charging resumes automatically when power is restored.
NOTE: The thermal system may produce steam under
certain conditions. For example, odorless steam can come from the front of your vehicle while charging at a Supercharger in cold temperature. This is normal and not a cause for concern.
NOTE: It is normal to hear sounds during charging.
Particularly at high currents, the refrigerant compressor
and fan operate as needed to keep the Battery cool.
NOTE: Air conditioning performance is generally not
affected by charging. However, in some circumstances
(for example, charging at high currents during a
particularly warm day), the air coming from the vents may not be as cool as expected and a message displays on the
instrument panel. This is normal and ensures that
the Battery stays within an optimum temperature range while charging to support longevity and optimum
performance.
WARNING: Never spray liquid at a high velocity
(for example, a pressure washer) towards the
charge port while charging. Doing so can result in
serious injury or damage to the vehicle, charging
equipment, or property.
Stopping Charging
Stop charging at any time by disconnecting the charge
cable or touching
Stop Charging on the touchscreen.
NOTE: To prevent unauthorized unplugging of the
charge cable, the charge cable latch remains locked and
Model S must be unlocked or able to recognize your key
before you can disconnect the charge cable.
To disconnect the charge cable:
1.
Press and hold the button on the connector handle to release the latch.
NOTE: You can also release the latch using the
touchscreen or mobile app, or by pressing and
holding the rear trunk button on the key fob.
If your
vehicle is equipped with a motorized charge port,
you can also press the button to the left of the
charge port to release the latch.
2.
Pull the connector from the charge port. The charge
port door automatically closes.
To disconnect the charge cable when using an adapter at a public charge station:
1.
Unlock Model S.
2.
While holding the public charging handle in one hand and the adapter in the other hand, press and hold the button on the public charging handle and pull both
outwards, removing the handle and adapter at the same time.
NOTE: If the charging station handle separates from
the adapter, leaving the adapter in
Model S, use the
touchscreen to unlock the charge port.
3.
Press and hold the button on the charging handle
again to release the adapter from the public charging handle.
NOTE: The charge port door automatically closes within
approximately 10 seconds of removing the connector from the charge port.
CAUTION: Tesla strongly recommends leaving
Model S plugged in when not in use. This maintains
the Battery at the optimum level of charge.
Charge Settings
Access charge settings by touching Controls > Charging
when Model S is in Park.
When charging, you can also touch the
charge icon on the touchscreen to access charge settings.1.
Driving distance: Displays the total estimated driving
distance available.
Charging Instructions
165Charging and Energy Consumption
Toggle between Scheduled Departure and Scheduled Charging by touching
Controls > Charging > Switch to
Scheduled Charging/Scheduled Departure when
Model S is in Park.
NOTE: Scheduled Charging/Scheduled Departure
settings are also available on the Climate Controls
screen and in the Tesla mobile app.
Think of Scheduled Charging as "When do I want
charging to start?" and think of
Scheduled Departure
Off-Peak Charging which is "When do I want charging to
be complete?"
Scheduled Charging can be used together with
Scheduled Departure Preconditioning but not with
Scheduled Departure Off-Peak Charging.
Scheduled Charging/Scheduled Departure settings are
automatically saved for each location.
NOTE: If you plug in Model S with both Off-Peak
Charging and Scheduled Charging deselected, your
vehicle charges immediately.
Using Scheduled Charging
Use Scheduled Charging to specify a daily time in which
you want
Model S to start charging.
With Scheduled Charging selected, enable the feature
then set a daily time to start charging.
NOTE: Scheduled Charging starts charging immediately
if
Model S is plugged in up to six hours after the
scheduled start time. However, if
Model S is plugged in
after six hours of the scheduled charging time, charging may not start until the scheduled time on the next day.
Using Scheduled Departure
Use Scheduled Departure to set a daily time when you
want
Model S to be ready to drive. Model S
automatically calculates when it needs to start preconditioning and/or charging. This ensures that charging is complete and/or the cabin climate and Battery are preconditioned by your departure time.
When Scheduled Departure is displayed, touch
Schedule to set a daily time when you want Model S to
be ready to drive. Specify a time, then touch
Settings to
enable one or both of the following departure features.
When plugging in with
Off-Peak Charging enabled, the
vehicle
briefly draws power (you may hear clicking) to
calculate the necessary charging start time.
After you
Service Intervals
Your vehicle should generally be serviced on an as-needed basis. However, Tesla recommends the following maintenance items and intervals, as applicable to your
vehicle, to ensure continued reliability and
efficiency of
your
Model S.
For more do-it-yourself maintenance procedures and information, see
https://www.tesla.com/support/do-it-
yourself-guides.
For more information on vehicle alerts, see
Troubleshooting Alerts on page 209.
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