Tesla Model 3 Owner's Manual

Contents

Overview.............................................................2

Interior Overview.........................................................................2

Exterior Overview.......................................................................3

Touchscreen Overview..............................................................4

Opening and Closing..................................... 6

Keys..................................................................................................6

Doors............................................................................................... 9

Windows........................................................................................ 11

Rear Trunk....................................................................................12

Front Trunk...................................................................................13

Interior Storage and Electronics..........................................16

Seating and Safety Restraints...................18

Front and Rear Seats............................................................... 18

Seat Belts......................................................................................21

Child Safety Seats....................................................................24

Airbags.........................................................................................30

Driving...............................................................34

Steering Wheel..........................................................................34

Mirrors...........................................................................................36

Starting and Powering

Gears............................................................................................. 38

Car Status....................................................................................39

Lights............................................................................................ 42

Wipers and Washers...............................................................45

Brakes...........................................................................................46

Traction Control........................................................................48

Park Assist.................................................................................. 49

Vehicle Hold.................................................................................51

Getting Maximum Range.......................................................52

Rear View Camera....................................................................53

Cabin Camera............................................................................ 54

Driver Assistance.......................................... 55

About Driver Assistance........................................................55

Trac-Aware Cruise Control...............................................58

Autosteer.....................................................................................63

Auto Lane Change...................................................................66

Autopark......................................................................................68

Lane Assist.................................................................................. 73

Collision Avoidance Assist.................................................... 75

Speed Assist...............................................................................78

Using the Touchscreen...............................80

Controls and Settings.............................................................80

Climate Controls.......................................................................84

Media and Audio.......................................................................88

Phone............................................................................................. 91

Maps and Navigation.............................................................. 93

Using Voice Commands.........................................................97

Security Settings...................................................................... 98

HomeLink® Universal Transceiver.......................................99

Connecting to Wi-Fi............................................................... 101

Software Updates...................................................................102

Charging.........................................................103

Electric Vehicle Components.............................................103

Battery Information............................................................... 105

Charging Instructions............................................................107

O.................................................... 37

Maintenance................................................... 112

Maintenance Schedule........................................................... 112

Tire Care and Maintenance...................................................113

Temporary Tire Repair............................................................118

Cleaning...................................................................................... 122

Wiper Blades and Washer Jets..........................................125

Fluid Reservoirs....................................................................... 127

Jacking and Lifting.................................................................129

Parts and Accessories...........................................................130

Specifications.................................................131

Identification Labels................................................................131

Vehicle Loading.......................................................................132

Dimensions and Weights..................................................... 134

Subsystems............................................................................... 136

Wheels and Tires.....................................................................138

Roadside Assistance..................................145

Contacting Roadside Assistance......................................145

Instructions for Transporters..............................................146

Consumer Information.............................. 149

About this Owner Information.......................................... 149

Disclaimers................................................................................ 150

Reporting Safety Defects.....................................................152

Declarations of Conformity.................................................153

Interior Overview

1. Door open button (Opening Doors from the Interior on page 9)

2. High beams (High Beam Headlights on page 43), turn signals (Turn Signals on page 43),

and washers and wipers (Wipers and Washers on page 45)

3. Horn (Horn on page 35)

4. Gear selector (Shifting Gears on page 38),

Cruise Control on page 58), and Autosteer (Autosteer on page 63)

5. Touchscreen (Touchscreen Overview on page 4)

6. Driver dome light (Lights on page 42)

7. Cabin camera (Cabin Camera on page 54)

8. Hazard warning

9. Passenger dome light (Lights on page 42)

10. Climate control vent (see Climate Controls on page 84)

11. Power window switches (Windows on page 11)

12. Manual door release (Opening Doors from the Interior on page 9)

13. Left scroll button (Scroll Buttons on page 34)

14. Brake pedal (Brakes on page 46)

15. Right scroll button (Scroll Buttons on page 34)

16. Center console (Center Console on page 16)

17. Glove box (Glove Box on page 16)

flashers (Hazard Warning Flashers on page 44)

Trac-Aware Cruise Control (Trac-Aware

2 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Exterior Overview

1. Exterior lights (Lights on page 42)

2. Driver assistance camera (About Driver Assistance on page 55)

3. Front door handle (Using Exterior Door Handles on page 9)

4. Key card sensor (Keys on page 6) and driver assistance camera (About Driver Assistance

on page 55)

5. Rear door handle (Using Exterior Door Handles on page 9)

6. Charge port (Charging Instructions on page 107)

7. Driver assistance cameras (About Driver Assistance on page 55)

8. Exterior mirrors (Mirrors on page 36)

9. Radar sensor (hidden from view) (About Driver Assistance on page 55)

10. Hood/front trunk (Front Trunk on page 13)

11. Tow eye cover (Instructions for Transporters on page 146)

12. Wheels and tires (Wheels and Tires on page 138)

13. Rear view camera (Rear View Camera on page 53)

14. Rear trunk (Rear Trunk on page 12)

Overview 3

Touchscreen Overview

The features and information you need to drive Model 3 display on the touchscreen. When driving,
the touchscreen displays driving-related information such as speed, range, warnings, etc. You also
use the touchscreen to control many of the 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: Paying attention to road and trac conditions must always be your highest priority
when driving. To ensure the safety of vehicle occupants as well as other road users, using the
touchscreen to adjust settings should be done only when road and trac conditions permit.

The main areas of the touchscreen are summarized here:

Note: The following image is provided for demonstration purposes only. Depending on vehicle
options, software version and market region, your touchscreen may appear slightly

dierent.

1. Car Status. This area dynamically displays the current status of Model 3 as you drive, park,
open doors, turn lights on, etc. Some of this information is typically displayed on a vehicle's
instrument cluster. Pay attention to this area when driving as it displays critical information
such as driving speed, warning messages, etc. (see Car Status on page 39). When the car is
o, you can open the trunks or charge port door.

2. Shortcuts to display the rear view camera (see Rear View Camera on page 53), display
charging status (see Charging Instructions on page 107), and use voice commands (see

Using Voice Commands on page 97). You can also swipe left to enable and adjust the

wipers (see Wipers on page 45).

3. Controls. Touch to control features and customize Model 3 to suit your preferences (see

Controls and Settings on page 80).

4. Climate Controls (see Climate Controls on page 84).

5. Media Player (see Media and Audio on page 88).

6. Phone (see Phone on page 91).

7. Volume Control (see Volume Control on page 88).

4 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Touchscreen Overview

8. Navigation (see Maps and Navigation on page 93).

Note: When you touch Controls, the controls and settings window displays on top of this

navigation window (see Controls and Settings on page 80). To close the window and see
the map, touch Controls again.

9. This area on the top of the touchscreen displays the time, outdoor temperature, vehicle
information (the Tesla "T", described below), network strength, Bluetooth® status, and
passenger airbag status. It also provides shortcuts to lock/unlock the vehicle and to access
settings for features such as HomeLink®, software updates, and Wi-Fi. If you see an
exclamation mark, touch it to see warning messages that are in

Note: The airbag status symbol displays in the top right corner of the touchscreen only when
Model 3 is powered on, ready to drive, and the airbag is turned o (see Passenger Front

Airbag on page 32).

The Tesla "T"

Touch the Tesla "T" at the top center of the touchscreen to display:

• the odometer

• the vehicle identification number (VIN)

• the version of software currently installed on your Model 3

• the release notes associated with your currently installed software version

eect.

Overview 5

Keys

Two Types of Keys

Instead of a traditional key or key fob, Model 3
supports two types of keys:

• Authenticated smartphone ­communicates with Model 3 using
Bluetooth. Supports automatic locking
and unlocking, driving, as well as multiple
other functions using the Tesla mobile
app. An authenticated smartphone is the
preferred key because you never need to
remove it from your pocket or purse.

• Key card - communicates with Model 3
using short range radio-frequency
identification (RFID) signals. You use the
key card to "authenticate" your
smartphone to work with Model 3. In
situations where your authenticated
smartphone has a dead battery, or is lost
or stolen, use your key card to unlock,
drive, and lock Model 3 by tapping it
against a Model 3 RFID transmitter.

Each type of key is detailed below.

Caution: Remember to bring both your
key card and authenticated smartphone
with you whenever you drive Model 3.

Smartphone

Using your smartphone is the most convenient
way to access your Model 3 because you
never need to remove it from your pocket or
purse. As you approach, your smartphone's
Bluetooth signal is detected and doors
automatically unlock, provided the Walk Up
Unlock feature is enabled (see Walk Up

Unlock on page 10). Likewise, when you exit

and walk away, doors automatically lock,
provided the Walk Away Lock feature is
enabled (see Walk Away Lock on page 10).

Before you can use a smartphone to access
Model 3, follow these steps to authenticate it:

1. Download the Tesla mobile app to your
smartphone.

2. Log into the Tesla mobile app using your
MY TESLA user name and password.

Note: You must remain logged in to your
MY TESLA account on the Tesla mobile
app to use your smartphone to access
Model 3. The mobile app can be running in
the background.

3.

Ensure that your smartphone's Bluetooth
setting is turned on.

Note: Model 3 communicates with your
smartphone using Bluetooth. To
authenticate your smartphone or use it as
a key, the smartphone must be powered
on and Bluetooth must be enabled. Keep
in mind that your smartphone must have
enough battery power to run Bluetooth
and that many smartphone disable
Bluetooth when the battery low.

4. In the Tesla mobile app, touch PHONE
KEY then touch START to search for your

Model 3.

When your Model 3 is detected, the
mobile app asks you to tap your key card.

5. Tap the key card against Model 3's RFID
transmitter on the door pillar or center
console (see Key Card on page 6).

When Model 3 detects your key card, the
mobile app
has been successfully authenticated. Touch
DONE.

If the key card is not successfully scanned
within approximately 15 seconds, the mobile
app displays an error message. Touch the
app's PHONE KEY button again to retry.

Note: You can authenticate up to three
smartphones. Model 3 automatically connects
to the
detects; no authenticated smartphone takes
precedence over another.

Note: Although Bluetooth typically
communicates over distances of up to
approximately 30 feet (9 meters),
performance can vary based on the
smartphone you are using, environmental
interference, etc.

Note: In addition to smartphones, you can also
pair Bluetooth-enabled devices (such as an
iPod Touch, iPad, Android tablet, etc.) to
stream music (see Pairing a Bluetooth Phone
on page 91).

confirms that your smartphone

first authenticated smartphone it

Key Card

Tesla provides you with two Model 3 key
cards, designed to
reads a key card only when placed within very
close proximity (an inch or two) of one of its
RFID transmitters. Transmitters are located on
the driver's side door pillar and on the center
console.

fit in your wallet. Model 3

6 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Keys

To use a key card to unlock Model 3, briefly
tap it against the hidden RFID transmitter
located below the driver assistance camera on
the driver's side door pillar. When Model 3
detects the key card, exterior lights flash
twice, mirrors unfold (if Mirror Auto Fold is
on), and doors unlock.

Once inside, you can drive away if you power
up Model 3 by pressing the brake pedal (see

Starting and Powering O on page 37)

within 15 seconds of scanning the key card
against the transmitter. If you wait more than
15 seconds, you must re-authenticate yourself
by placing the key card near the RFID
transmitter located behind the cup holders on
the center console. When your key card is
detected, your 15-second authentication
period restarts.

Note: It is important that you position the key
card within an inch or two of an RFID
transmitter to allow Model 3 to read it. You
may need to physically touch the center
console or driver's side door pillar with the key
card for the RFID transmitter to detect it, and

you may need to hold it against the
transmitter for one or two seconds.

Note: The Walk Away Lock and Walk Up
Unlock features operate only when using an

authenticated smartphone. When you walk up
to/away from Model 3 carrying only your key
card, Model 3 does not automatically unlock/
lock even if these features are turned on (see

Walk Away Lock on page 10 and Walk Up
Unlock on page 10).

Caution: It is a good idea to always carry
your key card with you in your purse or
wallet to use as a backup in case your
authenticated smartphone has a dead
battery, or is lost or stolen.

Forgetting an Authenticated Smartphone

In situations where you no longer want your
smartphone to access Model 3 (for example,
your smartphone is lost or stolen), contact
Tesla support to disable the Tesla mobile app.
If you have access to your smartphone and
you no longer want the smartphone to be
used as a key to your Model 3, simply delete
the Tesla mobile app from the smartphone
using the same method you use to delete any
other app. Once the mobile app is removed,
the smartphone can no longer communicate
with Model 3.

Mobile App

In addition to allowing you to use your
smartphone as your Model 3 key, the mobile
app allows you to:

• Lock or unlock Model 3 from afar.

• Check charging progress and receive
notifications when charging has started,
has been interrupted, or is complete.

• Heat or cool Model 3 before driving (even
if it's in a garage).

• Locate Model 3 with directions, or track its
movement across a map.

• Flash the exterior lights or honk the horn
to

find Model 3 when parked.

• Start Model 3 remotely.

• Park or unpark Model 3 using Summon
(see Using Summon on page 70).

• Receive

• Receive

notifications when the car alarm

has been triggered.

notifications when a vehicle
software update is available or scheduled
(see Software Updates on page 102).

Opening and Closing 7

Keys

Note: To take advantage of new and improved

features, download updated versions of the
mobile app as they become available.

Note: Tesla does not support the use of third
party applications to contact Model 3.

8 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Keyless Locking and Unlocking

Locking and unlocking Model 3 is easy and
convenient. Just carry your authenticated
smartphone with you—with Walk Up Unlock
and Walk Away Lock turned ON, you never
have to remove it from your pocket or purse.
Model 3 recognizes the presence of your
authenticated smartphone and automatically
unlocks when you approach and locks when
you leave.

You can choose whether you want all doors
and trunks, or just the driver's door, to unlock
when you approach Model 3 carrying your
authenticated smartphone (see Unlock Door
on page 10).

Note: If you don't have your authenticated
phone with you (or if the battery is dead or
Bluetooth is turned
against the driver's side door pillar to
manually unlock or lock Model 3 (see Keys on
page 6).

o), place the key card

Using Exterior Door Handles

With the palm of your hand facing down, 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.

Doors

Note: To prevent children from opening the

rear doors, turn on child-protection locks (see

Child Protection Lock on page 10).

In the unlikely situation that Model 3 has no
power, the electrically powered buttons will
not work. To open the door, pull up the manual
door release located in front of the window
switches on the front doors.

The handle retracts automatically.

When a door or trunk is open, the
touchscreen displays the Door Open
indicator light.

Opening Doors from the Interior

Model 3's doors are electrically powered. To
open a door while sitting inside, press the
button located near the top of the interior
door handle. Doing so releases the latch so
that you can push the door open.

Opening and Closing 9

Note: The rear doors are not equipped with a
manual door release.

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. You do not need
an authenticated phone or key card to lock
and unlock the doors and trunks.

Doors

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 gear selector a
second time. Pressing this button once
engages the Park gear and pressing it again
unlocks the doors.

Note: If Unlock Door is set to Driver, only the
driver's door unlocks and you will need to
press the Park button a third time to override
this setting and unlock all doors.

Child Protection Lock

Model 3 has child protection locks on the rear
doors to prevent them from being opened
using the interior release buttons. On the
touchscreen, touch Controls > Locks > Child

Protection Lock > ON.

Note: It is recommended that you turn child

protection locks on whenever children are
seated in the rear seats.

Unlock Door

You can choose whether you want want all
doors or just the driver's door to unlock when
you approach Model 3 carrying an
authenticated phone or when you use your
key card to unlock Model 3. Touch Controls >

Locks > Unlock Door and choose All or
Driver. When set to Driver, only the driver's

door unlocks. When set to All, all doors
unlock.

Walk Away Lock

Doors and trunks can automatically lock
whenever you walk away carrying your
authenticated phone. When the doors lock,
the exterior lights
fold, provided Mirror Auto Fold is set to ON
(see Adjusting Exterior Mirrors on page 36).

Model 3 does not automatically lock if:

• An authenticated phone is detected inside
Model 3.

• You are not using an authenticated phone
as the key and walk away carrying the key
card. When using the key card you must
manually lock Model 3 by tapping the key
card against the door pillar (see Keys on
page 6).

• A door or trunk is not fully closed.

flash once and the mirrors

To turn this feature on or

Locks > Walk Away Lock.

Note: If all doors are closed and Model 3 was

automatically unlocked by your authenticated
phone, walk-away locking is temporarily
suspended for one minute. If you open a door
within this minute, it will not re-lock until after
all the doors are closed and you have walked
away with the authenticated phone.

o, touch Controls >

Walk Up Unlock

Doors and trunks can automatically unlock
whenever you walk up to Model 3 carrying
your authenticated phone (assuming
Bluetooth is on and the Tesla mobile app is
running in the background). When the doors
unlock, the exterior lights
mirrors unfold, provided Mirror Auto Fold is
set to ON (see Adjusting Exterior Mirrors on
page 36).

To turn this feature on or

Locks > Walk Up Unlock.

Note: Model 3 does not automatically unlock if

you walk up carrying just your key card. When
using a key card, you must manually unlock
Model 3 by tapping the key card against the
door pillar (see Keys on page 6).

flash twice and the

o, touch Controls >

Unlock on Park

When you stop Model 3 and engage the Park
gear, you can choose whether you want the
doors to unlock or remain locked. To turn this
feature on or
Unlock on Park. When set to ON, the doors
automatically unlock when you engage the
Park gear.

Note: If Unlock Door is set to ON, only the
driver's door automatically unlocks when you
engage the Park gear. However, you can
unlock all doors by pressing the Park button a
second time.

o, touch Controls > Locks >

10 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Opening and Closing

Press down on a switch to lower the
associated window. Window switches operate
at two levels:

• To lower a window fully, press the switch
all the way down and immediately release.

• To lower a window partially, press the
switch gently and release when the
window is where you want it.

Windows

Similarly, pull a switch to raise the associated
window. This also operates at two levels:

• To raise a window fully, pull the switch all
the way up and immediately release.

• To raise a window partially, pull the switch
gently and release when the window is
where you want it.

Warning:

the driver’s responsibility to ensure that
all occupants, especially children, do not
have any body parts extended through
the window’s opening. Failure to do so
can cause serious injury.

Warning: When leaving Model 3, always
take your authenticated phone with you.
Leaving the authenticated phone in Model
3 can cause unauthorized, unintentional,
or hazardous use of Model 3.

Opening and Closing 11

Before closing a window, it is

Rear Trunk

Opening

To open the rear trunk, do one of the following
then pull the rear trunk open:

• Touch the associated OPEN button on the
touchscreen.

• Touch the trunk button on the mobile app.

• With Model 3 unlocked, press the switch
located under the rear trunk's exterior
handle.

When a door or trunk is open, the
touchscreen displays the Door Open
indicator light.

bottom edge and confirming there is no
movement.

Accessing the Cargo Area

To access the cargo area inside the rear trunk,
pull up the strap at the rear of the cargo cover.
You can then fold the cargo cover forward or
remove it from Model 3.

Interior Emergency Trunk Release

An illuminated mechanical release located
inside the rear trunk allows a person locked
inside to get out. This mechanical release also
allows you to open the rear trunk from the
inside if Model 3 has no electrical power.

To open the trunk from inside Model 3 in the
unlikely situation that Model 3 has no power,
see Interior Emergency Trunk Release on page

12.

Warning:

rear trunk, it is important to check that
the area around the trunk is free of
obstacles (people and objects).

Closing

To close the rear trunk, push it downward until
you hear the latch click into place.

Note: Model 3 is equipped with pull cups to
assist with lowering the rear trunk.

Warning:

trunk is securely latched in the fully­closed position by lifting up on the

12 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Before opening or closing the

Before driving, ensure that the

1. Firmly push the illuminated button in the
direction of the arrow to release the latch.

2. Push the rear trunk open.

Note: The button glows for several hours after

a brief exposure to ambient light.

Warning:

inside the trunk. Never lock a trunk when
a person is inside.

People should never climb

Opening

To open the front trunk:

1. Ensure that the area around the hood is
free of obstacles.

2. Touch the associated OPEN button on the
touchscreen or touch the front trunk
button on the mobile app.

3. Pull the hood up.

Front Trunk

When a door or trunk is open, the
touchscreen displays the Door Open
indicator light.

Warning: Before opening or closing the
hood, it is important to check that the
area around the hood is free of obstacles
(people and objects). Failure to do so
may result in damage or serious injury.

Note: The front trunk locks whenever you lock
Model 3 using the touchscreen, mobile app,
key card, or when you leave Model 3 carrying
your authenticated phone (if Walk Away Lock
is turned on).

Closing

The Model 3 hood is not heavy enough to
latch under its own weight and applying
pressure on the front edge or center of the
hood can cause damage.

To properly close the hood:

1. Lower the hood until the striker touches
the latches.

2. Place both hands on the front of the hood
in the areas shown (in green), then press
down

3. Carefully lift the front edge of the hood to

firmly to engage the latches.

ensure it is fully closed.

Caution:

• Apply pressure only to the green

• Do not close the hood with one hand.

• Do not apply pressure to the leading

• Do not slam or drop the hood.

Warning: Before driving, you must ensure
that the hood is securely latched in the
fully closed position by carefully trying to
lift the front edge of the hood upward
and confirming there is no movement.

To prevent damage:

areas shown. Applying pressure to
the red areas can cause damage.

Doing so applies concentrated force
in one area and can result in a dent or
crease.

edge of the hood. Doing so can
crease the edge.

Interior Emergency Release

An illuminated interior release button inside
the front trunk allows a person locked inside
to get out.

Opening and Closing 13

Front Trunk

Press the interior release button to open the
front trunk, then push up on the hood.

Note: The button glows for several hours after
a brief exposure to ambient light.

Warning: People should never climb
inside the front trunk. Never shut the
front trunk when a person is inside.

Warning: Care should be taken to ensure
that objects inside the front trunk do not
bump against the release button, causing
the trunk to accidentally open.

Opening with No Power

In the unlikely event that Model 3 has no 12V
power, you will be unable to open the front
trunk using the touchscreen or mobile app. To
open the front trunk in this situation:

Note: The following steps will not open the
front trunk if Model 3 has 12V power.

1. Locate an external 12V power supply
(such as a portable jump starter).

2. Release the tow eye cover by pressing
firmly on the top right perimeter of the
cover until it pivots inward, then gently
pulling the raised section toward you.

Note: The tow eye cover is connected to
the vehicle's red positive (+) terminal.

3.

Pull the two wires out of the tow eye
opening to expose both terminals.

4. Connect the 12V power supply's red
positive (+) cable to the red positive (+)
terminal.

5. Connect the 12V power supply's black
negative (-) cable to the black negative (-)
terminal.

Note: Applying external 12V power to
these terminals only releases the hood
latches. You cannot charge the 12V
battery using these terminals.

6. Turn on the external power supply (refer
to the manufacturer’s instructions). The
hood latches are immediately released
and you can now open the hood to access
the front trunk area.

7. Disconnect both cables, beginning with
the black negative (-) cable.

14 Model 3 Owner's Manual

8. If pulling Model 3 onto a flatbed truck, do
not replace the tow eye cover yet.
Otherwise, replace the tow eye cover by
inserting the wires into the tow eye
opening and aligning the tow eye cover
into position and turning it into place.

Front Trunk

Opening and Closing 15

Interior Storage and Electronics

Glove Box

To open the glove box, touch Controls >
Glovebox on the bottom corner of the

touchscreen. The glovebox automatically
opens and its light turns on.

To close the glove box, push it upward until it
clicks into its closed position.

Note: If you leave the glove box open for
approximately five minutes, its light
automatically turns

Note: The glove box locks whenever Model 3
is locked externally using Walk Away Lock, or
the key card or Tesla mobile app. It does not
lock when Model 3 is locked by touching the
Lock icon on the touchscreen.

Warning:

box closed to prevent injury to a
passenger if a collision or sudden stop
occurs.

o.

When driving, keep the glove

Center Console

In addition to housing an RFID transmitter that
reads the key card (see Key Card on page 6),
the center console includes cup holders, two
storage compartments and a phone dock that
serves as a convenient holder for two phones
(or other devices):

To open the main storage compartment, pull
it's cover upward. To open the other storage
compartment or the phone dock, press
near the cover's opening edge. To close a
storage compartment's, push its cover down
gently.

firmly

USB Ports

Your Model 3 has four USB ports located in
the center console. Two are located below the
phone dock at the front of the center console,
and the other two are located in the rear of
the center console. You can use these ports to
simultaneously charge up to four USB devices.

The two USB ports below the phone dock can
be used to connect and charge your phone as
well as play audio
on a USB device (see Playing Media from

Devices on page 90). Lift the phone dock

upward to access these ports. You can route a
device's USB cable through the openings in
the phone dock.

files stored on the phone, or

16 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Interior Storage and Electronics

Use the two USB ports at the back of the
center console to charge USB devices. Media
Player does not communicate with the rear
USB ports.

Note: Always use USB 2.0 compliant cables
when connecting devices to the USB ports.
Using non-compliant cables can result in
slower charging and potential connection
problems when accessing media
USB-connected device (if plugged into either
of the front two USB ports).

Note: Do not connect multiple devices using a
USB hub. This can prevent connected devices
from charging or from being recognized by
Media Player.

files from a

12V Power Socket

Your Model 3 has a power socket located in
the rear compartment of the center console.
Power is available whenever the touchscreen
is powered on.

Rear Console

Your Model 3 has a rear console integrated in
the center of the rear seat back. Pull the
console down to access the rear cup holders
or use it as an armrest.

Coat Hangers

Your Model 3 has a coat hanger on each side
of the vehicle in the rear row. Push the coat
hanger to release it. Push it again to retract it.

Additional Interior Storage Areas

Your Model 3 has these additional storage
areas:

• Storage pockets are located at the back of
the front seats.

• Storage compartments are located below
the armrest on the door panels.

The power socket is suitable for accessories
requiring up to 12A continuous draw (16A
peak).

Warning:

accessory’s connector can become hot.

Opening and Closing 17

The power socket and an

Front and Rear Seats

Correct Driving Position

The seat, head support, seat belt and airbags
work together to maximize your safety. Using
these correctly ensures greater protection.

Position the seat so you can wear the seat belt
correctly, while being as far away from the
front airbag as possible:

1. Sit upright with both feet on the
the seat back reclined no more than 30
degrees.

2. Make sure you can easily reach the pedals
and that your arms are slightly bent when
holding the steering wheel. Your chest
should be at least 10 inches (25 cm) from
the center of the airbag cover.

3. Place the shoulder section of the seat belt
mid-way between your neck and your
shoulder. Fit the lap section of the belt
tightly across your hips, not across your
stomach.

Model 3 seats include integrated head
supports that cannot be adjusted or removed.

floor and

Adjusting the Front Seats

1. Move seat forward/backward and adjust

the seat’s height and tilt angle up/down.

2. Adjust backrest.

3. Adjust lumbar support.

Warning:

driving. Doing so increases the risk of a
collision.

Warning: Riding in a moving vehicle with
the seat back reclined can result in
serious injuries in a collision, as you could
slide under the lap belt or be propelled
into the seat belt. Ensure your seat back
is reclined no more than 30 degrees when
the vehicle is moving.

18 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Do not adjust seats while

Front and Rear Seats

Folding Rear Seats

Model 3 has a split rear seat that can fold
forward.

Before folding, remove items from the seats
and the rear foot well. To allow the rear seat
backs to fold completely
move the front seats forward.

To fold a rear seat, pull the corresponding
lever and fold the seat forward.

flat, you may need to

Raising Rear Seats

Before raising a rear seat, make sure that the
seat belts are not trapped behind the
backrest.

Pull the seat back upward until it locks into
place.

confirm that the seat back is locked in the

To
upright position, try pulling it forward.

Warning: Always ensure the seat backs
are locked in their upright position.
Failure to do so increases the risk of
injury.

Head Supports

The front seats and outer rear seats include
integrated head supports that are not
adjustable.

The rear center seat includes an adjustable
head support that can be raised, lowered, or
removed. The head support should always be
raised and locked into position (so that the
center is aligned with the center of the ears)
when occupied by a passenger that is not in a
child safety seat.

The head support in the rear center seat
should always be lowered when a seat belt
retained child safety seat is installed. See

Raising/Lowering the Rear Center Head
Support on page 20.

Warning:

are positioned correctly before sitting in,
or operating, Model 3 to minimize the risk
of severe injury or death in the event of a
collision.

Seating and Safety Restraints 19

Ensure that all head supports

Front and Rear Seats

Raising/Lowering the Rear Center Head Support

To raise the head support, lift it until you hear
it click into place. Push down on the head
support to ensure that it is secure.

To lower the head support, press and hold the
button on the outer base of the right post and
press the head support down.

Removing/Installing the Rear Center Head Support

To remove the head support:

1. Raise the head support (see Raising/

Lowering the Rear Center Head Support

on page 20).

2. Press and hold the button on the outer
base of the right post.

3. Insert a short,
flathead screwdriver) into the opening on
the inside base of the left post and pull
the head support upwards.

flat object (such as a small

2.

Press down on the head support until you
hear it click into place.

3. Pull up on the head support to ensure that
it is secure.

Warning: Ensure that the head
support is installed properly before
anyone occupies the rear center seat.
Failure to do so increases the risk of
injury or death if a collision occurs.

Seat Heaters

The front seats are equipped with heating
pads that operate at three levels from 3
(highest) to 1 (lowest).To operate the seat
heaters, see Climate Controls on page 84.

Warning: To avoid burns resulting from
prolonged use, individuals who have
peripheral neuropathy, or whose capacity
to feel pain is limited because of diabetes,
age, neurological injury, or some other
condition, should exercise caution when
using the climate control system and seat
heaters.

Seat Covers

Warning: Do not use seat covers on

Model 3. Doing so could restrict
deployment of the seat-mounted side air
bags if a collision occurs. It can also
reduce the accuracy of the occupant
detection system.

To install the head support:

1. With the front of the head support facing
forward, insert both posts into the
corresponding holes on the backrest.

20 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Wearing Seat Belts

Using seat belts and child safety seats is the
most eective way to protect occupants if a
collision occurs. Therefore, wearing a seat belt
is required by law in most jurisdictions.

Both the driver and passenger seats are
equipped with three-point inertia reel seat
belts. Inertia reel belts are automatically
tensioned to allow occupants to move
comfortably during normal driving conditions.
To securely hold child safety seats, all
passenger seating positions are equipped with
an automatic locking retractor (ALR) that, by
pulling the seat belt beyond the length
needed for a typical adult occupant, locks the
belt into place until the seat belt is unbuckled
(see Installing Seat Belt Retained Child Seats
on page 26).

The seat belt reel automatically locks to
prevent movement of occupants if Model 3
experiences a force associated with hard
acceleration, braking, cornering, or an impact
in a collision.

The seat belt reminder on the
touchscreen alerts you if a seat belt
for an occupied seat is not fastened.
If the belt remains unfastened, the
reminder
chime sounds. If all occupants are
buckled up and the reminder stays
on, re-fasten seat belts to ensure
they are correctly latched. Also
remove any heavy objects (such as a
briefcase) from an unoccupied seat.
If the reminder light continues to
stay on, contact Tesla.

flashes and an intermittent

Seat Belts

3.

Insert the latch plate into the buckle and
press together until you hear a click
indicating it is locked in place.

4. Pull the belt to check that it is securely
fastened.

5. Pull the diagonal part of the belt toward
the reel to remove excess slack.

To Adjust the Shoulder Anchor Height

Model 3 is equipped with an adjustable
shoulder anchor for each front seat to ensure
that the seat belt is positioned correctly. The
seat belt should lay
of your collar bone while in the correct driving
position (see Correct Driving Position on page

18). Adjust the height of the shoulder anchor if

the seat belt is not positioned correctly:

1. Press and hold the button on the shoulder
anchor to release the locking mechanism.

2. While holding the button, move the
shoulder anchor up or down as necessary
so that the seat belt is positioned
correctly.

flat across the mid-point

To Fasten a Belt

1. Ensure correct positioning of the seat (see

Correct Driving Position on page 18).

2. Draw the belt out smoothly, ensuring the
belt lays
mid-point of your collar bone, between
the neck and shoulder.

Seating and Safety Restraints 21

flat across the pelvis, chest and

3. Release the button on the shoulder anchor
so that it locks into position.

4. Without pressing the button, pull on the
seat belt webbing and attempt to move
the shoulder anchor downwards to check
that it is locked into position.

Seat Belts

Warning: Ensure that the seat belt is

positioned correctly and that the
shoulder anchor is locked into position
before driving. Riding in a moving vehicle
with the seat belt positioned incorrectly
or with the shoulder anchor not locked
into position can reduce the eectiveness
of the seat belt in a collision.

To Release a Belt

Hold the belt near the buckle to prevent the
belt from retracting too quickly, then press the
button on the buckle. The belt retracts
automatically. Ensure there is no obstruction
that prevents the belt from fully retracting.
The belt should not hang loose. If a seat belt
does not fully retract, contact Tesla.

Wearing Seat Belts When Pregnant

Do not put the lap or shoulder sections of the
seat belt over the abdominal area. Wear the
lap section of the belt as low as possible
across the hips, not the waist. Position the
shoulder portion of the belt between the
breasts and to the side of the abdomen.
Consult your doctor for

specific guidance.

Seat Belt Pre-tensioners

The front seat belts are equipped with
pre‑tensioners that work in conjunction with
the airbags in a severe frontal collision. The
pre‑tensioners automatically retract both the
seat belt anchor and the seat belt webbing,
reducing slack in both the lap and diagonal
portions of the belts, resulting in reduced
forward movement of the occupant.

The rear outboard seats are equipped with
shoulder pre-tensioners to retract the seat
belt webbing to reduce forward movement of
the occupant.

If the pre-tensioners and airbags did not
activate in an impact, this does not mean they
malfunctioned. It usually means that the
strength or type of force needed to activate
them was not present.

Warning:

tensioners have been activated, they must
be replaced. After any collision, have the
airbags, seat belt pre-tensioners and any
associated components checked and, if
necessary, replaced.

Warning: Never place anything between
you and the seat belt to cushion the
impact in the event of a collision.

22 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Testing Seat Belts

To confirm that seat belts are operating
correctly, perform these three simple checks
on each seat belt.

1. With the seat belt fastened, give the
webbing nearest the buckle a quick pull.
The buckle should remain securely locked.

Once the seat belt pre-

Seat Belts

2. With the belt unfastened, unreel the

webbing to its limit. Check that unreeling
is free from snags, and visually check the
webbing for wear. Allow the webbing to
retract, checking that retraction is smooth
and complete.

3. With the webbing half unreeled, hold the
tongue plate and pull forward quickly. The
mechanism should lock automatically and
prevent further unreeling.

If a seat belt fails any of these tests, contact
Tesla immediately.

For information about cleaning seat belts, see

Seat Belts on page 123.

Seat Belt Warnings

Warning: Seat belts should be worn by all

occupants at all times, even if driving for
a very short distance. Failure to do so
increases the risk of injury or death if a
collision occurs.

Warning: Secure small children in a
suitable child safety seat (see Child

Safety Seats on page 24). Always follow

the child safety seat manufacturer's
instructions when installing.

Warning: Ensure that all seat belts are
worn correctly. An improperly worn seat
belt increases the risk of injury or death if
a collision occurs.

Warning: Do not wear seat belts over
hard, fragile or sharp items in clothing,
such as pens, keys, eyeglasses, etc. The
pressure from the seat belt on such items
can cause injury.

Warning: Seat belts should not be worn
with any part of the strap twisted.

Warning: Each seat belt assembly must
be used by one occupant only. It is
dangerous to put a seat belt around a
child being carried on an occupant’s lap.

Warning: Seat belts that have been worn
in a collision must be inspected or
replaced by Tesla, even if damage to the
assembly is not obvious.

Warning: Seat belts that show signs of
wear (such as fraying), or have been cut
or damaged in any way, must be replaced
by Tesla.

Warning: Avoid contaminating a seat
belt’s components with any chemicals,
liquids, grit, dirt or cleaning products. If a
seat belt fails to retract or latch into the

buckle, it must be replaced immediately.
Contact Tesla.

Warning: Do not make modifications or
additions that can prevent a seat belt
mechanism from taking up slack, or that
can prevent a seat belt from being
adjusted to remove slack. A slack belt
greatly reduces occupant protection.

Warning: Do not make modifications that
can interfere with the operation of a seat
belt, or that can cause a seat belt to
become inoperable.

Warning: When seat belts are not in use,
they should be fully retracted and not
hanging loose. If a seat belt does not fully
retract, contact Tesla.

Seating and Safety Restraints 23

Child Safety Seats

Guidelines for Seating Children

Your Model 3 seat belts are designed for adults and larger children. You must restrain infants and
small children in the rear row seats only, and you must use a suitable child safety seat appropriate
for the child’s age, weight, and size.

Never use child safety seats in the front row passenger seat.

Warning: Never seat a child on a seat with an ACTIVE AIRBAG in front of it. DEATH or
SERIOUS INJURY to the child can occur.

Refer to the following label fitted to the sun visors.

Note: The image shown below is representative only and may not be identical to the label in your
vehicle.

24 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Child Safety Seats

Choosing a Child Safety Seat

All children age 12 and under should ride in the rear (second row) seats. Always use a child safety
seat suitable for a young child’s age and weight.

Infants Toddlers Young

Age Birth to 1 year* Over 1 year* 4 years and

Weight Up to at least 20 lbs (9 kg)* Over 20 lbs (9 kg) (minimum)

Type of child
safety seat

Seat position Rear facing only* Forward facing* Forward

Recommended
attachment
method

* Many child safety seats currently available allow children to ride rear-facing using the child
safety seat’s integrated 5-point harness for a longer period of time BASED UPON SPECIFIC
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT LIMITS. Keep your child in a rear facing seat for as long as possible.
CHECK THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS AND CAREFULLY
FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS

** LATCH - Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. In Canada, this is also called Lower
Universal Anchorage System (LUAS), or CANFIX.

*** Subject to instructions provided by the child safety seat manufacturer.

Rear facing (or convertible) Forward facing (or

If combined weight of child
and safety seat is up to
65 lbs (29 kg), attach using
either LATCH** (lower anchor
only) or the seat belt only.***
If combined weight of child
and safety seat is over 65 lbs
(29 kg), attach using the seat
belt only.***

and up to 40 lbs (18 kg)*

convertible)*

If combined weight of child
and safety seat is up to 65 lbs
(29 kg), attach using either
LATCH** (both lower anchors
and top tether anchor), or the
seat belt and upper tether
strap.*** If combined weight of
child and safety seat is over
65 lbs (29 kg), attach using the
seat belt and upper tether
strap.***

children

older, and
less than 57
in. (145 cm)
tall

Over 40 lbs
(18 kg)

Seat belt
retained
booster
seat

facing

Attach
booster
seats using
the seat
belt only.

Warning: Laws that govern how and where children should be carried when traveling in a
vehicle are subject to change. It is the driver’s responsibility to keep up to date on, and
comply with, all current regulations in the region(s) where Model 3 is driven. To check the
child passenger safety laws for states in the U.S., go to: http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/

laws/childsafety_laws.html.

Seating and Safety Restraints 25

Child Safety Seats

Seating Larger Children

If a child is too large to fit into a child safety
seat, but too small to safely fit into the
standard seat belts, use a booster seat
appropriate for the child’s age and size.
Carefully follow the manufacturer’s
instructions to secure the booster seat.

Installing Child Safety Seats

There are two general methods used to install
child safety seats:

• Seat belt retained - these seats are
secured using the vehicle’s seat belts (see

Installing Seat Belt Retained Child Seats

on page 26).

• LATCH retained - these seats can attach
to anchor bars built into the vehicle’s rear
seats (see Installing LATCH Child Seats on
page 26).

Check the child safety seat manufacturer’s
instructions and the table at Child Safety

Seats on page 24 to determine which

installation method to use. Some child safety
seats can be installed using either method.
Always follow the child safety seat
manufacturer’s instructions.

Note:

An automatic locking retractor
disengages only when the seat belt is
unbuckled and fully retracted. The belt can
then be worn as a normal belt, sliding freely in
and out and locking tight only in an
emergency. Once disengaged, the belt must
be fully extended to re-engage the locking
mechanism whenever you install a child safety
seat.

Always follow the detailed instructions
provided by the child safety seat
manufacturer. General guidelines are provided
below.

1. Place the child safety seat in Model 3, and

fully extend the seat belt. Route and
buckle the seat belt in accordance with
the child safety seat manufacturer’s
instructions.

Installing Seat Belt Retained Child
Seats

First, make sure that the child safety seat is
appropriate for the weight, height, and age of
the child.

Avoid dressing the child in bulky clothing and
do not place any objects between the child
and the restraint system.

Adjust harnesses for every child, every trip.

To securely hold child safety seats, all
passenger seating positions are equipped with
an automatic locking retractor (ALR) that, by
pulling the seat belt beyond the length
needed for a typical adult occupant, locks the
belt into place until the seat belt is unbuckled
and the webbing is fully retracted. The ALR
mechanism operates as a ratchet, winding in
slack and preventing the seat belt from
extending any further until it has been
completely rewound. When installing a child
safety seat, engage the belt's automatic
locking retractor by pulling the seat belt
webbing until it is fully extended. The ALR
system engages only when the seat belt is at
its maximum extension point.

26 Model 3 Owner's Manual

2. Allow the seat belt to retract, and remove

all slack in the seat belt while firmly
pushing the child safety seat into the
Model 3 seat.

3. If the seat belt retained child safety seat

has an upper tether, attach it to the back
of the seat (see Attaching Upper Tether

Straps on page 27).

Installing LATCH Child Seats

Lower LATCH anchors are provided in the
second row outboard seats. The anchors are
located between the seat's back rest and rear
cushion. The exact location of each anchor is
identified by a child safety seat identification
button, illustrated below. The button is located
on the seat back, directly above its associated
anchor.

Install LATCH child safety seats in the
outboard seating positions only. Use only a
seat belt retained seat in the center position.

Child Safety Seats

Once installed, test the security of the
installation before seating a child. Attempt to
twist the child safety seat from side to side
and try to pull it away from the seat, then
check to ensure the anchors remain securely
in place.

Note: Lower LATCH anchors should not be
used with child seats or booster seats that
have an integrated safety belt in situations
where the combined weight of the child plus
the child restraint is more than 65 lbs (29 kg).
In these situations, use the safety belt instead.

Attaching Upper Tether Straps

If an upper tether strap is provided, attach its
hook to the anchor point located on the shelf
behind the rear seating positions.

Warning: Tighten upper tether straps
according to the instructions provided by
the manufacturer of the child safety seat.

Warning: USE ONLY SEAT BELT
RETAINED CHILD SAFETY SEATS IN THE
CENTER SEATING POSITION.

To install a LATCH child safety seat, slide the
safety seat latches onto the anchor bars until
they click into place. Carefully read and follow
the instructions provided by the child safety
seat manufacturer.

Seating and Safety Restraints 27

To access an anchor point, press down on the
back of its cover.

Child Safety Seats

For dual-strap tethers, position a strap on
each side of the head support.

For single-strap tethers at the outboard
seating positions, run the strap over the
outside-facing side of the head support (i.e.
same side of the head support as the seat belt
retraction mechanism).

For a single-strap tether in the center seating
position, fully lower the head support (see

Raising/Lowering the Rear Center Head
Support on page 20) and run the strap over

the top center of the head support.

Testing a Child Safety Seat

Before seating a child, always make sure the
child safety seat is not loose:

1. Hold the child safety seat by the belt path
and try to slide the safety seat from side
to side and front to back.

2.

If the seat moves more than one inch
(2.5 cm), it is too loose. Tighten the belt or
reconnect the LATCH retained child safety
seat.

3. If you are unable to reduce slack, try a
dierent seat location or try another child
safety seat.

Child Safety Seat Warnings

Warning: Extreme hazard! Do not seat a

child on the front passenger seat even if
you are using a child safety seat. This seat
has an airbag in front of it. Although this
airbag is disabled when Model 3 detects a
lightweight passenger, do not rely on
technology to protect your child.

Warning: Child restraint systems are
designed to be secured in vehicle seats
by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a
lap-shoulder belt. Children could be
endangered in a crash if their child
restraints are not properly secured in the
vehicle.

Warning: According to collision statistics,
children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating positions
than in the front seating positions.

Warning: Do not use a forward facing
child safety seat until your child weighs
over 20 lbs (9 kg) and can sit
independently. Up to the age of two, a
child's spine and neck are not suciently
developed to avoid injury in a frontal
impact.

Warning: Do not allow a baby or infant to
be held on a lap. All children should be
restrained in an appropriate child safety
seat at all times.

Warning: To ensure children are safely
seated, follow all instructions provided in
this document and by the manufacturer
of the child safety seat.

Warning: Children should ride in a rear
facing child safety seat using the seat’s
integrated 5-point harness for as long as
possible.

Warning: Do not use seat belt extenders
on a seat belt that is being used to install
a child safety seat or booster seat.

Warning: When seating larger children,
make sure the child's head is supported
and the child’s seat belt is properly
adjusted and fastened. The shoulder
portion of the belt must be away from the

28 Model 3 Owner's Manual

face and neck, and the lap portion must
not be over the stomach.

Warning: Never attach two child safety
seats to one anchor point. In a collision,
one anchor point may be incapable of
securing both seats.

Warning: Child restraint anchors are
designed to withstand only those loads
imposed by correctly fitted child
restraints. Under no circumstances are
they to be used for adult seat belts,
harnesses, or for attaching other items or
equipment to the vehicle.

Warning: Always check harnesses and
tether straps for damage and wear.

Warning: Never leave a child unattended,
even if the child is secured in a child
safety seat.

Warning: Never use a child safety seat
that has been involved in a collision. Have
the seat inspected or replaced as
described in the child safety seat
manufacturer’s instructions.

Child Safety Seats

Seating and Safety Restraints 29

Airbags

Location of Airbags

Airbags are located in the approximate areas shown here. Airbag warning information is printed
on the sun visors.

Model 3 is equipped with an airbag and lap/shoulder belt at both front outboard seating
positions. The airbag is a supplemental restraint at those seating positions. All occupants,
including the driver, should always wear their seat belts whether or not an airbag is also provided
at their seating position to minimize the risk of severe injury or death in the event of a crash.

1. Knee airbags

2. Front airbags

3. Seat-mounted side airbags

4. Curtain airbags

30 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Airbags

How the Airbags Work

Airbags inflate when sensors detect an impact
that exceeds deployment thresholds. These
thresholds are designed to predict the severity
of a crash in time for the airbags to help
protect the vehicle's occupants.

Airbags

inflate instantly with considerable
force accompanied by a loud noise. The
inflated bag, together with the seat belts,
limits movement of occupants to reduce the
risk of injury.

Front airbags are not ordinarily designed to
inflate in rear collisions, rollovers, minor front
or side collisions, heavy braking, or driving
over bumps and potholes. Therefore,
significant superficial damage can occur to
the vehicle without the airbags inflating or,
conversely, a relatively small amount of
structural damage can cause airbags to

If you are planning to modify your vehicle for a
person with disabilities in a way that may

aect the airbag system, contact Tesla.

inflate.

Types of Airbags

Model 3 has the following types of airbags:

• Advanced front airbags: The front airbags
are designed to reduce airbag related
injuries if children or small adults are
riding in the front seats. On the driver’s
side, the front airbag works with a seat
position sensor that adjusts the inflation
level based on the seating position of the
occupant. On the passenger’s side, the
airbag responds to a sensing system in the
seat that determines whether or not the
passenger side front airbag
optimizes the inflation level based on the
weight of the occupant (described below).
Follow all warnings related to seating a
child on the front passenger seat.

• Knee airbags: Knee airbags and the front
airbags work together. The knee airbags
limit the forward motion of the front seat
occupants by restricting leg movement,
thereby positioning the occupants so that
the front airbags work more

• Seat-mounted side airbags: There is a
seat-mounted side airbag in the front
seats. Seat-mounted side airbags protect
the thorax region of the torso and the
pelvis. They
side impact or severe oset frontal
impact. The seat-mounted side airbags on
both the impacted and non-impacted side
of the vehicle will
backrest of an outboard seat is fully
folded in the forward position, its
associated side airbag does not

• Curtain airbags: Curtain airbags help
protect the head and typically inflate only
if a severe side impact occurs, or if the
vehicle rolls over. Curtain airbags on both
the impacted and non-impacted side of
the vehicle will

inflate in the event of severe

inflate. When the

inflate.

inflates, and

eectively.

inflate.

Seating and Safety Restraints 31

Airbags

Passenger Front Airbag

Model 3 has an occupancy sensor in the front
passenger seat that controls the status of the
airbags based on the weight of the occupant.
If the passenger airbag is OFF, it will not
inflate when a collision occurs, and PASS
AIRBAG OFF displays in the top right corner
of the touchscreen. If the passenger airbag is
ON, it will inflate when a collision occurs, and
its status does not display in the top right
corner of the touchscreen.

The Airbag O indicator displays
in the top right corner of the
touchscreen only when the front
passenger airbag is turned o.

Note: The occupancy sensor system meets the
regulatory requirement of FMVSS 208 and
automatically detects when
passenger front airbags would be unnecessary
or potentially harmful.

Weight in front
passenger seat

Empty OFF

Up to 20 lbs/9 kg OFF

20-100 lbs/9-45 kg* OFF* or ON**

Over 100 lbs/45 kg ON**

*Values are approximate. A weight detected
near the threshold can cause the airbag
status to occasionally turn on and o
depending on seating position and
physique.

**The absence of the status, PASS AIRBAG
OFF, in the top right corner of the
touchscreen indicates that the passenger
airbag is ON and will
collision.

Note:

It takes approximately six seconds after
you power on Model 3 for the occupancy
sensor to report accurate status of the front
passenger airbag. As a result, when you
power on Model 3, even in situations when it
should be OFF because the passenger seat is
either empty or carrying a weight of 20 lbs (9
kg) or less, the touchscreen can take up to six
seconds to display the status, PASS AIRBAG
OFF. If it fails to do so, contact Tesla service
immediately and seat passengers in the rear
seating positions only.

inflating the

Passenger airbag
status

inflate in the event of a

first

If the passenger airbag is permanently
even when the seat is empty, contact Tesla
immediately.

To make sure the sensing system can correctly
detect occupancy status, eliminate the
following:

• Objects lodged under the seat.

• Heavy objects sitting on the seat
(briefcase, large purse).

• Objects wedged between the seat back
and seat cushion.

• Cargo interfering with the seat.

• After market items attached to, or sitting
on, the seat (covers, mats, blankets, etc.).

These conditions can interfere with the
occupancy sensor. If you have eliminated the
above possibilities, and the airbag status is still
incorrect, ask passengers to ride in the rear
seats and contact Tesla to have the airbag
system checked.

Note: The front passenger seat’s sensing
system

aects the operation of the passenger
front and side airbags only. The other
passenger airbags are not

Warning: Never seat a child on the front
passenger seat, even if the passenger
airbag is o. All occupants age 12 and
under must ride in the rear seats (see

Child Safety Seats on page 24).

Warning: To ensure accuracy of the
occupant detection system, do not make
any modifications to the front passenger
seat.

Warning: Do not use seat covers on
Model 3. Doing so could restrict
deployment of the seat-mounted side air
bags if a collision occurs. It can also
reduce the accuracy of the occupant
detection system, if equipped.

Inflation

After inflation, the airbags deflate to provide a
gradual cushioning eect for the occupants
and to ensure the driver’s forward vision is not
obscured.

Eects

Warning:

powder is released. This powder can
irritate the skin and should be thoroughly
flushed from the eyes and from any cuts
or abrasions.

When airbags inflate, a fine

aected.

o,

32 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Airbags

If airbags have inflated, or if your vehicle has
been in a collision, your vehicle requires
servicing before it will power up. In addition,
your airbags, seat belt pre-tensioners and any
associated components must be checked, and
if necessary, replaced. Contact Tesla Service
immediately.

In a collision, in addition to the airbags

inflating:

• Doors unlock.

• Hazard warning lights turn on.

• Interior lights turn on.

• High voltage is disabled.

Note: In some collision situations, even if
airbags have not
voltage Battery may be disabled and you will
be unable to power up and drive. Contact
Tesla Service immediately.

inflated, your vehicle's high

Airbag Warning Indicator

The airbag indicator on the
touchscreen remains lit if the airbag
system is malfunctioning. The only
time this indicator should light up is
briefly when Model 3 first powers up,
in which case it turns o within a few
seconds. If it remains lit, contact
Tesla immediately and do not drive.

distance of 10" (25 cm) between an
occupant’s chest and an airbag.

Warning: Do not use a child safety seat or
seat young children on a seat with an
operational airbag in front of it. Doing so
can cause injury or death if the airbag

inflates.

Warning: To ensure correct inflation of
the side airbags, maintain an
unobstructed gap between an occupant’s
torso and the side of Model 3.

Warning: Passengers shouldn't lean their
heads against doors. Doing so can cause
injury if a curtain airbag inflates.

Warning: Do not allow passengers to
obstruct the operation of an airbag by
placing feet, knees or any other part of
the body on or near an airbag.

Warning: Do not attach or place objects
on or near the front airbags, the side of
the front seats, the headliner at the side
of the vehicle, or any other airbag cover
that could interfere with inflation of an
airbag. Objects can cause serious injury if
the vehicle is in a collision severe enough
to cause the airbag to

Warning: Following inflation, some airbag
components are hot. Do not touch until
they have cooled.

inflate.

Airbag Warnings

Warning:

near airbags because any such objects
could cause harm if the vehicle is in a
crash severe enough to cause the airbag
to inflate.

Warning: All occupants, including the
driver, should always wear their seat belts,
whether or not an airbag is also provided
at their seating position, to minimize the
risk of severe injury or death in the event
of a collision.

Warning: Front seat occupants should
not place their arms over the airbag
module, as an inflating airbag can cause
fractures or other injuries.

Warning: Airbags inflate with
considerable speed and force, which can
cause injury. To limit injuries, ensure that
occupants are wearing seat belts and are
correctly seated, with the seat positioned
as far back as possible. The National
Highway Trac Safety Administration
(NHTSA) recommends a minimum

Seating and Safety Restraints 33

Do not place objects over or

Steering Wheel

Scroll Buttons

A scroll button is located on each side of the
steering wheel. Each button has a wheel that
you can roll up and roll down. You can also
press a button straight down, to the right, or
to the left, typically using your thumb.

1. Use the left scroll button to control the
audio system:

• Control the volume. Roll the scroll

wheel up/down to increase/decrease
the volume. Press the scroll button to
mute/unmute the volume.

Note: The scroll button adjusts the
volume for media, navigation
instructions or phone calls based on
what is currently in use. As you adjust
volume, the touchscreen displays the
volume level and whether you are
adjusting volume for media,
navigation or phone calls.

• Skip to next/prevoius radio frequency,

song, station or favorite (depending
on what's playing). Push the scroll
button to the left to go to the
previous, and to the right to go to the
next.

• Adjust the position of the left exterior

mirror (after using the touchscreen to
enable mirrror adjustments, as
described in Adjusting Exterior Mirrors
on page 36).

• Adjust the height/tilt angle of the

steering wheel (after using the
touchscreen to enable steering wheel
adjustments, as described in Adjusting

Steering Wheel Position on page

34).

2. Use the right scroll button to:

• Speak a voice command. Press and

hold the button while speaking the
command (see Using Voice

Commands on page 97).

• Adjust the position of the right
exterior mirror (after using the
touchscreen to enable mirrror
adjustments, as described in Adjusting

Exterior Mirrors on page 36).

• Move the steering wheel forward/
rearward (after using the touchscreen
to enable steering wheel adjustments,
as described in Adjusting Steering

Wheel Position on page 34).

Adjusting Steering Wheel Position

To adjust the steering wheel, touch Controls >
Quick Controls > Adjustments > Steering
Wheel. Use the scroll buttons on the steering

wheel to move the steering wheel to the
desired position:

• To adjust the height/tilt angle of the
steering wheel, roll the left scroll button
up or down.

• To move the steering wheel closer to or
further away from you, roll the right scroll
button up or down.

Note: Steering wheel adjustments are not
available while driving.

Adjusting Steering Eort

You can adjust the feel and sensitivity of the
steering system to suit your personal
preference:

1. On the touchscreen, touch Controls > Driving > Steering Mode.

2. Choose a steering option:

• Comfort - Reduces the

to turn the wheel. In town, Model 3
feels easier to drive and park.

eort required

34 Model 3 Owner's Manual

• Standard - Tesla believes that this
setting oers the best handling and
response in all conditions.

• Sport - Increases the eort required
to turn the wheel. When driving at
higher speeds, Model 3 feels more
responsive.

The only way to really know which option you
like best is to try them.

Horn

To sound the horn, press the center pad on the
steering wheel.

Steering Wheel

Driving 35

Mirrors

Adjusting Exterior Mirrors

To adjust the exterior mirrors, touch

Controls > Quick Controls > > Adjustments >
Mirrors. Use the scroll buttons on the steering

wheel to move each mirror to its desired
position:

• To move the mirror up or down, roll the
corresponding scroll button up or down.

• To move the mirror inward or outward,
press the corresponding scroll button to
the left or right.

The driver’s side mirror automatically dims in
low lighting conditions (such as at night), in
proportion to the level of glare from the
headlights of a vehicle behind you (except
when in Reverse).

To turn this feature on or

Quick Controls > Adjustments > Mirrors >
Mirror Auto Fold.

To manually fold or unfold the mirrors, touch

Controls > Quick Controls > Adjustments >
Fold Mirrors.

o, touch Controls >

Rear View Mirror

The rear view mirror is adjusted manually.
Except when in Reverse, the rear view mirror
automatically dims in proportion to the level
of glare from the headlights of a vehicle
behind you.

Vanity Mirrors

To expose and illuminate the vanity mirror,
fold the sun visor down toward you, then use
the tab to lower the mirror cover. When you
close the cover, the light turns

o.

Mirror Auto Tilt

Both exterior mirrors can automatically tilt
downward when Model 3 is shifted into
Reverse. To adjust the auto-tilt position, shift
into Reverse, then adjust the mirrors as
described above.

When you shift back into Drive, the mirrors tilt
back to their normal (upward) position. After
you have adjusted the exterior mirrors for
backing up, they automatically tilt to the
adjusted downward position whenever you
shift into Reverse.

To turn this feature on or

Quick Controls > Adjustments > Mirrors >
Mirror Auto Tilt.

Mirror Auto Fold

Both exterior mirrors can automatically fold
inward whenever you exit and lock Model 3.
When you unlock Model 3, the exterior mirrors
automatically unfold.

36 Model 3 Owner's Manual

o, touch Controls >

Starting and Powering

O

Starting

When you open a door, Model 3 powers on the
touchscreen and youi can operate all controls.

To drive Model 3:

1. PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL - Model 3
powers on and is ready to drive.

2. SELECT A GEAR - Move the gear lever all
the way down for Drive and all the way up
for Reverse. See Shifting Gears on page

38.

Note: If passive entry is
press the brake pedal to start Model 3 within
approximately five minutes, a message
displays on the touchscreen and you must use
the key to lock then unlock Model 3 again
before starting the vehicle.

Everything you need to know when driving
Model 3 displays on the touchscreen.

Drive Disabled - Requires Authentication

If Model 3 does not detect a key when you
press the brake (an authenticated phone is not
detected, or 15 seconds has elapsed since you
used the key card) , the touchscreen displays
a message telling you that driving requires
authentication.

If you see this message, place the key card
behind the cup holders on the top of the
center console where the RFID transmitter can
read it. The 15 second authentication window
restarts and you can start Model 3 by pressing
the brake pedal.

o and you do not

Always keep your authenticated phone and a
key card with you. After driving, your
authenticated phone or key card is needed to
restart Model 3 after it powers o. And when
you leave Model 3, you must bring your
authenticated phone or key card with you to
lock Model 3, either manually or automatically.

Powering O

When you finish driving, shift into Park by
pressing the button on the end of the gear
selector. The parking brake automatically
engages and all systems keep operating.
When you leave Model 3 with your
authenticated phone and key card, it powers
o automatically, turning o the touchscreen.

Model 3 also powers o automatically after
being in Park for 15 minutes, even if you are
sitting in the driver’s seat.

Although usually not needed, you can power
o Model 3 while sitting in the driver’s seat,
provided the vehicle is not moving. Touch

Controls > Safety & Security > Vehicle
Power > Power

powers back on again if you press the brake
pedal or touch the touchscreen.

Note: Model 3 automatically shifts into Park
whenever you leave the vehicle, even if you
shift into Neutral before exiting.

O. Model 3 automatically

A number of factors can aect whether Model
3 can detect an authenticated phone,
including a low or dead battery that prohibits
Bluetooth communications.

Driving 37

Gears

Shifting Gears

When Model 3 is in Park, you must press the
brake to shift to another gear.

Move the lever up or down to change gears.

If you try to shift into a gear that the current
driving speed prohibits, a chime sounds and
the gear does not change.

Reverse

Push the lever all the way up and release. You
can only shift into Reverse when Model 3 is
stopped or moving less than 5 mph (8 km/h).
If moving less than 1 mph (1.6 km/h), you must
press the brake.

Drive

Push the lever all the way down and release.
You can shift into Drive when Model 3 is
stopped or moving less than 5 mph (8 km/h)
in Reverse. If Model 3 is moving less than
1 mph (1.6 km/h), you must press the brake to
shift into Drive.

Note: When in Drive, push the lever all the way
down and release to enable
Cruise Control (see Trac-Aware Cruise

Control on page 58). Push the lever all the

way down twice in quick succession to enable
Autosteer (see Autosteer on page 63).

Park

With Model 3 stopped, press the end of the
gear selector. Whenever Model 3 is in Park, the
parking brake is applied.

Model 3 automatically shifts into Park
whenever you:

• Leave the vehicle.

• Connect a charge cable.

To make it convenient to pick up passengers,
you can also unlock all doors at any time by
shifting into Park then pressing the Park
button a second time.

Trac-Aware

Neutral

Push the lever up or down to the
and release to shift into Neutral. Neutral allows
Model 3 to roll freely.

If Model 3 is in Park and you use the
touchscreen to release the parking brake
(Controls > Safety & Security), Model 3 shifts
into Neutral (see Parking Brake on page 47).

Model 3 automatically shifts into Park when
you exit.

38 Model 3 Owner's Manual

first position

Car Status

Overview

The left side of the touchscreen displays the
status of Model 3 at all times. What you see
depends on whether the vehicle is:

• Parked (shown below).

• Driving (see Driving Status on page 40).

• Charging (see Charging Status and

Settings on page 109).

When Model 3 is parked, the status area
shows the gear, estimated range, and a top­down image of the car with buttons you can
press to open the trunks and charge port door.
When you press the brake, Model 3 powers up
and indicator lights
Unless an indicator light applies to the current
situation (for example, a seat belt is not
fastened), it should turn
light fails to turn on or

Note: The following image is provided for
demonstration purposes only. Depending on
vehicle options, software version, and market
region, the information displayed may be
slightly

dierent.

flash briefly along the top.

o. If an indicator

o, contact Tesla.

Indicator Lights

The following indicator lights illuminate to
advise you or alert you of a specific status or
condition.

A brake system fault is detected or
the brake fluid level is low. See Brakes
on page 46. Contact Tesla
immediately.

The parking brake is manually applied.
See Parking Brake on page 47.

A parking brake fault is detected.
Contact Tesla. See Parking Brake on
page 47.

Tire pressure warning. The pressure of
a tire is out of range. If a fault with the
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) is detected, the indicator
flashes. For a TPMS fault, contact
Tesla. See Tire Care and Maintenance
on page 113.

A seat belt for an occupied front seat
is not fastened. See Seat Belts on
page 21.

Airbag safety. If this indicator does
not flash on briefly when Model 3
prepares to drive, or if it remains on,
contact Tesla immediately. See Airbag

Warning Indicator on page 33.

An ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
fault is detected. See Brakes on page

46. Contact Tesla immediately.

Front fog lights. See Lights on page

42.

Parking lights (side marker lights, tail
lights, and license plate lights) are on.
See Lights on page 42.

Low beam headlights are on.

High beam headlights are on.

Electronic stability control systems are
actively minimizing wheel spin by
controlling brake pressure and motor
power (indicator flashes). See Traction

Control on page 48. If this indicator

stays illuminated, a fault is detected
(contact Tesla immediately).

Driving 39

Car Status

Electronic stability control systems are
no longer minimizing wheel spin. See

Traction Control on page 48.

Vehicle Hold is actively applying the
brakes. See Vehicle Hold on page

51.

A door or trunk is open. See Doors on
page 9, Rear Trunk on page 12, or

Front Trunk on page 13.

Flashes green when the left turn
signal is operating. Both turn signal
indicators flash green when the
hazard warning flashers are operating.

Flashes green when the right turn
signal is operating. Both turn signal
indicators flash green when the
hazard warning flashers are operating.

Driving Status

When Model 3 is driving (or ready to drive),
the touchscreen shows your current driving
status and a real-time visualization of the road
as detected by the Driver Assistance
components (see About Driver Assistance on
page 55).

Note: The following illustration is provided for
demonstration purposes only. Depending on
vehicle options, software version, and market
region, the information displayed may be
slightly

dierent.

1. Driving speed.

2. On the Energy bar, green represents

energy being used and red indicates
energy being gained by regenerative
braking. A dashed green line appears on
the energy bar when power available for
acceleration is being limited, and a dashed
red line appears when power that can be
gained by regenerative braking is limited.
Model 3 limits power for many reasons.
Here are just a few examples:

• Acceleration may be limited when the
Battery is reaching a low state of
charge or if the powertrain is hot.

• Both acceleration and regenerative
braking may be limited when the
ambient temperature is either very
high or very low.

• Regenerative braking may be limited
when the Battery is fully charged.

3. Currently selected gear: Park, Reverse,
Neutral, or Drive.

40 Model 3 Owner's Manual

4. Autosteer (if equipped) is actively
steering Model 3. When Autosteer is
available but you haven't activated it, the
icon is gray.

5. Colored lines radiate from the image of
your Model 3 as obects are detected
(other motorists, guard rail, etc.). The
location of the lines correspond to the
location of the detected object. The color
of the lines (white, yellow, orange, or red)
represents the object's proximity to Model
3, with white being the farthest and red
being very close and requiring your
immediate attention. See Lane Assist on
page 73.

6. When Autosteer is active (if equipped)
and detects the driving lane, it is
highlighted in blue (see Autosteer on
page 63).

7. Total estimated driving distance (or
energy) available. Instead of driving
distance, you can display the percentage
of battery energy remaining. To do so,
touch Controls > Display > Energy (see

Controls and Settings on page 80).

Note: When anticipating when you need
to charge, use range estimates as a
general guideline only.

Note: In cold weather, some of the stored
energy in the Battery may not be available
on your drive because the Battery is too
cold. When this happens, a portion of the
Battery meter is blue and the driving
distance value has a
to it. If Model 3 is plugged in, you can heat
your Battery using wall power by turning
on climate control using the mobile app.
When the Battery warms up, the blue
portion on the meter and the
image are no longer displayed.

8. The speed limit (if available) that is
currently being detected by Speed Assist
(see Speed Assist on page 78).

9.

Trac-Aware Cruise Control (if equipped)
is cruising at a set speed. When Trac-

Aware

Cruise Control is available but you
haven't set a cruising speed, the icon is
gray and the speed is not shown (see

Trac-Aware Cruise Control on page

58).

Warning:

messages that display on the car status
window. Ignoring these messages can
result in serious injury or death.

Pay attention to important alert

snowflake image next

snowflake

Car Status

Driving 41

Lights

Controlling Lights

Touch Controls > Lights on the touchscreen to
control most of the lights.

In addition to the lights that you can control
from the touchscreen, Model 3 has
convenience lights that automatically turn on
and

o based on what you are doing. For
example, you will notice interior lights, marker
lights, tail lights, and puddle lights that turn on
when you unlock Model 3, when you open a
door, and when you shift into Park. They turn
o automatically after a minute or two or
when you shift into a driving gear or lock
Model 3.

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.

AUTO Exterior lights automatically

Touch one of these options to temporarily
change the exterior light setting:

OFF Exterior lights turn o until

PARKINGOnly the side marker lights,

ON Exterior lights turn on.

There is no control for the fog lights. They
turn on automatically when low beam
headlights are on.

Note: Model 3 has a series of lights along
the upper rim of the headlights, also
referred to as "signature" lights. These
lights automatically turn on whenever
Model 3 is powered on and a driving gear
is engaged.

turn on when driving in low
lighting conditions. If you
change to a dierent setting,
lights always revert to AUTO
on your next drive.

you manually turn them back
on or until the next time you
drive. If daytime running
lights are required in your
region, the exterior lights
used for this purpose do not
turn o.

parking lights, tail lights and
license plate lights turn on.

Warning:

headlamps are set to AUTO or ON, as
appropriate, during all low visibility
conditions. Failure to do so may result
in a collision.

Always ensure that your

42 Model 3 Owner's Manual

2. If you turn on DOME LIGHTS, all interior
dome (map) lights turn on when you
unlock Model 3, open a door upon exiting,
or shift into P (Park). They turn o after
60 seconds, when you lock Model 3, or
when you shift into a driving gear. If set to
AUTO, dome lights turn on only when little
or no light is detected.

You can also manually turn an individual
dome light on or
you manually turn a dome light on, it turns
o when Model 3 powers o. If Model 3
was already powered o when you
manually turned the light on, it turns
after 60 minutes.

3. If you turn on AMBIENT LIGHTS, the lights
on the doors turn on whenever the
headlights are on.

o by pressing its lens. If

o

Lights

Low beam headlights are on.

High beam headlights are on.

Headlights After Exit

When you stop driving and park Model 3 in
low lighting conditions, the exterior lights
automatically turn on. They automatically turn
o after one minute or when you lock Model 3.

To turn this feature on or o, touch Controls >
Lights > Settings > Headlights after Exit.

When Headlights After Exit is OFF, the
headlights turn
gear.

Turn Signals

Move the left-hand steering column lever up
(before turning right) or down (before turning
left).

o when you engage the Park

High Beam Headlights

Push the left-hand steering column lever away
from you and release to turn the high beam
headlights on continuously. To cancel, pull the
lever toward you.

To

briefly flash the high beam headlights, pull

the lever towards you and release.

The turn signals stop operating when canceled
by the steering wheel, or when you return the
lever to the central position.

The corresponding turn signal
indicator lights up on the
touchscreen when a turn signal is
operating. You also hear a clicking
sound.

Warning: If you have purchased the
optional Enhanced Autopilot or Full Self­Driving Capability packages and Trac-
Aware Cruise Control is active, engaging

The following indicator lights are visible on the
touchscreen to show the status of the
headlights:

Driving 43

a turn signal can cause Model 3 to
accelerate when using Trac-Aware
Cruise Control in specific situations (see

Lights

Overtake Acceleration on page 61). If

Autosteer is active, engaging a turn signal
may cause Model 3 to change lanes (see

Auto Lane Change on page 66)

Lane Change Flash

To indicate a lane change, quickly press the
lever up or down, then release. The
corresponding turn signal

Hazard Warning Flashers

To turn on the hazard warning
the button located near the rear view mirror.
All turn signals flash. Press again to turn o.

Note: Hazard warning flashers operate even
when Model 3 can not detect a key
(authenticated smartphone or key card).

flashes three times.

flashers, press

44 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Washers

The windshield washers are controlled with
the button on the end of the left-hand
steering column lever. Fully press and hold the
button to spray washer fluid onto the
windshield. While spraying the windshield, the
wipers turn on. After releasing the button, the
wipers perform two additional wipes, then a
third wipe a few seconds later.

Periodically top up washer fluid (see Topping

Up Washer Fluid on page 128).

Wipers

To perform a single wipe with the windshield
wipers, press and immediately release the
button on the end of the left-hand steering
column lever.

To turn the wipers on continuously, swipe to
the windshield wiper shortcut on the
touchscreen (see Touchscreen Overview on
page 4), then touch ON. The button changes
from gray to blue and the wipers begin wiping
continuously. To turn on intermittent wiping
(the wipers pause
touch the button on the bottom of the
shortcut window. You can adjust the wiping
frequency by touching SLOW or FAST.

Note: When you turn the wipers on
continuously, the headlights automatically turn
on (if they were not already on).

briefly between wipes),

Wipers and Washers

2.

Turn intermittent wiping on or o (the
wipers pause briefly between wipes).

3. Adjust the speed of the wipers.

Periodically check and clean the edge of the
wiper blades. If a blade is damaged, replace it
immediately. For details on checking and
replacing wiper blades, see Wiper Blades and

Washer Jets on page 125.

Caution: Remove ice from the windshield
before turning the wipers on. Ice has
sharp edges that can damage the rubber
on the blades.

Caution: In harsh climates, ensure that the
wiper blades are not frozen or adhered to
the windshield.

1. Turn wipers on or o.

Driving 45

Brakes

Braking Systems

Model 3 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
steady pressure on the brake pedal while
experiencing the pulsing.

The ABS indicator flashes briefly on
the touchscreen when you first start
Model 3. 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 aected by an ABS failure.
However, braking distances may
increase.

If the touchscreen displays this
indicator at any time other than
displaying briefly when you first start
Model 3, a brake system fault is
detected or the brake
low. Contact Tesla immediately.

firm and

fluid level is

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).

Automatic Emergency Braking automatically
applies full braking in situations where a
collision is considered imminent (see

Automatic Emergency Braking on page 76).

Warning: 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.

Brake Wear

Model 3 brake pads are equipped with wear
indicators. A wear indicator is a thin metal
strip attached to the brake pad that squeals as
it rubs against the rotor when the pad wears
down. This squealing sound indicates that the
brake pads have reached the end of their
service life and require replacement. To
replace the brake pads, contact Tesla Service.

Warning:

brake pads results in damage to the
braking system and can create a braking
hazard.

Neglecting to replace worn

46 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Brakes

Regenerative Braking

Whenever Model 3 is moving and your foot is
o the accelerator, regenerative braking slows
down Model 3 and feeds any surplus energy
back to the Battery.

By anticipating your stops and reducing or
removing pressure from the accelerator pedal
to slow down, you can take advantage of
regenerative braking to increase driving range.
Of course, this is no substitute for regular
braking when needed for safety.

Note: If regenerative braking is aggressively
slowing Model 3 (such as when your foot is
completely
highway speeds), the brake lights turn on to
alert others that you are slowing down.

The amount of energy fed back to the Battery
using regenerative braking can depend on the
current state of the Battery and the charge
level setting that you are using. If regenerative
braking is limited, a dashed yellow line
displays on the power meter. For example,
regenerative braking may be limited if the
Battery is already fully charged or if the
ambient temperature is too cold.

To Set the Regenerative Braking Level

You can use the touchscreen to change the
level of regenerative braking:

1. Touch Controls > Driving > Regenerative

2. Choose from two levels:

o the accelerator pedal at

Braking.

• Standard - Provides the standard

amount of regenerative braking. When
you release the accelerator, Model 3
slows down, reducing the need to use
the brakes.

• Low - Limits regenerative braking.

When you release the accelerator,
Model 3 takes longer to slow down
and coasts further than if set to
Standard.

Parking Brake

The parking brake automatically engages
when you shift Model 3 into Park, and releases
when you shift into any other gear.

Note: The parking brake operates on the rear
wheels only, and is independent of the pedal­operated brake system.

Use the touchscreen to manually release the
parking brake (which also shifts Model 3 into
Neutral):

1. Touch Controls > E-Brake & Power

2. Press the brake pedal, then touch Parking
Brake. If Model 3 was previously in Park, it

shifts into Neutral.

The parking brake indicator lights up
on the touchscreen whenever you
use the touchscreen to manually
apply the parking brake.

If an electrical issue occurs with the
parking brake, an amber parking
brake fault message displays at the
top of the touchscreen.

Caution: In the unlikely event that Model
3 loses electrical power, you cannot
release the parking brake. Contact Tesla.

O.

Driving 47

Traction Control

How It Works

The traction control system constantly
monitors the speed of the front and rear
wheels. If Model 3 experiences a loss of
traction, the system minimizes wheel spin by
controlling brake pressure and motor power.
By default, the traction control system is on.
Under normal conditions, it should remain on
to ensure maximum safety.

This indicator flashes on the
touchscreen whenever the traction
control system is actively controlling
brake pressure and motor power to
minimize wheel spin. If the indicator
stays on, a fault is detected with the
traction control system. Contact
Tesla Service.

Warning: Traction control cannot prevent
collisions caused by driving dangerously
or turning too sharply at high speeds.

Warning: If the above indicator remains
illuminated in situations in which you have
not enabled Slip Start (described next),
the traction control system may not be
operating correctly. Contact Tesla Service
immediately.

Allowing Wheel Slip

To allow the wheels to spin at a limited speed,
you can enable Slip Start. Slip Start can be
enabled only when Model 3 is moving 30 mph
(48 km/h) or slower. Slip Start automatically
disables when the speed exceeds 50 mph
(80 km/h).

Under normal conditions, Slip Start should not
be enabled. Enable it only in circumstances
where you deliberately want the wheels to
spin, such as:

• Starting on a loose surface, such as gravel
or snow.

• Driving in deep snow, sand or mud.

• Rocking out of a hole or deep rut.

To allow the wheels to spin, touch Controls >
Driving > Traction Control > Slip Start.

Although Slip Start is automatically disabled
the next time you start Model 3, it is strongly
recommended that you disable it immediately
after the circumstances that required you to
enable it have passed.

The touchscreen displays an alert
message when Slip Start is enabled.

48 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Park Assist

How Park Assist Works

Model 3 has several sensors designed to
detect the presence of objects. When moving
slowly in Drive or Reverse (for example, when
parking), the sensors alert you if an object is
detected in close proximity to the front or rear
of your Model 3.

The sensors are activated when driving slower
than 5 mph (8 km/h).

Warning: Never depend on Park Assist to
inform you if an area you are approaching
is free of objects and/or people. Several
external factors can reduce the
performance of Park Assist, causing
either no readings or false readings (see

Limitations and False Warnings on page

50). Therefore, depending on Park Assist
to determine if Model 3 is approaching an
obstruction can result in damage to the
vehicle and/or objects, and can
potentially cause serious injury. Always
inspect the area with your own eyes.
When reversing, perform shoulder checks
and use all mirrors. Park assist does not
detect children, pedestrians, bicyclists,
animals, or objects that are moving,
protruding, located too far above or
below the sensors, or too close or too far
from the sensors. Park Assist is for
guidance purposes only and is not
intended to replace your own direct visual
checks. It is not a substitute for careful
driving.

Visual and Audio Feedback

When you shift to Reverse, the Park Assist
view displays on the touchscreen, showing
objects that are in close proximity to the front
and rear of Model 3. This view closes when
you shift into Drive unless an object is
detected close to the front of Model 3, in
which case the Park Assist view closes
automatically when your driving speed
exceeds 5 mph (8 km/h). When reversing,
visual feedback also displays on the
touchscreen, immediately below the camera
view (see Rear View Camera on page 53).
You can manually close the park assist view on
the touchscreen by touching the X in the
upper left corner.

When driving with the Camera app displayed
on the touchscreen, you can switch to the
Park Assist view when driving at speeds below
5 mph (8 km/h). Touch the button located in
the upper left corner of the Camera app
window. This is useful if you need assistance
with parallel parking.

If chimes are turned on (see Controlling

Audible Feedback on page 49), an audible

beep sounds as you approach an object. You
can temporarily mute the chime by pressing
the scroll button on the left side of the
steering wheel or by touching the mute button
located on the bottom left corner of the Park
Assist view.

Note: If a sensor is unable to provide
feedback, the touchscreen displays an alert
message.

Caution:

debris, snow, and ice. Avoid using a high
pressure power washer on the sensors
and do not clean a sensor with a sharp or
abrasive object that can scratch or
damage its surface.

Caution: Do not install accessories or
stickers on or near the parking sensors.

Keep sensors clean from dirt,

Controlling Audible Feedback

You can use Park Assist with or without
audible feedback. To turn chimes on or
touch Controls > Safety & Security > Park
Assist Chimes.

You can also mute the chimes temporarily by
pressing the scroll button on the left side of
the steering wheel or by touching the mute
button in the bottom left corner of the Park
Assist view. The chimes are muted until you
shift into a
(8 km/h).

Driving 49

dierent gear or drive over 5 mph

o,

Park Assist

Limitations and False Warnings

The parking sensors may not function
correctly in these situations:

• One or more of the parking sensors is
damaged, dirty, or covered (such as mud,
ice, or snow).

• The object is located below approximately
8 inches (20 cm) (such as a curb or low
barrier).

Caution: Shorter objects that are
detected (such as curbs or low
barriers) can move into the blind spot
of the sensors. Model 3 cannot alert
you about an object while it is in the

• Weather conditions (heavy rain, snow, or

• The object is thin (such as a sign post).

• A sensor’s operating range has been

• The object is sound-absorbing or soft

• The object is sloped (such as a sloped

• Model 3 has been parked in, or being

• The sensors are

• The object is located too close to the

• A bumper is misaligned or damaged.

• An object that is mounted to Model 3 is

blind spot of the sensors.

fog) are interfering with sensor operation.

exceeded.

(such as powder snow).

embankment).

driven in, extremely hot or cold
temperatures.

aected by other
electrical equipment or devices that
generate ultrasonic waves.

bumper.

interfering with and/or obstructing the
sensor (such as a bike rack or bumper
sticker).

Other Parking Aids

In addition to Park Assist, when shifted into
Reverse, the backup camera displays a view of
the area behind Model 3 (see Rear View

Camera on page 53).

50 Model 3 Owner's Manual

When Model 3 is stopped, Vehicle Hold can
continue to apply the brakes even after you
remove your foot from the brake pedal. When
driving on a hill or on a flat surface, brake as
you normally would. After coming to a
complete stop, simply press the brake pedal
again (until the touchscreen displays the
Vehicle Hold indicator light) to enable Vehicle
Hold. You can then release the brake pedal
and remain stopped, even on a hill.

This indicator displays on the
touchscreen whenever Vehicle Hold
is engaged.

To disengage Vehicle Hold, press the
accelerator pedal or press and release the
brake pedal.

Note: Shifting into Neutral also disengages
Vehicle Hold.

Note: After actively braking Model 3 for
approximately 10 minutes, Model 3 shifts into
Park and Vehicle Hold cancels. Model 3 also
shifts into Park if it detects that the driver has
left the vehicle.

Vehicle Hold

Driving 51

Getting Maximum Range

Driving Tips to Maximize Range

You can maximize your driving range using
the same driving habits that you use to
conserve fuel in a gasoline-powered vehicle. In
addition to driving habits, energy
consumption depends on environmental
conditions (such as cold weather and hilly
roads). To get the maximum mileage from a
charge:

• Slow down your driving and avoid
frequent and rapid acceleration.

• If safe to do so, modulate the accelerator
pedal instead of using the brake pedal
when gradually slowing down. Whenever
Model 3 is moving and you are not
pressing the accelerator pedal,
regenerative braking slows down Model 3
and feeds surplus energy back to the
Battery (see Regenerative Braking on
page 47).

• Keep tires at the recommended
pressures (see Tire Care and Maintenance
on page 113).

• Lighten your load by removing any
unnecessary cargo.

• Fully raise all windows.

• Limit the use of resources such as heating
and air conditioning. Using seat heaters to
keep warm is more
the cabin. To automatically limit the
amount of power that the climate control
system uses to maintain the temperature
of the Battery and the cabin area, touch
Controls > Driving > Range Mode > ON.

The power meter on the touchscreen provides
feedback on energy usage. With this
feedback, you will soon become familiar with
how driving habits and environmental
conditions impact how much energy Model 3
is using.

ecient than heating

Saving Energy

Model 3 has an energy-saving feature that
reduces the amount of energy being
consumed when Model 3 is not in use. Touch
Controls > Displays > Energy Saving and
choose from the following options:

• OFF - Model 3 shifts to the energy-saving
mode at night (10 pm to 5 am).

• ON -

significantly less energy is consumed
whenever Model 3 is not in use. The start­up time of the touchscreen and Bluetooth
could be slower.

inflation

•

Always Connected - preserves cell
connectivity when energy saving is active.
This allows the mobile app to connect to
Model 3 quicker, and provides immediate
internet access when entering the car.
Slightly more energy is consumed.

Range Assurance

Model 3 protects you against running out of
energy. Model 3 continuously monitors its
energy level and proximity to known charging
locations.

Touch the range assurance icon, located in the
top right corner of the map/navigation
window, to control what charging stations
display on the map:

The map displays superchargers
only.

The map displays superchargers,
destination chargers, and visited
chargers. In situations where a
charging location may not be
reachable based on your currently
available driving range, its
associated icon on the map
displays as semi-transparent.

When you are at risk of driving beyond the
range of known charging locations, a message
displays on the touchscreen giving you the
opportunity to display a list of charging
locations that are within range. When you
select a charging location from the list, Model
3 provides navigation instructions and the
turn-by-turn direction list displays the
predicted amount of energy that will remain
when you arrive at the charging destination.

In addition to the message that displays when
you are at risk of driving beyond the range of
known charging locations, a warning symbol
displays on the range assurance icon:

Touch to display a search list of
charging locations that are
estimated to be within your driving
range. Then touch a location in the
search list to navigate to it.

Based on the amount of energy
remaining in your Model 3, there
are no known charging locations
within your driving range.

52 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Rear View Camera

Camera Location

Model 3 is equipped with a rear view camera
located above the rear license plate.

Whenever you shift into Reverse, the
touchscreen displays the view from the
camera. Guide lines show your driving path
based on the position of the steering wheel.
These guide lines adjust appropriately as you
move the steering wheel.

Note: Visual feedback from the parking
sensors displays on the touchscreen (see Park

Assist on page 49).

To display the view from the
camera any time, touch the
camera icon on the left side of
the touchscreen.

When reversing, perform shoulder checks
and use all mirrors. Use the camera for
guidance purposes only. It is not intended
to replace your own direct visual checks
and is not a substitute for careful driving.

Cleaning the Camera

To ensure a clear picture, keep the camera lens
clean, and free of obstructions. Remove any
buildup of dirt by occasionally wiping the
camera lens with a soft damp cloth.

Caution: Do not use chemical-based or
abrasive cleaners. Doing so can damage
the surface of the camera lens.

Warning: Never depend on the rear view
camera to inform you if the area behind
you is free of objects and/or people when
reversing. The camera may not detect
objects or barriers that can potentially
cause damage or injury. In addition,
several external factors can reduce the
performance of the camera, including a
dirty or obstructed lens. Therefore,
depending on the rear view camera to
determine if Model 3 is approaching an
obstruction can result in damage to the
vehicle and/or objects, and can
potentially cause serious injury. Always
inspect the area with your own eyes.

Driving 53

Cabin Camera

Camera Location

Model 3 is equipped with a camera in the
cabin. The camera is not currently active, but
might be used in potential future features
which could be added to Model 3 with
software releases.

Cleaning the Camera

Keep the camera lens clean, and free of
obstructions. Remove any buildup of dirt or
dust by occasionally wiping the camera lens
with a soft damp cloth.

Caution: Do not use chemical-based or
abrasive cleaners. Doing so can damage
the surface of the camera lens.

54 Model 3 Owner's Manual

About Driver Assistance

Driver Assistance Components

1. A camera is mounted above the rear license plate.

2. Ultrasonic sensors are located in the front and rear bumpers.

3. A camera is mounted in each door pillar.

4. Three cameras are mounted to the windshield above the rear view mirror.

5. A camera is mounted to each front fender.

6. Radar is mounted behind the front bumper on the side of the vehicle.

Note: Driver Assistance vehicles also include high precision electrically-assisted braking and

steering systems.

Driver Assistance 55

About Driver Assistance

Driver Assistance Features

These safety features are available on all Tesla
vehicles equipped with Driver Assistance
components:

• Lane Assist (see Lane Assist on page

73).

• Collision Avoidance Assist (see Collision

Avoidance Assist on page 75).

• Speed Assist (see Speed Assist on page

78).

• Auto High Beam (see High Beam

Headlights on page 43).

These convenience features, designed to
reduce driver workload, are available only if
your Tesla vehicle is equipped with the
optional Enhanced Autopilot or Full Self­Driving Capability packages:

•

Trac-Aware Cruise Control (see Trac-

Aware

• Autosteer (see Autosteer on page 63).

• Auto Lane Change (see Auto Lane

• Autopark (see Autopark on page 68).

You can enable/disable Driver Assistance
features and in some cases, control how they
work. To access settings for Driver Assistance
features, touch Controls > Driver Assistance.

Calibration

Model 3 must maneuver with a great deal of
precision when Driver Assistance features are
being used. Therefore, before some features
(for example,
Autosteer) can be used for the
some cameras must complete a self­calibration process.

Calibration typically completes after driving
20-25 miles (32-40 km), but the distance
varies depending on road and environmental
conditions. Driving on a straight road with
highly-visible lane lines allows Model 3 to
calibrate quicker. When calibration is
complete, the features are available for use
the next time you drive (i.e. you must stop and
shift into Park before you can use the
features). Contact Tesla if your Model 3 has
not completed the calibration process after
driving 100 miles (160 km).

Note: If you attempt to use a feature that is
not available until the calibration process is
complete, the feature will not be enabled and
the touchscreen displays a message.

Cruise Control on page 58).

Change on page 66).

Trac-Aware Cruise Control or

first time,

Note:

Model 3 repeats the calibration process

if the cameras are serviced by Tesla.

Limitations

Many factors can impact the performance of
Driver Assistance components, causing them
to be unable to function as intended. These
include (but are not limited to):

• Poor visibility (due to heavy rain, snow,
fog, etc.).

• Bright light (due to oncoming headlights,
direct sunlight, etc.).

• Damage or obstructions caused by mud,
ice, snow, etc.

• Interference or obstruction by object(s)
mounted onto the vehicle (such as a bike
rack).

• Obstruction caused by applying excessive
paint or adhesive products (such as
wraps, stickers, rubber coating, etc.) onto
the vehicle.

• Narrow or winding roads.

• A damaged or misaligned bumper.

• Interference from other equipment that
generates ultrasonic waves.

• Extremely hot or cold temperatures.

Warning: The list above does not
represent an exhaustive list of situations
that may interfere with proper operation
of Driver Assistance components. Never
depend on these components to keep
you safe. It is the driver's responsibility to
stay alert, drive safely, and be in control
of the vehicle at all times.

Caution: If a windshield replacement is
needed, take your vehicle to Tesla
Service. This will ensure appropriate
handling and mounting of the camera(s).
Failure to do so can cause one or more
Driver Assistance features to malfunction.

Cleaning Driver Assistance Components

To ensure the various Driver Assistance
components can provide information that is as
accurate as possible, keep them clean and free
of obstructions or damage. Occasionally
remove any buildup of dirt by wiping the
components with a soft cloth dampened with
warm water.

Caution:

abrasive cleaners. Doing so can damage
surfaces.

Do not use chemical-based or

56 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Caution: Avoid using a high-pressure
power washer.

Caution: Do not clean an ultrasonic
sensor or camera lens with a sharp or
abrasive object that can scratch or
damage its surface.

About Driver Assistance

Driver Assistance 57

Trac-Aware Cruise Control

Note: Trac-Aware Cruise Control is a BETA

feature.

If you have purchased the optional Enhanced
Autopilot or Full Self-Driving Capability
package, the forward looking cameras and the
radar sensor are designed to determine when
there is a vehicle in front of you in the same
lane. If the area in front of Model 3 is clear,
Trac-Aware Cruise Control maintains a set
driving speed. When a vehicle is detected,
Trac-Aware Cruise Control is designed to
slow down Model 3 as needed to maintain a
selected time-based distance from the vehicle
in front, up to the set speed.
Cruise Control does not eliminate the need to
watch the road in front of you and to manually
apply the brakes when needed.

Trac-Aware Cruise Control is primarily
intended for driving on dry, straight roads,
such as highways and freeways. It should not
be used on city streets.

Warning: Trac-Aware Cruise Control is
designed for your driving comfort and
convenience and is not a collision warning
or avoidance system. It is your
responsibility to stay alert, drive safely,
and be in control of the vehicle at all
times. Never depend on Trac-Aware
Cruise Control to adequately slow down
Model 3. Always watch the road in front
of you and be prepared to take corrective
action at all times. Failure to do so can
result in serious injury or death.

Warning: Although Trac-Aware Cruise
Control is capable of detecting
pedestrians and cyclists, never depend on
Trac-Aware Cruise Control to
adequately slow Model 3 down for them.
Always watch the road in front of you and
be prepared to take corrective action at
all times. Failure to do so can result in
serious injury or death.

Warning: Do not use Trac-Aware Cruise
Control on city streets or on roads where
trac conditions are constantly changing.

Warning: Do not use Trac-Aware Cruise
Control on winding roads with sharp
curves, on icy or slippery road surfaces,
or when weather conditions (such as
heavy rain, snow, fog, etc.) make it
inappropriate to drive at a consistent
speed. Trac-Aware Cruise Control does
not adapt driving speed based on road
and driving conditions.

Trac-Aware

Operating Trac-Aware Cruise
Control

The touchscreen displays a
gray speedometer icon to
indicate that Trac-Aware
Cruise Control is available
but is not currently active.
The number shown in gray is
determined by Speed Assist
(see Controlling Speed Assist
on page 78). Unless a
vehicle is detected ahead of
you, you must be driving at
least 18 mph (30 km/h) to
use

Trac-Aware Cruise
Control. If a vehicle is
detected ahead of you, you
can use

Trac-Aware Cruise
Control at any speed, even
when stationary. The
minimum set speed is 18 mph
(30 km/h).

When driving at your desired speed, set the
cruising speed by moving the gear lever fully
down once then releasing.

The gray speedometer icon
on the touchscreen gets
larger, turns blue, and
displays the set speed to
indicate that
Cruise Control is active. The
minimum set speed is 18 mph
(30 km/h).

Trac-Aware

58 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Trac-Aware Cruise Control

You can now release the accelerator pedal and
allow Trac-Aware Cruise Control to maintain
your set speed. When no vehicle is detected
ahead, Trac-Aware Cruise Control maintains
the set speed. If a vehicle is detected, Trac-
Aware Cruise Control maintains your chosen
following distance, up to the set speed,
accelerating and decelerating Model 3 as
needed. When the vehicle you are following is
no longer detected,
Control accelerates up to the set speed.
Trac-Aware Cruise Control also adjusts the
speed as appropriate when entering and
exiting curves.

You can manually accelerate at any time when
driving at a set speed using
Cruise Control. But when you release the
accelerator, Model 3 returns to the set speed.

When following a vehicle,
Control remains active at low speeds, even if
Model 3 comes to a standstill. When the
vehicle is moving again,
Control resumes operating at your current set
speed. However, under certain circumstances,
Trac-Aware Cruise Control goes into a
HOLD state instead of resuming and the
touchscreen displays a message indicating
that you need to resume cruise control.
Trac-Aware Cruise Control may go into a
HOLD state under the following
circumstances:

• You have been at a standstill for 5
minutes.

• The driver's seat belt is unbuckled.

• Model 3 detects a pedestrian nearby (the
HOLD state may clear when the
pedestrian is no longer close by).

• Model 3 suddenly loses visibility of the
vehicle you are following.

• The ultrasonic sensors detect an obstacle
in front of Model 3.

To resume
the accelerator pedal.

Trac-Aware Cruise Control, press

Trac-Aware Cruise

Trac-Aware

Trac-Aware Cruise

Trac-Aware Cruise

In right hand
signal when driving in the right-most lane
within 164 feet (50 meters) of an exit (on a
controlled access road only, such as a highway
or freeway), causes Trac-Aware Cruise
Control to assume you are exiting. As a result,
Trac-Aware Cruise Control begins to slow
down the vehicle. Likewise in left hand
when engaging the left turn signal when
driving in the left-most lane within 164 feet
(50 meters) of an exit. The onboard GPS
(Global Positioning System) determines if you
are driving in a region with right or left hand
trac. In situations where GPS data is
unavailable (for example, if there is inadequate
signal), engaging the turn signal near an exit
does not cause
to slow down Model 3.

Note: If
active and you move the gear lever down
twice in quick succession, Autosteer activates
if enabled (see Autosteer on page 63) and
the set speed changes to either your current
driving speed, or remains at the current set
speed (whichever is greater).

Note: When
actively slowing down Model 3 to maintain the
selected distance from the vehicle ahead, the
brake lights turn on to alert other road users
that you are slowing down. You may also
notice slight movement of the brake pedal.

Warning:

the onboard GPS, you may experience
situations in which Trac-Aware Cruise
Control slows down the vehicle, especially
near highway exits where a curve is
detected and/or you are actively
navigating to a destination and not
following the route.

Warning: Trac-Aware Cruise Control
cannot detect all objects and may not
brake/decelerate for stationary vehicles,
especially in situations when you are
driving over 50 mph (80 km/h) and a
vehicle you are following moves out of
your driving path and a stationary vehicle
or object is in front of you instead. Always
pay attention to the road ahead and stay
prepared to take immediate corrective
action. Depending on
Cruise Control to avoid a collision can
result in serious injury or death. In
addition,
may react to vehicles or objects that
either do not exist or are not in the lane
of travel, causing Model 3 to slow down
unnecessarily or inappropriately.

trac, engaging the right turn

trac,

Trac-Aware Cruise Control

Trac-Aware Cruise Control is not

Trac-Aware Cruise Control is

Due to limitations inherent in

Trac-Aware

Trac-Aware Cruise Control

Driver Assistance 59

Trac-Aware

Cruise Control

Warning: Trac-Aware Cruise Control

may be unable to provide adequate
speed control because of limited braking
capability and hills. It can also misjudge
the distance from a vehicle ahead. Driving
downhill can increase driving speed,
causing Model 3 to exceed your set speed
(and potentially the road's speed limit).
Never depend on
Control to slow down the vehicle enough
to prevent a collision. Always keep your
eyes on the road when driving and be
prepared to take corrective action as
needed. Depending on
Cruise Control to slow the vehicle down
enough to prevent a collision can result in
serious injury or death.

Warning: Trac-Aware Cruise Control
may occasionally cause Model 3 to brake
when not required or when you are not
expecting it. This can be caused by
closely following a vehicle ahead,
detecting vehicles or objects in adjacent
lanes (especially on curves), etc.

Trac-Aware Cruise

Trac-Aware

Adjust your following distance

To adjust the following distance you want to
maintain between Model 3 and a vehicle
traveling ahead of you, touch Controls >
Autopilot then touch the arrows to choose a
setting from 1 (the closest following distance)
to 7 (the longest following distance). Each
setting corresponds to a time-based distance
that represents how long it takes for Model 3,
from its current location, to reach the location
of the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead of
you.

Cruising at the Speed Limit

Trac-Aware Cruise Control makes it easy to
cruise at the speed limit. You can cruise at the
speed limit that is currently being determined
by Speed Assist (see Speed Assist on page

78). To do so, move the gear lever fully down
once then release. When you release, your
cruising speed is set to the speed that is
determined by Speed Assist, taking into
consideration any
you are already driving faster than the speed
limit when you pull the lever, the set speed
does not adjust to the speed limit—it adjusts
to your current driving speed.

Note: When you adjust the cruising speed
based on the speed limit, the set speed does
not change when the speed limit changes. You
must move the gear lever fully down once
then release to cruise at the new speed limit.
You can also manually adjust your cruising
speed at any time (see Changing the Set

Speed on page 60).

Note: Your set speed will use your current
driving speed or the previous set speed
(whichever is greater) when you move the
gear lever fully down once then release.

Note: If Speed Assist is unable to determine a
speed limit, your set speed does not change
when you move the gear lever fully down once
then release.

Warning:

Trac-Aware Cruise Control to
determine an accurate or appropriate
cruising speed. Always cruise at a safe
speed based on road conditions and
applicable speed limits.

oset you have specified. If

Do not rely on Speed Assist or

Changing the Set Speed

Use the touchscreen to change the set speed
while using

Warning:

determine and maintain a safe following
distance at all times. Do not rely on
Trac-Aware Cruise Control to maintain
an accurate or appropriate following
distance.

Warning: Never depend on Trac-Aware
Cruise Control to adequately slow down
Model 3 to avoid a collision. Always watch
the road in front of you and stay prepared
to take immediate corrective action.

60 Model 3 Owner's Manual

It is the driver's responsibility to

Press the plus (+) button to increase or the
minus (-) button to decrease the set speed
until your desired set speed is displayed.

Trac-Aware Cruise Control.

Trac-Aware

Cruise Control

To increase/decrease speed by 1 mph (1
km/h), quickly tap the plus (+) or minus (-)
button. To increase/decrease speed by 5 mph
(5 km/h), press and hold the plus (+) or minus
(-) button. You must release the button before
you can increase/decrease the speed again.

To cruise at the speed limit that is currently
being determined by Speed Assist (including
any osets that you have set), move the gear
lever fully down once then release. See Speed

Assist on page 78.

Note: It may take a few seconds for Model 3 to
reach the new cruising speed, assuming there
is not a detected vehicle ahead driving slower
than your set speed.

Note: The maximum set speed is 90 mph (150
km/h). However, it is the driver's responsibility
to cruise at a safe speed based on road
conditions and applicable speed limits.

Overtake Acceleration

When following a vehicle with
Cruise Control active, engaging the turn signal
briefly accelerates Model 3 towards the vehicle
ahead. By momentarily holding the turn signal
lever up or down, you can quickly accelerate
up to your set speed without having to press
the accelerator pedal. The turn signal
accelerates Model 3 only when the following
conditions are met:

•

Trac-Aware Cruise Control is operating
and detects a vehicle in front of you.

• No obstacles or vehicles are detected in
the target lane.

• Model 3 is traveling below the set speed,
but over 45 mph (72 km/h).

Overtake Acceleration is intended as an aid
when passing a vehicle ahead of you. When
the turn signal is engaged,
Cruise Control continues to maintain distance
from the vehicle ahead, but allows you to drive
slightly closer than your selected distance.

Acceleration cancels when:

• You reach your set cruising speed.

• Changing lanes takes too long.

• Model 3 gets too close to the vehicle
ahead.

OR

• You disengage the turn signal.

Note: Overtake Acceleration occurs when you
hold the turn signal in the momentary position
(partially engaged). When you release the turn
signal, Model 3 stops accelerating (in the same

Driver Assistance 61

Trac-Aware

Trac-Aware

way as when you release the accelerator
pedal) and resumes the set speed.

Warning: Overtake Acceleration can
cancel for many unforeseen reasons in
addition to those listed above (for
example, lack of GPS data). Stay alert and
never depend on Overtake Acceleration
to increase your driving speed.

Warning: Overtake Acceleration increases
your driving speed whenever the
appropriate turn signal is engaged, and
accelerates Model 3 closer to the vehicle
ahead. Although Trac-Aware Cruise
Control continues to maintain distance
from the vehicle ahead, it is important to
be aware that your selected following
distance is reduced when Overtake
Acceleration is active, particularly in cases
where it may not be your intention to
overtake the vehicle you are following.

Canceling and Resuming

To manually cancel Trac-Aware Cruise
Control,move the gear lever up and release or
press the brake pedal. The speedometer icon
on the touchscreen turns gray to indicate that
Trac-Aware Cruise Control is not actively
controlling your speed.

To re-enable cruising at the current driving
speed, move the gear lever fully down once
then release..

Trac-Aware Cruise Control

Note: When Trac-Aware Cruise Control

cancels, Model 3 does not coast. Instead,
regenerative braking slows down Model 3 in
the same way as when you move your foot
the accelerator when driving without Trac-

Aware

Cruise Control (see Regenerative

Braking on page 47).

Warning: Trac-Aware Cruise Control
cancels, or may not be available, in the
following situations:

• You press the brake pedal.

• Your driving speed drops below
5 mph (8 km/h) in situations when
Model 3 does not detect a vehicle
ahead within the

• Your driving speed exceeds the
maximum cruising speed of 90 mph
(150 km/h).

• You shift Model 3 into a
gear.

• The driver's seat belt is unbuckled.

• A door is opened.

• The view from the radar sensor or
camera(s) is obstructed. This could
be caused by dirt, mud, ice, snow, fog,
etc.

• The traction control setting is
manually disabled or is repeatedly
engaging to prevent wheels from
slipping.

• The wheels are spinning while at a
standstill.

• The

Trac-Aware Cruise Control

system is failing or requires service.

When

Trac-Aware Cruise Control is
unavailable or cancels, Model 3 no longer
drives consistently at a set speed and no
longer maintains a
from the vehicle ahead.

Warning:

can cancel unexpectedly at any time for

Trac-Aware Cruise Control

specified distance.

dierent

specified distance

unforeseen reasons. Always watch the
road in front of you and stay prepared to
take appropriate action. It is the driver's
responsibility to be in control of Model 3
at all times.

Summary of Cruise Indicators

Trac-Aware Cruise Control is
available but is not actively
controlling your speed until you
activate it. The number shown in
gray is determined by Speed Assist
(see Controlling Speed Assist on
page 78).

Trac-Aware Cruise Control is

o

operating and is either maintaining
the set speed (no vehicle in front) or
is maintaining a chosen following
distance from a vehicle ahead (up to
the set speed).

Model 3 has fully stopped but is in a
HOLD state. If safe, press the
accelerator pedal to resume cruising
at the set speed.

Limitations

Trac-Aware Cruise Control is particularly
unlikely to operate as intended in the
following types of situations:

• The road has sharp curves.

• Visibility is poor (due to heavy rain, snow,
fog, etc.).

• Bright light (such as from oncoming
headlights or direct sunlight) is interfering
with the view of the camera(s).

• The radar sensor is obstructed (dirty,
covered, etc.).

• The windshield is obstructing the view of
the camera(s) (fogged over, dirty, covered
by a sticker, etc.).

Warning:

represent an exhaustive list of situations
that may interfere with proper operation
of Trac-Aware Cruise Control.

The list above does not

62 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Note: Autosteer is a BETA feature.

If you have purchased the optional Enhanced
Autopilot or Full Self-Driving Capability
packages, you can use Autosteer to manage
steering and speed under certain
circumstances. Autosteer builds upon
Aware Cruise Control (see Trac-Aware

Cruise Control on page 58), intelligently

keeping Model 3 in its driving lane when
cruising at a set speed. Using the vehicle's
camera(s), the radar sensor, and the ultrasonic
sensors, Autosteer detects lane markings and
the presence of vehicles and objects, steering
Model 3 based on the lane markings and the
vehicle directly in front of you.

Warning: Autosteer is a hands-on feature.
You must keep your hands on the steering
wheel at all times.

Warning: Autosteer is intended for use
only on highways and limited-access
roads with a fully attentive driver. When
using Autosteer, hold the steering wheel
and be mindful of road conditions and
surrounding trac. Do not use Autosteer
on city streets, in construction zones, or
in areas where bicyclists or pedestrians
may be present. Never depend on
Autosteer to determine an appropriate
driving path. Always be prepared to take
immediate action. Failure to follow these
instructions could cause serious property
damage, injury or death.

Trac-

Autosteer

Autosteer briefly displays a message on the
touchscreen reminding you to pay attention to
the road and be ready to take over at any
time. To indicate that Autosteer is now
actively steering Model 3, the touchscreen
displays the Autosteer icon in blue. When
Autosteer is able to detect lane markings, it
also displays the driving lane in blue.

Operating Autosteer

Before you can operate Autosteer, you must
enable it by touching Controls > Autopilot >
Autosteer (Beta) > ON.

To indicate that Autosteer is available (but not
actively steering Model 3), the touchscreen
displays a gray Autosteer icon as shown here:

To initiate Autosteer, move the gear lever fully
down twice in quick succession.

Driver Assistance 63

Note: In situations where Autosteer is unable
to detect lane markings, the driving lane is
determined based on the vehicle you are
following. In these situations, the vehicle in
front of you is highlighted in blue.

Note: To initiate Autosteer when there is no
vehicle in front of you, you must be driving at
least 18 mph (30 km/h) on a roadway with
visible lane markings. If a vehicle is detected
ahead of you, you can initiate Autosteer at any
speed, even when stationary.

Note: In most cases, Autosteer attempts to
center Model 3 in the driving lane. However, if
the sensors detect the presence of an obstacle
(such as a vehicle or guard rail), Autosteer
may steer Model 3 in a driving path that is
oset from the center of the lane.

Autosteer

Note: In situations where you attempt to

engage Autosteer, but you are not driving
within the required driving speed for
Autosteer to operate, or Autosteer is not
receiving adequate data from the camera(s)
or sensors, a message displays on the
touchscreen indicating that Autosteer is
temporarily unavailable.

Restricted Speed

Autosteer is intended for use only by a fully
attentive driver on freeways and highways
where access is limited by entry and exit
ramps. If you choose to use Autosteer on
residential roads, a road without a center
divider, or a road where access is not limited,
Autosteer may limit the maximum allowed
cruising speed. The maximum allowed cruising
speed on such roads is calculated based on
the detected speed limit including a Speed
Assist

oset of up to +5 mph (10 km/h). Any
Speed Assist oset above +5 mph (10 km/h) is
rounded down to +5 mph (10 km/h). However,
you may select a more restrictive cruising
speed by reducing the
setting (see Controlling Speed Assist on page

78) or by tapping the plus (+) or minus (-)
buttons on the touchscreen.

In situations where the speed limit cannot be
detected, the speed is limited to 45 mph (70
km/h).

When Autosteer is engaged in these
situations, it reduces your driving speed and
your set speed to be within these limits. You
can manually accelerate to exceed the limited
speed, but when you release the accelerator
pedal, Autosteer slows Model 3 to the limited
speed. When you leave the road, or disengage
Autosteer by using the steering wheel, you
can increase your set speed again, if desired.

oset from speed limit

Autosteer detects your hands by recognizing
light resistance as the steering wheel turns or
from you manually turning the steering wheel
very lightly (i.e., without enough force to
retake control). When your hands are
detected, the message disappears and
Autosteer resumes normal operation.

Note: Autosteer may also sound a chime at
the same time that the message is initially
displayed.

Autosteer requires that you pay attention to
your surroundings and remain prepared to
take control at any time. If Autosteer still does
not detect your hands on the steering wheel,
the request escalates by sounding chimes that
increase in frequency.

If you repeatedly ignore hands-on prompts,
Autosteer displays the following message and
becomes disabled for the rest of the drive. If
you don't resume manual steering, Autosteer
sounds a continuous chime, turns on the
warning
complete stop.

For the rest of the drive, you must steer
manually. Autosteer is available again after
you stop and shift the vehicle into Park.

flashers, and slows the vehicle to a

Take Over Immediately

In situations where Autosteer is unable to
steer Model 3, Autosteer sounds a warning
chime and displays the following message on
the touchscreen:

Hold Steering Wheel

Autosteer uses data from the camera(s),
sensors, and GPS to determine how best to
steer Model 3. When active, Autosteer requires
you to hold the steering wheel. If it does not
detect your hands on the steering wheel for a
period of time, a
on the touchscreen and the following message
displays:

64 Model 3 Owner's Manual

flashing white light appears

When you see this message, TAKE OVER

STEERING IMMEDIATELY.

Canceling Autosteer

Autosteer cancels when:

• You start steering manually.

• You press the brake pedal.

• You unbuckle the driver's seat belt.

• The maximum speed that Autosteer
supports–90 mph (150 km/h)–is
exceeded.

• You move the gear lever upwards.

• An Automatic Emergency Braking event
occurs (see Collision Avoidance Assist on
page 75).

When Autosteer cancels, it sounds chimes and
the Autosteer icon turns gray to indicate that
Autosteer is no longer active or disappears to
indicate that it is not currently available.

Note: If Autosteer cancels because you
started steering manually,
Cruise Control remains active. Disengage
Trac-Aware Cruise Control as you normally
would, by pressing the brake pedal.

To disable Autosteer so it is no longer
available, touch Controls > Autopilot >
Autosteer (Beta) > OFF.

Trac-Aware

Limitations

Autosteer is particularly unlikely to operate as
intended in the following situations:

• Autosteer is unable to accurately
determine lane markings due to poor
visibility (heavy rain, snow, fog, etc.), or
obstructed, covered, or damaged
camera(s) or sensor(s).

• When driving on hills.

• When approaching a toll booth.

• The road has sharp curves or is
excessively rough.

• Bright light (such as direct sunlight) is
interfering with the view of the camera(s).

• The sensors are
electrical equipment or devices that
generate ultrasonic waves.

Warning:

can impair the operation of Autosteer.
Always keep this in mind and remember
that as a result, Autosteer may not steer
Model 3 appropriately. Always drive
attentively and be prepared to take
immediate action.

aected by other

Many unforeseen circumstances

Autosteer

Driver Assistance 65

Auto Lane Change

Warning: Auto Lane Change is designed

to be used only when driving on
restricted-access highways (i.e. with on­ramps and o-ramps).

If you have purchased the optional Enhanced
Autopilot or Full Self-Driving Capability
packages, you can use Auto Lane Change to
move Model 3 into an adjacent lane without
moving the steering wheel (which would
cancel Autosteer). When both
Cruise Control and Autosteer are active, Auto
Lane Change intelligently steers Model 3 into
an adjacent driving lane. Using the forward
looking camera(s), the radar sensor, and
ultrasonic sensors, Model 3 detects lane
markings and the presence of other vehicles.

Auto Lane Change is designed for use on
restricted-access highways with visible lane
markings and under relatively predictable
circumstances in which minimal steering and
driver intervention is needed.

Warning: It is the driver's responsibility to
determine whether a lane change is safe
and appropriate. Auto Lane Change
cannot detect oncoming trac in the
target lane, especially fast moving
vehicles from the rear. Therefore, before
initiating a lane change, always check
blind spots, lane markings, and the
surrounding roadway to
and appropriate to move into the target
lane.

Warning: Never depend on Auto Lane
Change to determine an appropriate
driving path. Drive attentively by
watching the road and trac ahead of
you, checking the surrounding area, and
monitoring the touchscreen for warnings.
Always be prepared to take immediate
action.

Warning: Do not use Auto Lane Change
on city streets or on roads where trac
conditions are constantly changing and
where bicycles and pedestrians are
present.

Warning: The performance of Auto Lane
Change depends on the ability of the
camera(s) to recognize lane markings.

Warning: Do not use Auto Lane Change
on winding roads with sharp curves, on
icy or slippery roads, or when weather
conditions (such as heavy rain, snow, fog,
etc.) may be obstructing the view from
the camera(s) or sensors.

66 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Trac-Aware

confirm it is safe

Warning: Failure to follow all warnings
and instructions can result in serious
property damage, injury or death.

Operating Auto Lane Change

Before you can operate Auto Lane Change,
you must enable it by touching Controls >

Autopilot > Auto Lane Change > ON.

Note: Before you can turn on Auto Lane

Change, you must turn on Autosteer (see

Autosteer on page 63). Without Autosteer,

Auto Lane Change cannot operate.

Note: Your chosen setting is retained until you
manually change it.

To change lanes using Auto Lane Change:

1. Perform visual checks to make sure it is
safe and appropriate to move into the
target lane.

2. Engage the appropriate turn signal.

3. Disengage the turn signal after you are in

the target lane.

Auto Lane Change moves Model 3 into the
adjacent lane in the direction indicated by the
turn signal, provided the following conditions
are met:

• The Auto Lane Change setting is turned
on.

• The turn signal is engaged.

• Autosteer is actively steering Model 3.

• The ultrasonic sensors detect no vehicle
or obstacles up to the center of the target
lane.

• The lane markings indicate that a lane
change is permitted.

• The view of the camera(s) is not
obstructed.

• Lane Assist does not detect a vehicle in
the blind spot (see Lane Assist on page

73).

• Midway through the lane change, Auto
Lane Change can detect the outside lane
marking of the target lane.

• Driving speed is at least 30 mph
(45 km/h).

As the lane change is in progress, Overtake
Acceleration is activated, allowing Model 3 to
accelerate closer to a vehicle in front (see

Overtake Acceleration on page 61). Midway

through the lane change, Auto Lane Change
must be able to detect the target lane's
outside lane marking. If this lane marking
cannot be detected, both Auto Lane Change
and Autosteer will cancel.

Auto Lane Change

Note: Auto Lane Change moves Model 3 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.

Warning: If Auto Lane Change cannot
detect the outside of the target lane
midway through the lane change, both
Auto Lane Change and Autosteer will
cancel. The touchscreen displays a
message instructing you to take over the
steering wheel immediately.

When Auto Lane Change is active, 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. On the touchscreen,
the lane line you are crossing over displays as
a dashed blue line and once in your new lane,
the lane markings display as solid blue lines.

In situations where Auto Lane Change is
unable to operate at optimal performance, or
cannot operate due to inadequate data, the
touchscreen displays a series of warnings.
Therefore, when using Auto Lane Change,
always pay attention to the touchscreen and
be prepared to manually steer Model 3.

Warning: When Auto Lane Change is
actively steering Model 3, the steering
wheel moves accordingly. Any significant
restriction of or force on the steering
wheel's movement can cancel both Auto
Lane Change and Autosteer.

Canceling Auto Lane Change

Auto Lane Change cancels when you manually
move the steering wheel, press the brake
pedal, or disengage the turn indicator before
Model 3 crosses the markers on the existing
lane.

To disable Auto Lane Change so it is no longer
available, touch Controls > Autopilot > Auto
Lane Change > OFF.

• Auto Lane Change is unable to accurately
determine lane markings. For example,
lane markings are excessively worn, have
been adjusted due to road construction,
are changing quickly (lanes branching o,
crossing over, or merging), objects or
landscape features are casting strong
shadows on the lane markings, or the road
surface contains pavement seams or other
high-contrast lines.

• A vehicle is detected in your blind spot
when you engage the turn signal.

• The road has sharp curves.

• Visibility is poor (due to heavy rain, snow,
fog, etc.) or weather conditions are
interfering with sensor operation.

• Bright light (oncoming headlights or
direct sunlight) is interfering with the view
of the camera(s).

• A sensor or camera is damaged or
obstructed (such as by mud, fog, ice,
snow, etc.).

• The sensors are
electrical equipment or devices that
generate ultrasonic waves.

• Model 3 is being driven very close to a
vehicle in front of it, which is blocking the
view of the camera(s).

Warning: Many unforeseen circumstances
can impair the operation of Auto Lane
Change. Always keep this in mind and
remember that as a result, Auto Lane
Change may not steer Model 3
appropriately. Always drive attentively
and stay prepared to immediately take
action at any time.

aected by other

Limitations

Auto Lane Change is particularly unlikely to
operate as intended in the following types of
situations:

Driver Assistance 67

Autopark

If you have purchased the optional Enhanced
Autopilot or Full Self-Driving Capability
package, Autopark uses data from ultrasonic
sensors and the Global Positioning System
(GPS) to:

• Simplify parking on public roads by
maneuvering Model 3 into parallel and
perpendicularparking spaces. See Parking

on Public Roads on page 68.

• Automatically park and retrieve Model 3
from outside the vehicle on a private
residential property. See Using Summon
on page 70.

Warning: Summon is a BETA feature.
Please use this feature with caution,
staying prepared to take immediate
action at any time.

Warning: Autopark's performance
depends on the ability of the ultrasonic
sensors to determine the vehicle's
proximity to curbs, objects, and other
vehicles.

68 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Parking on Public Roads

When driving, follow these steps to allow
Autopark to maneuver Model 3 into a parking
space:

1. When driving slowly on a public road,
monitor the touchscreen to determine
when Autopark has detected a parking
space. When Autopark detects a potential
parking space, the touchscreen displays
an icon. Autopark detects parallel parking
locations when driving below 15 mph (24
km/h) and perpendicular parking
locations when driving below 10 mph (16
km/h).

Note: The parking icon appears only if the
vehicle's position and/or the
circumstances of the surrounding area are
such that Autopark can determine an
appropriate driving path. If Autopark
cannot determine an appropriate path (for
example, when driving on a narrow street
where moving into the parking space
causes the front of the vehicle to extend
into the adjacent lane), you can either
reposition the vehicle,
parking space, or park manually.

2. Check to determine if the detected
parking space is appropriate and safe. If
so, pull forward and stop approximately a
car length ahead of the parking space (as
you normally would when parallel parking
or when backing into a perpendicular
parking space).

3. Release the steering wheel, shift Model 3
into Reverse, then touch Start Autopark
on the touchscreen.

4. When parking is complete, Autopark
displays the "Complete" message.

In situations where Autopark cannot operate
due to inadequate sensor data, the
touchscreen displays a message indicating
that you must manually park Model 3.

Note: If you press the brake when Autopark is
actively parking Model 3, the parking process
pauses until you touch Resume on the
touchscreen.

Note: Autopark detects potential
perpendicular parking spaces that are at least

9.5 feet (2.9 meters) wide with a vehicle

find a dierent

Autopark

parked on each side. Autopark detects parallel
parking spaces that are at least 20 feet (6
meters), but less than 30 feet (9 meters) long.
Autopark does not operate on angled parking
spaces.

Warning: Never depend on Autopark to
find a parking space that is legal, suitable,
and safe. Autopark may not always detect
objects in the parking space. Always
perform visual checks to confirm that a
parking space is appropriate and safe.

Warning: When Autopark is actively
steering Model 3, the steering wheel
moves in accordance with Autopark's
adjustments. Do not interfere with the
movement of the steering wheel. Doing
so cancels Autopark.

Warning: During the parking sequence,
continually check your surroundings. Be
prepared to apply the brakes to avoid
vehicles, pedestrians, or objects.

Warning: When Autopark is active,
monitor the touchscreen to ensure that
you are aware of the instructions that
Autopark is providing.

To Cancel Parking

Autopark cancels the parking sequence when
you manually move the steering wheel,
change gears, or touch Cancel on the
touchscreen. Autopark also cancels parking
when:

• The parking sequence exceeds the
maximum of seven moves.

• The driver's seat belt is unbuckled.

• A door is opened.

• You press the accelerator pedal.

• You press the brake pedal twice in quick
succession.

• An Automatic Emergency Braking event
occurs (see Collision Avoidance Assist on
page 75).

• Visibility is poor (due to heavy rain, snow,
fog, etc.).

• The curb is constructed of material other
than stone, or the curb cannot be
detected.

• One or more of the ultrasonic sensors is
damaged, dirty, or obstructed (such as by
mud, ice, or snow).

• Weather conditions (heavy rain, snow, fog,
or extremely hot or cold temperatures)
are interfering with sensor operation.

• The sensors are
electrical equipment or devices that
generate ultrasonic waves.

Warning: Many unforeseen circumstances
can impair Autopark's ability to park
Model 3. Keep this in mind and remember
that as a result, Autopark may not steer
Model 3 appropriately. Pay attention
when parking Model 3 and stay prepared
to immediately take control.

aected by other

To Pause Parking

To pause Autopark, press the brake pedal
once. Model 3 stops and remains stopped until
you touch Resume on the touchscreen.

Limitations

Autopark is particularly unlikely to operate as
intended in the these situations:

• The road is sloped. Autopark is designed
to operate on

Driver Assistance 69

flat roads only.

Autopark

Using Summon

Note: Summon is a BETA feature. Summon is designed and intended for use only on a private

residential property where the surrounding area is familiar and predictable. When using Summon,
you must continually monitor the vehicle. It is the driver's responsibility to use this feature safely,
responsibly, and as intended.

With Summon, you can move Model 3 in and out of a parking space from outside the vehicle using
the mobile app. You can also customize Summon to park or retrieve Model 3 with a single touch of
a button and to initiate parking automatically after you double-press the Park gear and exit the
vehicle. Using data from the ultrasonic sensors, Summon maneuvers Model 3 forward or reverse
into a parking space. When parking is complete Summon shifts Model 3 into Park. Parking is
complete when:

• Model 3 detects an obstacle in its driving path (within a chosen distance)

• Summon has moved Model 3 the maximum distance of 39 feet (12 meters)

OR

• In the case of reversing, Summon has reached the maximum Summon Distance.

To use Summon:

• FIRST TIME ONLY: Enable Summon and customize how it works (see Customizing Summon on
page 70).

• Position Model 3 for parking (see Position the Vehicle for Parking on page 71).

• Initiate the parking maneuver using the mobile app or by double-pressing the Park gear.
Detailed instructions for each method are provided later.

You can summon Model 3 back to its original position if you previously auto parked it and the
vehicle has remained in the Park gear. Then, using the mobile app, simply specify the opposite
direction. Summon moves the vehicle along the original path provided the environment has not
changed (i.e. no obstructions have been introduced). If obstacles are detected, Summon attempts
to avoid the obstacles while staying as close as possible to its original path.

To cancel Summon and stop Model 3 at any time during a parking maneuver, use the mobile app
or (if sitting in the vehicle) interact with the steering wheel, brake pedal, accelerator pedal, or gear
stalk.

Note: If you want Summon to move multiple times in the same direction, up to the maximum of 39
feet (12 meters), cancel Summon and then re-initiate the parking process, choosing the same
direction.

Note: Summon can move Model 3 a short distance laterally to avoid an obstacle but in doing so,
does not return the vehicle to its driving path (i.e. Summon does not attempt to move Model 3
around an obstacle).

Warning:

by a vehicle bra, excessive paint, or adhesive products (such as wraps, stickers, rubber
coating, etc.).

Warning: Model 3 cannot detect obstacles that are located lower than the bumper, very
narrow (i.e. bicycles), or hanging from a ceiling. In addition, many unforeseen circumstances
can impair Summon's ability to move in or out of a parking space and as a result, Summon
may not appropriately steer Model 3. Therefore, you must continually monitor the vehicle's
movement and surroundings and remain prepared to stop Model 3 at any time.

Summon is unable to operate as intended if the ultrasonic sensors are obstructed

Customizing Summon

Before operating Summon, use the touchscreen to enable it. Touch Controls > Autopilot >
Summon > ON.

Then touch Customize to specify how Summon operates whenever it parks or retrieves your
vehicle:

70 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Autopark

• Bumper Clearance: Set the distance that you want Summon to stop from a detected object.
For example, you may want Summon to stop within just a few inches of the garage wall. This
distance applies only to objects detected directly in front of (when moving forward) or behind
(when reversing) Model 3.

• Summon Distance: Specify the distance Model 3 travels when backing out of a parking space.

• Side Clearance: Allow Model 3 to enter and exit very narrow parking spaces.

Warning: Parking in a narrow space limits the ability of the sensors to accurately detect
the location of obstacles, increasing the risk of damage to Model 3 and/or surrounding

• Require Continuous Press (U.S. Only): By default, Summon requires that you press and hold a

• Use Auto HomeLink (if equipped): Set to ON if you want to activate HomeLink to open/close

Note: All settings associated with Summon are retained until you manually change them.

objects.

button on the mobile app to move the vehicle during the parking process. When you set
Require Continuous Press to NO, you can:

• Park Model 3 by simply double pressing the Park gear, specifying the direction on the

touchscreen (if reversing), then exiting the vehicle.

• Park or retrieve Model 3 with a single touch of a button on the mobile app.

a programmed garage door that meets safety standards during the parking process. If
enabled, the garage door automatically opens and closes when Model 3 enters or exits.

Note: This setting automatically opens and closes the garage door only when using Summon.
To automate HomeLink in other situations (such as when driving), you must access the
HomeLink device's main settings by touching Controls > HomeLink (see HomeLink® Universal

Transceiver on page 99).

Warning: Do not use this setting with gates or with a garage door that does not meet
safety standards. A garage door opener that does not have safety stop and reverse
features (cannot detect an object in its path and then automatically stop and reverse)
does not meet these standards. Using a garage door opener without these features
increases the risk of injury or death.

Position the Vehicle for Parking

Before operating Summon, align Model 3 laterally with the parking space so Model 3 can move
straight into the space in either Drive or Reverse. You must also position Model 3 within 39 feet (12
meters) of the parking space (the maximum distance that Summon can move Model 3).

If applicable, open your garage door. As described earlier, this can be automated using Auto
HomeLink (if equipped).

Note: Use Summon on
approximately 1 in (2.5 cm).

Operating Summon with the Mobile App

On the mobile app, start Summon and hold down the forward or reverse button to move Model 3
into the parking space. (U.S. Only): If Require Continuous Press is set to NO (see Customizing

Summon on page 70), you do not need to hold down the button, just touch and release.

Summon shifts Model 3 into Drive or Reverse (based on the direction you
into the parking space.

Note: Summon cancels if your phone enters sleep mode or is turned o.

Initiate Automatic Parking Before Exiting the Vehicle (U.S. Only)

If Require Continuous Press is set to NO, you can initiate the parking maneuver from inside Model
3 before exiting:

Driver Assistance 71

flat driveways only where a raised concrete edge does not exceed

specified) and drives

Autopark

1. While sitting in Model 3 with the vehicle powered on, double press the Park gear.

The touchscreen displays a message indicating that Summon is engaged, and the touchscreen
displays a popup window.

2. On the touchscreen, choose the direction of travel.

3. Exit Model 3 and close the door.

Note: All doors and trunks must be closed.

Note: To cancel the parking maneuver before exiting the vehicle, touch Cancel on the popup

window.

Note: If no direction of travel was selected on the touchscreen, Model 3 will not attempt the
parking maneuver after you exit the vehicle.

Summon now drives Model 3 into the parking space according to the direction you
the touchscreen.

Stopping or Canceling Summon

You can stop Model 3 at any time while Summon is active by using the mobile app. Summon also
cancels when:

• A door handle is pressed or a door is opened.

• You interact with the steering wheel, brake pedal, accelerator pedal, or gear stalk.

• Model 3 detects an obstacle and cannot move forward for more than approximately two
seconds.

• Summon has moved Model 3 the maximum distance of approximately 39 feet (12 meters).

Limitations

Summon is unlikely to operate as intended in the following types of situations:

• The road is sloped. Summon is designed to operate on

• Summon has detected a raised concrete edge when moving forward into the parking location.
Summon does not drive forward over an edge that is higher than approximately 1 in (2.5 cm).

• One or more of the ultrasonic sensors is damaged, dirty, or obstructed (such as by mud, ice,
or snow).

• Weather conditions (heavy rain, snow, fog, or extremely hot or cold temperatures) are
interfering with sensor operation.

• The sensors are
waves.

Warning:

with proper operation of Autopark's Summon feature. It is the driver's responsibility to remain
in control of Model 3 at all times. Pay close attention whenever Summon is actively moving
Model 3 and stay prepared to take immediate action. Failure to do so can result in serious
property damage, injury or death.

aected by other electrical equipment or devices that generate ultrasonic

The list above does not represent an exhaustive list of situations that may interfere

flat roads only.

specified on

72 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Lane Assist

The cameras monitor the markers on the lane
you are driving in and the ultrasonic sensors
monitor the surrounding areas and the blind
spot for the presence of a vehicle or other
objects.

When an object is detected in your blind spot
or close to the side of Model 3 (such as a
vehicle, guard rail, etc.), colored lines radiate
from the image of Model 3 on the
touchscreen. The location of the lines
correspond to the location of the detected
object. The color of the lines (white, yellow,
orange, or red) represents the object's
proximity to Model 3, with white being the
farthest and red being very close and
requiring your immediate attention. These
colored lines only display when driving
between approximately 7 and 85 mph (12 and
140 km/h). When Autosteer is active, these
colored lines also display if driving slower than
7 mph (12 km/h). However, the colored lines
do not display if Model 3 is at a standstill (for
example, in heavy

Lane Assist also warns you of undesired lane
departures by vibrating the steering wheel
slightly if a front wheel passes over a lane
marking and the associated turn signal is
This warning is active only when driving
between approximately 36 and 90 mph (59
and 150 km/h). To turn this warning on or
touch Controls > Autopilot > Settings > Lane
Departure Warning. Your chosen setting is
retained until you manually change it.

trac).

o.

o,

In addition to the warnings described above,
Lane Assist may provide steering interventions
if Model 3 drifts into (or close to) an adjacent
lane in which an object, such as a vehicle, is
detected. In these situations, Model 3
automatically steers to a safer position in its
driving lane. This steering is applied only when
Model 3 is traveling between 30 and 85 mph
(48 and 140 km/h) on major roadways with
clearly visible lane markings. When Lane
Assist applies a steering intervention, the
touchscreen
message.

briefly displays a warning

Warning: Steering interventions are
minimal and are not designed to move
Model 3 out of its driving lane. Do not rely
on steering interventions to avoid side
collisions.

Warning: Lane Assist features are for
guidance purposes only and are not
intended to replace your own direct visual
checks. Never depend on Lane Assist to
inform you of unintentionally driving
outside of the boundaries of the driving
lane or informing you that an object or
vehicle is in your blind spot or close to
the side of your vehicle. Several external
factors can reduce the performance of
Lane Assist. It is the driver's responsibility
to stay alert, pay attention to the driving
lane and always be aware of other road
users. Failure to do so can result in
serious injury or death.

Warning: Lane Assist is designed to
detect lane markings and may not detect
the edge of a road, especially if the road
has no curb. It is the driver's responsibility
to drive attentively and stay within the
boundaries of the driving lane.

Warning: Before changing lanes, always
visually check the lane you are moving
into by using side mirrors and performing
the appropriate shoulder checks. Several
factors can aect the performance of the
Lane Assist warnings, resulting in lack of,
or false warnings (see Limitations and

Inaccuracies on page 73).

Limitations and Inaccuracies

Lane Assist cannot always clearly detect lane
markings and you may experience
unnecessary or invalid warnings in these
situations:

Driver Assistance 73

Lane Assist

• Visibility is poor and lane markings are not
clearly visible (due to heavy rain, snow,
fog, etc.). The exact detection zone of the
ultrasonic sensors vary depending on
environmental conditions.

• Bright light (such as from oncoming
headlights or direct sunlight) is interfering
with the view of the camera(s).

• A vehicle in front of Model 3 is blocking
the view of the camera(s).

• The windshield is obstructing the view of
the camera(s) (fogged over, dirty, covered
by a sticker, etc.).

• Lane markings are excessively worn, have
been adjusted due to road construction,
or are changing quickly (for example,
lanes branching
merging).

• The road is narrow or winding.

• Objects or landscape features are casting
strong shadows on lane markers.

Lane Assist may not provide warnings, or may
apply inappropriate warnings, in these
situations:

• One or more of the ultrasonic sensors is
damaged, dirty, or obstructed (such as by
mud, ice, or snow).

• Weather conditions (heavy rain, snow, fog,
or extremely hot or cold temperatures)
are interfering with sensor operation.

• The sensors are
electrical equipment or devices that
generate ultrasonic waves.

• An object that is mounted to Model 3 is
interfering with and/or obstructing a
sensor (such as a bike rack or a bumper
sticker).

In addition, Lane Assist may not steer Model 3
away from an adjacent vehicle, or may apply
unnecessary or inappropriate steering, in
these situations:

• You are driving Model 3 on sharp corners
or on a curve at a relatively high speed.

• Bright light (such as from oncoming
headlights or direct sunlight) is interfering
with the view of the camera(s).

• You are drifting into another lane but an
object (such as a vehicle) is not present.

• A vehicle in another lane cuts in front of
you or drifts into your driving lane.

• Model 3 is traveling slower than 30 mph
(48 km/h) or faster than 90 mph (145
km/h).

o, crossing over, or

aected by other

• One or more of the ultrasonic sensors is
damaged, dirty, or obstructed (such as by
mud, ice, or snow).

• Weather conditions (heavy rain, snow, fog,
or extremely hot or cold temperatures)
are interfering with sensor operation.

• The sensors are aected by other
electrical equipment or devices that
generate ultrasonic waves.

• An object mounted to Model 3 (such as a
bike rack or a bumper sticker) is
interfering with or obstructing a sensor.

• Visibility is poor and lane markings are not
clearly visible (due to heavy rain, snow,
fog, etc.).

• Lane markings are excessively worn, have
been adjusted due to road construction or
are changing quickly (for example, lanes
branching

Warning: The lists above do not represent
every possible situation that may interfere
with Lane Assist warnings. Lane Assist
may not operate as intended for many
other reasons. To avoid a collision, stay
alert and always pay attention to the
roadway when driving Model 3 so you can
anticipate the need to take corrective
action as early as possible.

Caution: If a fault occurs with the Lane
Assist system, Model 3 displays an alert.
Contact Tesla Service.

o, crossing over, or merging).

74 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Collision Avoidance Assist

The following collision avoidance feature(s)
are designed to increase the safety of you and
your passengers:

• Forward Collision Warning - provides
visual and audible warnings in situations
where there is a high risk of a frontal
collision (see Forward Collision Warning
on page 75).

• Automatic Emergency Braking ­automatically applies braking to reduce
the impact of a frontal collision (see

Automatic Emergency Braking on page

76).

Warning: Forward Collision Warning is 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
Forward Collision Warning to warn you of
a potential collision. Several factors can
reduce or impair performance, causing
either unnecessary, invalid, inaccurate, or
missed warnings. Depending on Forward
Collision Warning to warn you of a
potential collision can result in serious
injury or death.

Warning: 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.

Forward Collision Warning

The forward looking camera(s) and the radar
sensor monitor the area in front of Model 3 for
the presence of an object such as a vehicle,
bicycle, or pedestrian. If a collision is
considered likely unless you take immediate
corrective action, Forward Collision Warning is
designed to sound a chime and highlight the
vehicle in front of you in red on the
touchscreen. If this happens, TAKE

IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION!

Driver Assistance 75

Warnings cancel automatically when the risk
of a collision has been reduced (for example,
you have decelerated or stopped Model 3, or
the object in front of your vehicle has moved
out of your driving path).

If immediate action is not taken when Model 3
issues a Forward Collision Warning, Automatic
Emergency Braking (if enabled) may
automatically apply the brakes if a collision is
considered imminent (see Automatic

Emergency Braking on page 76).

By default, Forward Collision Warning is
turned on. To turn it
touch Controls > Autopilot > Settings >
Forward Collision Warning. Instead of the
default warning level of Medium, you can turn
the warning
warned Late or Early.

Note: Your chosen setting for Forward
Collision Warning is retained until you
manually change it.

Warning:

associated with Forward Collision
Warning are designed to monitor an
approximate area of up to 525 feet
(160 meters) in your driving path. The
area being monitored by Forward
Collision Warning can be adversely
aected by road and weather conditions.
Use appropriate caution when driving.

Warning: Forward Collision Warning is
designed only to provide visual and
audible alerts. It does not attempt to
apply the brakes or decelerate Model 3.
When seeing and/or hearing a warning, it
is the driver's responsibility to take
corrective action immediately.

Warning: Forward Collision Warning may
provide a warning in situations where the
likelihood of collision may not exist. Stay

o or adjust its sensitivity,

O, or you can choose to be

The camera(s) and sensors

Collision Avoidance Assist

alert and always pay attention to the area
in front of Model 3 so you can anticipate
whether any action is required.

Warning: Forward Collision Warning
operates only when driving between
approximately 7 mph (10 km/h) and 90
mph (150 km/h).

Warning: Forward Collision Warning does
not provide a warning when the driver is
already applying the brake.

Automatic Emergency Braking

The forward looking camera(s) and the radar
sensor are designed to determine the distance
from an object (vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle, or
pedestrian) traveling in front of Model 3.
When a frontal collision is considered
unavoidable, Automatic Emergency Braking is
designed to apply the brakes to reduce the
severity of the impact.

When Automatic Emergency Braking applies
the brakes, the touchscreen displays a visual
warning and sounds a chime. You may also
notice abrupt downward movement of the
brake pedal. The brake lights turn on to alert
other road users that you are slowing down.

Automatic Emergency Braking operates only
when driving between approximately 7 mph
(10 km/h) and 90 mph (150 km/h).

Automatic Emergency Braking does not apply
the brakes, or stops applying the brakes,
when:

• You turn the steering wheel sharply.

• You press and release the brake pedal
while Automatic Emergency Braking is
applying the brakes.

• You accelerate hard (i.e., accelerator pedal
pressure increases from below 90% to
above 90%) while Automatic Emergency
Braking is applying the brakes.

• The vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle, or
pedestrian is no longer detected ahead.

Automatic Emergency Braking is always
enabled when you start Model 3. To disable it
for your current drive, touch Controls >

Autopilot > Automatic Emergency Braking >
OFF.

Warning:

you do not disable Automatic Emergency

It is strongly recommended that

Braking. If you disable it, Model 3 does
not automatically apply the brakes in
situations where a collision is considered
likely.

Warning: Automatic Emergency Braking
is designed to reduce the severity of an
impact. It is not designed to avoid a
collision.

Warning: Several factors can aect the
performance of Automatic Emergency
Braking, causing either no braking or
inappropriate or untimely braking. It is the
driver’s responsibility to drive safely and
remain in control of the vehicle at all
times. Never depend on Automatic
Emergency Braking to avoid or reduce
the impact of a collision.

Warning: Automatic Emergency Braking
is designed to reduce the impact of
frontal collisions only and does not
function when Model 3 is in Reverse.

Warning: Automatic Emergency Braking
is not a substitute for maintaining a safe
traveling distance between you and the
vehicle in front of you.

Warning: The brake pedal moves
downward abruptly during automatic
braking events. Always ensure that the
brake pedal can move freely. Do not place
material on top of the Tesla-supplied
driver’s floor mat (including an additional
mat) and always ensure that the driver’s
floor mat is properly secured. Failure to
do so can impede the ability of the brake
pedal to move freely.

Note: For advance notice of an Automatic
Emergency Braking event, turn on Forward
Collision Warning (see Forward Collision

Warning on page 75). When turned on, you

hear a chime and see a collision warning on
the touchscreen if a collision is considered
likely. Then, if you do not take immediate
corrective action, a collision is considered
imminent and Automatic Emergency Braking
applies braking to reduce driving speed. If
enabled, Automatic Emergency Braking
applies braking when a collision is considered
inevitable, even if Forward Collision Warning is
turned

o.

76 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Limitations and Inaccuracies

Collision Avoidance features cannot always
detect vehicles, bikes, or pedestrians, and you
may experience unnecessary, inaccurate,
invalid, or missed warnings for many reasons,
particularly if:

• The road has sharp curves.

• Visibility is poor (due to heavy rain, snow,
fog, etc.).

• Bright light (such as from oncoming
headlights or direct sunlight) is interfering
with the view of the camera(s).

• The radar sensor is obstructed (dirty,
covered, etc.).

• The windshield is obstructing the view of
the camera(s) (fogged over, dirty, covered
by a sticker, etc.).

Warning: The limitations described above
do not represent an exhaustive list of
situations that may interfere with proper
operation of Collision Avoidance Assist
features. These features may fail to
provide their intended function for many
other reasons. It is the driver’s
responsibility to avoid collisions by
staying alert and paying attention to the
area beside Model 3 so you can anticipate
the need to take corrective action as early
as possible.

Caution: If a fault occurs with a Collision
Avoidance Assist feature, Model 3
displays an alert. Contact Tesla Service.

Collision Avoidance Assist

Driver Assistance 77

Speed Assist

How Speed Assist Works

The forward looking camera(s) detect speed
limit signs. The speed limit signs are then
analyzed and compared against GPS data to
determine the speed limit at your current
driving location. For routes where no speed
limit signs are present or cannot be detected,
speed limits are determined using GPS data (if
available). Instead of determining the speed
limit based on speed limit signs and GPS data,
you can also manually enter an arbitrary speed
limit.

Note: The cameras cannot detect speed limit
signs at this time. This functionality is
expected to be implemented in a future
software update.

When the Speed Limit Warning is turned on
(described below), the touchscreen displays a
speed limit sign. Warnings (described later)
take

eect when you exceed this limit.

In situations where Speed Assist is unable to
determine a speed limit (for example, speed
limit signs and GPS data are not available at
the current location), or if Speed Assist is
uncertain that an acquired speed limit is
accurate (for example, although a speed limit
sign was initially detected, some time has
passed before a subsequent sign has been
detected), the touchscreen may not display a
speed limit sign and warnings do not take

eect.

If you set the speed limit warning to
(see Controlling Speed Assist on page 78)
and exceed the determined speed limit, the
speed limit sign on the touchscreen increases
in size.

If you set the speed limit warning to Chime
(see Controlling Speed Assist on page 78)
and exceed the determined speed limit, the
speed limit sign on the touchscreen increases
in size and Model 3 also sounds a warning
chime.

Note: Speed limit warnings go away after ten
seconds, or when Model 3 slows down below
the

specified limit.

Warning: Do not rely on Speed Assist to
determine the appropriate speed limit or
driving speed. Always drive at a safe
speed based on trac and road
conditions.

Display

Controlling Speed Assist

To adjust the Speed Limit Warning setting,
touch Controls > Autopilot > Settings >
Speed Limit Warning, then choose one of
these options:

•

O - Speed limit warnings do not display
and chimes are not sounded.

• Display - Speed limit signs display on the
touchscreen and the sign increases in size
when you exceed the determined limit.

• Chime - In addition to the visual display, a
chime is sounded whenever you exceed
the determined speed limit.

You can also specify how the speed limit is
determined:

• Relative - The speed limit is determined
automatically based on detected
signs and GPS data. If desired, you can set
a speed limit
be alerted only when you exceed the
oset speed limit by a specified amount.
For example, you can increase the oset
to +10 mph (10 km/h) if you only want to
be warned when you exceed the speed
limit by 10 mph (10 km/h).

• Absolute - Manually specify any speed
limit between 20 and 140 mph (30 and
240 km/h).

Note: GPS data is not always accurate. The
GPS can miscalculate a road's location and
provide the speed limit for a directly adjacent
road that may have a
example, the GPS can assume Model 3 is on a

oset (+ or -) if you want to

dierent speed limit. For

trac

78 Model 3 Owner's Manual

freeway or highway when it is actually on a
nearby surface street, and vice versa.

Note: Your chosen setting is retained until you
manually change it.

Limitations and Inaccuracies

Speed Assist may not be fully functional or
may provide inaccurate information in these
situations:

Note: The cameras cannot detect speed limit
signs at this time. This functionality is
expected to be implemented in a future
software update.

• Visibility is poor and speed limit signs are
not clearly visible (due to heavy rain,
snow, fog, etc.).

• Bright light (such as from oncoming
headlights or direct sunlight) is interfering
with the view of the camera(s).

• Model 3 is being driven very close to a
vehicle in front of it which is blocking the
view of the camera(s).

• The windshield is obstructing the view of
the camera(s) (fogged over, dirty, covered
by a sticker, etc.).

• Speed limit signs are concealed by
objects.

• The speed limits stored in the GPS
database are incorrect or outdated.

• Model 3 is being driven in an area where
GPS data is not available.

•

Trac signs do not conform to standard
recognizable formats.

• A road or a speed limit has recently
changed.

Warning:

represent an exhaustive list of situations
that may interfere with proper operation
of Speed Assist. Speed Assist may fail to
provide warnings for many other reasons.

The list above does not

Speed Assist

Driver Assistance 79

Controls and Settings

Overview

Touch Controls on the bottom left corner of the touchscreen to control features
and customize Model 3 to suit your preferences. The Controls window appears
over map. Choose from the available options displayed on the right side of this
window. For your convenience, Quick Controls is selected by default and a
grouping of predetermined frequently-used settings appear in the main viewing
area. Additional controls are available in the list on the right side of the window.

To close the Controls window, touch the X in the top left corner or touch
Controls again.

To access Settings associated with a Controls window (if applicable), touch the
gear icon in the top right corner of a Controls window.

Note: The following illustration is provided for demonstration purposes only. Depending on vehicle
options, software version and market region, the options available may be dierent.

1.

Main viewing area. The options available for your chosen controls category display here.

2. List of available controls. When you choose a selection from thist list, its associated options
display in the main viewing area.

80 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Controls and Settings

Quick
Controls

Lights Control interior and exterior lights (see Lights on page 42).

Locks

Display

Control the headlights, control fog lights (if equipped) (see Lights on page

42), adjust the mirrors (see Adjusting Exterior Mirrors on page 36), adjust
the position of the steering wheel (see Adjusting Steering Wheel Position on
page 34), and change the brightness of the display.

Customize how you want door locks to behave:

• Window Lock: If on, window switches do not allow windows to be
rolled down.

• Child Protection Lock: If on, safety locks prevent the rear doors from
being opened from inside the vehicle (see Child Protection Lock on
page 10).

• Unlock Door: Choose whether you want the Driver door or All doors to
unlock when you approach Model 3 carrying your authenticated phone
(see Unlock Door on page 10).

• Walk Away Lock: If on, doors automatically lock when you walk away
from the vehicle, carrying your authenticated phone with you (see Walk

Away Lock on page 10).

• Walk Up Unlock: If on, doors automatically unlock when you walk up to
Model 3 carrying your authenticated phone with you (see Walk Up

Unlock on page 10).

• Unlock on Park: If on, doors automatically unlock when you engage the
Park gear (see Interior Locking and Unlocking on page 9).

Brightness: Drag the slider to manually control the brightness level of the
touchscreen.

Display Mode: Manually control DAY (light background) or NIGHT (dark
background) setting of the touchscreen. When set to AUTO, the brightness
changes automatically between day and night brightness based on ambient
lighting conditions.

Touch Settings to customize the following:

• Language: Set the language the touchscreen uses to display
information.

• Navigation Language (if available):Set the language used when Model
3 speaks navigation instructions.

• Region Format (if available): Choose a region to
convention used to display dates (mm dd yy/dd-mm-yy, etc) and
decimal separators (5.123, 5,123, etc).

• Distance: Choose if miles or km are shown on the range display,
speedometer, energy chart, trip meters, map searches and navigation
routes.

• Time Format: Choose if time is displayed in 12 or 24 hour format.

• Temperature: Choose if temperature is displayed in °C or °F.

• Screen Clean Mode: Disable the touchscreen momentarily for cleaning
purposes.

Note: Model 3 must be in Park to change the language. When you change
the language, you experience a brief delay as the vehicle shuts down and
restarts the touchscreen.

define the formatting

Using the Touchscreen 81

Controls and Settings

Driving

Autopilot Control the features that provide a safer and more convenient driving

Safety and
Security

Steering Mode: Adjust the amount of eort required to turn the steering

wheel. Sport feels more responsive whereas Comfort feels easier to drive
and park (see Adjusting Steering Eort on page 34).

Mirror Fold: Choose whether exterior mirrors automatically fold when
locking Model 3 and unfold when unlocking (see Mirrors on page 36).

Mirror Adjust: Adjust exterior side mirrors (see Mirrors on page 36).

Traction Control: Turn traction control on or

page 48).

Touch Settings to customize the following:

• Regenerative Braking: When you release the accelerator when driving,
regenerative braking slows Model 3 and feeds any surplus energy back
to the Battery. If set to LOW, Model 3 does not slow down as quickly,
but you may experience less range (see Regenerative Braking on page

47).

Note: Regardless of the setting, the energy gained by regenerative
braking is reduced if the Battery is full, or if it is extremely cold or hot
(the surplus energy is used to heat or cool the Battery).

• Creep: When on, Model 3 slowly moves forward when in Drive and
backward in Reverse when you release the brake (similar to a
conventional vehicle with an automatic transmission). You can adjust
this setting only when Model 3 is in Park.

• Park Assist Chimes: Turn on chimes to alert you of close proximity to
objects when parking (see Park Assist on page 49).

• Mirror Auto Tilt: See Mirrors on page 36.

• Mirror Auto Fold: See Mirrors on page 36.

experience (see About Driver Assistance on page 55).

Data Sharing: Allow the sharing of road measurement data (see Data

Sharing on page 151).

Cabin Overheat Protection: If set to ON, the air conditioning system can
reduce cabin temperatures in extremely hot ambient conditions for a period
of up to twelve hours after exiting your Tesla vehicle.

Warning: Never leave children or pets in the vehicle unattended. Due
to automatic shut-o or extreme outside conditions, the inside of the
vehicle can become dangerously hot even with Cabin Overheat
Protection enabled.

Warning: Cabin Overheat Protection does not operate when the
energy remaining in the Battery is 20% or less.

Security Alarm: Turn on an alarm that sounds if Model 3 does not detect an
authenticated phone or the RFID and a locked door or trunk is opened. An
alarm sounds and headlights and turn signals
page 98).

Allow Mobile Access: Choose whether you want to allow remote access by
the Tesla mobile app (see Mobile App on page 7).

o (see Traction Control on

flash (see Security Settings on

82 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Controls and Settings

Service

Manual Display this owner's manual.

Glovebox Open the glove box (see Glove Box on page 16).

Wiper Service Mode: If on, moves wiper blades to the service position to

make them easier to access when replacing them. Your Tesla vehicle must
be in Park (see Wipers and Washers on page 45).

• Factory Reset: Erase all personal data (saved addresses, music favorites,
etc.) and restore all customized settings to their factory defaults (see

Erasing Personal Data on page 83).

Naming Your Vehicle

To further personalize your Tesla vehicle, you can name it. The name you give your Model 3 will
appear in the mobile app. To name your vehicle, touch the Tesla “T” at the top center of the
touchscreen, then touch Name Your Vehicle.

When you save, Name Your Vehicle is replaced by the name you provided. You can touch the
name at any time to rename your vehicle.

Erasing Personal Data

You can erase all personal data (saved addresses, music favorites, imported contacts, HomeLink
programming, etc.) and restore all customized settings to their factory defaults. This is useful
when transferring ownership of your Tesla vehicle. Touch Controls > Service > Factory Reset.
Before erasing, Model 3
password associated with your MY TESLA account.

verifies your credentials by prompting you to enter the user name and

Using the Touchscreen 83

Climate Controls

Controlling Climate

The primary climate controls are always available at the bottom of the touchscreen. To turn the
climate control system on, touch the fan icon or touch the up or down arrow to adjust the cabin
temperature.

By default, climate control is set to the Auto setting, which maintains optimum comfort in all but
the most severe weather conditions. When you adjust the cabin temperature in the Auto setting,
the system automatically adjusts the heating, air conditioning, air distribution, air circulation, and
fan speed to maintain the cabin at your selected temperature. To override the Auto setting, touch
the fan icon then manually change your settings in the window that appears (see Customizing

Climate Control on page 85).

1. The windshield defroster distributes air flow to the windshield. Touch once to turn on, touch a
second time to operate the heating and fan at their maximum levels, and touch a third time to
turn

2. The rear window defroster warms up the rear window. Touch to turn on, touch a second time

3. If equipped with the Premium Package, the front seats are equipped with seat heaters that

4. Touch the up or down arrow to set the desired cabin temperature. To apply a temperature

5. Climate control setting. Touch to turn on climate control, manually adjust the climate control

o and restore the air distribution, heating, and fan to their previous settings.

to turn

o. If the rear window defroster is on continuously for 15 minutes, it automatically

turns o. If equipped with the Premium Package, the exterior side mirrors are also heated.

operate at three setting levels from 3 (highest) to 1 (lowest). When operating, the seat icon
turns red and displays the setting level number using twisting red lines.

setting to both the driver and passenger side at the same time, touch SYNC TEMP on the
temperature popup that appears when you touch an arrow.

settings, or return to the default automatic setting where heating, air conditioning, air
distribution, and fan speed automatically adjust to maintain your desired cabin temperature.
The current setting (Auto, Manual, or

Warning:

neuropathy, or whose capacity to feel pain is limited because of diabetes, age, neurological
injury, or some other condition, should exercise caution when using the climate control
system and seat heaters.

To avoid burns resulting from prolonged use, individuals who have peripheral

o) is displayed below the fan icon.

84 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Climate Controls

Customizing Climate Control

To override the Auto setting, touch the fan icon then touch AUTO or manually change any of the
settings in the window that appears. To return back to the Auto setting, touch AUTO.

1. Touch AUTO to change between the Auto and Manual settings.

2. Touch to turn the windshield vents on or o.

3. Touch to turn the face-level vents on or o.

Note: When you turn on the face-level vents, a grid on each side of the climate control

window appears that allows you to direct air flow in the front row (see Directing Air Flow on
page 86).

4. Touch to turn the foot-level vents on or

Note: When air is directed to the foot-level vents, approximately one third of the air continues

to flow to the windshield vents to assist in defogging. However, when air is directed to the
face-level vents, no air flows to the windshield because the air flowing through the face-level
vents may be adequate to assist in defogging the windshield.

5. Touch + or - to increase or decrease the speed of the fan.

Note: Adjusting the fan speed may change the selected setting for how air is drawn into

Model 3 in order to increase or reduce air
setting 10), Model 3 may automatically switch from drawing in outside air to recirculating air
to achieve the high air

6. Touch to turn the climate control system on or o.

7. Touch to turn the A/C on or o. Turning it o reduces cooling, but saves energy.

Note: Because Model 3 runs much quieter than a gasoline-powered vehicle, you may notice

the sound of the compressor as it is operating. To minimize noise, reduce the fan speed.

8. Touch to choose how air is drawn into Model 3. If on, air inside Model 3 is recirculated. If
outside air is drawn into Model 3.

9. A vent is located at the back of the center console. Touch to direct turn air
cabin area on or o.

flow.

o.

flow. If you set the fan speed very high (for example,

o,

flow to the rear

Using the Touchscreen 85

Climate Controls

Directing Air Flow

Model 3 does not have traditional vents on the
dashboard that physically direct face-level air
flow. Instead, Model 3 has a long horizontal
opening that spans the length of the
dashboard. The air
the touchscreen to direct air wherever you
want in the front row.

The face-level vent has two separately
controlled grids—one for the driver's side and
one or the passenger's side. When enabled, a
grid on each side of the climate control
window appears that allows you to direct air
flow in the front row. Drag the circle to direct
air flow from the corresponding vent to
wherever you want it. The center of the grid
represents the center of the headrest on the
corresponding front seat. For example,
moving the circle to the top of the grid directs
the air towards the roof, and moving the circle
towards the center of the touchscreen directs
air towards the center of the vehicle.

flow can be adjusted on

1.

Circle(s) indicating where air flow is
directed.

2. Split or combine air flow.

To be even more specific on where to direct
air

flow, touch the icon on the perimeter of
the grid on either the driver or passenger side.
This splits the corresponding vent to direct air
into two separate directions; a right side and
left side. Drag a circle or tap anywhere on the
grid to control where you want the air to
(outward, inward, up, or down). The circles
(and corresponding halves of the vent) move
in unison and mirror each other on the grid.

Note: When the vent is split into two separate
air streams, each air stream is weaker than a
combined air stream.

Touch the icon on the perimeter of the grid to
return the corresponding vent to its original
state of directing air
a single direction.

Note: Outside air is drawn into Model 3
through the grill in front of the windshield.
Keep the grill clear of obstructions, such as
leaves and snow.

flow as a single stream in

flow

Climate Control Operating Tips

• You can direct the face-level vents toward

the windows to help defrost or defog
them.

• When you use the mobile app to turn on

the climate control system, it
automatically turns
To cool or heat the cabin for a longer
period, you must turn it on again.

• To conserve energy, you can limit the

power of the climate control system by
turning on Range Mode. Cabin heating
and cooling may be less
use seat heaters to provide additional
warmth. Touch Controls > Driving >
Range Mode.

• If the climate control system is louder than

you prefer, manually reduce the fan speed.

• In addition to cooling the interior, the air

conditioning system also cools the
Battery. Therefore, in hot weather, the air
conditioning system can turn on even if
you turned it
the system’s priority is to cool the Battery
to ensure it stays within an optimum
temperature range to support longevity
and optimum performance.

o after 30 minutes.

eective. You can

o. This is normal because

86 Model 3 Owner's Manual

• To ensure the climate control system
operates eciently, close all windows and
ensure that the exterior grill in front of the
windshield is free of ice, snow, leaves, and
other debris.

• In very humid conditions, it is normal for
the windshield to fog slightly when you
first turn on the air conditioning.

• It is normal for a small pool of water to
form under Model 3 when parked. Extra
water produced by the dehumidifying
process is drained underneath.

• To reduce the cabin temperature in hot
weather conditions, the fan may turn on to
vent the cabin when the vehicle is parked
(this occurs only if the battery's charge
level is above 20%.)

Cabin Air Filter

Model 3 has an air
industrial fallout, road dust and other particles
from entering through the vents. The air
should be replaced when necessary. Contact
Tesla.

filter that prevents pollen,

filter

Climate Controls

Using the Touchscreen 87

Media and Audio

Overview

Touch the Media Player application to listen to
Internet radio, stream music or podcasts (if
available), or play audio files from a Bluetooth
or USB-connected device. You can also play
AM and FM radio.

Available source content displays across the
top of Media Player: Radio, Streaming, TuneIn,
and Phone. An additional source, USB,
displays when you insert a
USB port in the front console (see USB Ports
on page 16. You can browse the content
available on Media Player by touching a
source, or you can use Search to
content (see Searching within Media Player on
page 88).

The Now Playing view, which displays at the
bottom of Media Player, enables you to control
what's currently playing (for example,
pausing/playing, skipping to the next track/
station, etc.). You can also use the Now
Playing view to mark what's playing as a
favorite (see Favorites and Recent on page

89), and access recently played and favorite
stations, music, and podcasts.

The Now Playing view displays regardless of
the source (Radio, Streaming, TuneIn, Phone,
and USB) you select in Media Player. You can
maximize and minimize the Now Playing view
simply by touching it.

flash drive into a

find specific

Volume Control

To adjust Media Player's volume, you can roll
the scroll wheel on the left side of the steering
wheel up (increase volume) or down
(decrease volume). To mute the volume, press
the left scroll button. You can also adjust the
volume by pressing the arrow above (increase
volume) or below (decrease volume) the
speaker icon on the bottom of the
touchscreen.

The scroll wheel adjusts the volume for media,
navigation instructions, or phone calls, based
on what is currently being heard through the
speakers. If you're listening to a song, audio
file, or podcast, and you receive a phone call
or Model 3 relays a step in Trip Planner's turn­by-turn directions through the speakers, the
song, audio
temporarily.

Note: Pressing the left scroll button during a
phone call mutes both the sound and your
microphone.

file, or podcast is muted

Audio Settings

Achieve the sound you want by adjusting the
fade (front/rear) and balance (left/right), or
by customizing the strength of sound
frequencies. Press the equalizer icon on the
top right corner of the Media Player to access
audio settings.

Adjust fade and balance on the left side of the
screen by positioning the center circle of the
cross bars to the location in Model 3 where
you want to focus the sound. Adjust any of the
five frequency bands (Bass, Bass/Mid, Mid,
Mid/Treble, and Treble) on the right side of the
screen by dragging the corresponding slider
up or down on the decibel (dB) bar.

If your Model 3 is equipped with the Ultra High
Fidelity Sound option, touch the Dolby check
box to enable Dolby Surround.

Searching within Media Player

Search is available throughout Media Player.
You can search across all content categories,
or you can limit your search to a particular
category. Search results include the following
content:

• TuneIn

• Streaming Personal Radio

• USB content

To search, touch anywhere in Media Player's
search bar and enter the name of the song,
album, artist, podcast, playlist, or station you
want to search for. Select a
scope of your search, or leave it at its default
setting to include top results from all
categories.

If you are using TuneIn, you can browse
content by category from the Browse area of
the TuneIn source. You can browse content by
location (Africa, Asia, North America, and so
on), by local radio, by talk radio, by favorites,
and other categories. To return from browsing
or to select another category to browse,
simply touch TuneIn at the top of Media
Player.

filter to narrow the

88 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Media and Audio

FM Radio

If it's available in your location, Media Player
provides FM radio service that you can select
from the Radio source. To tune the radio to a
specific frequency, choose a frequency and
then touch the next or previous arrows to
move from one frequency to the next (or
previous). You can also tap or drag your finger
on the tuner to the desired frequency. The
three bars on the left side of the frequency
number indicate the strength of the signal for
the chosen frequency. Touch HD to play high
definition versions of available frequencies.

Mark a radio station as a favorite to display it
on the Radio source for easy access (see

Favorites and Recent on page 89).

Internet Radio

Internet radio services are accessed over a
data connection. To use Internet radio, touch
Media Player's Streaming or TuneIn source,
browse through the available categories
and/or stations, and then touch what you
want to play. When browsing through a large
category such as genres, a second browse
page displays. Use the left arrow button on
the left side of Media Player to return to the
prior page, or tap on the source again to
return to the main browse page.

With your Personal Streaming Radio account,
you can create a radio station of your favorite
songs and songs that are similar to your
favorites. When you like a song by touching
thumbs up, it is added to your Favorites and is
used to tune your listening
similar songs are also added to your Favorites
station. If you dislike a song by touching
thumbs down, the song is removed from your
Favorites station.

Note: Your Favorites station is linked to your
Personal Streaming Radio account for the car.

To play the next (and in some cases previous)
available station, episode, or track being
provided by the Internet radio service, touch
the next (or previous) arrows on the Now
Playing view.

You can also use voice commands (only
available when speaking the English language
only) to play a
from an Internet radio service (see Using

Voice Commands on page 97 ).

When you are listening to internet radio, you
can do the following on the Now Playing view:

specific song, artist, or album

profile so that

• Touch the
icon (if available) to like or dislike any
song or podcast. When you like a song,
more songs like that song will be played.
When you dislike a song, the song won't
be played again.

• Touch the DJ icon (if available) to include
commentary for the content you are
streaming. DJ commentary includes music
history and behind-the-scenes stories.

• Touch the Favorites icon to save the radio
station or podcast as a favorite (see

Favorites and Recent on page 89).

• Touch any number to access digital radio
stations (if available). Digital radio stations
provide higher quality sound and, in some
cases,
analog equivalents.

• Touch the right arrow to view a list of
tracks for a podcast or playlist.

By default, TuneIn uses a Tesla account that
has been set up for you. To sign in to a
dierent TuneIn account, scroll to the bottom
of the TuneIn source, touch Sign In, and enter
the login information for the account.

Note: When playing a TuneIn podcast, you can
rewind or fast forward to any location in the
podcast. On the Now Playing view, drag the
arrow below the slider bar to the desired
location.

Note: Tesla also provides you with a
complimentary Streaming Personal Radio
account for four years. To use your own
Slacker Plus or Premium account instead,
scroll to the bottom of the Streaming source,
enter your credentials, touch Use High Bitrate
to stream higher quality sound (if your Model
3 is equipped with the optional Ultra High
Fidelity Sound package), and then touch
LOGIN. To switch back to your Tesla account,
simply touch USE TESLA ACCOUNT; you don't
need to enter a user name or password for
your Tesla account. You can purchase your
own Slacker Plus or Premium account at

www.slacker.com. Model 3 does not support

basic (free) Slacker services.

thumbs up or thumbs down

dierent programming than their

Favorites and Recent

To ensure you always have easy access to your
favorite stations and audio
at the top of Media Player and on the Now
Playing view. Regardless of which source you
are on (Radio, Streaming,TuneIn, Phone, or
USB), you see favorites from all sources. You
can maximize or minimize source content
simply by swiping.

files, they display

Using the Touchscreen 89

Media and Audio

Your USB favorites are available from the Now
Playing view in a Favorites folder. (You may
need to scroll to see the folder.) Your first USB
favorite plays when you touch the Favorites
folder in the Now Playing view. Use the next or
previous arrows to scroll through your USB
favorites.

To add a currently playing radio
station, podcast, or audio file to your
Favorites list, touch the Favorites
icon on the Now Playing view. (You
may need to touch the Now Playing
view to maximize it before you can
touch the Favorites icon.)

To delete a favorite, touch the
highlighted Favorites icon. You can
also delete one or more favorites on
the bottom of the Now Playing view
by pressing and holding a favorite.
An X appears on all favorites. Touch
the X again to delete the selected
favorites.

To see selections that you played recently,
touch Recent on the Now Playing view. Your
recently played selections are updated
continuously so you don't need to delete
them.

Note: Selections you play on FM radio stations
do not display in your Recent selections.

Playing Media from Devices

You can play audio
connected flash drive or from a Bluetooth­connected device (like a phone). When you
connect a USB
displays the USB source content. When you
connect a Bluetooth-capable device, the name
of the device displays on the Phone source.
After connecting a USB
Bluetooth device, touch the song, album, or
playlist you want to play.

To play the next song in a selected playlist or
album, touch the previous or next arrows on
the Now Playing view. You can also
tracks in a playlist or repeat a playlist or track
using the shue/repeat icons displayed below
the album cover art.

files from a USB-

flash drive, Media Player

flash drive or

shue

USB Connected Flash Drives

Connect a flash drive to one of the USB
connections (see USB Ports on page 16).
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
any folder on the USB connected
you can touch the right arrow in the Now
Playing view to display your songs in a list.
Touch any song in the list to play it. Or use the
previous and next arrows in the Now Playing
view to scroll through your songs.

Note: To play media from a USB connection,
Model 3 recognizes
play media from other types of devices (such
as an iPod) by connecting to the device using
Bluetooth (described below).

Note: Media Player supports USB
with FAT32 formatting (NTFS and exFAT are
not currently supported).

Bluetooth® Connected Devices

If you have a Bluetooth-capable device such
as a phone that is paired and connected to
Model 3 (see Pairing a Bluetooth Phone on
page 91), you can play audio
it. You can also stream a music service from it
(for example, Pandora or Spotify). Choose
Media Player's Phone source, touch Connect
Phone, touch the name of your Bluetooth­connected device, and then touch CONNECT.

Your Bluetooth device begins playing the
audio

file that is currently active on your
device, and Media Player displays the Now
Playing view. If no audio
device, select the audio file you want to listen
to from your device. After an audio
to play in Media Player, you can then use
Media Player's controls to play other tracks.

Note: To play media from a Bluetooth­connected device, ensure that access to the
device’s media is turned on (see Phone on
page 91).

flash drives only. You can

file is playing on your

flash drive,

flash drives

files stored on

file begins

90 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Phone

Bluetooth® Compatibility

You can use your Bluetooth-capable phone
hands-free in Model 3 provided your phone is
within operating range. Although Bluetooth
typically supports wireless communication
over distances of up to approximately 30 feet
(9 meters), performance can vary based on
the phone you are using.

Before using your phone with Model 3, you
must pair it. Pairing sets up Model 3 to work
with your Bluetooth-capable phone (see

Pairing a Bluetooth Phone on page 91).

You can pair up to ten Bluetooth phones.
Model 3 always automatically connects to the
last phone that was used (provided it is within
range). If you want to connect to a
phone, see Connecting to a Paired Phone on
page 92.

Note: On many phones, Bluetooth turns
the phone’s battery is low.

Note: In addition to phones, you can also pair
Bluetooth-enabled devices with Model 3. For
example, you can pair an iPod Touch or an
iPad or Android tablet to stream music.

dierent

o if

Pairing a Bluetooth Phone

Pairing sets up Model 3 to work with your
Bluetooth-capable phone. Once a phone is
paired, Model 3 can connect to it whenever
the phone is within range.

To pair a phone, follow these steps while
sitting inside Model 3:

1. Ensure both the touchscreen and the
phone are powered on.

2. On the touchscreen’s status bar, touch the
Bluetooth icon.

3. On your phone, enable Bluetooth and set
it to discoverable.

4. On the Model 3 touchscreen, touch Start
Search. The touchscreen searches then
displays the list of all available Bluetooth
devices within operating distance.

5. On the Model 3 touchscreen, touch the
phone with which you want to pair. Within
a few seconds, the touchscreen displays a
randomly generated number, and your
phone should display the same number.

6. Check that the number displayed on your
phone matches the number displayed on
the touchscreen. Then, on your phone,
confirm that you want to pair.

When paired, Model 3 automatically connects
to the phone, and the touchscreen displays
the Bluetooth symbol next to the phone’s
name to show that the connection is active.

Importing Contacts and Recent Calls

Once paired, you can use the Bluetooth
settings screen (touch the Bluetooth icon on
the touchscreen's status bar) to specify
whether you want to allow access to your
phone’s contacts and recent calls.

If access is turned on, you can see your list of
contacts and recent calls on the Model 3
touchscreen. Touch Phone > Contacts. You
can then touch a contact to dial its phone
number or navigate to its address.

Note: Before contacts can be imported, you
may need to either set your phone to allow
syncing, or respond to a popup on your phone
to

confirm that it is OK to sync contacts. This
varies depending on the type of phone you
are using. For details, refer to the owner
documentation provided with your phone.

If access is turned on, imported information is
displayed when you touch the contacts tab on
the Phone app.

Note: For security reasons, erase your
contacts if you sell Model 3 (see Erasing

Personal Data on page 83).

Unpairing a Bluetooth Phone

If you want to disconnect your phone and use
it again later, simply touch Disconnect on the
Bluetooth settings screen. If you do not want
to use your phone with Model 3 again, touch
Forget This Device. Once you forget a device,
you need to pair it again if you want to use it
with Model 3 (see Pairing a Bluetooth Phone
on page 91).

Note: Your phone automatically disconnects
whenever you leave Model 3.

Using the Touchscreen 91

Phone

Connecting to a Paired Phone

Model 3 automatically connects with the last
phone to which it was connected, provided it
is within operating range and has Bluetooth
turned on. If the last phone is not within range,
it attempts to connect with the next phone
that it has been paired with.

To connect to a
Bluetooth icon on the touchscreen's status
bar. The Bluetooth window displays a list of
paired phones. Choose the phone you want to
connect to, then touch Connect. If the phone
you want to connect to is not listed, follow the
instructions on Pairing a Bluetooth Phone on
page 91.

When connected, the Model 3 touchscreen
displays the Bluetooth symbol next to the
phone name to show that the connection is
active.

dierent phone, touch the

Making a Phone Call

You can make a phone call by:

• Choosing a contact from your contact list.

• Using the Model 3 on-screen dialer.

To make a phone call using the on-screen
dialer:

1. Touch the Phone app on the touchscreen,
then touch Dialer.

2. Enter the phone number on the dialer.

3. Touch Call. The touchscreen displays the

call screen and the number you are calling.

To make a phone call by choosing a contact:

1. Touch the Phone app on the touchscreen,
then touch Contacts.

Note: Ensure that access to the phone’s
contacts is turned on (see Importing

Contacts and Recent Calls on page 91).

2. Touch the name of the contact you want
to call to display details about the contact.

3. Touch the number you want to dial (there
may be more than one). The touchscreen
displays the call screen and the name of
the contact you are calling.

Note: If it is safe and legal to do so, you can
also initiate a call by dialing the number or
selecting the contact directly from your
phone.

Receiving a Phone Call

When your phone receives an incoming call,
the touchscreen displays the caller’s number
and name (if the caller is in your phone’s
contact list and Model 3 has access to your
contacts).

Touch one of the options on the touchscreen
to Answer or Ignore the call.

92 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Maps and Navigation

Overview

The touchscreen displays a map at all times.
Touch the North/Heading Up icon in the top
right area of the screen to center the map on
your current location and change the
orientation of the map:

North Up - North is always at the
top of the screen.

Heading Up - The direction you are
heading is always at the top of the
screen. The map rotates when you
change direction. This icon has an
integrated compass that indicates
the direction you are driving.

You can rotate the map in any direction using
your fingers. When you rotate the map in a
clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, or
move the map up, down, left, or right, the
North/Heading Up icon turns gray and no
longer tracks your position. (The message
"Tracking Disabled" is displayed next to the
North/Heading Up icon.) To re-enable
tracking, and adjust the orientation of the map
so that North, or the direction you are
traveling, is at the top of the screen, touch the

North/Heading Up icon again. The North/
Heading Up icon is reenabled, and the

message, "North Up" or "Heading Up" is
displayed.

Touch the zoom icons in the top right area to
zoom the map in and out on your current or
chosen location. When you zoom in or out
using only the zoom icons or by pinching your
fingers, tracking remains enabled, and the
direction you are traveling or North is at the
top of the screen. If you are using zoom, and
you move the map in any direction, tracking is
disabled.

Use the icons in the lower right corner to
customize what the map displays:

Charging locations - touch to
display charging locations on the
map and in a popup list that
includes city and proximity. By
default, the map displays
Supercharger locations. See

Charging Locations on page 94.

Settings - touch to display
navigation settings. Touch Satellite
to turn satellite images on and o.
Touch Trac to turn the display of
trac on and o. To ensure that
heavy trac is easy to identify
along a navigation route, green
trac lines display under the blue
route line, whereas yellow and red

trac lines display on top, such as
trac and satellite imagery.

For information on Trip Planner, see

Trip Planner on page 95.

For information on routing around
trac, see Routing Preferences on
page 95

Note: The touchscreen's status bar, as well as
the icons on the map, disappear after a few
seconds. Touch anywhere on the map to
redisplay them.

When you touch a pin on the map, the chosen
location is centered on the map, and a popup
displays to provide more information about
the location. From this popup window, you
can save the location as a favorite, and, you
can navigate to the location. You can also
make a phone call to the location by touching
Call.

You can drop a pin anywhere on the map by
pressing and holding a location on the map.

Note: If a data connection is not available,
onboard maps allow you to navigate to any
location, but you must enter the location's
exact and complete address.

Satellite Imagery - touch to turn
satellite imagery on and

Trac - touch to turn the display
of trac on and o. To ensure that
heavy trac is easy to identify
along a navigation route, green
trac lines display under the blue
route line, whereas yellow and red
trac lines display on top.

Using the Touchscreen 93

o.

Navigating

Touch Navigate, or speak a voice command
(see Using Voice Commands on page 97), to
navigate to a location. You can enter or speak
an address, landmark, business, etc. You can
also choose from Home and Work locations,
or from a list of favorite destinations (see

Favorite, Home, and Work Destinations on

page 96), recent locations, and searches (the
most recently used locations display at the
top), and charging stations you have visited.

Maps and Navigation

When you touch Navigate, and specify a
location, the touchscreen zooms out to
provide an overview of the route you need to
travel, and, after the route is calculated, the
touchscreen zooms back in to your starting
point and begins to provide spoken
instructions. Depending on the map’s zoom
level, you might not be able to see the entire
route. To display the entire route, touch the
route overview icon:

The route overview icon displays in
the top right corner of the map
when a navigation route is active.
Touch this icon to display the
current leg of your trip or to
change the orientation of the map
to North Up or Heading Up (see

Overview on page 93).

The touchcreen also displays a turn-by-turn
direction list that includes estimated mileage,
driving time, arrival time, and an estimate of
how much energy is remaining when you
reach the destination. Note the following
about the turn-by-turn direction list:

• Each turn is preceded by the distance to
the maneuver.

• If you won't have enough energy, and
there is no Supercharger on the route, an
alert at the top of the tells you that
charging is required to reach your
destination.

• If the energy remaining after a round-trip
is less than ten percent, or if a round trip
will consume a
battery energy, a round trip estimate of
the energy you will use displays at the
bottom. You may need to scroll to the
bottom of the turn-by-turn directions to
see the round trip energy estimate.

Note: You can display a round trip energy
estimate for all trips (see Predicting

Energy Usage on page 95).

• Touch the volume icon to change or mute
the volume of the spoken navigation
instructions.

Note: You can also change the volume of
the navigation instructions by using the
scroll wheel on the left side of the steering
wheel while navigation directions are
being spoken.

If charging is required to reach the destination
and Trip Planner is turned on, the navigation
route includes Supercharger stops. See Trip

Planner on page 95.

significant amount of

As you approach an upcoming turn on your
navigation route, a vertical progression bar
displays on the right side of the touchscreen's
turn-by-turn direction list. As you progress
toward the location where you will need to
make a turn, the bar fills, from bottom to top.
When you arrive at the location of the turn,
the bar is completely

filled.

Charging Locations

Superchargers are displayed on the map by
default, represented by red pins that you can
touch to display more information about the
Supercharger location, navigate to it, or mark
it as a favorite. When you touch the pin for a
Supercharger location on the map,
information about the Supercharger location
is displayed, including the total number of
Superchargers, the number of Superchargers
available, the address of the Supercharger, and
its approximate distance from you. The pop up
also displays amenities that are available at
the Supercharger location, including
restrooms, restaurants, lodging, shopping, and
Wi-Fi.

In addition to Superchargers, you can display
all charging stations on the map by touching
the charging icon in the lower right corner of
the map. When you touch this icon,
Superchargers, destination chargers, and
other charging stations that you used before
display on the map. Display details about any
charging location by touching its pin:

The Supercharger location is
operational.

The Supercharger location may be
out of operation or is operating at
a reduced capacity. (Touch the pin
to display details.)

The location is equipped with a
Tesla Wall Connector. Touch to
display more information such as
available charge current and usage
restrictions that may apply.

When a location is equipped with
multiple charging stations, an icon
displays the number of stations
that are available. Zoom in to
display individual pins for each
station (described above).

94 Model 3 Owner's Manual

Maps and Navigation

Predicting Energy Usage

When navigating to a destination, Model 3
helps you anticipate your charging needs by
calculating the amount of energy that remains
when you reach your destination. The
calculation is an estimate based on driving
style such as predicted speed and
environmental factors such as elevation
changes. The touchscreen displays this
calculation at the bottom of the turn-by-turn
direction list when you
navigation route. Thereafter, you can display it
by touching the area at the bottom of the
turn-by-turn direction list.

Throughout your route, Model 3 monitors
energy usage and updates the calculation. A
popup warning displays at the bottom of the
turn-by-turn direction list in these situations:

• A yellow warning displays when you have
very little energy remaining to reach your
destination and should drive slowly to
conserve energy. For tips on conserving
energy, see Getting Maximum Range on
page 52.

• A red warning displays when you must
charge to reach your destination.

If you want Model 3 to let you know if you
have enough energy for a round trip by
displaying a round trip energy calculation at
the bottom of the turn-by-turn direction list,
touch the Gear icon in the bottom right area
of the touchscreen, and then touch Always
Show Estimated Round Trip Energy. If this
setting is not enabled, an estimate of your
round trip energy usage displays at the
bottom of the turn-by-turn direction list only if
the energy remaining after completion of the
round trip is estimated at less than ten
percent, or if the round trip consumes a

significant amount of your available energy.

first initiate the

Routing Preferences

Model 3 detects real-time
and can automatically adjust the estimated
driving and arrival times based on trac. In
situations where trac conditions will delay
your estimated time of arrival, and an
alternate route is available, the navigation
system can reroute you to your destination. To
turn this feature on and
icon in the bottom right area of the
touchscreen, and then touch Re-Route If It
Saves More Than. You can also specify the
minimum amount of minutes that must be
saved before you are rerouted by touching the
arrows associated with the Re-Route If It
Saves More Than setting. You can specify
from one to thirty minutes as the number of
minutes that must be saved.

trac conditions

o, touch the Gear

Trip Planner

Trip Planner helps you take longer road trips
with

confidence. If reaching your destination
requires charging, Trip Planner routes you
through the appropriate Supercharger
locations. Trip Planner selects a route that
minimizes the time you spend driving and
charging.

After you select a destination, Trip Planner
zooms out to give you an overview of your
trip. As you begin your trip, Trip Planner
zooms in to start navigation. The turn-by-turn
direction list includes:

• Supercharger stops (Trip Planner does not

consider charging locations that are not
Superchargers).

• Charging time required at each

Supercharger.

• Estimated amount of energy available

when you arrive at the

While charging at a Supercharger stop, the
charging screen displays the remaining charge
time needed for your trip. If you charge for a
shorter or longer length of time, the charge
time for subsequent stops are readjusted.

Note: You can scroll down the list (or zoom
out on the map) to see the next Supercharger
location on your trip.

Note: If a Supercharger located on your
existing route experiences an outage, Trip
Planner displays a
you to a dierent Supercharger location.

first Supercharger.

notification and reroutes

Using the Touchscreen 95

Maps and Navigation

If Trip Planner estimates that you won't have
enough energy for your round trip, and there
is no Superchargers available on your route,
Trip Planner displays an alert at the top of the
turn-by-turn direction list. Trip Planner also
displays an empty battery icon and the
amount of additional energy needed for your
trip.

Favorite, Home, and Work Destinations

Add any location to your Favorites
list by either touching its pin while
navigating to it, or by displaying it
on the map and then touching its
pin. In the popup dialog that
appears, touch the Favorites icon. To
remove a favorite, select it on the
map, touch the Favorites icon again,
and

confirm that you want to remove

the location from your Favorites list.

If you frequently drive to a destination, you
may want to add it as a Favorite to avoid
having to enter the location's name or address
each time. When you add a destination as a
Favorite, you can easily navigate to it by
touching Navigate > Favorites and then
selecting it from the list.

The Navigate option also has placeholders for
your Home and Work locations. Based on your
usage patterns, you may be prompted to save
a location as Home or Work. After you save a
Home and a Work location, Model 3 may
prompt you to navigate to your Work location
in the mornings and to your Home location in
the evenings and tell you how long it will take
to navigate based on current
conditions. To navigate to your Work or Home
location, simply press NAV TO WORK or NAV
TO HOME when prompted.

To edit a location, including your Home and
Work locations (or any location), press and
hold the location until a pop-up appears. Then
enter a new address in the pop-up. To delete a
location, press and hold the location, then
touch its associated X.

Note: For security reasons, if you sell Model 3,
erase personal data such as Home and Work
locations, favorite destinations, etc. See

Erasing Personal Data on page 83.

trac

Map Updates

As updated maps become available, they are
automatically sent to Model 3 over Wi-Fi. To
ensure you receive them, periodically connect
Model 3 to a Wi-Fi network (see Connecting

to Wi-Fi on page 101). The touchscreen

displays a message informing you when new
maps are installed.

96 Model 3 Owner's Manual

You can use voice commands to:

• Call a contact.

• Navigate to a location.

• Listen to Internet music.

To initiate a voice command, tap the
microphone button on the
touchscreen. When you hear the
tone, speak your command. As you
speak, the touchscreen displays an
interpretation of your command. It
also displays tips to remind you of
the type of commands you can
speak. When you
command, tap the voice button
again or simply wait.

To call a contact on your Bluetooth-connected
phone, say “Call” or “Dial”, followed by the
contact’s
“Call Joe” or “Call Joe Smith”.

To search for, or navigate to, a location, say
“Where is”, “Drive to”, or “Navigate to”,
followed by an address, business name,
business category, or landmark. For example,
“Where is Stanford University?”, “Drive to
Tesla in Palo Alto”, or “Navigate to Starbucks
on Homestead in Cupertino”.

If you
home or work location (see Maps and

Navigation on page 93), you can use a voice

command to navigate there by saying
"Navigate home" or "Navigate to work".

To listen to an Internet music service, say
“Listen to” or “Play”, followed by the name of
the song, album, artist, or combination. To
improve voice recognition accuracy, provide
multiple cues in your command, such as the
artist plus the song (for example, “Listen to
Yellow Brick Road” or “Play Yellow Brick Road
by Elton John”).

first and/or last names. For example,

defined a navigation address for your

finish speaking the

Using Voice Commands

Using the Touchscreen 97

Security Settings

About the Security System

If Model 3 does not detect a authenticated
phone or the key card and a locked door or
trunk is opened, an alarm sounds and
headlights and turn signals flash. To deactivate
the alarm, press any button on the mobile app.

To manually enable or disable the alarm
system, touch Controls > Safety & Security >
Security Alarm. When set to ON, Model 3
activates its alarm one minute after you exit,
lock the doors, and an authenticated phone or
key card is no longer detected.

98 Model 3 Owner's Manual

HomeLink

®

Universal Transceiver

About HomeLink

You can program the HomeLink® Universal
Transceiver (if equipped) to operate up to
three Radio Frequency (RF) devices, including
garage doors, gates, lights, and security
systems.

Note: Depending on date of manufacture,
options selected, and time of purchase, some
Model 3 vehicles are not equipped with
HomeLink.

Programming HomeLink

1. Park Model 3 in front of the device you

want to program, and have the device's
remote control ready.

Note: Make sure you haven’t reached the
limit of learned remotes/vehicles. Most
device receivers can learn up to
remotes/vehicles. If necessary, clear the
receiver memory and restart the
programming process. For information
about clearing the receiver memory, refer
to the owner documentation for your
device.

2. On the touchscreen, touch Controls >
HomeLink.

3. Touch Add New HomeLink, then use the

onscreen keyboard to enter a name for
your HomeLink device.

4. Touch Program.

5. Follow the onscreen instructions.

Once programmed, you can operate the
device by touching its corresponding
HomeLink icon on the touchscreen's status
bar. HomeLink remembers the location of your
programmed devices. When you approach a
known location, the HomeLink control on the
touchscreen automatically drops down. When
you drive away, it disappears.

Note: For security reasons, delete your
HomeLink devices if you sell your Model 3 (see

Deleting a Device on page 99).

Warning:

during programming. Before
programming, make sure that the device
is clear of any people or objects.

Warning: Do not use the HomeLink
Universal Transceiver with a garage door
assembly that does not have safety stop
and reverse features. Using a garage door
opener without these safety features
increases the risk of injury or death.

Your device might open or close

five

Auto Opening and Closing

To operate a device without having to touch
the touchscreen, you can automate it so it
opens or closes automatically as you
approach or drive away, respectively. To do so,
touch Controls > HomeLink, touch the name
of your device, then select the Auto Open
and/or the Auto Close checkbox(es). As you
approach (or drive away from) a device that is
set to operate automatically, the HomeLink
status icon displays the device name
indicating that opening/closing has been
automated. As you approach, a count-down
message displays to let you know when the
device will automatically open. In situations
where you don't want the device to
automatically open or close, touch Skip Auto-
Open or Skip Auto-Close at any time during
the count-down message.

Resetting the Location of the HomeLink Device

If you experience situations in which you
sometimes drive up to your HomeLink device
and it doesn't open, or the HomeLink icon on
the touchscreen's status bar does not display
the dropdown when you approach the device,
you may need to reset the device's location.
To do so, park as close as possible to the
HomeLink device (garage door, gate, etc.) and
display the HomeLink settings page by
touching Controls > HomeLink. Touch the
name of the device, then touch Reset

Location.

Deleting a Device

To delete a HomeLink device, touch Controls >
HomeLink. Touch the name of the device, then
touch Delete.

Note: You can also perform a factory reset to

erase your HomeLink settings, along with all
other personal data (saved addresses, music
favorites, imported contacts, etc.). See Erasing

Personal Data on page 83.

Troubleshooting HomeLink

When programming a HomeLink device, the
touchscreen walks you through a two-part
programming process:

Using the Touchscreen 99

HomeLink® Universal Transceiver

1. Model 3 records the signal from the

remote. The touchscreen instructs you to
stand in front of the vehicle, point the
remote at the front bumper and press and
hold the button until the headlights flash.
When the headlights flash, Model 3 has
learned the remote and you can touch
Continue on the touchscreen. If the
headlights do not
following guidelines.

2. The device's receiver learns Model 3. The
touchscreen instructs you to press the
LEARN button on the garage door or
gate's receiver. If training the receiver
does not work, refer to the following
guidelines.

Note: Only devices that are equipped with
a “rolling code” remote need to learn
Model 3. If you have an old device that is
not equipped with a "rolling code" remote,
the device does not need to learn Model 3
and you can skip this part of the process.
You can also skip this part if your receiver
is "Quick-Train" compatible.

Headlights do not

• Check the batteries in the remote. It is a
good idea to replace the batteries before
you start programming.

• Hold the remote against the front bumper,
with the button pressed, approximately 6
in (15 cm) to the left of the Tesla emblem.
In some cases you must hold the button
on the remote for up to three minutes.

• Check compatibility of the remote by
contacting the HomeLink manufacturer
(www.homelink.com).

flash, refer to the

flash

• Make sure you are pressing the receiver's
LEARN button. Most receivers have two
buttons and a LED. One button is a RESET
button and the other is a LEARN button.
Pressing the LEARN button usually causes
the LED to flash. For instructions on how
to put the receiver into learning mode,
refer to the owner documentation
provided with the HomeLink device.

• Most devices stay in learning mode for
only three to
after pressing the device's LEARN button,
follow the instructions displayed on the
touchscreen.

five minutes. Immediately

After programming, the device does not work

• Park Model 3 with its front bumper as
close as possible to the HomeLink device
(garage door, gate, etc).

• Make sure you haven’t reached the device
receiver's limit of learned remotes/cars.
Most receivers can learn up to
remotes/cars. If the receiver's memory is
full, you must clear the memory and
restart the programming process. For
instructions on how to clear the receiver's
memory, refer to the owner
documentation provided with the
HomeLink device.

100 Model 3 Owner's Manual

five