screen TESLA MODEL Y 2023 Owner's Manual
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Overview
The touchscreen displays the status of Model Y at all
times. What you see depends on whether the vehicle is:
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Wipers
The button at the end of turn signal stalk has two levels.
Press partially for a single wipe without any washer
fluid.
Press fully for both wipe and wash. You can access the
wiper settings from the main
Controls screen to adjust
the speed of the wipers:
I - Intermittent, slow
II - Intermittent, fast
III - Continuous, slow
IIII - Continuous, fast
Auto: Model Y detects whether or not it is raining. When
wipers are set to
Auto and liquid is detected on the
windshield,
Model Y determines the optimal frequency
at which they should wipe. If
Model Y does not detect
liquid on the windshield, the wipers do not wipe.
For one-touch access to the wipers, you can add the wiper control to My Apps. See
Customizing My Apps on
page 8.
NOTE: You can also adjust the windshield wiper speed
and frequency using voice commands (see
Voice
Commands on page 136).
NOTE: Autopilot requires wipers to be set to Auto. This
setting is automatic and you cannot change it.
NOTE: The Auto setting is currently in BETA. If uncertain
about using the Auto setting while in the BETA phase,
Tesla recommends operating the wipers manually, as necessary.
CAUTION: Ensure the wipers are off before
washing Model Y to avoid the risk of damaging 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
Windshield Wiper Blades, Jets and Fluid on page 195.
CAUTION: To avoid damaging the hood, ensure
that the hood is fully closed before using the
windshield wipers.
CAUTION: In harsh climates, ensure that the wiper
blades are not frozen or adhered to the windshield.
Remove ice from the windshield before using the
wipers. Ice has sharp edges that can damage the
rubber on the blades.
Windshield Washers
Press the button on the end of the turn signal stalk to spray washer
fluid onto the windshield. This button has
two levels. Press partially for a single wipe without any
washer
fluid. Press fully for both wipe and wash. When
washing the windshield, the wipers turn on. While spraying the windshield, the wipers turn on. After
releasing the button, the wipers perform two additional
wipes then, depending on vehicle and environmental conditions, a third wipe a few seconds later.
Periodically top up washer fluid (see Topping Up
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 195).
Wipers and Washers
64MODEL Y Owner
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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 Y braking system,
contact Tesla immediately.
Model Y has an anti-lock braking system (ABS) that
prevents the wheels from locking when you apply
maximum brake pressure. This improves steering control
during heavy braking in most road conditions.
During emergency braking conditions, the ABS
constantly monitors the speed of each wheel and varies
the brake pressure according to the grip available.
The alteration of brake pressure can be felt as a pulsing sensation through the brake pedal. This demonstrates that the ABS is operating and is not a cause for concern. Keep
firm and steady pressure on the brake pedal while
experiencing the pulsing.
The ABS indicator briefly flashes amber on
the
touchscreen when you first start Model
Y. 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 Y, 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 amber brake
indicator if a brake booster fault is detected. Apply steady pressure and keep the brakes
firm to stop the vehicle when
safety permits. Hydraulic Boost
Compensation will be active (see
Hydraulic
Boost Compensation on page 66).
Emergency Braking
In an emergency, fully press the brake pedal and
maintain
firm pressure, even on low traction surfaces.
The ABS varies the braking pressure to each wheel according to the amount of traction available. This prevents wheels from locking and ensures that you stop as safely as possible.
WARNING: Do not pump the brake pedal. Doing so
interrupts operation of the ABS and can increase
braking distance.
WARNING: Always maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front of you and be aware of
hazardous driving conditions. While the ABS can
improve stopping distance, it cannot overcome the
laws of physics. It also does not prevent the
danger of hydroplaning (where a layer of water
prevents direct contact between the tires and the
road).
CAUTION: Automatic Emergency Braking (see
Automatic Emergency Braking on page 123) 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.
Dynamic Brake Lights (if equipped)
If you are driving over 30 mph (50 km/h) and brake
forcefully
(or if Automatic Emergency Braking engages),
the brake lights
flash quickly to warn other drivers that
Model Y is rapidly slowing down. If Model Y stops
completely, the hazard warning lights
flash. Flashing
continues until you press the accelerator or manually press the hazard lights button to turn them
off (see
Hazard Warning Flashers on page 60).
NOTE: Dynamic brake lights will not flash while Track
Mode is enabled (see
Track Mode on page 74).
NOTE: When towing a trailer (if applicable), the brake
lights on the trailer also operate as described above,
even when the trailer is not equipped with a separate
braking system.
WARNING: When towing a trailer (if applicable),
always increase your following distance. Sudden
braking may result in skidding, jack-knifing, and
loss of control.
Brake Disc Wiping
To ensure brakes remain responsive in cold and wet
weather,
Model Y 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.
Braking and Stopping
65Driving
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How It Works
The traction control system constantly monitors the speed of the front and rear wheels. If
Model Y
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.
Disabling Traction Control
Under normal conditions, the traction control system should remain on. Turn it
off only in circumstances
where you deliberately want the wheels to spin, such as:
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How Park Assist Works
This feature may be temporarily limited or inactive until
it is enabled with a future software update for vehicles
manufactured as of approximately October 2022.
Model Y is designed to detect the presence of objects.
When driving slowly in Drive or Reverse (for example,
when parking), the vehicle alerts you if an object is
detected in close proximity of your
Model Y. Objects are
only detected in your chosen direction; front objects in
Drive, rear objects in Reverse.
WARNING: You may not be alerted if Model Y rolls
freely in the opposite direction (for example, Park
Assist does not display an alert if Model Y rolls
backwards down a hill while in Drive).
Park Assist is activated when driving slower than 5 mph
(8 km/h).
NOTE: Park Assist may be disabled when a bicycle is
detected or
Model Y is in trailer mode.
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 70).
Therefore, depending on Park Assist to determine
if Model Y 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 (if
equipped) or cameras, or too close or too far from
the sensors or cameras. 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 Y. This view
closes when you shift into Drive unless an object is
detected close to the front of
Model Y, 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 (see
Rear
Facing Camera(s) on page 77). You can manually close
the park assist view on the touchscreen by touching the
X.
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 screen. This is useful if you need assistance
with parallel parking.
If chimes are turned on (see Controlling Audible
Feedback on page 70), an audible beep sounds as you
approach an object.
NOTE: If Park Assist is unable to provide feedback, the
touchscreen displays an alert message.
CAUTION: Keep sensors (if equipped) and
cameras clean from dirt, debris, snow, and ice.
Avoid using a high pressure power washer on the
sensors and cameras, and do not clean a sensor or
camera with a sharp or abrasive object that can
scratch or damage its surface.
CAUTION: Do not install accessories or stickers on
or near the sensors (if equipped) or cameras.
Controlling Audible Feedback
You can use Park Assist with or without audible feedback. To turn chimes on or
off, touch Controls >
Safety > Park Assist Chimes.
Limitations and False Warnings
Park Assist may not function correctly in these situations:
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Displaying Trip Information
Trip information displays on the touchscreen in the cards
area on the car status display, or when you touch
Controls > Trips. For the current trip, you can display
distance, duration and average energy usage. You can also show distance and total and average energy used since your last charge and for additional trips.
To name or rename a trip, touch the trip
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Camera Location
Model Y 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. Lines show your
driving path based on the position of the
steering wheel.
These lines adjust as you move the
steering wheel.
Model Y also displays images from the side cameras (if
equipped). Simply swipe up or down to hide or show the
side camera views.
NOTE: Visual feedback from Park Assist also appears on
the
touchscreen (see Park Assist on page 70).
To display the view from the rear view
cameras at any time, open the app
launcher and touch the Camera app.
If a black screen appears on the touchscreen instead of the rear view camera feed when in Reverse, use the rear view mirrors and ensure your surroundings are safe before continuing to Reverse. If inoperability of the rear
view camera persists, use the mobile app to schedule a service appointment.
WARNING: Never depend on the cameras to
inform you if the area behind you is free of objects
and/or people. The cameras may not detect
objects or barriers that can potentially cause
damage or injury. In addition, several external
factors can reduce the performance of the
cameras, including a dirty or obstructed lens.
Therefore, depending on the cameras to determine
if Model Y 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. Use the
cameras for guidance purposes only. It is not
intended to replace your own direct visual checks
and is not a substitute for careful driving.
Cleaning a Camera
To ensure a clear picture, the camera lens must be clean
and free of obstructions. Remove any build-up of dirt or debris by spraying water onto the camera lens with a
spray bottle.
CAUTION: Do not attempt to remove dirt or debris
by wiping an exposed lens with your hands or a
cloth. This debris can damage the surface of the
lens when rubbed against it during wiping.
CAUTION: Do not use chemical-based or abrasive
cleaners. Doing so can damage the surface of the
lens.
Rear Facing Camera(s)
77Driving
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4. Low Voltage Power (if equipped)5.
Ground
6.
Left Turn Signal and Brake Light
7.
Tail Lamps
Loss of trailer lights when towing may be the result of a
fault in the trailer wiring or excessive power
consumption by the lights connected to the trailer output(s). When this occurs, a red Trailer Mode icon
appears on the touchscreen. Fix any issues with the wiring and/or reduce the number of lights connected to the trailer output(s), then toggle Trailer Mode
off and on
again.
NOTE: Vehicles with a lead-acid low voltage battery
have auxiliary power. Vehicles with low voltage lithium-
ion batteries do not have auxiliary power at this time.
You can determine which battery your vehicle is
equipped with by touching
Controls > Software >
Additional Vehicle Information.
CAUTION: Always ensure that the trailer electrical
cable does not contact or drag on the ground and
there is enough slack in the cable to allow for
turns.
WARNING: Use only the electrical connections
designed by Tesla. Do not attempt to directly
splice or attempt to connect a trailer
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NOTE: Installing winter tires can result in temporarily
reduced regenerative braking power but after a short
period of driving,
Model Y recalibrates to correct this.
Touch
Service > Wheel & Tire Configuration > Tires to
select winter tires and quicken this process.
Blue Snowflake Icon
A blue snowflake icon appears on your
touchscreen when some of the stored energy in
the Battery is unavailable because the Battery is cold. This portion of unavailable energy displays in blue on the Battery meter. Regenerative
braking, acceleration, and charging rates may be limited. The
snowflake icon no longer displays
when the Battery is
sufficiently warm.
After Driving
Leave Model Y plugged in when not in use. This uses the
charging system, rather than the battery itself, to keep the battery warm (see
High Voltage Battery Information
on page 167).
Scheduled Departure
When parked, plug in Model Y and use the Schedule
settings, available on both the charging and climate
control screens, to set a time when you want to precondition
Model Y (see Scheduled Charging and
Scheduled Departure on page 174). Your vehicle
determines the appropriate time to begin charging so it is complete during
off-peak hours and the cabin and
Battery are warm by your set departure time. For more information, see
Scheduled Charging and Scheduled
Departure on page 174.
Storage
If you leave Model Y parked for an extended period of
time, plug the vehicle into a charger to prevent normal range loss and to keep the Battery at an optimal temperature. Your vehicle is safe to stay plugged in for any length of time.
When not in use, Model Y enters a sleep mode to
conserve energy. Reduce the number of times you check
your vehicle
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pressing the drive stalk down, or touching the speed
limit sign on the touchscreen. For more details, see
Changing the Cruising Speed on page 92.
4.
To cancel Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, push the drive
stalk up once or press the brake pedal. See
Canceling
and Resuming on page 94 for more information.
Set Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
Chime
If you want a chime to sound when you engage or cancel
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, touch Controls >
Autopilot > Traffic-Aware Cruise Control Chime.
NOTE: Model Y must be in Park.
Changing the Cruising Speed
Roll the right scroll wheel up to increase, or down to decrease, the set speed. Slowly rolling the scroll wheel changes the set speed in
1 mph (1 km/h) increments and
quickly rolling the scroll wheel changes the set speed to
the closest
5 mph (5 km/h) increment. For example, if
you are traveling at
57 mph and quickly roll the scroll
wheel, the speed increases to
60 mph.
With Traffic-Aware Cruise Control engaged and cruising
at a set speed, you can also change the cruising speed
to the current speed limit (including any
offset you