2023 TESLA MODEL S brakes

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

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

WARNING: When towing a trailer (if applicable),
always increase your following distance. Sudden
braking may result in skidding, jack-knifing, and
loss of control.
Brake Disc Wiping
To ensure brakes remain responsive in cold and wet
weather,
Model S is equipped with brake disc wiping.
When cold and wet weather is detected, this feature
repeatedly applies an imperceptible amount of brake
force to remove water from the surface of the brake
discs.
Hydraulic Fade Compensation
Model S is equipped with hydraulic fade compensation.
This assists in monitoring brake system pressure and ABS activity for instances of reduced brake
performance. If reduced brake performance is detected (for example, as a result of brake fade, or cold or wet
conditions), you may hear a sound, feel the brake pedal pull away from your foot, and notice a strong increase in braking. Brake as you normally would and continue to
press the brake pedal without releasing or pumping the
brakes.
CAUTION: If brakes are not functioning properly,
stop the vehicle when safety permits and contact
Tesla Service.
WARNING: Always maintain a safe driving distance
from the vehicle in front of you and exercise
caution when driving conditions are hazardous.
Brake disc wiping and hydraulic fade
compensation is not a substitute for adequately
applying the brakes.
Hydraulic Boost Compensation
Model S is equipped with a brake booster that activates
the brakes when the brake pedal is pressed. Hydraulic boost compensation provides mechanical assistance if the brake booster fails. If a brake booster failure is detected, the brake pedal feels
stiffer to press and you
may hear a sound when you press the brake pedal. To
stop
Model S, apply steady force to the brake pedal
without releasing or pumping. Drive cautiously and
maintain a safe distance from other road users

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

When Model S is stopped, Vehicle Hold can continue to
apply the brakes even after you remove your foot from
the brake pedal.
When the vehicle

When an automatic lane change is in progress, Overtake Acceleration is activated, allowing
Model S to accelerate
closer to a vehicle in front (see
Overtake Acceleration on
page 86).
NOTE: Auto Lane Change moves Model S one lane at a
time. Moving into an additional lane requires you to
engage the turn signal a second time after the
first lane
change is complete.
When using Auto Lane Change, it is important to monitor its performance by watching the driving path in front of you and the surrounding area. Stay prepared to take over steering at any time. As you are crossing over into the adjacent lane, the
instrument panel displays the
location in the lane that
Model S is moving into.
In situations where Auto Lane Change is unable to operate at optimal performance, or cannot operate due to inadequate data, the
instrument panel displays a
series of warnings. Therefore, when using Auto Lane Change, always pay attention to the
instrument panel
and be prepared to manually steer Model S.
Adjacent Lane Speed
NOTE: Depending on market region, vehicle
configuration, options purchased, and software version,
your vehicle may not be equipped with Adjacent Lane
Speed, or the feature may not operate exactly as
described.
When moving significantly faster than vehicles in
adjacent lanes,
Model S automatically reduces the
driving speed. This is especially helpful in heavy
traffic
situations or when vehicles are constantly merging into
different lanes. When Model S detects other vehicles
driving
significantly slower, the instrument panel
highlights the adjacent lanes with arrows and detected
vehicles in gray, and
Model S reduces the driving speed
as appropriate. To temporarily override this feature, press the accelerator pedal.
WARNING: Never depend on Autopilot to
determine a safe driving speed; you are
responsible for driving safely and according to
traffic laws in your market region.
Stop Light and Stop Sign Warning
NOTE: Depending on market region, vehicle
configuration, options purchased, and software version,
your vehicle may not be equipped with Stop Light and
Stop Sign Warning, or the feature may not operate
exactly as described.
While Autosteer is in use, Model S displays a warning on
the
instrument panel and sounds a chime if it detects
that you are likely to run through a red stop light or stop sign. If this happens,
TAKE IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE
ACTION!
The visual and audible warnings cancel after a few
seconds, or when you press the brake pedal, whichever
comes
first.
Stop Light and Stop Sign Warning provides warnings
only. It does not slow down or stop
Model S at red traffic
lights, stop signs, road markings, etc. If equipped with
Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control, you can enable this
feature to automatically stop Model S at traffic lights
and stop signs (see Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control
on page 96).
CAUTION: Stop Light and Stop Sign Warning
requires on-board maps to know that a particular
stop light or stop sign exists at a location. In some
cases, map data is inaccurate or outdated and may
not include all stop lights or stop signs. Therefore,
Stop Light and Stop Sign Warning may not detect
all stop lights and stop signs.
WARNING: The Stop Light and Stop Sign Warning
feature does not apply the brakes or decelerate
Model S and may not detect all stop lights and
stop signs. Stop Light and Stop Sign Warning is
designed for guidance purposes only and is not a
substitute for attentive driving and sound
judgment. Keep your eyes on the road when
driving and never depend on Stop Light and Stop
Sign Warning to warn you of a stop light or stop
sign.
WARNING: Stop Light and Stop Sign Warning is
designed to warn you only when approaching a
visible red stop sign, solid red or later portion of a
yellow traffic light. It may not warn you of
intersections with flashing lights and it does not
warn you of yield signs or temporary stop and
yield signs (such as those used in construction
areas). Additionally, Stop Light and Stop Sign
Warning does not warn you of approaching stop
lights or stop signs when you are pressing the
accelerator pedal or brake pedal (which disables
Autosteer).
Limitations
Autosteer and its associated functions are particularly
unlikely to operate as intended when:

WARNING: Forward Collision Warning does not
provide a warning when the driver is already
applying the brake.
Automatic Emergency Braking
Model S is designed to determine the distance from a
detected object traveling in front of it. When a frontal collision is considered unavoidable, Automatic Emergency Braking is designed to apply the brakes to
reduce the vehicle

Cleaning the Exterior
To prevent damage to the paint, immediately remove
corrosive substances (bird droppings, tree resin, dead insects, tar spots, road salt, industrial fallout, etc.). Do not wait until
Model S is due for a complete wash. If
necessary, use denatured alcohol to remove tar spots
and stubborn grease stains, then immediately wash the area with water and a mild, non-detergent soap to remove the alcohol.
Keep the exterior cameras free of dirt, condensation, or obstructions. These substances can cause unclear pictures or Autopilot and safety features to stop working (see
Cleaning a Camera on page 178).
Follow these steps when washing the exterior of
Model S:
1.
Rinse Thoroughly
Before washing, flush grime and grit from the vehicle
using a hose. Flush away accumulations of mud in areas where debris easily collects (such as wheel wells and panel seams). If salt has been used on the highways (such as during winter months), thoroughly
rinse all traces of road salt from the underside of the
vehicle, wheel wells, and brakes.
2.
Hand Wash
Hand wash Model S using a clean soft cloth and cold
or lukewarm water containing a mild, high-quality car
shampoo.
CAUTION: Some cleaners and car shampoos
contain chemicals that can cause damage or
discoloration, especially to plastic trim pieces,
lamps, or camera lenses. For example, some car
cleaning formulas contain hydroxide or other
highly alkaline or caustic ingredients that can
damage exterior components. Damage or
discoloration resulting from cleaning products
is not covered by the warranty.
3.
Rinse with Clean Water
After washing, rinse with clean water to prevent soap from drying on the surfaces.
4.
Dry Thoroughly and Clean Exterior Glass
After washing and rinsing, dry thoroughly with a chamois. If necessary, dry the brakes by going on a
short drive and applying the brakes multiple times.
Window Cleaning and Treatments
Clean windows and mirrors using an automotive glass
cleaner. Do not scrape or use any abrasive cleaning
fluid

on glass or mirrored surfaces. Follow the directions in
Cleaning the Exterior on page 178 for best practices in
cleaning the exterior glass.
To add a hydrophobic coating to your vehicle