2023 TESLA MODEL S air suspension

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

IndicatorDescriptionThis indicator flashes amber when the
electronic stability control systems are actively minimizing wheel spin by
controlling brake pressure and motor
power. See
Traction Control on page 69.
If this indicator remains on, a fault is detected and you should immediately contact Tesla.
If a fault is detected that reduces the performance of the air suspension system, this amber indicator light
displays (see
Air Suspension on page
129). If the problem persists, contact
Tesla.
If a fault is detected that disables the air suspension system, this red indicator light displays (see
Air Suspension on
page 129). Contact Tesla.
Vehicle Hold is actively applying the brakes. See
Vehicle Hold on page 72.
Electronic stability control systems are no longer minimizing wheel spin. See
Traction Control on page 69.
Model S is in Transport mode and can roll
freely. It does not automatically shift into Park when you exit. See
Activate
Transport Mode on page 203.
A blue snowflake appears when some of
the energy stored in the Battery may not be available due to cold weather
conditions. During these cold weather
conditions, charging rates may also be limited. If
Model S is plugged in, you can
heat your Battery by turning on climate control with the mobile app. The
snowflake disappears when the Battery is
sufficiently warm.
A green icon appears when regenerative
braking is limited. See
Regenerative
Braking on page 67 for more information.
Vehicle power is currently being limited
because the energy remaining in the
Battery is low, the vehicle

NOTE: When Model S starts, you may hear the sound of
the compressor as the air suspension system

Real-time Visualization
The image of your Model S on the Suspension screen
provides a real-time visualization of the status of the air suspension system. In addition to visually showing changes to the ride height, it displays Compression and Rebound lines that
reflect how the suspension system is
controlling the dampers for each wheel based on your
chosen settings and changing road conditions. Both are controlled simultaneously. Touch
Show Suspension Data
to display detailed information about the dampers for
each wheel, including ride height, compression and
rebound values, and body accelerations.
Auto-Raising Locations
Whenever you raise the suspension to High or Very
High, the location is automatically saved. By saving the
location, you do not need to manually raise the
suspension every time you arrive at a frequently-used location where you have previously raised the
suspension. When you return to the saved location,
Model S raises the suspension and the instrument panel
displays a message indicating that the suspension is being raised.
When saving locations, Model S also saves the Keep until
XX mph setting (if specified).
NOTE: When returning to a saved location and driving
faster than the
High and Very High suspension settings
allow, the suspension does not raise until
Model S slows
down.
NOTE: After leaving a saved location, the suspension
automatically lowers. However, it may not lower until
Model S meets the speed and distance threshold at
which the suspension lowers.
NOTE: If Model S reaches a saved location and the
existing suspension setting is already higher than the level that has been saved for that location, the ride height is not adjusted.
To remove an auto-raising location
If you do not want the suspension to automatically raise
at a location, touch to deselect
Always raise at this
location in the popup that appears when you arrive at a
saved location.
Or, when using the Raise Suspension
shortcut on the main Controls window, touch to deselect
Location Saved.
Self-Leveling
Model S equipped with air suspension automatically self-
levels, even when power is
off. To prevent damage when
jacking or lifting the vehicle, you must activate
Jack
Mode to disable self-leveling (press the brake pedal and
touch
Controls > Service > Jack Mode). For more
details, see
Jack Mode on page 184.
Air Suspension
130MODEL S Owner

Jacking Procedure
Follow the steps below to lift Model S. Ensure that any
non-Tesla repair facility is aware of these lifting points.
1.
Position Model S centrally between the lift posts.
2.
If your Model S is equipped with air suspension, it
automatically self-levels, even when power is
off (see
Jack Mode on page 184). Use the touchscreen to set
the suspension as follows:


BrakesSpecificationsFront Brake Pad Thickness (excluding back
plate)New: 0.41”/10.5 mm (MIN)Service limit: 0.09”/ 2.3 mmRear Brake Pad Thickness (excluding back plate)New: 0.33”/8.5 mm (MIN)Service limit: 0.11”/ 2.7 mmParking brakeElectrically actuated parking brake calipers
Suspension
SuspensionSpecificationsFrontIndependent, double wishbone, air spring with adaptive damper, stabilizer barRearIndependent, multi-link, air spring with adaptive damper, stabilizer bar
Battery - Low Voltage
Battery - Low VoltageSpecificationsRating6.9 amp hourVoltage15.5V
Battery - High Voltage
Battery - High VoltageSpecificationsTypeLiquid-cooled lithium ion (Li-ion)Nominal Voltage407 V DCTemperature RangeDo not expose Model S to ambient temperatures above 149

Disable the Self-Leveling Air Suspension System
NOTE: If Model S has no low voltage power, you need an
external
low voltage power supply to use the
touchscreen. See
If Vehicle Has No Power on page 205.
Your Model S is equipped with an air suspension system
that automatically self-levels the vehicle, even when
power is
off. To prevent damage, you must activate Jack
mode to disable self-leveling:
1.
Touch Controls > Suspension on the touchscreen.
2.
Press the brake pedal, and then touch Very High to
maximize height.
3.
Touch Controls > Service > Jack Mode.
NOTE: Jack mode cancels when driving speed exceeds
4 mph (7 km/h).
Activate Transport Mode
Transport Mode keeps the parking brake disengaged
while winching
Model S onto a flatbed truck. When
active, Transport Mode displays a message indicating that the vehicle will remain free-rolling. The following are required to enable Transport Mode:

Vehicle Hold is currently unavailable due to system constraints. When stopping, use the brake pedal to bring your
vehicle to a complete stop and keep your vehicle stationary.
What to do:
Continue to your destination. Your vehicle is OK to drive.
If this alert persists throughout subsequent drives, schedule service at your earliest convenience. Your vehicle is OK
to drive in the meantime.
For more information, see Vehicle Hold on page 72.
DI_a250
Adaptive ride control disabled
Drive with caution
What this alert means:
The speed of your vehicle is limited to 90 mph (144 km/h) due to an issue with the Adaptive Suspension Damping
system.
The system cannot provide real-time adjustments to the suspension system to optimize both ride and handling, and
as a result your ride may be softer than usual.
What to do:
If this alert persists throughout subsequent drives, schedule service at your earliest convenience. Your vehicle is OK
to drive in the meantime.
This alert is accompanied by a red indicator light on the instrument panel. For more information, see Air Suspension
on page 129.
ESP_a118
Assist for low brake performance activated
To stop, keep brake pedal firmly pressed
What this alert means:
Hydraulic Fade Compensation is active. This brake assist function activates temporarily to make sure you have full
braking capability in conditions where reduced braking performance is detected by your vehicle.
When this assist function activates, you may feel the brake pedal pull away from your foot and notice a strong
increase in brake pressure. You may also hear a pumping sound coming from the brake hydraulic unit at the front of
the vehicle. This will usually last for a few seconds, depending on road surface and vehicle speed. This is completely
normal and does not indicate any issue with your vehicle.
What to do:
Continue to press the brake pedal as you normally would, and do not "pump" (repeatedly press and release) the
pedal as this will interrupt the function.
This alert will clear when your vehicle comes to a stop or you are no longer pressing the brake pedal. It may still be
displayed for up to 5 seconds afterward.
Reduced braking performance is usually temporary, and can occur for a number of reasons including high brake
temperatures after heavy brake use, or driving in extremely cold or wet conditions. It can also indicate that your
brake pads or rotors have worn to the point that normal replacement is needed.
If you continue to experience reduced braking performance which does not improve over time, please contact Tesla
service at your convenience for a brake inspection.
For more information, see Hydraulic Fade Compensation on page 67.
Troubleshooting Alerts
238MODEL S Owner