service indicator TESLA MODEL 3 2022 Owner´s Manual
Page 40 of 248
Controlling the Passenger Front Airbag
Model 3 has an occupancy sensor in the front passenger seat that controls the status of the front airbag.
NOTE: The occupancy classification system (OCS) meets the regulatory requirement of FMVSS 208 and 
automatically detects when 
inflating the passenger front airbag would be unnecessary or potentially harmful.
WARNING: Seating an infant in a rear facing child safety seat on a seat equipped with an operational airbag 
can cause serious injury or death.
Object ClassificationOCS Passenger 
Airbag Status*Indicator statusNotesEmptyOFFPASSENGER AIRBAG OFF ObjectOFF or ONPASSENGER AIRBAG OFF or 
PASSENGER AIRBAG ONDepends on material/
contents.Rear facing child seat 
designed for children up to a 
year oldOFFPASSENGER AIRBAG OFF20 lbs (9 kg) or lessForward facing child seatOFFPASSENGER AIRBAG OFF35 lbs (16 kg) or lessChild in a booster seatOFF or ONPASSENGER AIRBAG OFF or 
PASSENGER AIRBAG ON20-100 lbs (9-45 kg)*Large childOFF or ONPASSENGER AIRBAG OFF or 
PASSENGER AIRBAG ON 5th percentile female or 
larger (by weight)ONPASSENGER AIRBAG ONOver approximately 100 lbs 
(45 kg)
*If the passenger airbag status indicator does not match the situation, do not use the seat. The passenger must 
ride in a 
different seat. Contact Tesla Service.
NOTE: It takes approximately six seconds after you power on Model 3 for the occupant classification system (OCS) 
to report accurate status of the front passenger airbag. As a result, when you 
first power on Model 3, even in 
situations when it should be OFF because the seat is occupied by a weight of 
20 lbs (9 kg) or less, it will take the 
touchscreen approximately six seconds to display the status, PASS AIRBAG OFF. If it fails to do so, contact Tesla 
Service and do not seat a child in the front passenger seating position.
To make sure the sensing system can correctly detect occupancy status, eliminate the following:
Page 60 of 248
Braking SystemsWARNING: Properly functioning braking systems 
are critical to ensure safety. If you experience a 
problem with the brake pedal, brake calipers, or 
any component of a Model 3 braking system, 
contact Tesla immediately.
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 
firm and steady pressure on the brake pedal while 
experiencing the pulsing.
The ABS indicator briefly flashes yellow 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 
affected by an ABS failure. 
However, braking distances may increase.  Drive cautiously and avoid heavy braking.
If the touchscreen displays this red brake 
indicator at any time other than 
briefly
 
when you first start Model 3, a brake 
system fault is detected, or the level of the 
brake 
fluid is low. Contact Tesla 
immediately. Apply steady pressure and 
keep the brakes 
firm to bring the vehicle to 
a stop when safe to do so.
The touchscreen displays this yellow brake 
indicator if a brake booster fault is  detected. Apply steady pressure and keep 
the brakes 
firm to stop the vehicle when 
safety permits. Hydraulic Boost 
Compensation will be active (see 
Hydraulic 
Boost Compensation on page 59).
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).
NOTE: Automatic Emergency Braking (see Automatic 
Emergency Braking on page 113) may intervene to 
automatically brake in situations where a collision is  considered imminent. Automatic Emergency Braking is 
not designed to prevent a collision. At best, it can 
minimize the impact of a frontal collision by attempting  to reduce your driving speed. Depending on Automatic 
Emergency Braking to avoid a collision can result in  serious injury or death. .
CAUTION: In emergency situations, if the brakes 
are not functioning properly, press and hold the 
Park button on the drive stalk to bring the vehicle 
to a stop. Do not use this method to stop the 
vehicle unless absolutely necessary.
Brake Disc Wiping
To ensure brakes remain responsive in cold and wet 
weather, 
Model 3 is equipped with brake disc wiping. 
When cold and wet weather is detected, this feature  repeatedly applies an imperceptible amount of brake force to remove water from the surface of the brake discs.
Hydraulic Fade Compensation
Model 3 is also equipped with hydraulic fade 
compensation. This feature assists in monitoring brake  system pressure and ABS activity for instances of reduced brake performance. If reduced brake 
performance is detected (for example, as a result of 
brake fade, or cold or wet conditions), you may hear a  sound, feel the brake pedal pull away from your foot, and notice a strong increase in braking. Brake as you 
normally would and continue to press the brake pedal 
without releasing or "pumping".
CAUTION: If brakes are not functioning properly, 
stop the vehicle when safety permits and contact 
Tesla Service. See Park on page 50 for information 
on using the Park button to stop the vehicle in 
case of emergency.
WARNING: Always maintain a safe driving distance 
from the vehicle in front of you and exercise 
caution when driving conditions are hazardous. 
Brake disc wiping and hydraulic fade 
compensation is not a substitute for adequately 
applying the brakes.
Braking and Stopping
58MODEL 3 Owner
Page 63 of 248
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 yellow 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.
Allowing Wheel Slip
To allow the wheels to spin at a limited speed, you can 
enable Slip Start. 
Slip Start can be enabled at any speed, 
however it is less effective at higher speeds.
Under normal conditions, Slip Start should not be  enabled. Enable it only in circumstances where you  deliberately want the wheels to spin, such as:
Page 209 of 248
This is often a temporary issue that will clear up when condensation evaporates or a particular environmental 
condition is no longer present.
If the alert does not clear by the end of your drive, inspect and clean the front camera area at the top center of the 
windshield before your next planned drive. Check the camera surface for condensation, dirt, or other debris and 
attempt to clear any obstruction. See the 
About Autopilot on page 78 sections “How It Works” and “Cleaning 
Cameras and Sensors” for more on front camera location and tips for careful cleaning.
Although condensation on the inside of the front camera enclosure cannot be wiped clean, you can usually clear it 
quicker by following these steps:
1. 
Pre-condition the cabin with the temperature set to High and A/C turned ON.
2. 
Turn on the front windshield defroster.
Once all front cameras regain adequate visibility, the alert will clear and both Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and 
Autosteer should again be available.
If this alert persists throughout subsequent drives but no front camera obstruction is visible, schedule service at your  earliest convenience. Your vehicle is OK to drive in the meantime.
(APP_w224)
Cruise control unavailable
Continue driving to allow cameras to calibrate
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer are unavailable because the cameras on your vehicle are not fully 
calibrated. Continue to your destination. Your vehicle is OK to drive.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer will remain unavailable until camera calibration is complete.
Your vehicle must maneuver with great precision when features like Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer are 
active. Before these features can be used for the 
first time, the cameras must complete an initial self-calibration. 
Occasionally, one or more cameras can become uncalibrated.
For your convenience, a calibration progress indicator is displayed on the touchscreen. Calibration typically  completes after your vehicle has driven 20-25 miles (32-40 km), but the distance varies depending on road and 
environmental conditions. For example, driving on a straight road with highly visible lane markings helps the  cameras calibrate quicker.
See Drive to Calibrate Cameras on page 79 for more information.
When calibration is complete, Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer should be available.
If the alert persists and camera calibration has not completed after your vehicle has driven 100 miles (160 km) or 
more, or 
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer remain unavailable despite successful camera calibration, 
schedule service at your earliest convenience. Your vehicle is OK to drive in the meantime.
(APP_w304)
Camera blocked or blinded
Clean camera or wait for it to regain visibility
One or more of the vehicle cameras is blocked or blinded due to external conditions. When the cameras cannot 
provide accurate visual information, some or all Autopilot features may be temporarily unavailable.
Cameras can be blocked or blinded due to many factors, including: